TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
Sales
Storytelling = T Tales ales
With two kids, I have had to become a great storyteller. LYLE DAVIDSON There are the bedtime stories, the reenactment stories for Technology Committee Chair everyone just dying to know the latest adorable thing my kid has done, stories to explain why we do certain things the way we do them, and of course stories about why eating your vegetables really is a good idea.
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hat’s your story? What makes your agency stand out from the direct writer in the office right next to yours? I was reading a blog post from Seth Godin this morning. He included a video interview he did in which he calls out marketers for becoming selfish in their approach to consumers. The hard truth is that “no one owes you their attention. No one owes you their business,” says Godin. Godin goes on to point out that we need to tell our story in such a way that the consumer is going to resonate with us. Sweet. How? Two years ago I attended Steve Anderson’s Agency Boot Camp. He shared a story about an agent in Cedartown, GA, with incredible online sales. Chris Beeler put together a simple website that highlighted the main interactions he wanted customers to have. At the top of every page, three buttons dominate the screen: Get An Auto Quote, Make A Payment, and Get Proof of Auto Insurance: As Low as $59 Down. The buttons even beep when you roll your cursor over them, drawing more attention to what the page wants from viewers. It’s not the most attractive site on the web; but it effectively opened up Beeler’s market and increased his sales astronomically. The good fortune only continued when he applied the same principles to his Facebook Page. He has 282 likes and all kinds of interactions. On May 4, a client left a post “Hey Chris, can you call me back about the house ins quote? Hope all is well!” Can you imagine? I was immediately captivated, so much so that I’ve modeled the functions of my own website after Beeler Insurance. I’m not big on the social media craze, but I’d kill for the kind of interaction he’s getting. How does he maintain that kind of synergy?
According to Godin, it’s in the way that Beeler is presenting his story. Beeler doesn’t toss out boring stats. He is constantly interacting with his community and then talking about it and applying insurance knowledge in applicable situations. He uses humor, photos, videos to entice his audience. Most importantly, he is honest. He shares how his knowledge drives in new clientele, and they acknowledge his service publicly. If you go to his website and click on reviews, you get pages and pages of praises to Beeler Insurance. Heck, I want to buy from him. It’s the relationships he is building that are continuing to bring in the business. You doubt whether digital tools can really bring in sales for small business owners? Beeler Insurance has three employees, only two of which are licensed. Of the two, Chris Beeler is the only one really producing according to his website. Cedartown’s population is under 9,500 people, yet it is Beeler’s website and Facebook Page that are driving traffic to his door, not an ad in the phonebook. If you aren’t connected yet, I would encourage you to start simply and pick one tool. In fact, you may even just want to start with a mobile site or mobile app. With more and more smartphones out all the time, you’re bound to get great exposure. If you have a website, choose a digital tool that will help you to build and strengthen relationships like a blog, or Facebook, or Twitter. Whatever you choose, stick with it, and be consistent. Most importantly, tell your story, and tell it honestly. Show people why they should pick your story. Want to get more help? Your Kansas Association of Insurance Agents has staff ready and willing to assist. Just email info@kaia.com and a KAIA staff person will be happy to assist.
July/August 2012 :: KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER
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