The Chameleon - Adaptive Marketing Ideas For Your Business

Insurance Agency Executives, I'm speaking directly to you in this one. 

Let's be honest. Insurance is not sexy. The outdated, stuffy and old school stereotypes that come with your profession, makes you sometimes question why you chose it at all. The cloud of mystery that surrounds the core of your business also makes it very hard to pepper in the pizzazz when it comes to marketing your products and services.  Now, you and I both know that the insurance industry is, in reality, a very great business to be in. You can very positively impact your clients' lives, it takes a great deal of intelligence to be good at it, and it can also be very lucrative. 

With all of the DIY Website platforms out there, is "website developer" becoming a job of the past?

Absolutely not! Although there are some great platforms out there, like Wix and Squarespace, it is critical that you evaluate your core business objectives before choosing the path between a DIY Website or going with a professional web development firm.

Recently I've been back into a training phase as I gear up for a few endurance races later this year. This morning, I was back in the pool at 5:30 am. While I generally enjoy swim workouts (more so than running), they can be a bit tedious and certainly boring at times. Even with intervals and workouts that require "pool toys", it is hard to break up the monotony of staring at the black line at the bottom of the pool. While it can sometimes be a chore to get started, the time in the pool can also be a nice break! With all the 'noise' at work, family and social demands, as well as my two young kids requiring a good bit of attention, it is sometimes nice to let my mind wander while doing nothing but swimming. It's almost therapeutic. 

Creating a sound marketing strategy is one of many things on most company's "to-do" or "improvement" list. It can be a daunting task and one that, if not taken seriously, can have detrimental results since consumers are relying more and more on the availability of information and products in the digital world. 

The following list are some digital marketing basics that can serve as a sound jumping off point, or a good reminder as you evaluate your strategy.

The ABC's

With more and more people online for information, service, product research and a myriad of other reasons, having a top-tier website is more important than ever. Like a majority of companies, I am sure yours has a website there to provide your customers with a way to engage with you, find your products and services, and the information they need to get in touch with you. However, there are many times where you could be thinking "how do I get the most out of my website"? "Where do I start"? Sometimes, it is a simple fix on the website itself and other times it is completely revamping the website altogether. To help you decide which route is best, here are

5 questions to ask before doing a website redesign

For 826 and three-quarter days
We developed our product, we labored away.
After months of testing, and tweaking we were ready to say, our one-of-a-kind tech gadget app was going to market today!

The staff arrived early, the anticipation swirling
We flung open the door on our eCommerce store and waited for clients to come purchase what we were sure they'd never had before.
They'd pay us a premium to get the first crack at our one-of-a-kind tech gadget app.

What is Digital Marketing?

The business, and more specifically, the marketing landscape has changed over the years from Marketing to Digital Marketing as a primary tool for reaching an audience. Webopedia defines internet marketing as "advertising and marketing efforts that use the Web and email to drive direct sales via electronic commerce, in addition to sales leads from Web sites or emails." These methods are much different than the traditional, but still relevant, methods of TV, radio and physical (newspapers) marketing methods. This is because the internet is constantly changing and there are a number of metrics to analyze and improve upon when utilizing internet marketing. Under the broad umbrella of digital marketing are three main areas:

Groundhog Day is once again upon us. If you live in the Northeast, my guess is that you are hoping Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early Spring. Whether you believe in Phil's magical powers or not, Groundhog Day is a symbol of folklore in American culture. Not only has this tradition been carried on for over 100 years, it also inspires popular culture.

Marketing is one of those areas that make or break many small businesses in particular. Competing with some of the larger brand name companies in the same industry who can offer lower costs, whether marginally or substantially, is no easy task. One thing that has leveled the playing field with those larger corporations is the power of social media marketing. The benefits of social media for small businesses go beyond the pure marketing aspect of a business and much more into the customer interaction and creating lasting relationships, business and otherwise.

Having a social media presence isn't enough, however. What you do with it and how you maintain it is what is important when it comes to brand recognition, generating business, and creating lasting, meaningful relationships that help to grow your business. Below are some of the many benefits of social media for small businesses and how those benefits can help you compete with larger businesses.