successful online marketing strategies and blogging for brokers

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Successful Online Successful Online Marketing Marketing Strategies and Strategies and Blogging for Blogging for Brokers Brokers Presented to IBABC by Presented to IBABC by Robert Sanzalone Robert Sanzalone Technology Evangelist Technology Evangelist February 8, 2007 February 8, 2007

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Presented by Robert Sanzalone, Technology Evangelist, to the IBABC on February 8, 2007 in Vancouver, Canada.

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Successful Online Successful Online Marketing Marketing

Strategies and Strategies and Blogging for Blogging for

Brokers Brokers Presented to IBABC byPresented to IBABC by

Robert SanzaloneRobert SanzaloneTechnology EvangelistTechnology Evangelist

February 8, 2007February 8, 2007

Blogging Blogging Brokers!Brokers!

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How I Stopped How I Stopped Worrying About Worrying About

Online Marketing Online Marketing and Learned To and Learned To Love BloggingLove Blogging

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Technology and BrokersTechnology and Brokers Most brokers understand “traditional” Most brokers understand “traditional”

means of advertising: pens, magnets, means of advertising: pens, magnets, flyers, newspaper, radio, televisionflyers, newspaper, radio, television

All means involve creativity, time and All means involve creativity, time and resourcesresources

Many agents perceive technology as a Many agents perceive technology as a necessity but a burden – too many new necessity but a burden – too many new tools and toys. Sometimes difficult to tools and toys. Sometimes difficult to use, sometimes difficult to understand. use, sometimes difficult to understand.

TechnologyTechnology Even the use of traditional e-mail Even the use of traditional e-mail

can be appreciated but misused.can be appreciated but misused. How many people still today in 2007 How many people still today in 2007

get confused between cc and bcc get confused between cc and bcc when copying material to when copying material to colleagues?colleagues?

TechnologyTechnology Facts remain, Insurance Brokers cannot Facts remain, Insurance Brokers cannot

run and hide from world trendsrun and hide from world trends In 1994 agents first heard about “online In 1994 agents first heard about “online

marketing” with the popularization of the marketing” with the popularization of the Internet. Gradually more and more Internet. Gradually more and more agents established an “@” on their agents established an “@” on their business card.business card.

In 1997, it became imperative to have an In 1997, it became imperative to have an online presence and agencies began to online presence and agencies began to include “www” on their marketing include “www” on their marketing materialmaterial

TechnologyTechnology In 1999, online technology became In 1999, online technology became

“faster” as individuals and “faster” as individuals and businesses shifted from dial-up to businesses shifted from dial-up to broadband access.broadband access.

TechnologyTechnology In 2002, wireless technology became In 2002, wireless technology became

common place in the home and the common place in the home and the office. Many “cut the cord” by office. Many “cut the cord” by connecting through Wi-Fi – even in connecting through Wi-Fi – even in public locations. These were called public locations. These were called “hotspots”.“hotspots”.

TechnologyTechnology So now it’s 2007. Has everything to So now it’s 2007. Has everything to

do with and technology and online do with and technology and online marketing been achieved? marketing been achieved?

What’s next……….?What’s next……….?

TechnologyTechnology Windows Vista?Windows Vista?

TechnologyTechnology A new iPhone?A new iPhone?

TechnologyTechnology …… …… and what does all this mean for and what does all this mean for

you?you? What should you know and NEED to What should you know and NEED to

get yourself in front of prospects and get yourself in front of prospects and customers – making them customers – making them understand only YOU can provide understand only YOU can provide them with the BEST coverage for them with the BEST coverage for their needs?their needs?

TechnologyTechnology A website.A website.

TechnologyTechnology But wait….But wait….

Isn’t that SOOOOO 1997?Isn’t that SOOOOO 1997? Yes. But there’s something new.Yes. But there’s something new. To begin with, let’s step back to think To begin with, let’s step back to think

how clients FIND you.how clients FIND you. Word of mouth, referrals, all the usual Word of mouth, referrals, all the usual

suspects. But late at night, what really suspects. But late at night, what really makes up their mind when searching makes up their mind when searching for the best advice and service…?for the best advice and service…?

TechnologyTechnology Think about your own searching for Think about your own searching for

services. How does it work? You put in services. How does it work? You put in WORDS and TERMS and hope you’ll get the WORDS and TERMS and hope you’ll get the right answer. You probably don’t go very far right answer. You probably don’t go very far – perhaps 2 to 3 pages on the same words, – perhaps 2 to 3 pages on the same words, then move on to a finer search. What if you then move on to a finer search. What if you wanted to show up on the FIRST page for wanted to show up on the FIRST page for YOUR clients when they put in the terms YOUR clients when they put in the terms YOU WANT THEM TO FIND YOU with? YOU WANT THEM TO FIND YOU with? Would that be valuable?Would that be valuable?

TechnologyTechnology To put yourself on the first page or To put yourself on the first page or

higher ranking is called SEO or higher ranking is called SEO or SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION. The slang for this is called “Google The slang for this is called “Google Juice”.Juice”.

TechnologyTechnology So how do you get Google Juice for So how do you get Google Juice for

your business and your clients to your business and your clients to find you?find you?

TechnologyTechnology So what’s the difference between a So what’s the difference between a

website and a blog?website and a blog? Static vs. DynamicStatic vs. Dynamic With a website, a web “spider” will With a website, a web “spider” will

visit your site and look for various visit your site and look for various elements to catalogue. One of these elements to catalogue. One of these elements are the metatags. When elements are the metatags. When creating your site, your webmaster creating your site, your webmaster SHOULD HAVE included them at the SHOULD HAVE included them at the top of your front page… like this:top of your front page… like this:

TechnologyTechnology These words are VERY, VERY These words are VERY, VERY

important in finding YOU when important in finding YOU when clients search. If you only have your clients search. If you only have your company or personal name and company or personal name and contact number, a search engine such contact number, a search engine such as Google won’t be able to find you if as Google won’t be able to find you if your client types in “Vancouver auto your client types in “Vancouver auto insurance broker” – except perhaps insurance broker” – except perhaps on page 8 of Google (if you’re lucky!).on page 8 of Google (if you’re lucky!).

TechnologyTechnology A blog is a publishing tool which A blog is a publishing tool which

CALLS Google EVERY TIME you write CALLS Google EVERY TIME you write an entry. If you blog everyday, Google an entry. If you blog everyday, Google will re-index your blog just as quickly.will re-index your blog just as quickly.

If certain words are PUSHED each If certain words are PUSHED each time you blog, Google will catch those time you blog, Google will catch those words and index them.words and index them.

Eventually you will be on page #1!Eventually you will be on page #1!

TechnologyTechnology Let’s take an example….Let’s take an example…. Last September I sat down with Last September I sat down with

Greg Mansfield, Educational Greg Mansfield, Educational Coordinator at the IBABC for an Coordinator at the IBABC for an interview. The entry was blogged….interview. The entry was blogged….

TechnologyTechnology Within a few short weeks, the post Within a few short weeks, the post

was not only indexed, but began to be was not only indexed, but began to be shown on many, many other links on shown on many, many other links on the Internetthe Internet

The power of the keywords were so The power of the keywords were so great, that one post now has almost great, that one post now has almost the same potency on Google as the the same potency on Google as the IBABC itself.IBABC itself.

Take a look…Take a look…

TechnologyTechnology Even if you ONLY put in the words, Even if you ONLY put in the words,

“Greg Mansfield Vancouver”, this “Greg Mansfield Vancouver”, this one post still appears as #1one post still appears as #1

TechnologyTechnology Can YOU achieve the same success Can YOU achieve the same success

with your own site?with your own site? YES YOU CAN!YES YOU CAN! Here are the steps….Here are the steps….

Steps to BloggingSteps to Blogging 1. Make sure you have a unique 1. Make sure you have a unique

name for your website with its own name for your website with its own domain. Marketing as a domain. Marketing as a subdirectory of another umbrella subdirectory of another umbrella company makes the task much company makes the task much more difficult. Domains can be more difficult. Domains can be purchased for as little as purchased for as little as US$5.99/yr. (www.1and1.com)US$5.99/yr. (www.1and1.com)

Steps to BloggingSteps to Blogging 2. Create a FREE blogging account 2. Create a FREE blogging account

on the Internet. The best choices on the Internet. The best choices presently are Blogger and presently are Blogger and WordPress. Either one will do a WordPress. Either one will do a great job to start things off.great job to start things off.

Steps to BloggingSteps to Blogging 3. Discover and promote your FEED! 3. Discover and promote your FEED!

This is also referred to as RSS or This is also referred to as RSS or Really Simple Syndication. A feed can Really Simple Syndication. A feed can be found with the following icon…be found with the following icon…

Many people are now putting this Many people are now putting this address on their business cards just address on their business cards just as www was in vogue in the late 90s. as www was in vogue in the late 90s. A feed address looks like this:A feed address looks like this:http://www.pacificIT.ca/feedhttp://www.pacificIT.ca/feed

Steps to BloggingSteps to Blogging 4. Share the love by linking to other 4. Share the love by linking to other

resources.resources. 5. Comment on other blogs and 5. Comment on other blogs and

websiteswebsites 6. Blog frequently6. Blog frequently

Steps to BloggingSteps to Blogging 7. Set up a Technorati.com account.7. Set up a Technorati.com account. 8. Utilize the services of 8. Utilize the services of

Feedburner.comFeedburner.com 9. Bookmark your entries at 9. Bookmark your entries at

del.ico.usdel.ico.us 10. Get a Digg account and prepare 10. Get a Digg account and prepare

to be Dugg!to be Dugg!

Steps to BloggingSteps to Blogging 11. Enhance your blogging efforts by 11. Enhance your blogging efforts by

adding a sound file and creating a adding a sound file and creating a podcast. Host on odeo.com, podcast. Host on odeo.com, podomatic.com or Blip.tvpodomatic.com or Blip.tv

12. Enhance your reach by adding a 12. Enhance your reach by adding a video file and creating a vlog or video file and creating a vlog or videocast. Post to video hosting sites videocast. Post to video hosting sites such as YouTube.com, Dailymotion.com such as YouTube.com, Dailymotion.com or Blip.tv and link back to your site.or Blip.tv and link back to your site.

TechnologyTechnology Make this technology show your Make this technology show your

expertise and human side. It DOES expertise and human side. It DOES NOT have to be too personal. You DO NOT have to be too personal. You DO NOT have to give up your privacy.NOT have to give up your privacy.

Never post about a topic you were Never post about a topic you were given a present for or monetary given a present for or monetary favour. This will brand your blog as a favour. This will brand your blog as a splog or spam blog.splog or spam blog.

Have fun when you blog. If you don’t Have fun when you blog. If you don’t enjoy it, you won’t do it.enjoy it, you won’t do it.

TechnologyTechnology Any questions? Please let me knowAny questions? Please let me know

[email protected]@Sanzalone.comhttp://www.pacificIT.cahttp://www.pacificIT.ca(604) 669-0015(604) 669-0015

Remember, technology can be fun Remember, technology can be fun AND profitable!AND profitable!

Thank You!Thank You!

Illustrations are provided by http://www.bLaugh.com . Thanks Chris Pirillo!