Are the days of traditional insurance agency marketing merely a remnant of a bygone era? Before we answer this important, let’s first define that which we would today consider traditional insurance agency marketing programs. Let’s start with 20 well known marketing initiatives, or perhaps I could better refer to them as insurance agency marketing activities, that can generate interest and awareness. These are in alphabetical order, not in order of importance or perceived efficacy:
- Associations (Chamber of Commerce, etc.)
- Billboards
- Business Cards
- Client Testimonials (Hard Copy)
- Club Memberships (Golf, Tennis, Other)
- Company Boards (BOD’s, nonprofit boards and advisory councils)
- Direct Mail including Postcards
- Face to Face Networking Organizations
- Glossy Brochures
- Hard Copy Newsletter
- Literature (traditional paper based)
- Magazine Ads
- Newspaper Ads
- On Site Events (for both clients and prospects)
- Promotional Items
- Referrals
- Telemarketing
- Trade Shows
- Volunteer and community programs
- Yellow Page Ads
Some of the activities noted above are perhaps dubious from a marketing standpoint. How does the list above compare with a Web 2.0 Insurance Agency Marketing activity list? Let’s review common Insurance Agency Web Marketing activities, again in alphabetical order:
- Article Directories (ePublishing)
- Blogging
- Bookmarking (Digg, StumbleUppon, Reddit, etc.)
- eBrochures (eFullfillment)
- eMarketing
- eTestimonials (Digitally written or recorded testimonials)
- Executive email initiatives (Individually targeted emails as opposed to blasts)
- Link Building Campaigns
- Micro blogging (Twitter, Tumblr, etc.)
- Pay Per Click (Google, LinkedIn, Facebook)
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Skype Recorded Interviews
- Social Media Marketing (Business Marketing Initiatives on Facebook, LinkedIn)
- Social Networking (Personal interaction on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.)
- Vlogging
- Warm Calling (calls to email click-throughs, webinar registrants, etc.)
- Webinars (Web Seminars)
- Website development and enhancement
- Website Video
- YouTube
Does this Web 2.0 list supersede all of the traditional insurance marketing activities listed above, or is a combination of the traditional and web-centric advisable? For more on this important and engaging topic, read the article! And for more on the intricacies of insurance agency marketing in 2011, visit the experts.
