The world of marketing can be a scary, uncertain place, especially with new online marketing capabilities introduced almost daily. To make matters worse, most local insurance agencies don’t have a dedicated marketing team. Although it’s best to have at least one employee focused on marketing, more often than not marketing is one part of a single employee’s many hats. You know marketing is an important part of growing your agency, but you need to grow your agency before you can increase your marketing resources – what are you to do in this catch 22?
The best way to jump-start your marketing is to simplify. Through our experience here at SIS, we’ve found three tools are important in marketing success: your agency’s website, an e-newsletter and your social media presence. If you can get the ball rolling in these three areas, you can make use of the latest cloud-based tools to keep things moving till you’re able to get someone on marketing full-time.
Having a good website is the first piece to any marketing campaign: you need to have a place for potential clients to go for information. If resources allow, the best move is to outsource your website creation to an expert. We at SIS refer our agency partners to Agency Marketing Partners as creating and maintaining a website is full-time work. However, for those who don’t yet have the resources to outsource, Squarespace is a good way to start your website before moving it over to a professional.
Squarespace has a “drag and drop” site creation method, making it easy to learn and use, and has high quality, catchy designs that give your agency that polished, put-together look. With the explosion of mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is a must, and Squarespace automatically adjusts your site for mobile users. You can reach the 24/7 support team by e-mail and online chat, and since Squarespace is all run online, you can make website edits anywhere at any time, while Squarespace takes care of site hosting and back-ups.
Once you’ve got a place to send people, it’s time to get them there. At one time, e-newsletters were the go-to marketing technique, but these days they’re a supplement to other marketing tactics. Yet, e-news still holds value in being an easy to digest way to keep your clients and potentials clients informed and connected. If your agency’s budget allows, our preferred website-creation company also provides great e-mail marketing management. However, if you’re not in a place to outsource, Constant Contactand Vertical Response are great cloud-based e-newsletters providers. Each provides easy-to-use e-news templates, campaign management and reporting and has ways to link social media to your e-newsletters.
The final piece to getting started in marketing is to ensure your presence on social media. In itself, social media can be a bit daunting, but time has shown its staying power and influence. The greatest benefit for social media is you can connect directly with current and potentials clients and promote agency transparency, creating a sense of trust between you and your clients.
There are a lot of social sites out there, butFacebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn remain the most widely used and the three to hit, with Google+ on the rise. You should put some work in to creating your agency profiles and gaining followers, and after on regularly updating with relevant info. As a good rule of thumb, Facebook is great for photo sharing, Twitter for link sharing, and LinkedIn and Google+ for agency news. A great cloud app for keeping things updated is Hootsuite, a tool that allows you to update multiple social media platforms at one time. The interface is easy to use and understand, and you can even schedule updates to be posted days, weeks, and months in advance.
Once you’ve got things rolling for marketing, maintaining is made so much easier with these cloud-based tools. They can help your agency grow so you can invest in a full-time marketing person or team. You should use your marketing tools along with your agency’s management system, utilizing its abilities to cross sell, renew and retain clients and win back lost accounts. Check out a previous post on how Partner XE helps boost your marketing tactics, and contact us at 800.747.9273 or [email protected] to talk about the ways Partner XE can work for your agency.
In our last post, we looked at some all-in-one cloud apps combining e-mail, document sharing/storage, and calendar sharing to save time (and money!) for your agency’s daily operations. These all-in-one tools bring the benefit of synching operations, yet some agencies are hesitant to go right for the multi-operation overhaul. If your agency is looking for a slower start in to cloud applications we at SIS suggest beginning with document storage and sharing as a jumping off before moving your agency to using more cloud apps. Although your agency has great client and policy related document storage ability in Partner XE’s DocBox, documents related to other parts of your agency and “work-in-progress” docs also need a place to be shared and stored.
In conjunction with Partner XE’s DocBox, we suggest a great document sharing and storage tool called DropBox. DropBox is an easy to use application offering up to 16GB of free storage. If needed, your agency can opt for a paid plan ranging from $9.99/mo ($99/yr) to $49.99/mo ($499/yr) depending on your size need (ranges from 100 to 500GB). Larger agencies may find 500GB too restricting, so DropBox offers business plans at $795/year for 5 users with $125/additional user/year. The size of your plan depends on whether you want to store all your documents on DropBox or if you’re using it just to share docs between individuals and departments.
Once installed, you simply move your files to the DropBox folder created on your computer. As you add files, they will stay updated and backed up on your computer and on DropBox’s server. You can grant access to different folders, allowing multiple people to open and edit documents, and DropBox will let you know when and by whom documents were edited. Of course, DropBox uses great security: it’s the same 256-bit AES encryption, which you remember from a previous post, is used by online banking and shopping sites.
DropBox is easy to use, and quick to install. Also, it keeps a 30 day revision history of all your files, so if you decide you didn’t like the changes made on a document, you can go back and start from a previous version. And, since it is all cloud-based, if your computer is lost or damaged, your data is not.
Using DropBox in conjunction with Partner XE’s DocBox ensures all your agency’s documents are up-to-date and backed-up safely. The Partner XE DocBox gives you the added benefit of attaching docs right to client profiles, and is completely E & O compliant. To find out more about Partner XE’s DocBox and its other features, call us at call us at 800-747-9273 or email [email protected].
It’s amazing how much time can be spent during the day with small tasks like checking e-mails, reviewing documents or scheduling meetings. Throughout the days and weeks, the extra minutes spent on these daily tasks can add up to hours wasted. Moving these tasks to cloud applications and integrating them with your agency management system can save your agency time and money. Not only will it make sharing information easier, it will also give you access to the most up-to-date versions of documents and meetings at all times. Besides these benefits, using cloud applications for your e-mail, document sharing and calendars means this precious intel is backed-up regularly and securely.
Let’s take a look at two options for mixing time saving cloud apps with your agency management system.
Microsoft Office 365
Microsoft Office 365 is essentially the Microsoft Office suite brought to the cloud. Many had complaints about the previous Office 365, and the current version is a more than worthy response. Office 365 combines e-mail, calendar and doc sharing in an all-in-one. Those used to using Outlook will love Office 365 as it has a familiar look and ease of use. The benefit here comes from its cloud capabilities as you can access your e-mail from anywhere, which, in the current fast-paced market, is nearly essential. Also, Office has site mailboxes where you can store e-mails pertaining to a certain project or client and can share with all those involved.
If your agency uses Partner XE as your agency management system, you can easily integrate Office 365. Partner XE is designed to work with Office 365, allowing you to easily import and export contacts, calendars and e-mail communications with clients. Such integration between your e-mail and agency management system ensures E & O compliance and allows everyone at your agency to access the most up-to-date client communication. This means being able to meets clients’ needs faster and more effectively, and it greatly enhances internal collaboration.
When it comes to document sharing, Office 365 definitely has the edge. Since it’s a Microsoft product, you can do all the same things you can with the Office suite on your desktop, but you can access it at any computer with an internet connection. Since it essentially offers the full Office suite as cloud-accessible, Office 365 does come with a price tag. Depending on your agency’s size, you can pay anywhere from $5-$15/user/month and add up to 300 users.
Google Apps
Although Google made its name as a search engine, it’s making its legacy with its cloud applications. One of the first cloud apps Google introduced was its Google Calendar, which is easy to use, and gives you the benefit of sharing your calendar with others. Google’s document sharing app, Google Drive, is great for real-time editing with multiple users simultaneously, but lacks in having all that is offered in the Microsoft Office suite on your desktop. Its Word and Excel get the job done, but you don’t have a lot of font choices or formula options.
Gmail, Google’s e-mail app, does a great job of keeping e-mails grouped in “conversations” and allows you to put emails under multiple categories, which serve as folders. Gmail uses rich text format and is able to sync with Google’s document and calendar apps well so you can be updated via email when changes are made.
Although Google’s systems work great for many small businesses, relying on Google’s apps can pose a problem for many agencies as Google does not play well with others. For businesses that use all Google products, these apps are a dream, but for insurance agencies using any type of agency management system (which is most), it is difficult to get Google to integrate. However, there are ways around Google’s lone-wolf persona: for example, SIS can work with agencies to get Partner XE to integrate with Gmail by linking it to Outlook.
Your agency can use all the Google apps for free, or purchase Google Apps for Business at $5.99/month or $50/year to obtain a custom e-mail domain, among other benefits. Due to its noncompliance issues, we suggest using the free Google apps, notably the doc sharing for real-time editing, as a supplement to your management system and not rely wholly on it.
No matter what type of cloud applications you use for your e-mail, calendar and document sharing, it’s better to go the cloud way than not. The benefits of using cloud apps are so great that they are quickly becoming the norm, especially in small businesses. SIS sees the writing on the wall with using the cloud, as evidenced through its innovative cloud-based agency management system, Partner XE. To find out more about Partner XE and other great ways to improve your agency’s performance, call us at call us at 800-747-9273 or email [email protected].
Strategic Insurance Software (SIS) is pleased to announce the release of its newest e-guide: “Effective Insurance Marketing on a Limited Budget.” Geared toward agencies that want to increase the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns without breaking the bank, the guide focuses on key ways independent insurance agents can generate positive exposure for their agency, gain a stronger digital presence, and leverage the tools already at their disposal.
Marketing can be expensive, however, you don’t need to break the bank in order to effectively market your agency. The fundamental secret to creating a high-impact marketing plan on a limited budget is to optimize what you have and focus on capturing the customers that will provide a return on your investment.
The e-guide will help you with the following aspects of developing a cost-effective marketing for your insurance agency:
Engaging people with social networks – online and off
Getting the most of your social media use
Using “local search” to get more traffic to your website
Maintaining and building an effective website
Mining your agency management system
Executive Vice President of Sales for SIS, Michael Doran, sees the e-guide as another opportunity for SIS to help independent insurance agencies grow their business: “SIS is always listening to independent insurance agencies to learn how to help them solve their problems. Through these interactions and our own experience, we have learned marketing tips that we want to share with independent insurance agencies everywhere to help them grow and maintain a sustainable business.”
Any experienced insurance agent will tell you the key to successful business is good customer service. The key to good customer service? Communication. Communication within your team and communication with your clients is essential to building a good brand and a successful agency. Cloud communication tools are making it easier than ever to keep in touch with your employees and clients. These applications allow you to stay in touch while you’re on the go and are essential for agencies with multiple locations.
Using cloud apps to communicate gives your agency the benefit of face-to-face communication without the costs of time and money to get from one location to another. This can be particularly helpful when explaining service options or agency tools to clients. Seeing a real human being explaining the ins and outs of your policy creates a sense of trust and security that makes for loyal clients who will sing your praises to all they know.
Using cloud communication tools within your team brings the benefit of not missing a single new idea. Through meeting face to face, you can pick up on when someone needs to interject or read facial expressions to know if a new idea is falling flat or taking off. Meeting via the cloud will also create a sense of community within your team, which any agency owner knows means more gets done, and gets done better.
There are many options out there for cloud-based communication tools. We’re going to look at three of the best tools, each with a different use, that can help your agency stay in touch, increase productivity, and provide great customer service no matter where you are located.
Join.Me
This screen sharing app is great for teaching clients or employees how to use systems or for collaboration in making new, innovative ideas come to life. It’s free to join, and up to ten people at once can look at and/or manage a single device’s screen. All you need to do is generate a secure code, provide it to the participants and, voila! It’s like you’re standing right next to them, watching their screen.
Join.Me is already used by thousands of businesses to provide direct assistance to clients who may be new to technology. Your agency can benefit by providing personal assistance in understanding how to file online claims or to check policies on your website. You can even record sessions and post them on your website for a step-by-step instructions that are always available.
Your team can benefit from using Join.Me to collaborate on a new website design, new agency strategy or any number of projects needing input from multiple members. The application is intuitive, making it easy for those with little tech experience to pick up quickly, and is secure. The application uses 256-bit SSL encryption, the same used by most online shopping and banking sites, making it hack-proof to give you and your clients piece of mind about your information’s security.
GoToMeeting
True to its name, GoToMeeting is a great tool for virtual conference sessions. You have the option for HD video for up to 6 participants or call-in only for up to 1,000, and it can be used on almost any device, including tablets. Many use GoToMeeting to host webinars or training sessions as participants can call the toll free number and listen in while watching live video, shared screens or both. Multiple individuals can sit in as presenters, and you can switch from one presenter to another in the click of a button. This is especially helpful during question and answer sessions. All sessions can be recorded, meaning no one ever has to miss a meeting or training: even if they can’t tap in virtually, they can watch the session in its entirety at a later time.
This application was one of the first of its kind, making it a pioneer in the cloud communication venue. Like Join.Me, GoToMeeting is easy to use and using similar tight security. To use the application, one presenter clicks a button to invite other presenters and provides a toll free number and access code to those who plan to listen in. Since the application uses phone lines for audio, it comes through crystal clear. GoToMeeting is a fee-based app, but the $50/month price tag is worth it.
Google Hangout
Google has gone way beyond a search engine, and is now cornering the market on cloud computing. It’s communication app, Google Hangout, is typical of most Google applications in that it is compatible with every possible device and is easy to use. Since Hangout is a Google application, you know it’s secure. Google pays close attention to security across the board due to its high profile and growing number of cloud-based applications.
Google Hangout is, like all Google apps, a free service. You can use Hangout for meetings or problem solving sessions with up to 10 individuals. What makes Hangout different is you are able to see the faces of all the individuals in the meeting at one time, allowing you to pick up on nonverbals showing someone is confused or has something to add to the conversation. Hangout has great video quality, and it auto-adjusts to brightness and contrast automatically. Google’s recent acquisition of YouTube means top of the line YouTube integration, which allows you to watch videos in real time. When a video is played, mics adjust automatically to mute, but someone can interject by pressing the “push to talk” button to bring down the video’s volume while they’re speaking.
To use Hangout, all you need is a Google ID, which you can now get without needing to sign up for Gmail, Google’s e-mail platform. Just type in whatever e-mail you use, create a password and you’re ready to “hangout”.
We hope this intro to a few of the best cloud communication tools makes the world of cloud computing a little less scary and more accessible for you and your agency. In order for your agency to serve the needs of your clients, you’ll need to begin to embrace these new technologies to keep up with new expectations. We at SIS know it’s important to stay one step ahead and, with applications like the Partner XE agency management system, we are taking that step for you and passing it along to your agency. To find out more about SIS and Partner XE, contact us at 800-747-9273 or email [email protected].
SIS is proud to release a new extension to the Partner XE system: the Partner XE Client Portal. The Client Portal syncs an agency’s website with the Partner XE system, providing insured customers access to policy information online. Through the Portal, agency...
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It’s amazing how much time can be spent during the day with small tasks like checking e-mails, reviewing documents or scheduling meetings. Throughout the days and weeks, the extra minutes spent on these daily tasks can add up to hours wasted. Moving these tasks to cloud applications and integrating them with your agency management system can save your agency time and money. Not only will it make sharing information easier, it will also give you access to the most up-to-date versions of documents and meetings at all times. Besides these benefits, using cloud applications for your e-mail, document sharing and calendars means this precious intel is backed-up regularly and securely.
The world of marketing can be a scary, uncertain place, especially with new online marketing capabilities introduced almost daily. To make matters worse, most local insurance agencies don’t have a dedicated marketing team. Although it’s best to have at least one employee focused on marketing, more often than not marketing is one part of a single employee’s many hats. You know marketing is an important part of growing your agency, but you need to grow your agency before you can increase your marketing resources – what are you to do in this catch 22?