Angela Johnson's Blog
December 9, 2014
Shift Your Marketing to Overdrive
At Going Tradigital, we’re all about doing things more efficiently with better results. That’s why when we heard about eFactFinder we knew we had to share it with you!
Do you have leads that are just lying around, unworked? Are you unsure what your staff does each day? Do you want to get more quotes and sell more new business? Do you want to really engage your staff in sales activities while monitoring their performance? Then read on!
What is eFactFinder?
eFactFinder is a valuable online resource which takes the essential concepts of the Marketer position and puts them in an easy-to-use digital format. When your Marketers use eFactFinder, they will become confident, successful and true profit centers for your agency.
Performance Management
-Improves the accountability, performance, and data collection of your marketers.
-Enhances the marketer’s role, helping them transform into true profit centers.
-Identifies your poor and extraordinary Marketers earlier with clear performance reports.
*Click here for more info about how to Supercharge Your Marketer using eFactFinder
Marketer Training
-Integrated scripts and easy to use forms make training those new Marketers easier than ever before!
-Helps your team of Marketers ask the RIGHT questions.
-Ensures that Marketers get all the information necessary for your team to prepare a quote.
*Click here for more info about Discovering Your Next Producer using eFactFinder
Business Management
-Easily calculates Marketer bonus amounts so you don’t have to!
-Helps maximize the money you’ve invested in
-Helps your outbound marketing solutions go paperless.
*Click here for more info about Developing Your Team using eFactFinder
By Agents, For Agents
eFactFinder was developed by insurance professionals who understand the unique needs of building and running a successful agency. You’re going to love the ease of use as well as the reporting eFactFinder provides! Just click here to check out their web site today.
PS – If you use the code ‘Tradigital’ before 12/31/2014 you will receive your first 30 days free to try it out!!!
PSS – Let us know what you think in the Facebook comment section below:-)
October 27, 2014
#SmallGoesBig
Via @TwitterSmallBiz
This holiday season, Twitter is partnering with Google Small Business Community, Hootsuite, HubSpot and SproutSocial to host a series of free digital events to help businesses plan ahead and build momentum to go BIG.
Learn how to capture early holiday sales and engage in relevant conversations with customers. See the digital events below and register by clicking HERE to attend.
Help your business go BIG this holiday season.
REGISTER NOW
Join the conversation below, and on Twitter, and share how your business is planning to go big this holiday season with #SmallGoesBig.
October 20, 2014
A Picture is (Still) Worth 1,000 Words!
By Angela Johnson
It seems like every time I log on there are new ways to use graphics and images on social media. Images are proven to boost engagement on posts, leading to more retweets, comments and shares for your content. And the more people who see your content, the more free advertising you get for your agency, right?
“Tweets with images generate 35 percent more retweets than those without” ~ConstantContact
If you are as overwhelmed by all of the locations to place images as we were (profile pic, cover photo, header, tweet, channel art, etc), then this handy cheat sheet by Constant Contact will come in handy!
Why?
Because if your images aren’t the right size, they won’t present to your clients and prospects correctly.After all, you wouldn’t want to take great pains to take a great photo, enhance it and then create the perfectly worded post only to find out your head is chopped off once it is uploaded to a Facebook post, would you?
“[Faceboook] posts with images generate 100 percent more engagement than text-only posts” ~ ConstantContact
Now is a great time to double-check all of your social media platforms and make sure your images and graphics are sending the right message!
Connect with Angela on Facebook, and don’t forget to download a free chapter of her book here!
October 13, 2014
Insurance Professionals: Do These 3 Things on LinkedIn Now!
By Angela Johnson
LinkedIn is one of the most powerful social media platforms insurance agents have available. Are you using it to its fullest potential? Not quite sure? If you aren’t using LinkedIn to connect with clients and prospects, prepare for annual reviews and sell more policies, then the answer is no.
But just a few simple actions can change all of that. Our next few blog posts over the next few weeks will be all about how to use LinkedIn to make more sales. While all of the steps will be fairly easy, these first 3 are super-duper simple. So let’s get started!
Step One
Login to your LinkedIn account and upload a professional headshot. Although a picture taken by a professional photographer is preferred, what I mainly mean by this is a headshot of you (shoulders up) wearing professional attire. Why? Because LinkedIn is a professional network. Let your quirky personality shine through on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Keep LinkedIn for professional interactions.
Step Two
Go ahead and accept ALL of those connection requests you’ve left just sitting there. There is really no reason not to accept connection requests on LinkedIn. It’s not full of private, personal information like what you did last weekend or pictures of your kids and grandkids. If you have been just letting the Connection Requests pile up, now is the time to go accept all of them. So go ahead and start connecting!
PS – This step will be REALLY important as we continue through the LinkedIn blog series. You can’t do much without connections!
Step Three
Add or update your Contact Info. Click on Profile, then Edit Profile, then Edit Contact Info. Fill in all of the blanks and make sure the information is correct. You want it to be easy for clients and prospects to get in contact with you. Otherwise, they may just move on to the next agent!
That’s it for this week! Take 10 minutes and get started now!
Connect with Angela on Facebook, and don’t forget to download a free chapter of her book here!
March 16, 2014
The Digital Insurer by Accenture
Accenture recently put out a fascinating article titled ‘The Digital Insurer
Accenture 2013 Consumer-Driven Innovation Survey‘
It’s a great investment of your time – give it a read! #tradigital
Here’s an excerpt:
“Customers’ desire for different, more convenient experiences takes various forms: 71 percent are ready to purchase products and services online, and well over one in three of those with mobile devices have used them to deal with their insurer in the past two years—37 percent have used their phones and 46 percent their tablets.
Customers Expect Multiple Channels To Meet Their Various Needs
Almost half of all respondents depend on comments on social media to make their insurance-buying decisions. Now that every customer is a digital customer, a new sales dynamic is developing. Whereas the path to purchase used to be linear—the traditional “sales funnel”—it’s now a dynamic, iterative, reinforcing process, which Accenture represents in its Dynamic Customer Experience Model. As noted above, it’s a process that the customer now largely controls. Companies that are playing to win recognize that today’s customers will define their own experiences based on their personal expectations and the lifestyle they want.”
Read the whole article here and let’s Go #Tradigital!
February 10, 2014
Smart TV Technology in the Office
By Angela Johnson
Last week I posted on Facebook that I got a TV set up in the lobby of my office that was connected to YouTube and was looping videos about insurance products and services, disaster readiness, and other informational videos that will promote our agency and the products and services we offer.
The post got lots of engagement and messages from friends asking how to set it up easily. That made me think this would probably make a good blog topic!
First, I bought a flat screen Smart TV. In case you’re wondering what a Smart TV is (I just learned it myself), it is a TV that will connect to your office WiFi or wired internet connection. This allows you to access streaming video services like Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, Hulu and YouTube.
Then, I went into my YouTube account via my pc (that made this next step much faster). I searched for videos that I wanted to have shown on the TV to clients. When I found the first video I wanted to use, I clicked on the video so it would start playing and then right below the video I clicked on ‘Add to’. Then in the field that says ‘Enter new playlist name’, type in the name of your playlist. Maybe name it something like ‘Office Lobby’. And finally, click ‘Create Playlist’ (see image below).
Now that you’ve created your playlist, just repeat the process by finding videos you want to add to your playlist. Click on the video and select ‘Add to’. Then select the name of the playlist you want to add it to.
For the sake of your employees who will be listening to it all day, you’ll want to be sure you have enough videos in your playlist so it will play all day without repeating!
That’s all fine and dandy if someone wants to buy a new Smart TV, but what if you already have a TV in your lobby and don’t want to buy a new one? That’s easy too! There are many devices that can turn a regular TV into a Smart TV.
Here are 2 articles that will help direct you on how to do it. Enjoy!
http://www.zdnet.com/the-4-best-gadgets-to-bring-internet-video-to-your-tv-7000023534/
http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromecast/?gclid=COyj79fVsLwCFczm7AodRHoA-A
What tips and tricks have you learned in setting up your TV and playlists? What questions do you have? I’m here to help, and would love any pointers you may have!
December 18, 2013
You Don’t Need to Use Social Media in Your Agency, Right?
By Nadeem Damani and Angela Johnson
Better think again or before you know it, these innovative new agents are going to pass you by!
In today’s blog G+ Hangout, Nadeem and Angela will be talking with members from Greg Windham’s District 90 in Plano, Tx including Mike Kawa as well as 2 of their star agents, and Allison Hill.
Join us to hear how they are using Social Media for recruiting in the District as well as how Caleb and Allison are selling more policies and experiencing great retention in their scratch agencies through social media!
P.S. – For a complimentary copy of the first chapter of our book, and to receive ongoing advice and tips for increasing revenue and reaching your untapped markets through social media, please visit here.
November 25, 2013
Podcast with Scott Alexander, Author of ‘Rhinoceros Success’
By Nadeem Damani and Angela Johnson
In today’s blog podcast Nadeem Damani and Angela Johnson are thrilled to talk with Scott Alexander, author of Rhinoceros Success. If you’re 
not familiar with this book, do yourself a favor and go buy it now. It will absolutely change your life and mindset about how you go about everything from personal tasks and decisions to those in business. Scott says,
“Success Is Difficult But … tomorrow morning, you could wake up as a full grown rhinoceros and – * charge your way to success * use audacity to reach your goals * be happier than you’ve ever been before * make your life an exciting adventure * have the persistence and tenacity necessary for success * never worry again * succeed at the world’s most profitable hobby * achieve more and have a better balance in the six major areas of your life: FINANCIAL, WORK, PHYSICAL, FAMILY, SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL Scott Alexander has discovered the REAL secret of success: becoming a rhinoceros. Read it and go rhino! That’s all there is between you and everything you’ve ever wanted to do or become in your life. CHARGE!!” ~via Amazon.com
Scott Alexander is the author of three motivational books: Rhinoceros Success, Advanced Rhinocerology and Rhinocerotic Relativity. He wrote “Rhinoceros Success” when he was 23 years old in 1980. Since then, the Rhino books have sold over 3 million copies all over the world. Scott has traveled extensively speaking to groups on charging through the jungle as a rhino. Scott’s businesses over the years have included a Reptile Store, African Art, Fossils and Music. Scott travels the world’s jungles giving his entertaining, motivational Rhino talk; encouraging entrepreneurs and those who want to make life an adventure. To book Scott, you can contact him at RhinoScott@gmail.com Keep charging!!!
Scott frequently has autographed and really cool autographed rhino items on his eBay store here. Also be sure to check out his blog here. This is one of our favorites!
http://www.goingtradigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/2013-11-21-11-12-46-computer-record.mp3
P.S. – For a complimentary copy of the first chapter of our book, and to receive ongoing advice and tips for increasing revenue and reaching your untapped markets through social media, please visit here.
November 11, 2013
Using G+ Hangouts: Customer Service and Hiring
The Internship G+ Hangout Video
By Angela Johnson
Have you seen The Internship with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson?
They are salesmen whose careers have been torpedoed by the digital world. Trying to prove they are not obsolete, they defy the odds by talking their way into a coveted internship at Google, along with a battalion of brilliant college students.
I watched it this morning and was cracking up at this scene! These “old school” salesmen have an interview with Google via a G+ Hangout.
Watch the hilarious G+ Hangout interview scene here!
As they struggled with using this technology, it was a great depiction of the struggle that we as business owners have to keep moving forward and not get blindsided by advancements.
We have to let go of our old, comfortable ways and find new ones to connect with people. These digital technologies can put us right in front of our clients, but just in a different way. Maybe it’s not over a kitchen table, but it IS still eyeball to eyeball.
NO ONE wants to be cold-called in the evening or on a Saturday morning and MOST will throw away your direct mail. Let’s connect with our clients and prospects online where they are, in the way that makes THEM comfortable!
And since this movie is about getting a job, let’s talk about recruiting. If you are looking to hire top talent, how will your opportunity stand out from the crowd? Why would someone choose to come work for you over the 159 other insurance jobs they are being solicited by? Using technology to attract a young, talented workforce may be the way to go!
Do you agree? What has been your experience using technology to interact with clients or for hiring?
P.S. – For a complimentary copy of the first chapter of our book, and to receive ongoing advice and tips for increasing revenue and reaching your untapped markets through social media, please visit here.
October 28, 2013
Social Media Tips for Business
By Angela Johnson and Nadeem Damani
Social Media Tips for Business
With social media, you can’t lean in. You have to just JUMP! We feel so strongly about this, we dedicated a blog post to the topic here.
But you have to start somewhere, so where is a good place to start? First, we recommend that you define your goals for social media. We feel so strongly about this, we address this specifically in our book. You will be more successful if you take a time out and develop specific goals and strategies for your social media campaign. The end result can be a strong brand that has helped you connect with hundreds if not thousands of potential customers, and a deeper connection to those clients you already have.
It may seem overwhelming to get a social media presence and marketing campaign up and running.
That’s why it’s important to define what you want to accomplish first.
Social media has a fairly low barrier to entry. A Facebook page or Twitter account can be created in a matter of minutes. But then what? It is just as easy to invest a lot of time doing the wrong things and achieve underwhelming results. That’s why having clearly defined goals and a strategy is extremely important.
First, make sure you are using social media to forward the business goals. But also know when consumers connect with your business, they expect a personal touch from you as well.
1. Your clients are online. They need to be able to easily find you there, too.
2. To get good results from social media marketing, you must use it consistently, just as you would any marketing tool.
3. Social media marketing shouldn’t be the only thing you do to market—it’s meant to be an additional tool in your marketing toolbox.
4. There isn’t a “set it and forget it” method that will get good results with social media. Remember to engage with people and be social.
5. Work strategically—systematically allocate time for each network and have specific goals that you monitor for yourself and your staff.
6. Keep the information on social media profiles updated and current.
7. Most important of all, have fun with it! Be your genuine self. Allow yourself to make mistakes, laugh at yourself when you do, cry and commiserate with others, rejoice in their triumphs, and invite them to rejoice in yours.
The businesses and brands who win the biggest on social media are those who have found their authentic voice and genuinely want to connect with their client base. It’s good to remember it in this way:
Consumers are using social media to personally connect with friends and family. They don’t want to feel like you are communicating with them only to make a sale.
P.S. – For a complimentary copy of the first chapter of our book, and to receive ongoing advice and tips for increasing revenue and reaching your untapped markets through social media, please visit here.
