Recently, I've rededicated myself to writing articles on a regular basis.  Not only does it improve my writing skills, but it also forces me to continue my education in ways I would never consider.  Recently, I started watching a series of professional marketing videos; except these guys know nothing about  insurance.  Instead, they are professional marketers that have made millions on the web.  The funny part, is that insurance companies and insurance agents alike make very silly mistakes that causes a sort of paralysis through analysis.  

If you're like most people you probably wondering, what the heck I am talking about.  Well, today's blog post will cover insurance marketing mistakes that you can avoid.

Striving for (Im)Perfection

While it is an admirable trait want the pefect website, the first version of my website was rather basic.  In fact, the call to actions sucked.  The funny thing is that it really worked.  It amazes me that a simple website with a well placed call-to-action can generate a ton of leads.  Unlike many insurance agents, I was generating leads almost from the first day I started writing content.

All of the marketers I've studied and talked to say the same thing.  Don't worry about making a perfect product.  As insurance agents we are conditioned to make sure that we get it right.  In the insurance world, making a mistake on a policy could cost someone millions.  So it stands to reason that we want to ensure that our websites are as perfect as our insurance applications; WRONG!    The internet is about speed to market!  So get your message out there and show your prospects that you're a knowledgeable human being.  While you may make a mistake or two, you'll get a ton of traffic in the process of you being an imperfect being.

Consistent Inconsistency

This year, I made a very big mistake.  I stopped writing content because I was personally too busy.  I figured my videos and blog posts were good enough to hold off the competition.  While it was fun to lap the competition, you have to think like a Nascar driver; except Nascar races end after a certain number of laps.  However, on the internet the race to the top position never ends.  Trust me, I know.  Once you get to the top of the web, it gets harder and hard to keep the top spot.  Insurance marketing and internet marketing in general is about habits and consistency.

As I stated above, I started generating leads on my website almost immediately.  Why?  Because, I wrote content religiously.  As a result, the Google gods blessed me with loads of traffic.  Conversly, as I stopped writing content about a particular keyword, the traffic eventually stopped.  So, consistently writing content will consistently bless your blog with readers, followers, and ulimtately buyers.  If you don't believe me, ask the producers that benefit from the leads I generate.

One sided Anti-Social Media and SEO Marketing

Have you heard of the cool new thing called Facebook?  I speak to a lot of agents that say things like, "I don't like Facebook", or "I only used Linkedin."  While using facebook or Linkedin as your primary social media platform is okay, you could be missing out on an entire segment of business that wants and needs your products.  Imagine how many people are on facebook.  Now imagine the number of people that are on Linkedin, Twitter, Google+ and  so on.  Get my point?  If you've ever read any of my previous posts, you know that social media is your advertising platform; just as if you're choosing different television networks.

While I'm on the topic of social media, I need to address SEO.  In the past, you could put up a landing page, perform a little on page SEO (Search Engine Optimization), buy a few backlinks, and voila!  The traffic starts flowing.  Google has changed that.  SEO has changed forever.  In fact, Social media and SEO now go hand in hand.  Now your search engine optimization efforts must include content writing, article syndication, earning backlinks, along with social media. As a result, we should change the definition of SEO to Social Engine Optimization.  This is a topic that needs further addressing.  I will dedicate a future post to the changing landscape of SEO.  The bottom line is simple.  If you're going to create a following, you should implement a strategy that starts on your website and pushes out to the world through social media.

Now, there you have it.  Three things that agents do wrong on a daily basis.  If you're like most insurance agents, you already have enough on your place.  Take my word, if you avoid being anti-social and consistently push your message to your audience while connecting on the different social media platforms, you can become an internet marketing superstar.  As a result, you too can sit at home and generate leads for agents all over your state; just like me. It will save you time, it will save you money. Good luck in your journey.  As always, I encourage you to connect with me on one or all of the social media platforms.