Right now, in 2010, there is a lot more to Social Media than just sales. It is about networking, branding, and investing in your organization’s future.
As of today, there remains a burning question among many agency owners: Should our organization be getting involved in social media? My answer is a resounding yes… right now is when your organization should be in the action phase of refining your web presence, and laying the groundwork for future ROI. Social Media is a huge part of that, and we must get past the debate.
If I can be frank for a moment, social media is absolutely nothing new. We have been using computers for both personal and business communication for well over a decade now. The recent, more widespread acceptance of social media has more to do with the adaptation of technology by our society than it does with social networking websites. Computers have been commonplace for many years now, and estimates find that 91% of the U.S. population was carrying a cell phone at the end of last year. Nielsen projects that by 2011, most of those devices will be smart phones – iPhones, Droids, etc. We are literally carrying the world, and our network, around in our pockets. And as pervasive as the technology has become, it is equally addictive. And we haven’t even begun to see what changes the iPad might bring.
Back to the question at hand… our culture is evolving quickly as this technology invasion takes place, and your business model must evolve with it. One big reason that some agency owners are hesitating to become active online is the question of ROI. What is it? What is the potential? The truth is, nobody really knows at this point. In three years it could be massive for agencies that get seriously involved now. And for those who don’t… well, their ROI is guaranteed to be zero. In fact, their numbers will likely begin to fall as their policyholders look for a more available organization to place their insurance with.
There is no doubt that we are an industry driven by premium volume, but our involvement in social media cannot be just about selling. It is about opening up communication channels for our current clients, strategic partners, and about positioning ourselves for future success on a much broader scale than just weighing our level of involvement on ROI alone.
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