The Chameleon - Adaptive Marketing Ideas For Your Business

If you are an executive in an insurance agency, you probably have the following:

If you have just one social media account, then you have the opportunity to create a compelling professional bio. Every social network (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc) has space for you to tell others a little about yourself. Every network has different ways to do so, but regardless of the 'where', you need to know the 'why' and 'how'.

Last evening, Jesse Williams took the stage at the BET Awards to accept the honor for humanitarian of the year. He accepted the award, not for himself, but as he stated in his politically charged speech:

Take some time to socialize.

You’ve said it. I’ve heard it. “I just don’t have time to post to social media for my business”.

Sure you do. You just, well, think about it too much.

I recently had a twitter conversation with Mark Sephton which got a bit of notice from our networks. Mark started off with,

“I do not understand why people unfollow lots of people to make themselves look good... You risk harming your brand.”

To which I responded,

“Agree! Drives me crazy. Hate when someone follows and unfollows within a day or two. How about trying to actually be social.”

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 The outdated, stuffy and old school stereotypes that come with your profession, makes you sometimes question why you chose it at all.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