Kentucky IA - Spring 2021 by Big I Kentucky

Spring 2021

Insurance Podcasts Worth the Listen P. 20

Updating your TechStack

P. 25

ClearFocus ClearVision ClearPath to

Success Reaffirmed AM Best Rating “A-“ (Excellent) with a Stable Outlook Leading Regional Insurance Company Workers’ Compensation that is Clearly Better

200 Executive Park, Louisville, KY 40207 | t 502.894.8484 | 800.367.5372 | clearpathmutual.com 2 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

WHAT'S

INSIDE

Page 7

Contents

7 The New Digital Workplace 12 Top 10 Website Mistakes 18 How to Build Real Connections through Social Media

Page 25

20 20 Insurance Podcasts Worth the Listen 25 Updating your TechStack for 2021 32 2021 Market Outlook 36 Digital Marketing on a Budget

EVERY ISSUE

Page 36

4 From the Chair

The Kentucky IA is the official magazine of Big I Kentucky, and is published quarterly.

5 From the Commissioner’s 46 Classified Ads Desk 46 Social Media Links 44 Industry Partners

Office Address 13265 O’Bannon Station Way, Louisville, Kentucky 40223. Telephone: (502) 245-5432 Email: info@bigiky.org Fax: (502) 245-5750

23 Upcoming Events

OUR

All advertising and editorial submissions are welcome.

46 Advertiser Index

MISSION

Create value for our members through innovative resources and legislative advocacy while fostering industry relationships.

3 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Chair From the

In February, Tara and I took a trip to Eastern Kentucky to deliver plaques (all members will receive one soon) and spread some good cheer to our members. I knew this would be a nostalgic trip for me as it has been almost 25 years since I was a marketing rep in this area. Our first day took us to Maysville and then to Ashland. I am certain Tara was tired of hearing the stories as we went through Bethel, Sherburne, Wedonia and Garrison. We made a stop at the Wells and Middleton location in Ashland. Just over 25 years ago, I was the rep who gave them their first standard contract. Rick and his sons are strong members and doing great. Now I would love to tell you how smooth the trip was that day, but I have to report soon after this stop, we had a flat tire caused by a pothole in downtown Ashland. A “bump” in the road is always frustrating, but we devised a plan to change the tire. We pulled into a parking lot, and as soon as we got out of the car, a good samaritan walked up and asked if he could help. We found the jack, and the spare then another good samaritan walked up to help. Neither of them had electricity at their home due to the ice storm. (FYI: Tara and I will never make it on a pit crew.) A third good samaritan came up to see how he could help. We had parked in a vet clinic parking lot that was as busy as a Chick-Fil-A at noon. This man proceeded to put his injured dog in the car and crawled up under my vehicle to get the jack “just right.” Needless to say, the lot was wet from melting snow and he got soaking wet, but he got the job done. With a tightly folded bill in hand, I thanked him again, and he REFUSED to take any money. I begged him to pay his vet bill but to no avail. We left Ashland that day feeling a little better about the great people of the world. After this snafu, we were ready for our three-day Tour de Big I the following week. I was excited to go back to some of the towns I had not been to in 25 years and renew old acquaintances. Many of the people I had dealings within the 1990s had passed on, and I enjoyed reminiscing about the legacy they left on me. W.J. “Pat” Patterson had successful agencies in South East KY that continue today at Mountain Valley Insurance. Carole Stacy in Cumberland was always so kind to a young field rep who made the trek to Cumberland, but I knew she had died a few years ago. Doug Hinkle in Pikeville, Melvin Vaughn in London and Corbin, Joe Young in Louisa and John Vernon Jones in Hindman were all stalwarts of the Big I and were no longer around. Now I cannot say that all my old friends are gone. I remember very well Hal Blake Amos, who is still writing insurance every day, Curt Wyatt, who was always my “old buddy” in Corbin. I have to say that Buford McIntosh changed my life when he hired me to go to the eastern half of the state and find profitable business. Tara

4 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

and I had a visit to Middlesboro Insurance Agency which had been one of my favorite stops back in the day, and I had bored Tara with stories of Thom Howard and his mother Margaret, who “used” to work in the agency. When we arrived, the first thing we saw was Margaret Howard sitting behind her desk just like it was 1996. What a delightful visit, but we knew we were on borrowed time because the Cats were playing in the SEC Tournament. In three days, Tara and I drove nearly 500 miles. Grayson, Inez, Salyersville, Prestonsburg were the highlights of the first day, before dinner in Prestonsburg with Phillip Hunt and Dick Clark. The second day was Pikeville, Whitesburg, Isom, Cumberland, Harlan, Middlesboro and Barbourville. Dinner in London with the MVG’s (Mountain Valley Girls) was just like old times. The next day we hit Williamsburg, Corbin, London and Mount Vernon. Steve Vaughn told us the story of taking Ison Insurance Loss Reports the morning after the devastating tornado in 2012. Steve’s tale was funny and showed his willingness to go the extra mile for a “friend in the business.” Now, I tell you all of this because this trip brought back so many memories and thoughts of what insurance agents mean to every town in Kentucky. There are sponsorship plaques and lost pet signs that indicate how communities depend on insurance agencies. I have made many lifelong friends in this business. Some I deal with weekly and others I talk to only at Big I events and company meetings, but I hope they all understand I am willing to help at a moment’s notice. As I reminisced with stories of “the best payphone inside a little store in East KY called Red Fox just outside Whitesburg” or of the car near Salyersville with a huge rock smashed where it has sat for 40 years. My message to our members is to get involved in your association. I had three of my best days of 2021 traveling around seeing our members on their turf. We all face the same issues, we all have the same triumphs, but we are so much stronger TOGETHER. Happy Spring Everyone.

Commissioner’s Desk From the

What do you know about the Kentucky Department of Insurance (DOI)? You are probably most familiar with our Division of Licensing (formerly known as Division of Agent Licensing), but do you know our other regulatory functions? When explaining the DOI to individuals not familiar with our responsibilities, I tell them we have three primary constituencies: consumers, insurance companies and our licensees. Each of these constituencies contacts or works with the DOI through our various Divisions or portals.

As an insurance licensee, your contact/portal with DOI is through the Division of Licensing, where you make an application for your license, take examinations, have company appointments noted, provide continuing education information, etc. Most of your transactions with our Division of Licensing are online and for good reason. As of the end of February 2021, KY DOI has 276,792 current licensees, we serve. This volume necessitates our need for technology to make sure all of your records are current and accurate. Insurance consumers interact with DOI through our Consumer Protection (CP) Division. General questions are asked, but more likely, there are complaints filed through this Division. It is not just consumers/policyholders who file complaints with us. We also receive complaints from healthcare providers, auto body shops, insurance agents, legislative leaders---anyone who has concerns or questions. When DOI receives complaints, we make certain that we have jurisdiction, open formal investigations and obtain all the relevant information needed to decide on the complaint outcome. Not only does the KY DOI track these complaints and outcomes for potential market conduct review at the state level, we also submit this data to a national database used by other State Departments of Insurance. This allows regulators to determine if there are concerns on a regional or national basis that may require multiple states to review the market. Insurance companies primarily interface with our Division of Financial Standards & Examinations (FSE), Division of Health and Life Insurance and Managed Care (HL&MC) and the Division of Property & Casualty Insurance (P&C). Companies that want to do business in Kentucky make an application for their Certificate of Authority through FSE, which completes a company admission process. Upon admittance to the Kentucky market, FSE is the Division that tracks all of the financial reporting/solvency requirements, corporate governance, company investments, etc. FSE’s oversight over company solvency is one of our primary responsibilities. After admission to the Kentucky market, the insurance companies provide all form and rate filings through our HL&MC and P&C Divisions, based upon the product offered. These two divisions have a huge responsibility to make sure all insurance products/policies that are offered for sale in the Commonwealth meet all statutory and regulatory requirements. These product filings are complicated and voluminous, with many companies submitting multiple filings for our review. The reviews also must be completed by DOI in a timeframe set by statute. I’ll close by hoping this column has provided you additional insight into your Department of Insurance and some of our work as regulators in serving the Commonwealth. Stay safe, and let’s hope later this year, we can all once again see each other face-to -face.

OFFICERS Ray A. Robertson, CIC

Chair, Mt. Sterling 859.498.3410

Kevin T. Desmond

Chair-Elect, Bellevue 859.491.5100

Whitney L. Floyd, CIC

Vice-Chair, Henderson 270.827.3543

Allen J. Crawford, CIC, CSRM

Treasurer, Somerset 606.679.6311

George Atkins III

National Director, Louisville 502.585.3600

Aaron LaRue

Immediate Past Chair, Bardstown 502.348.0050

DIRECTORS Philip Anderton

Lousiville, 502.585.3277

Mark Linkous, CIC

Edmonton, 270.432.3491

John Purdom

Murray, 270.753.4751

Carolyn Reynolds

Richmond, 859.623.8485

Eric Schumacher

Maysville, 606.759.5663

Adam Sheridan

Emerging Leader Chair, Somerset 606.679.6311

Chris J. Wiseman, CIC

Bowling Green, 270.781.2020

Laura Yount, CIC, CISR

London, 606.878.0100

STAFF Tara T. Purvis

President & CEO

Amy Good

Financial Services Director

Katie Hines

Membership Services Director

Taylor A. Lee

Communications Director

Kristie Weyer, CISR

Insurance Services Director

Cassie Young

Workforce Development Director

5 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Partnerships are our priority. You focus on others, so let us focus on you.

We put the needs of our agency producers first. What does that look like? It looks like a family history of valuing and trusting business relationships, and a goal of serving you. Our focus is on developing lasting partnerships so we can tailor our solutions to your agency’s needs and help you expand your book of business. Our collaborative teams work to get the best market in the shortest time. Our core pillars of honesty, integrity and trust mean we stand by our word and are committed to helping you find the right solution.

Managing General Agents | Wholesale Insurance Brokers

Let us help you find the right solutions.

800.878.9891 ArlingtonRoe.com

THE NEW DIGITAL WORKPLACE By: Sharon Emek

As we approach the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, businesses and individuals alike have adapted to a new normal. That new normal, you may have guessed, is remote—with work, businesses, milestones and even relationships maintained virtually, using the many digital tools at our disposal. Not only are we all now accustomed to Zoom meetings, but FaceTime birthday celebrations and video-conference retirement parties have become the standard way to socialize and commemorate special occasions. It’s a brave new world.

7 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

And now, it’s become clear that that brave new world is here to stay. As reported in a January New Yorker article, global advertising and marketing agency R/GA conducted a series of internal surveys. They found that not only did 30% of supervisors believe employees were more productive at home, but employees were envisioning remote work becoming a permanent option. The article then went on to detail how certain companies are altering their plans for physical office space in the future: smaller satellite locations versus large, centralized hubs; fewer (or no) individual desks and cubicles, to be replaced by shared, reservable workspaces; fewer enclosed, dedicated conference rooms and more generalized public spaces for collaborating. Meanwhile, The Atlantic recently published a piece about the meteoric rise of remote work, fueled by the pandemic, leading to a redistribution of talent across the country. Information workers move out of coastal metropolises and into the Sun Belt, Midwest and Southeast cities. In fact, the article notes that venture fund Initialized released a recent survey finding that 42% of its firms believe starting a remote company is better than being headquartered anywhere, compared with just 6% thinking so last year. “What if the next Silicon Valley is nowhere—or, just as precisely, everywhere?” writes the author. At WAHVE, we’re at the forefront of this movement. We’ve always understood the power and value in remote work— and the power and importance of a diverse talent pool. Perhaps one of the only silver linings of this terrible health crisis is that many more businesses have been forced to embrace these things in a much more meaningful and impactful way. As the trend continues, I expect we’ll see many more companies instituting policies around: • Flextime and non-traditional work arrangements, including contract and part-time work • Work/life balance benefits, such as providing ergonomic desk equipment, virtual on-demand exercise classes, childcare coverage, and more • Fully remote teams and remote-team management • Expanding the definition of “talent pool” to include all geographical locations and age groups We may not know exactly what a post-Covid world looks like, but I think we can all agree that whatever shape it takes, remote work will feature prominently in it.

SHARON EMEK

Author As founder, CEO & President, Sharon Emek leads Work At Home Vintage Experts LLC (WAHVE), an innovative talent solution that engages vintage professionals “phasing” into retirement who work remotely from home on a contract basis for companies across the country. She has effectively broken the mold by infusing flexibility into the traditional office staffing structure with a proven blueprint that is gaining widespread attention, changing lives, and yielding impressive results.

8 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

TO HIRE A WAHVE

Contact Bill Hunt: bill.hunt@wahve.com 347-292-3757

9 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

The right tools for the job. To grow your business, you need innovative solutions that can open opportunities for adding new policyholders. With EMC, that’s exactly what you get. Our Breweries and Wineries Program gives you customizable benefits to help owners protect every part of their business — from product contamination and processing errors, to equipment breakdown and physical injury. It’s the perfect blend of coverages for this untapped market.

emcins.com/beerandwine

10 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

HOORAY FOR HABITATIONAL MARKETS!

Big “I” Markets has partnered with MiddleOak to help Big “I” members secure coverage for habitational risks. MiddleOak offers two programs:

Worlds Apart® is a property and liability program for apartment classes where the insured owns and insures a minimum of 11 rental units on the policy. Occupancy types include: apartments, student, senior and affordable housing, well-maintained dwelling schedules, and high-value buildings. This program is currently available to Big “I” member agents in CT, GA, IA, ID, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NV, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, and WI.

Capsure® is a property and liability program for condominium and homeowner associations with a minimum of 11 units. Occupancies include primary, secondary and non-owner occupied.

This program is currently available to Big “I” member agents in AR, AZ, CT, IA, ID, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NV, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, UT, VT, WA, and WI.

With Big “I” Markets, there are no fees, no minimums and you own your expirations. Within each eligible state, these products are limited to certain zip codes. Please contact Claire McCormack at Claire.mccormack@iiaba.net to see if the zip code for your risk is eligible.

VISIT WWW.BIGIMARKETS.COM. June 2020

Top 10 Website Mistakes 1. No Social Presence

Listing Facebook, Twitter, Google + and LinkedIn pages are essential in increasing SEO efforts, growing website traffic and establishing an online presence.

2. Poor SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is vital for creating website traffic through increasing visibility in web search engines.

3. No Visible Contact Information Listing contact information visibly is extremely important. Visitors need to be able to easily identify and contact your agency. Contact is the first step in closing a deal.

4. No Analytics Tool

An analytics tool is essential in tracking and reporting on website traffic. This helps your agency identify what works and doesnt in marketing techniques and other website initiatives.

5. No Blog

A personal and regularly-updated blog is extremely beneficial to SEO efforts. An active blog builds an online audience and increases website visits.

12 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

6. No “About Us” Allowing visitors to familiarize with the agency and its staff is important for establishing trust in future clients. An “About Us” or “Meet the Team” section increases website personalization and credibility.

7. Lack of a Clear Call-to-Action

A call-to-action (CTA) tells visitors: who, how and why. Validating potential client’s motives will directly increase closing rates. A quote generating tool is an excellent CTA.

8. Broken Links Broken links negatively effect SEO and give your website an overall poor image.

9. No Mobile Website

Creating a website that is mobile responsive is essential in today’s technologically-fueled marketing environment.

10. No Agency Reviews or Testimonials

Reviews build agency credibility and give future clients the assurance they need to pursue a relationship with your agency.

13 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Recommended Website Tips 1. Design

Overcrowded sites with too much text, graphics and/or a jarring color scheme create a poor user-experience.

2. Organization

Make sure all information is organized logically into the appropriate tabs on the website for a user-friendly and easily navigable site.

3. Multimedia Include video, social feeds, etc. for an interactive and engaging website.

4. Search Button Make sure information is easy to filter and find on the website.

5. Representative Chat Immediate access to agents creates an excellent customer service experience.

6. Quote Tool Including a tool which creates a quote based on user-populated information is a great call-to-action for visitors to continue business with your agency.

For more information, contact us at trusted.choice@iiaba.net, or visit trustedchoice.com/agents

While they are caring for you, we are caring for them. When a global pandemic ushered in a wave of fear and uncertainty, healthcare workers courageously stepped forward to educate, lead, and serve our communities in an effort to save lives and reduce the spread of COVID-19. While these heroes continue working hard to protect and care for us, KEMI is committed to doing the same for them by providing important safety resources and extending workers’ compensation insurance benefits to policyholders on the front lines. We will get through this together, and KEMI is here to help. Learn more at kemi.com/COVID-19.

15 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

WHEN

your agency

is protected, you can focus on

HUNTING FOR BUSINESS.

THE BIG “I” PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY PROGRAM

Prevent.

Our exclusive risk management resources help your agency avoid making common preventable mistakes.

Protect.

Our superior coverage through Swiss Re Corporate Solutions and our experienced claims teams are in your corner in the event of a claim.

Prosper.

When you know you have the right agency E&O protection, you can focus on growing your most important asset–your business.

Big “I” Professional Liability and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions are jointly committed to providing Big “I” members with leading edge agency E&O products and services. IIABA endorses Swiss Re Corporate Solutions’ comprehensive professional liability program.

VISIT INDEPENDENTAGENT.COM/EO

PROFESSIONAL L I A B I L I T Y.

12/2020

Insurance products underwritten by Westport Insurance Corporation, Overland Park, Kansas, a member of Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.

40+ YEARS OF WEATHERING EVERY STORM.

Since 1979, the Kentucky Associated General Contractors Self Insurers’ Fund has served the Kentucky construction industry utilizing unmatched expertise. With an unwavering commitment to competitive rates, dividends, and safety resources, we are the only insurance provider solely dedicated to the Kentucky construction industry. For over 40 years, we have weathered every storm with unrivaled performance. Why trust your workers’ compensation insurance to anyone else? ■ 27 Consecutive Years Of Dividend Returns To Qualifying Members Totaling Over $200 Million ■ Returning $18.5 Million To Qualifying Members in 2021 ■ Comprehensive Safety Resources Available For All Members ■ A.M. Best Rating, A- “Excellent” For more information, please visit www.kyagcsif.com or contact your local Independent Agent.

17 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

How to Build Real Connections Through Social Media By: Liberty Mutual - Safeco Social media is a powerful tool that insurance agencies can use to communicate with their customers and reach wider audiences. In the new research report from Liberty Mutual and Safeco’s Agent for the Future, 28% of millennials said social media engagement impacted their decision to choose one agent over another. Dani Kimble, Chief Marketing Officer at O’Neill Insurance, says social media can not only help agents broadcast messages to their followers; it can also be a platform for building authentic relationships. Kimble shared some of her tips for creating personal connections through digital engagement.

18 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Avoid Sales Talk While targeted social media advertising can help reach new customers, generally, Kimble says, sales goals are not a good organic strategy for social media. “Millennials, especially, desire authenticity,” she says. “They’re put off when you’re only posting content that is trying to sell them something.”

Show Off Your Behind-The-Scenes Office Culture One way to give your audience the authenticity they desire is by posting about things that are going on in your office. “I’ve found that unplanned, in-the-moment content gets the most engagement,” Kimble says. “For example, instead of scheduling a generic post for National Donut Day, I might film the O’Neill team walking to the local bakery for donuts. If someone brings their pet into the office, I put it on our agency’s Instagram story.” This on-the-fly nature may be less efficient than scheduling posts, but it can make your agency feel more relatable.

Use Social Media to Follow Up On Connections Make a new connection at a community event? Use social media to follow up. For example, Kimble says, if someone stops by the O’Neill table and takes a picture at their photo booth, she’ll send them a direct message (DM) video on Instagram to thank them for stopping by. This interaction gives them a personal connection with the agency. “Plus, this approach can be more effective than other channels,” she says. “I have a 93% seen rate on DM’s that I send, and an 89% response rate.” Building trust through social media engagement requires creativity, Kimble says. “How can you best tell your agency’s story and invite people into your community to be part of that story?”

19 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

20 Agency Intelligence

Jason Cass hosts Agency Intelligence, a podcast split into three parts: The Agent’s Influence series, The Agency Intelligence Series, and The Insurance In Your Words Series. Listen to weekly episodes that typically run around an hour long to find out more about each of these segments.

Agent Survival Guide

Agent Survival Guide is a practical podcast for agents early on in the insurance game. Content includes selling tips, advice for getting certified, and more. Daily episodes typically run 6-12 minutes long. Sarah J. Rueppel hosts.

AM Best

AM Best Radio offers ‘insurance news, interviews, rating announcements and more’ in daily episodes that usually run 5-10 minutes long.

BLIP Podcast

Josh Berg hosts the BLIP Podcast, a ‘dive deep on marketing, systems, software, best practices and everything else insurance related’. Weekly episodes can run anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour.

Closing the Gap

Westfield presents Closing The Gap, a show that’s about ‘providing insurance agents with tips and tricks that will help their agency grow by offering input, advice, and solutions.’ Weekly episodes typically run between 30 and 45 minutes.

20 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Insurance Podcasts Worth the Listen

Connected Insurance

The Connected Insurance Podcast explores questions like ‘What are other agents & brokers doing to thrive? What are the biggest trends affecting the retail insurance agent & broker? What are the most important strategies and tactics you need to grow faster?’. Host Michael Jans guides weekly episodes that typically run between 30 and 60 minutes.

Insurance Happy Hour

Becky Schroeder & Laird Rixford host the Insurance Happy Hour, a weekly podcast covering insurance ‘industry news and trends, technology and marketing’. Episodes typically run between 30 and 45 minutes long.

Insurance Journal TV

Insurance Journal presents Insurance Journal TV, a simulcast that offers news and features in the fields of property and casualty insurance. Episodes usually last around 20-30 minutes and are released on a varying schedule.

Profiles in Risk

Three “insurance nerd” hosts ‘discuss insurance careers, insurtech startups and current events in the insurance industry in their fresh and unique style’ in this weekly podcast. Episodes typically run between 35 and 45 minutes long.

Digital Broker Podcast

Indio Technologies presents The Digital Broker Podcast, a podcast hosted by Ryan Deeds that’s ‘focused exclusively on insurance technology and operations’. Weekly episodes typically run 20-30 minutes long.

Insurance Dudes

Craig Pretzinger and Jason Feltman are The Insurance Dudes, hosts of the podcast by the same name. The show was created to help ‘Insurance Agents, Loan Officers, Realtors, and other business owners and entrepreneurs shift their focus to building their businesses by showing ways to work on and not in their businesses’. Episodes usually run between 45 minutes and an hour and are released every few days.

Insurance Guys

Hosts Scott Howell and Bradley Flowers are guide The Insurance Guys podcast where they cover ‘all aspects of becoming an insurance agent and give real-life examples of their experiences in all aspects of hiring, sales and the day-to-day reality of running your own successful insurance agency.’ Weekly episodes typically run between 30 and 90 minutes long.

The Insurance Podcast

The Insurance Podcast is a property and casualty insurance-focused podcast hosted by Pete Tessier. Weekly episodes typically run 30-60 minutes and cover the future of P&C insurance through interviews with CEOs, brokers, and more.

b atomic airwaves

How will the big data movement trickle down into the independent insurance agency? We, as independent agents, own the answer. Listen as we explore what insurance innovators across the country are doing right now to gain early wins in our rapidly changing market. Weekly episodes range from 30 to 60 minutes.

Change Insurance

Change Insurance is an RPS podcast dedicated to helping you make the impossible, possible in your agency. We’re all trying to change the way we sell insurance, so we’re going to talk to people across the industry about the best and most exciting ways to do it. Weekly episodes typically run between 15 and 30 minutes long.

Power Producers Podcast

A place where sales professionals can come to learn from other sales professionals and thought leaders who have mastered their craft. Real sales professionals. Real stories. Real results. Episodes typically run between 20 and 60 minutes.

The Agent Leader Podcast

Brent Kelly, President of The Sitkins Group, Inc. hosts a weekly podcast focusing on helping independent insurance agencies sell more, retain more, and earn more, all by leading with greater influence. Episodes usually run between 30 and 60 minutes.

The Ryan Hanley Show

Through interviews, stories, and research, Ryan Hanley examines how insurance professionals reach peak performance in life and business. Why subscribe to The Ryan Hanley Show? CURIOSITY. If you’re curious about how people get better at the business of insurance, you’re in the right place. Episodes usually run between 40 and 75 minutes.

The Unstoppable Profit Podcast

Over the past 31 years of research in your industry, Mike Stromsoe has created a unique philosophy called the “Three P’s – People, Processes and Promotion”. This outside the box thinking provides agency entrepreneurs with the tools you can implement to explode your agency business. Weekly episodes range from 25 to 40 minutes.

21 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

OUT OF THIS WORLD IT SERVICES

• • • • • • • • •

Unlimited Remote & Onsite Support Backup & Disaster Recovery Cyber & Network Security Cloud Services 24/7 Proactive Desktop Monitoring & Maintenance Antivirus, Malware, Spyware, Ransomware Protection & Detection Phone System Solutions Technology Consulting & Strategic Planning Monthly Network Health Reporting

FOR A FREE IT RISK CONSULTATION Contact Brock Jamison bjamison@orionnetworksit.com 502-208-4592 www.orionnetworksit.com

GOVERNMENTAL RISK INSURANCE PLANS, LLC

INSURANCE SPECIALIST FOR SOUTHERN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRIP is dedicated to the independent agency system; believing that our Public Entity clients deserve the professional care and services only their local agent can provide. Offering GRIP’s experienced team combined with A.M. Best “A” Rated carriers. Specializing in the public entity class of business for over 35 years.

COVERAGES OFFERED:

Broad Form Comprehensive General Liability - Law Enforcement Liability (package or mono-line) - Public Officials Liability and Employee Practices Liability (package and mono-line) - School Legal Liability - Gas Electric Water & Sewer Utilities Liability - Automobile Liability and Physical Damage - Emergency Medical Technicians Liability - Volunteer Firefighters Liability Property and equipment Physical Damage - Miscellaneous Crime and Fidelity Coverages - SIR Programs - Workers Compensation

22 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

BUDDY BUTTS, President P (270) 282-8020 C (615) 585-8016

UPCOMING EVENTS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

CLAYSHOOT

May 10-12, 2021 Embassy Suites - Covington

TBD

KEENELAND TAILGATE

ROAD SHOWS

TBD

EMERGING LEADER SUMMIT

ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADESHOW

September 21-23, 2021 University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business 550 S Limestone Lexington, KY 40506

BIG I NEWS NEW MEMBER WELCOME AGENCY

Orchestrated Insurance Cornerstone Insurance Rise Partners GCH Insurance Group Turner Insurance Group, LLC.

November 10-12, 2021 Galt House Hotel 140 N Fourth Street Louisville, KY 40202

CONGRATS KATLIN! Shouting CONGRATS to our first ever Apprentice to complete the General Insurance Associate program! Katlin Eldersma at LaRue Carey Insurance is a General Insurance Associate with her P&C license. She also completed the InVest program as part of her education requirements. She’s now working on her first designation. We are so proud of her and all her hard work!

AWARD-WINNING MEMBERS JOHN DEWEESE, PROFESSIONALS’ INSURANCE AGENCY, INC.

John DeWeese, President & CEO of Professionals’ Insurance Agency, Inc., received a ProAssurance Leadership Award. This award represents his dedication to the healthcare professional liability industry, as well as the healthcare providers the agency and ProAssurance mutually serve.

PEEL & HOLLAND, INC. SHEPHERD INSURANCE ASSURED PARTNERS

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management (KYSHRM) and ClearPath Mutual Insurance Company announced the 100 companies that made the 17th Annual Best Places to Work in Kentucky list. Our very own Peel & Holland, Inc, Shepherd Insurance and Assured Partners were selected to receive this award.

Have any GOOD NEWS to share from your agency or your participation in your community? We would love to hear! We can promote your success in our magazine and on our social media. Contact Taylor Lee at tlee@bigiky.org or give us a call at 502-245-5432.

23 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Commercial | Personal | Farm-Ag | Specialty

Jeri E., Specialty Lines Underwriter

Lisa S., Kentucky Sales Manager

Honest relationships SECURA’s team of insurance experts is making insurance genuine. They are here to support you and your clients. Our underwriting teams are quick to reply, open-minded, and know their stuff. Plus they are backed by our caring claims group who will get your clients back on their feet.

Interested in building a relationship? Contact us at secura.net/KY-agents. 24 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Marc M., Commercial Lines Underwriter

Hear from our experts. Want to learn more about what SECURA has to offer? Scan the QR code or visit secura.net/ky-agents for more information about the SECURA team.

updating your

TECH STACK for 2021

Today, technology is at the heart of nearly every insurance agency. Independent agents rely heavily on a range of systems, allowing them to organize operations, manage client data, attract new customers and work more efficiently. While your current technology may have served you well in the past, new advances emerge seemingly every day. If you don’t update your tech stack regularly, you’re missing out on cutting-edge features and capabilities that can take your agency to the next level. Luckily, updating your tech stack for 2021 doesn’t have to be difficult. If you aren’t sure how to tackle it, here’s what you need to know.

What is a Tech Stack?

Generally speaking, a tech stack is a set of technology tools that helps you manage your independent insurance agency. Usually, it features a combination of solutions, ensuring all of your major needs are met by an effective and efficient tech system. Precisely what you’ll have in your tech stack can vary from one agency to the next. However, for most independent agents, the answer is Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions, allowing you to get robust tech at a fraction of the price of managing it on-site. Updating your tech stack lets you tap emerging trends and harness cutting-edge technologies. You’re creating an opportunity to get the best of what the SaaS landscape has to offer, ensuring old-school software doesn’t hold you back because it isn’t designed to meet the needs of today’s leading agencies.

How to choose new SaaS Technology

When you’re selecting new SaaS solutions, your main goal should be to simplify your technology and automate as much of your workflow as possible. It’s all about enhancing operational ease while simultaneously boosting the quality of your work.

25 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Understand the Tech Stack Categories

Updating your tech stack shouldn’t be a haphazard undertaking. It’s all about ensuring your critical bases are covered. One way to make that as easy as possible is to take a moment to learn about tech stack categories. Each tech stack category is essentially a single functional business area independent agents usually need to manage. Here’s a quick overview of each one:

Sales

Relationship Management (CRM) Salesforce Hubspot Pipedrive

Meeting Software

Sales solutions make it easier to manage prospects, qualify leads and pursue new clients. They provide task automation opportunities, allow you to streamline workflows, boost your sales team’s efficiency and generate better results.

Calendly Google Calendar GoToMeeting

Tracking & Analytics Google Analytics Tableau

Marketing With marketing software, it’s all about generating highly qualified leads, crafting personalized purchasing journeys and creating meaningful interactions that move contacts through the funnel.

Digital Advertising

Post Scheduling

Social Media

Google Marketing Google Ads AdRoll AdHawk

Sprout Social HubSpot Hootsuite

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Pinterest TikTok

Email Automation MailChimp HubSpot Constant Contact

Collaboration Collaboration SaaS solutions ease communication between your team members. These support messaging, file-sharing, video conferencing, and more.

26 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Messaging

Slack Skype for Business Microsoft Teams

Document Collaboration Dropbox Google Drive OneDrive

Video Conferencing GoToMeeting Zoom Google Hangouts

Task Management Trello Asana Google Calendar Accelo

Client Experience Client experience solutions make it easy for people to do business with you. They simplify contact, payments, and similar needs, ensuring you can offer an optimal customer experience (CX).

Payment Gateways

Client Referral Management

ePayPolicy PayPal ApplePay

Website

Data Security

TrustedChoice.com

Browser/Device Compatibility Website Building Tools

McAfee DUO Security Oracle IBM Security LastPass

Customer Support With customer support tech, it’s all about boosting CX. These systems focus on critical areas like client communication and customer interaction, ensuring you can be reached whenever the need arises.

Self-Service

Live Chat

Phone-Based Support

Chatbots Online FAQs

InterCom Zendesk Podium LiveChat Drift

VoIP Text Messaging RingCentral

Review Your Current Tech Stack

After you get to know the types of solutions present in an independent agency tech stack, it’s time to review what you have in place today. Consider whether each system you have actually meets your needs, as well as what category it represents. Essentially, you want to audit your tech stack to identify missing segments and to determine if it’s the best setup for you. If you’ve ever found yourself frustrated with a system, because of clunky operation, a subpar toolset or anything else, then it could be time to make a switch.

Keep It Simple and Effective

When you’re building your tech stack for 2021, keep it simple. It isn’t about getting every solution; it’s about choosing the right mix of systems based on your needs and goals. When you decide to add a new piece of tech, or replace an existing solution with something better suited to your operations, create a roadmap for implementation before you begin. You don’t want to overwhelm your team by bringing in a ton of new systems all at once. Instead, pace yourself, bringing in new solutions after your team has had a chance to get comfortable with the last implementation. By using that approach, you can update your tech stack efficiently, keeping everything simple and boosting your agency’s effectiveness every step of the way. This article is brought to you by ePayPolicy, Big I Kentucky’s premier solution provider enables agents and brokers to accept credit card and ACH payments online, while also allowing the transaction fees to be covered by the payer. 27 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Pamper your customer’s business with a policy from West Bend. Your customers raised their business with hard work, from nothing but a dream. Now help them nurture it. An insurance policy from West Bend is the best way to keep it happy, healthy, and profitable. So wrap it in the cozy warmth of the Silver Lining®. 28 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

IN MEMORIAM It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of Gregory A. Allgeier, President and Chief Operating Officer of Bolton and Company, Inc. We extend our condolences to the Allgeier and Bolton families. GREGORY A. ALLGEIER 1947-2021 Gregory Alan Allgeier, 73 passed away Sunday March 28, 2021 at home surrounded by his family. He was born June 12, 1947 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is preceded in death by his parents, Audrey J. Allgeier and Robert W. Allgeier. Greg was a graduate of Westport High School and Western KY University. Greg was in the Navy reserve and served in Vietnam as a corpsman attached to the Marine Corp. He was the President and C.O.O. of Bolton and Company Inc. Greg was elected President of the American Association of Managing General Agents from 1990 - 1991. Greg is survived by his wife of 50 years, Sharon Bolton Allgeier, sons Christopher (Liz), Jeremy (Stephanie) and Shane. Grandchildren Lilly, Ethan, Caleb, Reece and Reagan. Also by his brothers Jeffrey (Carole) of Hebron, KY and Robert (Maria) of Palm Coast, FL, two nieces, two great nephews and one great niece.

Commercial Personal Lines We offer insurance solutions for homeowners and for small, medium, and large businesses with competitive pricing, an easy submission process, and the opportunity for multi-product discounts. Visit www.guard.com to see what we can do for you. Businessowner’s Commercial Auto Commercial Umbrella Homeowners

Personal Umbrella Professional Liability/E&O Workers’ Compensation Pay-As-You-Go options with over 200 payroll partners!

Not all Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies provide the products described herein nor are they available in all states. Visit www. guard.com/states/ to see our current product suite and operating area.

APPLY TO BE AN AGENT: WWW.GUARD.COM/APPLY AmGUARD • EastGUARD • NorGUARD • WestGUARD

29 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

30 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Amplify Your Local Marketing Check out the newly launched Trusted Choice® Resources Site.

New Features Include:

Shopping cart for your custom advertising Direct share links for Facebook and Twitter

www.trustedchoice.com/agents

Featured Content And more!

Free for all Big “I” Members!

*Must enroll by 4/30/2021. 3 winners will be selected and contacted via email. Once contacted, winner will have 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner may be selected.

The new CRC Indianapolis office is your Midwest insurance solution. Aimee Stumler

Joni Denny (Garage)

P 317.581.3243 E astumler@crcgroup.com

P 606.260.4018 E jodenny@crcgroup.com

Indianapolis Office

crcgroup.com

450 E. 96th Street Suite 500 Indianapolis, IN 46240

31 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

2021

MARKET OUTLOOK BY: LORI WIDMER

Printed from Rough Notes magazine with permission. While the personal lines market in 2020 can be defined by the word “pandemic,” the 2021 market may well be remembered with a different word: “digital.” “Digital is huge,” says Mike Grove, senior product manager for Safeco Insurance. “There’s a significant uptick in customers submitting claims digitally. Our data indicates customers reporting claims digitally were up 126% year over year for our most recent month of results. And our data is showing that those who do so have better claim satisfaction than those who don’t.” That’s a seismic change over just a few years, when Grove says the agent community was still reluctant to shift to a more virtual transaction model. Not that there wasn’t reason to balk at the idea: Many agents were concerned about missing out on the opportunity to cross-sell or conduct an account review during these interactions, which they believed were most effective in a one-on-one conversation. Yet the challenges that emerged in 2020 served as a catalyst—and possibly a lesson—on why agents and brokers should be embracing a more digital presence for the benefit of their customers. Particularly with Millennial insurance buyers, Grove says, digital is in demand. “All they’ve ever known is the ability to go online, so agents need to capture that market. If a carrier or agency doesn’t adopt that strategy, they could be losing business today.” It’s not just the Millennial market that is demanding more virtual shopping options, says Bob Sadler, senior vice president and head of independent agency operations for Farmers Insurance. “Stay-at-home orders and emergency restrictions have most likely affected consumer online shopping and buying behavior in a big way.” It’s also affecting how agents conduct business, says Sadler. “We’ve been contacted by more and more independent agencies that are creating new interfaces for their customers from their websites. Interest in our API (Application Programming Interface) has risen substantially as agents realized during COVID that they needed to provide not only a customer service outlet but also a quote and new business portal.” 32 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

2020 MARKET CARRYOVERS Aside from the digital transformation, those same stay-at-home recommendations were responsible for plenty of market fluctuation in the personal lines arena earlier in the year, says Brian Botwinick, private client services practice leader for One80 Intermediaries. That brief slowdown, he says, was the result of agents transitioning to a remote work model. But business, he says, is back. “We have recently seen an exponential increase in submission flow.” Much of the business, Botwinick says, is the result of a number of factors: “Individuals moving out of urban centers and thus driving the market in suburban and vacation areas, and increasing investments related to home construction and renovations. In my view, people will continue to move out of cities for the foreseeable future, and businesses will also reevaluate their need for office space, particularly in urban areas.” The slowdown also can be attributed in part to price shopping. “Some recent independent agency surveys have revealed that price has risen to the top of the list of most important reasons for choosing a carrier,” says Sadler.

“

Stay-at-home orders and emergency restrictions have most likely affected consumer online shopping and buying behavior in a big way.

BOB SADLER

Senior Vice President and Head of Independent Agency Operations Farmers Insurance

“

Yet he cautions agents and brokers about competing on price. “Customers tend to leave agencies in the same way they joined them, and customers who choose an agent on the basis of price are just as likely to leave for the same reason. Customers who are sold on the value of the policy, and especially on the value of the agency, are much more likely to remain loyal over time,” Sadler says. Still, it’s a strategy that may not stand out in a crowd. And the personal lines market is crowded, says Grove. He’s seen increased local competition

as companies focus on the Southeastern states and look to broaden their portfolios across other CAT-prone areas of the country. He’s also seen states that have experienced repeated significant losses becoming concerned that some carriers will not renew policies in high-risk areas, particularly in regions that saw wide-spread wildfire damage. How the industry employs wildfire mapping, and what regulatory changes may come from the repeated CAT losses, are where Grove sees changes emerging. “It’s an area that I think will see some tightening, and aside from California markets, maybe in Oregon and Colorado where folks are waking up to the potential.” Yet where there is tightening, there is opportunity, and Grove says he’s seen new players trying to take up the slack. “There are a lot of startup, propertyfocused companies that are growing pretty fast and picking up some business in some of these areas where some national carriers might be operating a little more conservatively,” he says. As CAT exposures continue, expect more localized changes, says Botwinick. He’s seen domestic carriers and Lloyd’s of London syndicates already restricting capacity in CAT-prone areas, such as coastal regions and areas with wildfire exposure. “Further, in the primary excess and surplus lines space we have seen drastic rate increases in CAT areas. In some cases there is no capacity available at any price, which is some-thing we have not experienced in other hard markets,” says Botwinick.

REGULATORY CHANGES For lines that are not experiencing significantly higher losses, such as auto insurance, the market is facing an opposite issue—how to price for decreased need. “We continue to watch the impact of COVID on how state insurance departments view automobile rates,” says Sadler. “Auto claims are at or near pre-pandemic levels, and prepandemic rates were generally short of the need. Economic impacts from the virus have created new conversations about some underwriting and rating variables.”

33 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

That is evidenced by actions taken in a few states to reform current regulations. In Michigan, says Grove, the state’s personal injury protection (PIP) coverage underwent substantial reform in July 2020. The state’s new no-fault insurance legislation removed the unlimited coverage mandate that was contributing to Michigan having one of the highest average auto insurance premium levels in the country. These changes give consumers options to help with their premium costs while creating a great opportunity for agents to provide consultative guidance to help them choose the coverage that best suits their individual situation.

“

Private flood insurance has become a significant part of our business.

BRIAN BOTWINICK Private Client Services Practice Leader One80 Intermediaries

The change, says Grove, gives consumers more choice in how much PIP they want to carry. It is coupled with guaranteed rate reductions for eight years. “Most carriers were fully supportive of giving customers choice,” says Grove. “Because unlimited PIP existed only in Michigan, it was expensive.” Now, lower prices mean agents are seeing higher shopping rates, which create opportunities to capture new clients. It may also set a precedent that other states may follow, says Grove. He’s seen similar PIP changes in Florida and New Jersey, although not to the degree seen in Michigan. “What happened in Michigan was one of the biggest reforms at a state level that many of us will probably see in our career,” he adds. In fact, the personal auto line is seeing more regulatory focus right now, most likely because of pandemic-related declines in driving and travel. “Some departments of insurance are getting more restrictive, focusing more scrutiny on variables that are used in company rating plans,” says Grove.

34 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

INTO 2021 Still, COVID-19 cannot be to blame for all the changes in the market. Sadler believes what will be carried into 2021 will be CAT activity. “Given the extraordinary claim events associated not only with the virus, but also with wildfire and hurricane activity, I think we’re all looking at 2021 and beyond with some questions about not only primary capacity, but also reinsurer rates and appetite. We don’t have any signals yet in this space, but it seems reasonable that adjustments might be made by the reinsurance community.” There is also demand for new products and more attractive variations of existing coverage. For the high-net-worth sector, Botwinick sees a number of new entrants, which increases the options consumers will have going forward. New products and services are dominating the market, as well. “Products available include personal cyber, service line coverage, equipment breakdown, home and family protection,” Botwinick says. “Services available include hurricane and wildfire loss control projects, background checks, and referrals to loss control or loss mitigation specialists.” Another hot area: the private flood market. “Private flood insurance has become a significant part of our business,” Botwinick says. “Many agents and customers seek this coverage in the private market for ease of doing business. Additionally, many require limits higher than $250,000 building and $100,000 contents, the maximum available through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).” The private flood market has responded, he says. Quoting, binding and issuing are done through a simplified process, and higher limits and more sophisticated pricing make the product a more attractive option for buyers. Another add-on: personal cyber protection. Botwinick is seeing high-net-worth carriers including it in homeowners policies or offering it as an optional endorsement. “We have also seen new products specifically for home sharing, ride sharing, and consumer products such as bicycles and electronics,” he says.

ADVICE FOR AGENTS AND BROKERS New items or improvements are loss exposures that too many homeowners overlook, says Grove. He recommends that agents probe here when interacting with a client. Policyholders, he says, “have been upgrading their basements or doing home renovations.” That’s a golden opportunity for agents to serve their customers.

“

It’s a good time for agents to add value by asking questions. ‘Have you made any changes to your house? Have you added a home gym?’ Probe for these exposures.

MIKE GROVE Senior Product Manager Safeco Insurance

“

Botwinick says that kind of proactive conversation can do plenty to improve loss prevention. “Many carriers have made significant investments so they can offer loss control advice, preventive tips and loss control services. I recommend using these valuable services. While the purpose of insurance is to pay for claims, to me the cost of implementing

some simple loss control measures outweighs the potential aggravation of dealing with a claim and potentially being temporarily displaced from your home.” Agents also may want to explore digital business models. “Agents should investigate their customerfacing capabilities, including 24/7 quoting, buying and policy servicing at their own websites and also should explore broader digital communication with both customers and prospects,” says Sadler. Grove recommends talking with carriers to see what resources are available to make the transition go more smoothly. “If I were an agent, I would ask, ‘Am I prepared?’ As a carrier, we want to provide the tools and capabilities that allow an agent to succeed in the changing world,” he says. Though digital conversion is critical, it needs a more personal touch. Going forward, agents and brokers should rely more on developing relationships with policyholders than on promoting price as the differentiator. “Brokers and agents should take a more consultative approach when working with new clients,” says Botwinick. “Through initial conversations with prospects to understand their individual needs and exposures, the producer can then identify carriers that will provide appropriate protection for the insured’s assets.”

LORI WIDMER Author

Lori Widmer is a Philadelphiabased freelance writer and editor who specializes in risk management and insurance. 35 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

DIGITAL MARKETING ON A BUDGET:

Content Marketing for Your Independent Insurance Agency A recent SIS survey revealed 54% of agencies are “neutral” on how they view their marketing success. “Some days we see results, some days we don’t. Overall, we’re unsure of our success,” many reported. This kind of vagueness is unsettling—how can an agency improve its marketing efforts without a clear picture of its current status? With limited funding and performance uncertainty, it’s no wonder over half of agencies surveyed identified their largest marketing problem as “Understanding how much to invest in marketing, and whether it’s worth the investment.” Those with successful marketing campaigns can testify: digital marketing is worth the investment. Online visibility is a must. A recent AdWeek survey showed 81% of consumers do online research prior to purchasing. Content marketing is one of the most affordable, doable, and measurable digital marketing techniques utilized today. According to a recent Content Marketing Institute survey, 88% of both B2C and B2B businesses use this impactful digital marketing method. The biggest budget benefit to content marketing is it requires the resources most agencies already possess. In this whitepaper, we’ll cut through the myriad of (often overwhelming) advice out there and focus in on the content tactics and tools that work. With the right tools and team, independent insurance agencies can create, implement, and track an effective content marketing strategy. 36 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

STRATEGY Any successful marketing strategy requires good planning—and planning starts with goal setting. Goals will inform both strategies and success measures.

IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIENCE After establishing goals, the next step is to know and understand your audience. You are the expert on your agency, and through a few simple steps can set your own goals without spending a cent. In some regards, your goals will define your audience. For example, if your goal is to cross-sell or renew more accounts, your audience will be comprised of your current clients. If your goal is to generate new leads, your audience will be comprised of prospects with little to no knowledge of your agency.

Start with the basics: age, gender, income level, address, marital status, etc., then dive a little deeper to get to the drivers. Marketers call this the buyer persona—defined by HubSpot as “a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research and real data about your existing customers.”

In either case, get beyond the title “client,” or “prospect” to understand who that person on the other end of your marketing effort really is and the drivers that would influence a buying decision.

You may find that your buyer persona is not the same for each type of insurance you sell. Auto insurance buyers needs differ from home or renter’s insurance buyers. Selling commercial or niche insurance? Identify the characteristics in each market.

SOLIDIFY YOUR MESSAGE Once you know who your audience is, concentrate on what you want to say in your marketing. The answer is a combination of the services you offer and how you provide a unique value in those services. Survey your whole agency to address these questions. The more information you gather, the better. This exercise can also serve as a way to get your whole staff invested in marketing.

If you can’t understand your messaging neither will your prospects, and your marketing will suffer. Take time to document your messaging—and make sure everyone responsible for marketing or selling at your agency is able to communicate it consistently.

CRAFT YOUR EDITORIAL CALENDAR Start by brainstorming the key topics that will appeal to your audience. There are a number of nocost ways to do this: reach out to producers to see what questions they get asked most frequently, read industry publications, or use tools like Google Keyword Planner or BuzzSumo to see what topics are trending. Once you have topics identified, move on to format. How do you want to present the content? Options include blogs, infographics, videos, and whitepapers, among others. There are multiple options for content creation. Each has its use, but the purpose remains the same: provide something valuable to the user and tie that value to your agency. Next, identify how you want to distribute content. Web, email, newsletters, and social media are just a few potential channels. Distribute your message as many ways as you can, starting with the channels you’ve identified as most relevant

to your audience personas. Next, identify who on your team will create each type of content. Finally, think about distribution frequency and document intended publication dates. This will vary by persona—with some you may find weekly content effective while others desire daily updates. To keep a steady cadence, all calendars should be created months in advance and be updated regularly. 37 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

EXECUTION

Once the foundational strategy pieces are in place, it’s time to execute.

Email Marketing Use your agency database to compile email lists, breaking them into personas. For each list, craft a slightly different email, adjusting it to speak to that specific group. For example, your long-time customer persona email may thank them for their years of business, while an email to new prospects might highlight the services your agency offers. Once messages are ready, send a test version to employees to catch errors.

Social Media Marketing Different social platforms will speak to different audience groups. Use the right channels to reach each persona, sending messages at the highest impact times. For example, if you’re targeting millennials looking for first time home insurance, Twitter is your best bet for interaction. However, if you’re targeting business owners for commercial insurance, you may fare better on LinkedIn. Regardless of the channels you choose, create and maintain a branded profile for each. Too many make the mistake of creating a profile just for posting, and add nothing to it. This is something a member of your marketing team should manage. The profile should display your agency logo, mission, and website, and be regularly updated.

SEO Marketing Your website is your content hub and where all your audience members will ultimately land. SEO marketing can help get prospects to your site through search, and the content you create is part of that SEO optimization.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) SEO doesn’t have to be scary. Writing for search engine optimization means creating content that can be easily read and understood by search engine web crawlers. Once you’ve identified your high impact keywords, use them in content titles and the first paragraph of pieces to increase your search engine ranking. The more relevant your webpage, content, or social post is to keywords used in a search, the higher it will rank on a search page.

38 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

MEASUREMENT As soon as content is distributed, start tracking its impact. Go back to your goals. Establish a baseline and track progress on each distribution channel.

SEO Use your website analytics tool to track page visits and views. Sync this information with your agency management system or CRM to get a complete picture of audience engagement.

Email Tracking is easy thorough an email or marketing automation platform. Get to know the ins and outs of it, and test out different styles, subject lines, and mailing times to find the right blend.

Social Media Social marketing can be a pain to track when employing multiple social channels, but a marketing automation or a social media publishing tool can help. Like email, test out different posting times and wording to see what gets the most hits.

Track to Improve Report progress weekly and monthly on your area of focus to get a good picture of how your efforts are proceeding. When setting your goals, break them into certain benchmarks. This incremental change will add up to big growth. Pay attention to and address why you are or aren’t hitting your goals. It is this continual evaluation and adjustment that makes for a winning marketing strategy.

39 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

CONCLUSION With content marketing, effective digital marketing is attainable for an agency of any size or market. Once you start moving on your strategy, the key is to keep the momentum. A small initial investment in the right tools means your agency can keeping building on your content marketing without spending an extra dime. To stay on top of your progress, continually work ahead in your content calendar, giving at least a month’s breathing room to allow for adjustments and improvement. Established processes help here: have a defined procedure for content creation, review, distribution, and tracking. Be sure to continually gain data on audience interactions, and use this to inform your future content plans. There is no silver bullet: only your agency’s consistent efforts will yield results. With these established marketing processes, your agency can finally stop wondering, “what’s our plan?” and start asking “where can we go next?”

This article is brought to you by:

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Strategic Insurance Software is the team behind the Partner Platform, the innovative web-based agency management system. Partner is more than a brand name, it is our “why” and “how” of serving independent insurance agencies. Independent insurance agencies working with SIS experience the expertise and passion of a company determined to help agents improve their business. The Partner Platform is built on a foundation of strong, secure technology and is continuously improving through ongoing collaboration and communication with our customer agencies which are part of the Partner User Community.

40 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

2021 JM Wilson Marine KY Indep Agent.indd 1

2/10/21 10:12 AM

Relax...

You’ve offered each of your clients a personal umbrella policy.

Right? It might not be quite as relaxing as a day at the beach, but knowing you’ve done everything in your power to protect the customers who trust you to help them will go a long way towards easing your mind. Offering each and every client an umbrella not only protects those who choose to purchase the coverage. It protects your agency from liability. And it protects your book of business, since studies show that customers who have multiple policies are less likely to move their business elsewhere. As a Big “I” member, you have access to a stand alone personal umbrella program from A+ rated carrier RLI, featuring: Limits up to $5 million available Excess UM/UIM available in all states You can keep your current homeowner/auto insurer New drivers accepted - no age limit on drivers Up to one DWI/DUI per household allowed Auto limits as low as 100/300/50 in certain cases Competitive, low premiums for increased limits of liability Simple, self-underwriting application that lets you know immediately if the insured is accepted E-signature and credit card payment options Immediate coverage available in all 50 states plus D.C.

So cover your clients... protect your agency... and profit from umbrella sales!

To access log onto www.bigimarkets.com or visit www.iiaba.net/Umbrella.

RETIREMENT SERVICES.

RETIREMENT SAVINGS MADE EASY, PEASY LEMON SQUEEZY...

DENTAL, TOO!

WE COULD ALL USE A LITTLE SIMPLE IN OUR LIVES If you have 100 employees or less and want a retirement savings plan that is straightforward and virtually effortless, the lesser known Simple IRA plan ϐits the bill. When compared to a 401(k) Plan, a Simple IRA is an easy to administer plan that provides the same underlying savings features of the 401(k) plan but with a streamlined design that reduces the amount of administrative efforts with no annual compliance testing or 5500 ϐiling. IIABA’s Big “I” IRA Program has partnered with administrative service provider iraLogix to provide state of the art administration along with low cost investments from a variety of fund families including

the ever-popular Prudential Stable Value Fund. Additional beneϐit programs are available for you and your employees through the Big “I” including:

The

BIG I MEP 401k Plan Group life insurance Group short- and long-term disability Group dental Group vision

Our programs are designed to meet the needs of Big “I” members with maximum ϐlexibility at a competitive cost. Reach out today to see how easy peasy it can be!

Contact IIABA’s Christine Munoz at christine.munoz@iiaba.net, or visit www.independentagent.com and click on “Retirement.” 42 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Fun Finds

Automation Blog Brand Chatbots Cloud Content Conversion

Cybersecurity Digital Domain Email Encryption Facebook Firewall

Instagram Keywords Laptop LeadGeneration LinkedIn Podcast SEO

SocialMedia TechStack Text Twitter Video Website Wifi 43 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021

Thank You

2021 Industry Partners

BRONZE

SILVER

GOLD

PLATINUM

DIAMOND

(as of 4/5/21)

Kentucky Growers Insurance Co., Inc. Imperial Premium Finance Services Bolton and Company, Inc. JM Wilson Auto-Owners Insurance EMC Insurance Companies RT Specialty Westfield Conferences ICW Group Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield

Selective Insurance Grange Insurance Frankenmuth Encova FCCI Commercial Sector Kentucky National

Orion Networks Kentucky AGC SIF Midwestern AmWins FFVA Countryway Buffalo Health Advisors United Home Accident Fund

Big I Kentucky gratefully acknowledges these fine companies, our 2021 Industry Partners. Without their assistance, fees for the events and programs throughout the year would be significantly higher and/or the quality of the program would be restricted.

TO BECOME A SPONSOR OR FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY PARTNER PROGRAM, PLEASE CONTACT TAYLOR LEE, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, AT 502-245-5432 OR TLEE@BIGIKY.ORG 44 | Kentucky IA - Spring 2021