13.1 Leads Per Campaign – Trucking Email Marketing Metrics

Posted on

June 16th, 2019

Check out these trucking email marketing lead gen metrics:

3 Quote Form Requests per Campaign
10.125 Click-Through Leads per Campaign
13+ Leads per Campaign

Many trucking agencies have yet to capitalize on email marketing lead gen programs. StartUpSelling can help your agency generate exclusive email marketing and appointment setting leads. Start building a robust trucking pipeline today, to ensure great results in 2018!

Contact us at (518) 222-6392 for a 15 minute trucking lead gen discussion – and learn how and why other agencies are succeeding with this proven lead generation solution.

Insurance Agency Marketing Plans: How to Insure the Success of Your Producers – Webinar Over 18,000 Views

Posted on

June 16th, 2019

John Scranton

On-Demand Webinar: Insurance Lead Gen for Trucking & Other Niche Markets

Posted on

June 9th, 2019

John Scranton

Check out this on-demand webinar revealing successful strategies for insurance agencies generating leads in transportation and other niche markets:

* Supporting producers with effective lead gen
* Building a prospect email list
* Appointment setting tips & strategies
* Creating a lead handling process
* ROI tracking and refinement

Watch the webinar here: https://startupselling.com/johnscranton/trucking-webinar/

5 Keys to a Successful Content Marketing Strategy for Insurance Agencies

Posted on

June 9th, 2019

John Scranton

By now, most insurance agencies and wholesale brokers have realized the power of content marketing as a critical element of social selling. Content marketing is a powerful tool for attracting potential customers, making connections and building relationships with your target audience.

Content marketing isn’t easy. But if it is done correctly, content marketing works in every industry, in every business, every time. All too often businesses don’t adequately prepare for the demands of developing and executing a successful content marketing strategy.

In practice, content marketing is hard work. You need to have a strategy so that search engines (such as Google) and your target audience can find you. It’s the hard work of sharing valuable, relevant content that your audience is looking for that captures their attention.

Here are 5 keys to successful content marketing:

Take content marketing seriously – Content marketing can be an efficient and powerful way to grow your audience and your agency. For content marketing to work, you need to invest, prioritize and execute. In order to achieve serious results, content marketing must be taken seriously.

Build relationships first – Content marketing is a long-term strategy. Success is no longer measured by the size of your email list, but by the size of your audience. When we build relationships first, those relationships turn into your audience. That audience then becomes your customer or partner, which turns into revenue.

Stop overtly selling – People (including people in your target business audiences) are tired of being sold too. They are savvy consumers who understand the connection between where they are consuming content and who provided the content. Always selling pushes your potential audience away because they will seek other sources of information.

Focus on your specialty/ies – The era of generalization is gone. People look for experts in the specific area of topic for which they are seeking. From a search engine and brand-building perspective, specialization is a pillar of content marketing success.

Invest in your content marketing strategy – Content marketing can have a very high ROI if done right. Doing it right means investing in bandwidth, tools and people. You need to have all of the parts of an online marketing funnel functioning well in order for a content marketing strategy to be successful. You will need to invest time and money in order to see the results you are seeking.

Want to learn more about how you can gain a competitive edge with a content marketing strategy? Contact StartUpSelling and we will be happy to help you explore how content marketing can benefit your company. Call us today at (518) 222-6392 to get started.

Agency Exclusive Trucking Lead Gen Packages Available

Posted on

June 2nd, 2019

John Scranton

Grow your trucking agency with 13.4 to 25.1 exclusive appointments per month (depending on your power unit profile). Here are a few of the important services your trucking lead gen package will include:

Prospect List Creation Based on your Target Trucking Profile
Custom Call Pitch & Ongoing Pitch Refinement
Experienced Appointment Setting Professional
Creation of Custom Lead Handling Process
No Bullpen, Auto-Dialers, Delays or Dropped Calls
Instant Lead Alerts with Detailed Prospect Data

Contact us for a 15 minute trucking lead gen review – and learn how and why other agencies are succeeding with this proven lead generation package.

How Insurance Agencies Maximize Their Social Media Investment

Posted on

June 2nd, 2019

John Scranton

Insurance agencies and wholesale brokers are investing in social media content creation as a valuable tool for attracting new clients and retaining existing ones. Social media content creation drives lead generation because it answers questions and conveys expertise to prospects. Business professionals and decision makers prefer to work with organizations that have a strong online presence because it gives them the opportunity and freedom to conduct their own research on their own terms when it best fits into their schedule.

The most successful insurance agencies are investing in social media. And, perhaps most importantly, they are producing more content.

Here are five strategies that the most successful insurance agencies, brokers and wholesalers are using to maximize their social media dollars.

Ensure a social media expert oversees the company’s content marketing strategy. – The most successful companies make sure there is at least one person that is designated to be in charge of executing the content marketing goals that the company has set.

Have a documented content strategy. – Write down your goals and what indicators you’ll use to prove your success. Make sure you communicate your goals with your digital marketing team.

Use a variety of tactics. – In this age of multi-media consumption, competition for audience attention is fierce. The smart investors realize that the wider they cast their net and invest in more tactics, the more new customers they will attract. Here is a list of possible content marketing tactics your organization could employ:

* Social media postings
* Articles on your website and prominent directories
* Blogs
* Digital Newsletters
* Case studies
* Videos
* White papers
* Webinars/webcasts
* Infographics
* Research reports
* Microsites
* Mobile content
* eBooks
* Mobile apps
* Digital magazines
* Podcasts
* Virtual conferences
* Annual reports

Use social media more frequently. – B2B companies use an average of six social platforms, up from five last year. (Content Marketing Institute.) As expected, LinkedIn is the top social media site used by B2B marketers, while Facebook is a close second. The sites that have seen the most growth this last year include SlideShare, Google+ and Instagram. Social media drives awareness of your company which in turn impacts lead generation.

Produce more content. – While it may seem obvious, producing more content is an effective strategy for attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. It may be very intimidating for an insurance agency to produce a quantity of content because it can be time-consuming and needs to be consistent.

StartUpSelling specializes in insurance marketing, web marketing and lead generation services. We have successfully created, launched and maintained marketing and lead generation campaigns for a vast array of insurance agencies, brokers and wholesalers. We deliver elite service and solutions at competitive price points. If you would like to maximize an investment in content marketing for your insurance organization, give us a call at 518-222-6392 today!

Originally Posted by John Scranton on June 22, 2015

How to Keep Your Insurance Agency Email Marketing Campaign Fresh and Effective

Posted on

May 19th, 2019

John Scranton

Email marketing is here to stay. While there are some naysayers who try to assert that email marketing is “dead,” wise B2B insurance marketers have discovered the incredible power of email marketing over the long-haul.

Scientific evidence supports this perception. Even though there are competing marketing channels (i.e. social networks, mobile apps, online advertising campaigns, etc.), email remains a vital and central component of an effective B2B marketing strategy. In research conducted by eMarketer in 2014, researchers found that “email is one of the most widely used and established of all platforms.”

And in a study conducted by Adobe, researchers studied email marketing opportunities and trends. They found that not only is email an effective marketing strategy for the company, but it’s undergoing “a remarkable transformation.” Just as the world of marketing has been transformed by the internet in general, new technologies and consumer expectations are driving new ways of thinking about and using email marketing to reach target consumers.

First of all, consumers today expect email to be personalized and relevant to their interests. Gone are the days of “one-size fits all” email campaigns. In today’s mobile lifestyle, consumers continue to relay on email that reaches them directly in ways that are meaningful to them.

Design Email Campaigns that are Mobile-Friendly

Readers today open 61% of their emails on mobile devices. 80% will delete emails that “don’t look good.” Marketers need to ensure that their emails are optimized for all viewing scenarios, including mobile. Mobile responsive designs will increase open rates by 16-17%, and click-through rates by up to 24%. (Adobe, 2014)

Use Data to Tailor Messages to Subscriber Segments

People today are inundated with information. Email messages need to be personalized and relevant to the needs and interests of the individual. Using data tracking and retargeting technology, marketers can adjust the messages according to the histories and interests of the target groups. Using post-delivery insights, marketers can update the message based on new information. The ability to make emails more dynamic gives brands a chance to deliver a more relevant experience.

Ensure Content is Robust and Compelling

Content is vitally important in today’s world of email marketing. Stay abreast of trends and technology; be prepared to engage the reader and compel them to take the next step in the sales funnel.

Understanding consumer expectations and new email trends, as well as exploring ways to meet those expectations and play to those trends will garner an increasing ROI on their email campaigns and will breathe new life into customer relationships.

Many insurance agencies, brokers and wholesalers outsource their email marketing campaign management to a competent marketing firm. Outsourcing is a cost effective option because it eliminates the need to hire, train, supervise and compensate a digital marketing team. Contact StartUpSelling today to learn more about effective email marketing strategies for insurance agencies, brokers and wholesalers.

Originally posted by John Scranton on July 7, 2015

3 Reasons Insurance Agency Telemarketing Campaigns Fail – And How to Fix Them

Posted on

May 19th, 2019

John Scranton

Problem 1: Bullpen – The bullpen mentality has long been a fixture in the telemarketing industry. Pile cheap labor into cubicles, toss them call sheets and say go. Better yet, off-shore to a bullpen in India. This creates a bevy of issues, beginning with a noisy and distracting environment. This is not a professional representation of your business.

Solution – A professional and articulate person working from a quiet office.

Problem 2: Auto-Dialers – When a computer manages your telemarketing campaign, your prospects hear clicking, strange noises and connection delays before they hear the voice of a real person. That is, if the call is not dropped. To be sure, this method increases the number of dials per hour. But at what cost?

Solution – A system of best practices which allows a caller to actually dial the phone 25 times per hour.

Problem 3: Don’t Understand Your Business – Your business and products/services/solutions are complex and nuanced. Your unique expertise sets you apart. If your telemarketing partner does not understand your business at both a strategic (project manager) and tactical (caller) level, your value is lost and you are simply asking to submit a bid.

Solution – Engage with a telemarketing partner who specializes in your industry.

For more information about Insurance Agency Telemarketing, contact us today.

Originally Posted on October 6, 2016 by John Scranton

Why Do Commercial Insurance Agencies Need a Professional Online Presence?

Posted on

May 15th, 2019

John Scranton

One of the most common questions insurance agencies, brokers and wholesalers pose is “why do I need to invest in my online presence?” This is an excellent question that needs to be addressed.

Corporations prefer companies with a strong online presence.

First and foremost, today’s buyers expect to be able to visit an insurer’s website. A study by J.D.Power found that 52% of insurance shoppers start their shopping process online, and 73% visit at least one insurer’s website at some point during their shopping experience.” Potential customers will compare your website, social networks, testimonials and reviews, and other elements of your online presence with your competitors and usually choose the company they “like” the best.

Businesses are buying more online.

As much as consumers are buying online, businesses are buying more. Forrester Research Inc. predicts that B2B sales next year will likely more than double. The online presence of your agency builds your search engine findability and boosts your business in Google ranking.

Gives your business a competitive edge.

You have competition online. If your direct competitors don’t have a strong online presence yet, they will. Establishing – and enhancing – your online presence gives your business the competitive edge it needs.

Increases brand awareness and recognition

As the insurance industry becomes more competitive, one of the biggest challenges agencies face is how to build their brand. The internet is available 24/7. This means that potential customers have the opportunity to become aware of your business at anytime, day or night. Having an online presence is like having billboards up all around town. Your online presence is an advertisement of your brand that never sleeps!

Increases trust and credibility

Companies are nervous about buying from insurance agencies they don’t know, especially businesses that seem “spammy” or lack integrity. Your online presence can help to dispel these fears if done right. Your website needs to be high quality; your content needs to be professional (and be spelled correctly, grammatically correct and easy to comprehend.) Your images and graphics need to be attractive and have a high resolution. You need to answer your prospective customer’s questions in a way that shows you understand their needs and point-of-view. Your agency needs to show consistency to demonstrate trustworthiness and reliability; customer reviews and testimonials will go a long way to establishing trust and influence the decision making process.

Learn about your customer

Successful agencies, brokers and wholesalers know that they need to establish and build relationships with their customers. Your online presence helps you do this through content and through listening tools. Being able to listen to the needs and wants of the companies that buy from you helps fine tune your offers and expand your business offerings in ways that will be attractive.

Measure your effectiveness to increase your ROI

The effectiveness of your online presence can easily be tracked and analyzed, giving you important data that can help you make improvements. Measuring the performance of your business gives you valuable information that will put you ahead of your competition.

While having a strategic online presence that is research-based and relentlessly executed does require an ongoing investment, an internet presence that is done right can have a major positive impact on the future. Regardless of your business type or size, don’t let the low-hanging opportunity of building equity in your online presence slip through your fingers.

Originally Posted September 2016 by John Scranton

How Smart Insurance Agencies are Saving Time and Generating Quality Marketing Content

Posted on

May 15th, 2019

John Scranton

By now, astute insurance agencies, brokers and wholesalers understand the value and importance of content marketing. Content marketing refers to creating and distributing relevant content using online frameworks such as websites, social networks, blogs, white papers, videos, e-zines, e-newsletters, etc. Many agencies struggle with the workload issues, motivation and inspiration needed to keep up with a long-term content strategy.

Here are some strategies that may help you plan and stay on top of your content marketing goals:

Take time to curate content to explore new, interesting ideas. Use content curation tools like Feedly, Pocket or Evernote to help you discover, track and easily locate articles, videos and other relevant content your clients will appreciate.
Use social media sharing tools like Buffer, PostPlanner, Hootsuite or SendSocialMedia that allow you to find and post to your social platforms directly from your internet browser, saving time and effort.
Organize a team to help. The process of implementing content strategy is fraught with many nuances and challenges and requires an understanding of content creation and an established pattern of interaction between all members of the team. A strong content development team should include a content strategist, developer, copywriter, designer, SEO expert and other company representatives as needed.
Assign the primary responsibility for content to a single project manager who will assign duties, provide oversight, ensure quality control standards are met and deadlines are met.
Develop a content strategy that includes: target audience demographics and buyer persona, a primary message, secondary or tertiary messages, a compelling offer or “hook”, calls to action, multiple types of delivery methods (i.e. blogs, social network posts, graphics, videos, webinars, articles, white papers, resource guides, etc.).
Set regular meeting times to review issues as well as progress.
Evaluate the results of your content strategy and refine future planning as needed.

Many insurance agencies, brokers or wholesalers outsource content creation to a competent marketing firm. Outsourcing is a cost effective option because it eliminates the need to hire, train, supervise and compensate a digital marketing team. Contact StartUpSelling today to learn more about effective content marketing strategies for insurance agencies, brokers and wholesalers.

Originally Posted by John Scranton on June 26, 2015

Unleash the Power of Social Media Marketing

Posted on

May 9th, 2019

John Scranton

Fifty-five percent of insurance consumers say they would use one or more of a variety of insurance services offered through social media – a number too big to ignore! (Accenture, 2013.) In today’s online world, consumers and business owners go to the internet when considering a purchase of any kind. They usually start with a Google search to learn more about the available alternatives to read user-generated reviews. They often go to Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn before making a buying decision. At each stage of the buying cycle, opinions are being formed about the products and agencies being considered.

For us in insurance – an industry built on both products and services – internet reviews and social media play an integral part in credibility. Potential clients, especially millennials, trust advice they find on social media about the best insurance products, agencies, brokers or carriers.

Here are some ways your company can stay up-to-date with a strong online presence that supports an online community:

Use the internet to facilitate better communication between brokers and customers.
Stay in-touch with your clients and their important life events. This will help you provide a more personal and relevant online experience for your clients.
Use the internet to keep your company modern through current marketing campaigns. This helps to build trust and demonstrates credibility.
Use social media to introduce new ideas and innovative products. Be sure to use mobile applications too.
Implement a social media customer service plan. “Consumers that have a positive social care experience are nearly three times more likely to recommend a brand to other and nearly 40 percent of companies experience a 10 percent reduction in support costs from implementing social care, with greater customer satisfaction.” (Accenture, 2013.)
Use social media as a claims management tool. This allows carriers to interact with customers throughout the claims process and helps to accelerate the recovery process.

Originally Posted by John Scranton on May 18, 2015

The Importance of Content Marketing for Insurance Agencies

Posted on

May 9th, 2019

John Scranton

Content marketing refers to the approach insurance agencies and wholesale brokers use to create, curate, distribute and promote information (content) your clients and prospects will find valuable. The goal of content marketing is to drive sales, fill the pipeline and help your company grow.

Content marketing, when it’s done right, offers value that is separate from the products and services you sell. When you share content that is educational, entertaining and useful to your audience, you will drive engagement, awareness and sales for your brand.

Here are the types of content that marketers use that can help promote your company:

Social media postings
eNewsletters
Articles on your website
Blogs
In-person events
Case studies
Videos
Photographs, illustrations and other images
White papers
Online presentations
Infographics
Webinars/webcasts
Podcasts
Research reports
Microsites

Content marketing is an investment in your company. Unlike a verbal strategy, which can be forgotten or misunderstood, published content can be referred to, modified and reused over time.

Struggling with keeping up with a consistent marketing strategy? Take the time to develop a content strategy and plan and follow it very closely. Frequent publishing is important for any organization that wants to grow their online presence.

The most effective marketers use social media more than any other tactic, and the most successful companies use multiple social media platforms. LinkedIn is both the most popular and the most effective for content promotion for business to business marketing. Regardless of your industry or company size, a blog should always be the hub of your content marketing efforts.

Originally Posted by John Scranton on May 22, 2015

The Insurance Elevator Pitch

Posted on

May 5th, 2019

John Scranton

The insurance elevator pitch is a succinct summary used to quickly describe your insurance agency or brokerage, products and services. It should include your unique value proposition, and must be delivered within the time span of an elevator ride of 30 to 60 seconds. This can be much harder than you think, and should be scripted, rehearsed, and timed. The elevator pitch is a fundamental component of your insurance marketing efforts.

Ask a variety of people in your agency or brokerage to tell you their version of the elevator pitch. Don’t be surprised if the pitch varies dramatically from person to person. Does the pitch adequately describe your value proposition? Does it highlight the products, services and solutions which best showcase your agency expertise? Did the pitches even sound remotely alike?

Your sales and marketing efforts are built upon a well articulated and easily repeatable value proposition, which should be a component of your elevator pitch. If you cannot communicate your value proposition in less than 30 seconds, or stumble when trying to express it, it’s time to write it down, rehearse it and communicate your value proposition with everyone in your agency. Once that is done, turn it into a 30 to 60 second elevator pitch. Practice makes perfect, try repeating both of these in monthly management meetings and sales meetings, and it’s important to note that your elevator pitch might vary based on your target niches (P&C versus Group Benefits for example).

Here are a few best practices when it comes to your insurance elevator pitch:

Be succinct – 30 seconds is best
Create empathy – For example, “We work exclusively with contractors” or “we work with trucking companies with 5 to 50 power units”
Verticalize – a vertical pitch is easier to differentiate
Be different – Everyone says “save money” and “great service” – what are your top 3, unique differentiators?
Transfer enthusiasm!
Close with a call to action – what’s the next step for your prospect

Let’s review a sample pitch, which would run 30 to 40 seconds depending upon cadence:

We’ve been helping trucking companies with insurance and risk management needs for over 50 years. Everyone at our agency is a trucking fleet expert, in areas including CSA, specialty cargo, certificate fulfillment, and owner operator services. Because of our access to extensive markets and deep industry expertise, we provide creative coverages at the best possible rates, and help protect our clients’ bottom line. We know trucking insurance is one of your biggest costs and our creative approach will help meet your unique requirements. Can we set up a 15 minute meeting to discuss your specific needs?

Your elevator pitch might be designed to include industry jargon to convince prospects of your deep expertise, it might highlight your most important products and services, your top differentiators, or your service centric approach. Regardless of what your final elevator pitch includes, practice makes perfect, it should roll off your tongue effortlessly. Remember, 30 to 60 seconds is all you get before your most important prospect walks out of the elevator, and your opportunity may be gone forever.

Originally Posted on April 14, 2015 by John Scranton

7 Common Insurance Email Marketing Mistakes

Posted on

May 5th, 2019

John Scranton

Here is a list of seven important insurance eMarketing mistakes to avoid:

Do not use an enhanced email signature: If your email signature (your name, contact info, etc.) uses a large font, is boldfaced, or appears in a different color, this is called “shouting” in email jargon and Outlook Junk Mail filters and corporate email filters don’t like this.
Don’t use an HTML email: These days text base emails stand a better chance at getting past junk mail and corporate email filters than HTML emails. Besides, if you’re using HTML, you’re more likely to take advantage of special fonts, invoking some of the issues noted in rule #1.
Avoid words like “free”: It’s one of the most common words activating junk mail and corporate email filtering. It’s right up there with the prescription dysfunction drug names and other spam alert words and phrases.
Don’t italicize, underline or use exclamation points: Again, this is a form of shouting.
Avoid rush words or phrase: “Act now, offer good today, respond soon, or sale ends tomorrow” are all examples of rush words or phrases. This is a big red flag for filters.
Avoid Bayesian Poisoning: Odd or complex phrasing can invoke something called Bayesian Poisoning, which appears to be an attempt to bypass Bayesian spam filtering and results in your email looking like spam. The best way to avoid this is the old, “simpler is better” rule.
Avoid Graphics when possible: Graphics often display poorly, especially for text base email clients. When sending B2B eMarketing Campaigns, use multipart mime to ensure optimum rendering. When sending individual emails, don’t assume what you see is what they get. WYSIWYG may be true for the email you’re looking to send, but what arrives can be a completely different story. Remember all the retail advertisements you receive and the blank real-estate and little red X’s which appear everywhere? Not only can graphics create a poor look and feel, they can increase the likelihood of appearing as spam. Graphics often connote an advertisement.

Originally Posted on March 26, 2015 by John Scranton

The Benefits of Digital Marketing for Insurance Agencies & Wholesale Brokers

Posted on

May 2nd, 2019

John Scranton

Insurance Marketing Effective digital marketing initiatives can provide agencies and wholesale brokers with the opportunity to connect with their audiences via platforms their clients and and prospects prefer most. Here are just a few of the benefits:

Position your organization as a thought leader in target markets
Build an online presence that provides customers with a sense of trust & familiarity
Collect prospect and client data from online interactions
Increase website traffic and generate new prospect opportunities
Create brand recognition and increase exposure
Develop new communication medium with clients and prospects

The arena of internet marketing is rapidly expanding. For this reason, agencies can no longer continue to ignore it. Digital marketing is now a fundamental requirement for marketing and lead generation. To learn more about how StartUpSelling can assist to your company click here.

Originally Posted on January 26, 2015 by John Scranton

The Benefits of Video Marketing for Insurance Agencies & Brokers

Posted on

April 26th, 2019

John Scranton

Insurance agencies and brokers need to realize exactly what video marketing is. Most marketing videos are short 1-5 minute videos focused on specific topics. Video is vital. Statistics show visitors are many times more likely to watch a video than they are to read content. So why is video marketing such a big opportunity?

It is efficient
It is consistent
It is cost-effective
It is simple
It improves SEO
Its engaging

Here are a few ways insurance agencies and wholesale brokers can incorporate video:

Testimonials – This is one of the most important reasons to use video marketing. The impact of a customer’s testimonial can accomplish more than the best salesman. It doesn’t have to be a highly sophisticated recording; simple words to enhance the value of your service can do so much.

FAQ Session – Leverage video as a medium to solve customer inquiries and challenges. A short video clarifies more ambiguity than an actual document. An added bonus is that this will boost website traffic.

Comical Skit about Insurance – Be fun and unpredictable. Give your clients and prospects something to smile and laugh about. Have a freaky Friday session at work and share it. This will liven up the relationship with clients.

Risk Reports – Create a video about the fire damage, prevention and safety precautions. Showcase the role your claims team will play during an incident.

Remember, video marketing is an agency or broker’s chance to be creative, realistic and welcoming; a chance like no other.

To know more about video marketing visit StartUpSelling.

Oringinally Posted on February 13, 2015 by John Scranton

7 Reasons Every Insurance Agency Should Blog

Posted on

April 26th, 2019

John Scranton

Industry experts say that great insurance marketing begins with a quality. Insurance agencies brokers that do not blog consistently (at least once a week), are missing a big opportunity to impress prospects and clients, and to help improve the effectiveness of their insurance websites. Here are seven reasons that agencies and brokers should have a quality blog:

Drive Website Traffic: A blog, preferably with original content, helps drive clients and prospects to your insurance website. It gives them a reason to visit, and a reason to stay.
Convert Traffic Into Leads: Quality blogs will help convert visitors into interested prospects. Prominent and professional “Calls To Action” will glean prospect information and increase inbound inquiries.
Establish Credibility: Demonstrate expertise by offering timely and topical blog content. High quality blogs answer common questions prospects and customers might have.
Content Baseline: Use your blog to share or repurpose your content in many ways. Send the blog link to prospects, leverage the blog in eMarketing campaigns, share the blog with social media, join and create groups on LinkedIn and post your content to these groups.
Convert to Case Studies, Online Publishers and Vlogs: A succinct blog can be converted into a one page case study, 400 word article or even a recorded video. This repurposed content further extends your messaging, expertise and audience.
Improve Insurance SEO: Blogs help improve insurance search engine optimization. Your original content is indexed by search engines such as Google and Bing, and helps prospects find your insurance agency website through organic searches.
Insurance Website Stickiness: Blogs can and should be one of your most visited website areas, with the longest visit duration on your website. Website visitors impressed with a blog, will be impressed with your expertise.

Some insurance agencies and wholesale brokerages lack the time or resources to create a consistent and professional blog. In these cases they can outsource this important marketing initiative to a proficient insurance agency marketing firm. For more information on territory exclusive Insurance Agency Marketing Solutions visit: https://startupselling.com.

Originally published March 9th, 2015 by John Scranton.

Case Study: Trucking Agency Lead Gen Program Produces 160% ROI

Posted on

April 22nd, 2019

John Scranton

An insurance agency who specializes in transportation was seeking a new way to grow. Two key producers were busy servicing existing clients and working with active prospects, and lacked the time to find sufficient new opportunities. The agency reached out to StartUpSelling to find a solution. Here is a snapshot of the results:

6 Month Appointment Setting Pilot Project
34 Appointments Scheduled with In-Profile Prospects
4 New Accounts Closed
160% Return on Investment

The producers now have ample new business opportunities and the agency has more than doubled their investment. To learn how this solution could fit your trucking practice, contact us today.

5 Tips to Improve Your Insurance Agency Email Marketing Program

Posted on

April 22nd, 2019

John Scranton

Properly executed email marketing programs put your agency marketing efforts on steroids. Agencies are often swept up with the hottest new tools, like social media, but email marketing remains one of the highest performing lead generation tools available.

Email marketing engages prospects and builds value with your current clients. It allows you to leverage your efforts through automation, making it seem like you have a team of agency marketers working for you 24/7/365. It’s like rolling a snowball down a hill that eventually turns into an avalanche.

The challenge is many agencies do not execute email marketing initiatives correctly, and end up hurting the the agency more than they help. Here are 5 quick tips to drastically improve your email marketing open and response rates.

Perfect the Subject Line – It all starts with a great subject line. If you can’t get people’s attention they won’t read the rest of your email. Also, do not use spammy words like “free”, “save” or “money” – they turn people off and will get you blocked by spam filters.
Keep It Short – If people open an email and see a small novel they will instantly be turned off. Keep your emails short and sweet, making your point in as few words as possible.
Remove the Fancy Stuff – Email marketing systems offer templates to create fancy emails. Don’t use them. Templates make your message appear salesy and can create spam issues.
Write Like A Friend – The structure of your email should look like a professionalized version of an email you would send to a friend. Use plain text and don’t be afraid to be a little conversational.
Calls To Action – The point of sending the email is to entice your prospect to take some type of action. Be sure you include a call to action that is easy to see and clearly articulated.

To learn more about how your agency can improve email marketing results, visit StartUpSelling or call (518) 222-6392 for a one to one review.

Originally Posted on January 6, 2015 by John Scranton

5 Tips to Unlock the Potential of Lead Generation for Trucking Insurance Agencies

Posted on

April 15th, 2019

John Scranton

Many insurance agencies have unlocked the tremendous potential of appointment setting for trucking lead generation. Here are three recent examples of what can be accomplished:

1 to 5 Power Units – 25 new prospect appointments per month
5 to 25 Power Units – 17 new prospect appointments per month
5 to 75 Power Units – 13 new prospect appointments per month

So how are these agencies filling the pipeline with in-profile prospects? Here are five tips each agency leverages to achieve impactful and profitable trucking lead generation results:

List – A poor list will produce a poor result. Make sure your trucking prospect list includes accurate contact information, current renewal dates, and is scrubbed to remove accounts outside your target profile. Don’t waste time on accounts you don’t want or can’t write.
Pitch – A clear and concise call pitch that quickly conveys value and expertise will attract attention and elicit opportunity. Long, vague or indirect approaches will frustrate prospects, appointment setters and waste time.
Appointment setter – Not all appointment setters are created equal. It takes a unique skill set to be able to dial the phone 20+ times per hour, deliver a pitch with clarity and enthusiasm, deal with rejection, and close appointments when the opportunity arises. Finding a professional who can consistently produce results is the linchpin for appointment setting success or failure.
Lead handling – A clear and documented lead handling process will ensure that agency producers have a formula to successfully harvest the crop of leads. This step by step guide will prevent missed opportunities.
Reporting – Execute, measure, refine, repeat. Accurate reporting and tracking are required to determine the success of any lead generation initiative.

Many agencies find that it is more efficient and effective to outsource these tasks as it is time consuming to interview, hire and train appointment setters, and challenging to monitor and constantly refine lead generation project nuances.

To learn more about trucking agency lead generation, contact StartUpSelling, Inc. for a complimentary review and learn how and why other agencies are succeeding with this proven lead generation methodology.