Alphabet Soup
July 14, 2010 by Maureen Wall Bentley · 3 Comments
One of the first eye-openers I had when moving to the Washington, DC, area some 20 years ago was that virtually every organization in the vicinity has an acronym. Whether a military entity, high-tech company, government agency or association, they all are awash in unfathomable letters. Sure, we know the FBI and IRS, and we all have USB ports in our laptops, but have you ever hear of NASPGHAN (North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition) or MANPADS (man-portable air-defense system)? Even a Beltway veteran like John McCain can be overwhelmed by this lettered nonsense (see video clip).
On Point with Peter van Aartrijk and Rick Morgan, Episode 19: Having Fun Growing Business
May 11, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
“On Point, with Peter van Aartrijk and Rick Morgan” is an audio conversation with insurance industry leaders who champion change and challenge all of us to think.
Linda Rey is a second-generation agent and owner of Rey Insurance in Sleepy Hollow, New York. Frank Rey founded the agency in 1978 to serve bilingual clients in the local community.
Linda discusses how she has incorporated the use of social media into the agency’s marketing strategy. For Linda, it was an “effective way to be present, visible, and increase awareness and exposure.”
7 Steps to A Stronger Agency Brand
April 15, 2010 by Maureen Wall Bentley · Leave a Comment
The Hales & Company/National Underwriter Mergers & Acquisitions Seminar series got off to a great start in NYC this week. Some 60 agents and brokers packed the all-day event, in which Laurie Donohue and I presented the segment on 7 Steps to a Stronger Brand. The topic seemed to strike a chord with the attendees—especially when they heard that a strong brand can add 100 basis points to an agency’s valuation multiple.
Scott Addis, who gave his lively “Purple Cow” presentation about organic growth strategies, highlighted another interesting point: His research shows that some 48% of agents don’t feel their firm’s brand is differentiated from the competition (and I’ll add that some of the remaining 52% are…um, optimistic…in their belief that their brand is distinctive). Sounds like a great opportunity for stronger brands to edge out the competition.
On Point with Peter van Aartrijk and Rick Morgan, Episode 17: Integrating the Social Web in a Large Agency
April 13, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
On Point with Peter van Aartrijk and Rick Morgan is an audio conversation with insurance industry leaders who champion change and challenge all of us to think.
So, how does a large independent agency with multiple offices approach new marketing and communications opportunities on the social Web? They apply it first inside their own firm.
Peter and Rick spoke with two representatives in IT and communications at a forward-thinking independent agency, Holmes Murphy Insurance. Based in Des Moines, Holmes Murphy has 13 offices in 11 states, 500 employees, and 77 years in the market. Read more
A Brand New Brand
March 31, 2010 by Maureen Wall Bentley · Leave a Comment
For brand geeks like us, there is nothing quite as exciting as the introduction of new brand. Everything is still shiny and clean, with that new-brand smell.
Last week, we got to watch just such an event: At their conference in Nashville, the AMS Users Group rebranded as Network of Vertafore Users, or NetVU. In addition to the new name, the organization now boasts a cool new logo and purposeful tagline, all of which tie into the group’s focus on education, advocacy and networking.
Aartrijk worked with the organization for months on this project, which included a dedicated task force; top leaders Jim Armitage, Carl Schlotman and Brady Polansky; and a hard-working staff in Dallas.
Needless to say we’re very jazzed about the outcome for this 32-year old user group. For more on what this change means for NetVU and its 15,000 independent agency members, check out the story in Rough Notes’ April issue or ads running throughout the trade press.
Congratulations to our friends at NetVU and best wishes for their next 32 years.
Welcome to Our New Site!
March 22, 2010 by Peter van Aartrijk · Leave a Comment
March 19, 2010 by Peter van Aartrijk
We at Aartrijk have been working on our client’s Web sites—using the very new and very cool social networking and site-building tools available. So we thought it was high time we brought a fresh look to our site. Please let me know what you think about it (peter@Aartrijk.com).
As we pause to celebrate 11 years in the branding business, I’d like to say, “Thank you.” It has been an enjoyable ride—even in this stormy sea of an economy. If you don’t know me well, I’m a glass-half-full kinda guy.
Read more
New Wine in New Bottles
July 5, 2009 by Rick Morgan · 1 Comment
Photo Credit - Flickr heardsy
Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. (Matthew 9:17)
The world of marketing, PR, branding and communication is being transformed. Consumers have rebelled against “push” marketing. They want to be heard when it comes to how you do business. Trusted relationships are more important than ever and control of your brand is in the hands of your customers.
Clearly “old” marketing and media strategy is failing. Social networking to the rescue, right? Not so fast. When it comes to social media it is not enough to engage the tools, build strategy and implement. Rather, success requires a change in culture and in the way in which business is done. Success with social media requires a culture that is customer centric, comfortable with transparency and understands that message and opinion lie primarily outside of their control. That is, success happens when the “new wine” of social media is put in the “new bottle” of a transformed company culture.
Rick Morgan
Brand Camp Won’t Be Yet Another Meeting
June 22, 2009 by Peter van Aartrijk · 1 Comment
Regarding Aartrijk Brand Camp (in Chicago, Sept. 28-30), some of you have asked, “Why is Aartrijk putting on such an event? What do you hope to accomplish?”
Excellent questions. I attend many industry conferences so I’m sensitive about offering another one.
I can assure you that Brand Camp won’t be yet another meeting.
This event is the only one designed to put in context the impact of social media/social networking on marketing and branding in insurance and financial services. So if you are responsible for formulating and articulating your brand in our industry—agency, broker, carrier, trade association, services provider—then you should come to Brand Camp.
At most conferences, speakers present in a one-way format. Like social networking itself, Brand Camp will be much more engaging, where attendees truly will get involved. We hope to imagine—even create—some new ways our industry can communicate with customers and prospects. This engagement is a more fun way to learn anyway.
You will return home with a solid plan to introduce or enhance your brand in this new social networking world. Brand Camp will be educational, engaging, entertaining and rewarding for the group as well as for individual participants.
Go on, jump into the fray! Check out the Brand Camp Web page.
– Peter van Aartrijk
Beginner’s Guide to Social Networking in Insurance
April 30, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Peter van Aartrijk
Check out what might be dubbed a “Beginner’s Guide to Social Networking in Insurance.” It’s an audio podcast published by Insurance Journal featuring Peter van Aartrijk, managing director, and Rick Morgan, senior associate of Aartrijk.
Noted van Aartrijk in the podcast: It’s becoming urgent for independent agency owners to experiment with social networking, if they’re not already. Some agencies are using social networking portals as a way to do business.
“What they [independent agents/brokers] do — dispense advice, solve problems … It’s incredibly important what they do,” commented van Aartrijk in the podcast. “This new social media … is incredibly powerful to really bring to light what they do.”
Check out the podcast, Agency Management Done Right, Episode 2: Social Media, at: http://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/2434/
The “Agency Management Done Right” audio podcast is hosted by Mitch Dunford of Insurance Journal and explores insurance agency management.
April 30, 2009
Web Site: “Busiest Storefront” for Agencies
Peter van Aartrijk discusses the social Web with Mike Wise of IdeaStar.
Agent Web sites are an agency owner’s “busiest storefront” — or at least they can be.
That’s one of the thoughts that Peter van Aartrijk, managing director of Aartrijk, shared during a recent podcast with Mike Wise of IdeaStar. In one of Mike’s “InsuraTech” audio podcasts, Peter discussed the social Web, agent Web sites, and how they can work together for an agency:
– The social Web is “not something to be feared. It’s something to be leveraged.”
– “You’re either LinkedIn or locked out.”
– “We like to think of the Web site as the busiest office for the agency … their busiest storefront.”
– ”I’m worried about the calls agencies aren’t getting” because their Web sites cannot be found by people who get a word-of-mouth referral to the agency and then search for the agency via a search engine.
– “Convert that knowledge [of dispensing advice to consumers about risk management] … into text on a blog.”
– ”There’s a lot of general information out there. But what we bring to the table is the knowledge of how agents andd brokers and carriers can take advantage” of social networking.
Check out the podcast at: http://tinyurl.com/clmo5.
Or visit: http://blog.insurance-technologies.com/2009/04/insuratech-podcast-episode-28-peter-van-aartrijk-on-agent-websites-a-conundrum/
April 30, 2009