Most of you already know that I moonlight as a full-time student.  My instructor from my marketing communications class has gotten to know me pretty well.  She and I have had many conversations about my passion for social media and new marketing.   Last week she was sure to tell me that Evan Williams the founder and CEO of Twitter was going to be speaking on campus.   Evan hails from the fine state of Nebraska so it was natural for him to speak to University of Nebraska students.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to hear him and learn about his ideas and experiences. 

I blocked off the time frame to go listen to him.  I excitedly packed my bag with computer and headed down town.  When I got to the Raikes school for computer science I was greeted by a reception table with a registration desk….Uh Oh…. registration??? Normally when speakers come to the University they broadcast it all over hoping for students to come listen to the speaker.  The University had made it a point to tell EVERYONE that Evan was coming to speak, but had failed to mention that it was a closed event.   My marketing professor hadn’t said anything about it being an event I needed to register for.  So upon noticing the registration table, my heart sank.  The following conversation ensued  

Liz : “Did I need to register for this speaker?”

Lady:  “Well, are you a Raikes computer science student?”

Liz: “No my marketing professor told me about this.”

Lady: “Who’s your marketing professor?”

Liz: “Shannon Cummins”

Lady: “ Well, this is invite only and she wasn’t even invited.”

Liz: “Oh! Ok, well maybe I’ll just wait over here and if there is an open seat maybe I can take it.”  –at this point I was thinking …they’re not seriously going to turn me away??? Are they?

I arrived at the event at 1pm and by 1:25 another lady informed me that this was not a “public” event.  I informed her that I wasn’t the public, but a student at the university.  She then told me of the streaming site, and the room down the hall that they were opening for people to watch from.  Ok, I’m a huge dork.  I went and watched from this separate lecture hall all by myself!!!! Yup I was the only person in this huge room.  It was somewhat ridiculous.  Because of me they were forced to actually make the link to the streaming video actually work, since prior to my attendance the link wasn’t active. 

After getting over my frustrations with the University I was still able to hear Evan talk for a few minutes before the video feed went out.  HA!  I could still hear the audio.   He was very good and answered all the questions to the best of his ability.  He told the students about his experiences as an entrepreneur, and struggles with Twitter coming of age.  There was much discussion about the fail whale, and twitters growing pains.  It seemed that the students were so excited to have someone like Evan sitting in front of them that maybe in depth questions were not coming to mind. 

The hash tag address was very quickly said only once at the beginning of the presentation, and I missed it.  It definitely wasn’t my day.  Unfortunately I wasn’t able to answer any of my burning questions.  

“Where did the idea of twitter come from?

“How did you find funding and what was the business model presented to gain this funding?”

“What do you think of businesses using your site for marketing?”

I have a million of them.  Maybe someday Evan will stumble on this blog.  Until then those questions will linger and I’ll do some of my own searching out on Google.   After getting over my resentment I was still glad that I attended and could share with you all.  Keep in mind that my resentment had NOTHING to do with Evan but with the University.  Evan simply got caught up in the middle.  It doesn’t help that I’m a nerd and really wanted to learn from the guy.   

To digress for a moment …… Something that bothers me.  I have found several websites lately that lock you in?  What is with this?  I get to the website and cannot click the back button to return to my original website.  Maybe this is user error?  Whether its user error or not I really hate it!  Human suggestion— make your website backable.  I’m human and sometimes I click and don’t mean to.  I’m also lazy so I don’t want to have to type in an address all over again when I can just hit the back button.

I want to do a quick write up to say thanks to all those who participated in our InsurPAC auction at Rural and Small Agents Conference last week.  This was the first time we have ever done an auction for fund raising and I was so worried.   Of course there was no need to worry you all came through awesomely!

The Young Agents group held the auction where we were able to auction off $2ooo worth of people and stuff to help raise money for InsurPAC our legislative efforts. 

Thankfully the auction raised over $4510 all going directly too our legislative efforts locally and nationally.  Thanks so much to all those who participated and made the event a success.  We plan on doing it again at the Annual Convention in October….Get your donations ready!

News seems to be my new years resolution.  I have found that news on social media has been extremely beneficial for me.  Following those that have blazed the road ahead of me seem to be sharing useful information, or just interesting and thought provoking. 

Josh Bernoff wrote a blog post a few weeks ago about treating each other like humans.  It has truly stuck with me since I read it.  Everyone wants to be treated like a human being and really remembers it when they are.  Compassion, patience, kindness, and delivering quality product is worth it’s weight in gold.    

I was in Starbucks today treating myself to my final peppermint stick mocha of the year.  While standing in a four person deep line, I had some time to notice the crappiness of the store.  Truly it’s really a terrible location, you must do a u-turn on a busy street to get to it!  Plus the place just looked like a tornado had hit it.  There were shipping boxes everywhere!  Despite this  inside the store the line was now six people (including me and the guy behind me) and three cars deep outside.  What makes this product so wonderful?  Nothing special about this trip made me love Starbucks more, but I really didn’t mind waiting.  How is it that this cooperation, that I personally have protested has turned me into a lover of their product?  I enjoy it enough to make the illegal U-turn, and wait in line for 13 mins…. WHY? 

1. Consistency and Image- I can always count on getting good coffee that tastes great.  Yes… many local coffee shops can screw up a mocha, I’ve drank many.  I love my local coffee shops and still patronize them but love that Starbucks doesn’t call me a sissy for ordering a pumpkin spice latte; if you drink coffee in seedy coffee shops you know what I mean.   

2. They are always available.  Yes this year they struggled and had to shut down many stores, but as a traveling customer I appreciate it.  I can always find one, that’s a benefit and a value to me.  Their presence is everywhere.  I follow them on Twitter they follow me on Twitter.  They ran a marketing campaign this year asking the public what they should do next.  Check out MyStarbucksIdea.com  

3. They have a plan… and it seems to be the same across the entire cooperation.  Example- If I’m in the drive thru and they don’t have change for the bill I’m paying with they give me my drinks for FREE no matter how many.  I have heard this from other Starbuckers, that is cool and keeps me coming back. 

4. They are focused and good at one thing, COFFEE.  They have mastered it and people love them for it. 

So!  Let’s make a quick model based on Starbucks for independent insurance agents I think it can be translated for your use. 

1. Consistency and Image- Take a look at your agency and what you look like.  Do you look the same constantly?  website, newsletters, emails, letterhead, flyer’s, ads, envelops, EVERYTHING should look the same.  When something leaves the agency you should ask yourself, is this conveying our image and is it consistent.  Produce a consistent product.  I believe in this business the product is you.  You are the difference between your agency and the other independent agent in town.  Your service, your consistency, your care and concern.  I will still say that price isn’t the difference and if you are competing on that, you will lose every time… sorry.

2. Make yourself available.  Phone, cellphone, email, facebook, twitter, office hours, home hours, 24hrs.  We all know claims don’t happen during office hours usually, and that’s when you prove your pudding.  Be there.  If you don’t know how to do this ask your youngest staff member, they should know.  If not leave a comment I’ll get back to you. 

3.   Have a plan across the agency.  Everyone should follow the same protocol everytime.  Everyone should know what the  protocol is.  This seems elementary but sometimes it isn’t.  If friends, aka clients, get the same consistent good and fair treatment they will think it’s cool, and keep coming back. 

4. Consider focusing your business and being good at one thing, find a niche.  Steve Anderson suggests that you become the expert…. man I want an expert to be my insurance agent, don’t you? It makes the client feel special, important, and safe.  Keep the phrase Jack of many trades master of none in mind when looking at your business. 

Every business needs something to make them different.  It’s better to plan it out than just let it happen.  Sometimes people get lucky and their differences are happy accidents, however most are planned and executed.  Make it a New Years Resolution! 

By the way for those of you that hate Starbucks, look at a company that you do like that is successful, do what they do.  It might be worth examining why you like them, and trying something they do in your agency. 

Happy New Year everyone!

Best,

Liz

Yesterday I got to attend a webinar by one of the author’s of the book Groundswell, Josh Bernoff. If you haven’t read the previous posting Groundswell is a great book to read if you are attempting to understand the impact of social media on marketing. If you would like to look at slides or listen to Josh (which is well worth the time) you can visit http://www.awarenessnetworks.com/resources/ and see or hear what you are looking for. Just thought I would share!
Best,
Liz

—Let me start this off by saying…. grrr…. I already typed and lost this post not sure what happened but frustrating to say the least. 

Last we thankfully I was able to get out of the office for most of the week and see agents!! Went to Blair, Seward, and Milford.   It’s really interesting for me to get out and see all of you and your respective agencies.   I tend to get a better feel for what is important to you in our membership benefits, and thank you for your allegiance to the association.   On these visits I’ve been introducing everyone to virtual university, one of my favorite benefits.  If you don’t know what this is leave me a comment and I will elaborate more. 

Web 2.0 work group had a productive conference call Monday.   Everyone on the call is so smart!  I’m suppose to be the millennial up on all the technology and these folks are beating me to the punch.   I got an email yesterday about this website www.insurancecampus.org.  If you haven’t seen it before it is a ning community for insurance pros.  Fun place to talk about everything that has to do with this wonderful industry.  As usual it is free, and you just never know what gem you might find out there. 

An update on Twitter… Honestly, I had some what lost my excitement for twitter.  I could find anyone and didn’t really understand all the excitement.   So after my conference call with the work group I finally asked for help.  Yes that four letter word that can be very difficult to say.  Rick Morgan emailed me the link to www.twitterdeck.com…. now I get it.  I now understand how gigantic the impact of dumb little twitter can be.  I have found the president of  zappos.com, insurance journal, North Dakota Department of Insurance, Craig from Craig’s list, and a few more interesting folks to follow. 

Now don’t think that all my time is doing this stuff.  We are attempting to decide how we will approach our grant dollars for Trusted Choice, and planning an exciting Agent Auction event for Rural Convention (this will be interesting).  So things have been slightly busy. 

My step daughter Ashley is studying to take her PC exam on Friday and is attending the Big I’s first ever PRE-LICENSING CLASS!  Yup we have those now.  We are looking to fill up the classroom, so send those us those reps that need to get licensed. 

It’s been good to blog, haven’t been here for almost two weeks and now I’m scolding myself.  I shall probably see you all in person or on the web!

Best,

Liz

p.s. If anyone would like to try out oVoo with me send me an email or leave a comment I just got a webcam on the new netbook, can’t wait to try it out.

We have begun.  The elite force training class for the Midwest started last week.  Although the class is small I think we have a great group, who are all excited to become sales superstars.  I have decided to pursue my AIP designation with this class.  Katie K. our 2007-08 president will be my accountability buddy.  Her and I are working on some of the same difficulties and strengths so it should be a good matching. 

We have a new pre-licensing program!! I’m pleased to announce that the Big I along with The Essential Step is now providing our membership pre-licensing classes for P&C and L&H.  These classes are a wonderful beginning for those new to the business who need some guidance for their exam.  I was taught by Dave Tech our instructor for both P&C and L&H.  Dave is a well accomplished instructor with a 80-90% passing ratio.  We are also offering a new pre-licensing book by the ABLE publishing company.  These books seem to be better organized and easier to learn from.   I think this will be an extremely valueable tool to our membership.  Self-study is great but why do it alone when you can have an instructor!?! Keep it in mind for your new staff members looking to take a class. 

Best,

Liz

Thought I would take a moment create a new posting during the convention flurry!  Man it is crazy here in the office.  We have to take turns printing, someone is always printing mass amounts of something.  I’ve done conventions before but this is pretty amazing!  I’m excited to see everyone and be apart of my first Annual Convention!  Ladies and Gentlemen start your ENGINES!!!

By the way… Thanks to everyone who has left comments for me to read.  It’s a great feeling that the blog is getting read.  I should also thank Steve Anderson for using my “The Future of Insurance Marketing” posting in his monthly TAAR report.  What an honor, thanks Steve. 

See you all in Kearney!!

Liz

This month seems to have been a whirlwind of travel.  Last week I did a special visit to the south central region to visit agencies and remind them of upcoming convention activities that are close by.  Everyone that I visited was so gracious to talk with me for a few minutes and seemed to have already planned to attend.  I’m so excited to go to convention and hear some of the nations top speakers talk about their specialty’s in the industry. 

This month I have also been able to do several new membership presentations.  I am constantly faced with the membership dues question, and here’s how I look at it.  I must give you a small background story for this… so excuse me while I digress.  Last year I was able to attend a company sales seminar in Florida.  The seminar was quite extensive; it included a personality profile and sales technique seminar.  The speaker was constantly driving home the thought that agents could no longer compete based on price.  “Don’t make yourself a Commodity, to be sold at any Wal-Mart.  Your best selling point is yourself and what your company offers to the client.”  I have carried that thought into my position at the association.  I can’t compete on price nor will I.  We offer a better product with more benefits, including myself at an email or phone call away. 

One of my favorite marketing campaigns has been the MasterCard Priceless campaign.  Lets try this out with the association….

Independent Insurance Agents of Nebraska Association Membership Benefits-

The Unicameral-The IIAN represents independent agents members or not by proactively influencing legislation on issues affecting our industry. -this one could be priceless but we will say $100

Congress-IIABA our national partner is recognized as one of Washington’s top lobbying groups and has played a role in shaping all sorts of legislation-this could also be priceless but we can put $100

www.iian.org – our website offering national and state news, Industry newsletters, Agency Human resources page (where you can post job listings), online registration, and a million other links to useful industry websites all located in one place.  = $100

Members only access- To member roster, company members, Insurance Law updates, Big I markets, and virtual university= $100 

Virtual University- If there was an insurance University this would be it!! VU offers 24hr ask an expert hotline, research libraries, online CE classes, and other office training classes.  $395 per person that isn’t a member of the Big I

ACT- Agents Counsel on Technology is a team of agents working to better the technology for the entire independent insurance agency system.  Working on issues like real-time interface, workflows, agency management systems, Web 2.0, Internet selling and purchasing.  Phil Harr is our state representative for this national committee.  $100

Continuing Education- 12 free CE hours per year for every member of your office (which means you get your entire CE for license renewal 24 hrs for FREE).  12 CE offered at both annual and rural conferences that you must pay to attend.  $100 per licensed individual

CSR training and designation- IIAN offers the CISR program throughout the state, which is 1day courses leading to the CISR designation and 8 hours of CEU per class. = this is a agency pay benefit 

Pre-licensing- Members receive a 5% discount on self-study education materials in all lines of insurance. =$5 discount…every little bit counts.

New Employee Training- We offer a new to insurance training class for all of your new employees.  This is for those with no insurance background.  =Agency pay benefit

Midwest Elite Force Training School- This is a year long training school designed by independent agents for independent agents.  This class lasts a full year and helps to train your newest agents that are looking to increase sales goals. =Agency Pay Benefit

E&O-The best E&O coverage available exclusively for IIAN members at competitive rates.  Loss Control/experience credits provide up to 30% savings in premium!  Automatic and free coverage for many “extras” not available in other programs.  =$2500 premium and 30% discount $750

Premium Financing-offered through PFS your source of commercial and personal lines of financing.=worth at least $100 in agency kick back

RLI pup- a stand alone umbrella market =worth at least $100 is agency kick back

IIAN Committees and foundation- we offer scholarships to high school and college students, conventions, conferences, golf outings. -$100

Hopefully my math is right but those numbers equal $1950.  That’s not including if you have multiple staff members that attend our free CE classes. 

So here is my offer to you, member or not, use our programs solidly for a full year.  Use the association, call me, and use your benefits.  If after a year of doing that if you want to leave I will let you.  Flex those membership muscles people!!  I promise you that the agency will gain priceless information and membership benefits that I can’t even list here. 

Best,

Liz

Everything from Soup to Nuts my new favorite phrase that I learned last week at the Young Agents Leadership Institute.  The Big I’s national board meeting, education convocation., and Young Agents conference was held in fabulous Las Vegas last week.  Unlike the saying “What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas!” I’m ready to share everything that I learned. 

Erica Tucker (Peterson) and I attended the two day conference and learned what all of the other states were offering to their young agents in their states.  It was great to sit in and listen to how other states work successful Young agent programs and outings.  Hopefully I can find some excited young agents to get involved with the Nebrasksa chapter.  New ideas came flying in, everything from golf outtings to family fun nights to help fund raise for PAC.  However we do it, I’m excited to be the new staff liason for the young agents in Nebraska. 

The education convo.  was particularlly interesting considering that I learned that Nebraska is one of the only states that offer FREE continueing education to our members.  I was working to solve a problem that I blogged about in my posting called “The Western Half”.  I am working toward finding a solution for our members that are forced to drive several hours to attend our classes.  My solution thus far has been webcams and a product called GoToMeeting.  I’m pretty sure that this will work, however I got many of those stunned looks again.  I raised my hand in the sharing session a asked…”Is anyone using webcams to conference in members who are far away to an education seminar?” they answered, “Well, we are using online classes and Webinars.” I said “Yes, we offer those but I’m looking for someone who has tried out webcams.” another attendee asks, “How much are you charging, we are offering classes but we charge $50 dollars.” I said “mmm… I’m not charging anything.” Well, they looked at me like I was a crazy lady!!!  I’m getting used to this look now, so after a slight eye @@ roll I told them our situation.  Unfortunately, there were no go solutions.  So if you haven’t figured me out… I’m thinking we should just try it out! 

Marketing Idea

Call me crazy… I’m wondering if any agent out there has ever had a grill out or football party for their “clients” or friends.  It might be something low cost that would produce a high value.  If you can get one organization to come than your party could get bigger every year.  Remember four positive contacts a year that don’t involve selling. 

IIAN EVENTS

Annual Convention

Racing Into The Next Century

Holiday Inn, Kearney, NE

October 21-23, 2008