– traditional children’s song

Those who don’t get to Grandmother’s house by horse and sleigh (or airplane, bus, car, or train) are now traveling there via Facebook. They’re going to all kinds of places on the social networking site.

Facebook.com was the most-visited web site on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2009, and on New Year’s Day 2010, according to data reported by Experian Hitwise. “Facebook” was also the most-searched word in 2010, according to the firm’s most recent statistics.

What does this mean for insurance brands? If the people are there, shouldn’t the insurance brands be there too? Maybe brand decision-makers can use:

– Ads and content to the theme of “Safe travels and secure home brought to you by [carrier name / agency name].”

– Facebook postings of blog content about holiday safety tips, an evergreen (pun intended) topic for TrustedChoice.com and others.

– Reminders about claims service numbers and tips in case of a home mishap or car accident around the holidays.

Researching this blog post, I came to learn that this song, which I’ve always associated with Christmas visits, is actually a Thanksgiving song by Lydia Maria Child published in 1844 written originally as a poem. The poem, titled “A Boy’s Thanksgiving Day,” is based on her childhood memories and mentions visiting her “Grandfather’s” house. I always recalled the lyric as “Grandmother’s house,” not “Grandfather’s.” The author was a novelist, journalist and teacher who wrote extensively about the need to eliminate slavery, according to Wikipedia.

Question: What good social networking content do you use (or see insurance brands using) around the holiday season?

I wanted to do something American one nice summer weekend: See a movie. I was in the car with my family (not driving, of course). We had agreed on the movie, “Lincoln Lawyer.” (Admittedly, seeing a movie spur-of-the-moment was more spontaneous than I’m known to be. But maybe that serves me right, as you’ll see in a moment.)

So I looked up the phone number of a local theater on a mobile telephone.

I’d called movie theaters in the past from an old-fashioned landline telephone, and had been able to quickly find out movie times.

Silly me.

Here’s what happened:

1) The first thing I heard was: “This call is sponsored by [sponsor name],” accompanied by music that competed with a fast-talking narrator describing some type of “mobile ring tone club.” Then: “Press 9 for more information.” Elapsed time: 40 seconds. [The next round of information described what ring tones could be downloaded from the "club," followed by another "Press 9 for more information" then "Press 9 to confirm." I pointedly did not press 9 because "confirm" has become associated in my mind with "This is where I start getting charged money."]

2) Then I had a chance to select a movie using the keypad.

3) Then I heard: “Press 2 to continue.” (I sympathize with those who go vigilante as a consumer, so I already had suspicions that I was not going to get my movie times next.)

4) Another ad with the same music and voice, each competing to be heard over the other.

5) Eventually, I got movie times.

Some good things about what happened:

1) The phone call was to a toll-free number, although with cell-phone contracts, calls are still charged against a “minutes” limit.

2) I got my movie times, sooner or later.

One not-so-good thing: Interruption marketing lives, now on mobile phones.

Now, on the scale of marketing offenses (and life’s problems), this doesn’t rank high.

This ad strategy must be like spam: If you send out enough messages, enough people will click to make the racket worthwhile. I’m guessing that among the thousands of people who call movie theaters for showtimes, somebody will download a ring tone and pay a goodly amount of money for it.

I have every respect that this movie theater chain (and it’s a big regional brand) wants to optimize revenue and profit. But when I call for movie times, I don’t want to hear an ad for a phone ringtone.

Besides, what teenagers are downloading ringtones these days? The teenagers I see with cellphones are too busy texting on them, posting to Facebook or Tweeting to take or make any phone calls. So why do they need a ringtone?

If I’m going to spend $12 for a movie ticket, do I have to wait through three rounds of ads in order to find a simple showtime for the movie I want to see?

P.S. I take it all back: Actually, I’d be willing to sit through ads if the theater would pledge to use the revenue to clean the bathroom.

P.P.S. We didn’t see a movie that night.

E-mail added 500 million users in 2010.

An article in Econsultancy.com’s blog reported:

“According to Royal Pingdom, 107 trillion email messages were sent in total last year. That works out to 294bn per day. There were nearly 2bn email users and 3bn email accounts, and the ranks of the emailing grew by nearly 500m. In other words, last year, email grew a Facebook last year.”

Royal Pingdom, a monitoring company, recently posted numbers about e-mail, social media, Web sites, etc.

The bad news: An estimated 90 percent of e-mail messages are considered spam. That points to social networking sites’ big advantage over e-mail: The people who post spam-ish things get un-friended and otherwise shunned.

What place does e-mail still have in marketing communications and branding? It’s changing, I think, but not going away.

In this Podcast Doug Pullman, a member of the Parker, Smith & Feek marketing team, describes the planning and process this top 100 broker went through to prepare for their launch into the world of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and blogging. Doug discusses the very deliberate and measured approach the brokerage took, the importance of getting not only support but participation by senior management, and how success is tied to having a unified and comprehensive strategy.

Doug explains that the agency goal was to use social networking to help customers and prospects build a personal and emotional connection with the broker. They knew that they needed to be where 25% of their customer base was – the social Web. His advice to other agencies wanting to tap into the opportunity the social web offers: Take it slow, learn from others, and add your own voice.

The podcast was published Monday, August 9, 2010. Run time is 21 minutes 11 seconds.

For Aartrijk’s new series of guest bloggers

About Nibby: Nibby began his insurance career in August 1983 as a part-time employee in his father’s business, then joined the agency full-time in 1986 after graduating from Eastern Kentucky University. Nibby is known nationally for his insurance agency automation consulting work with the AGENA Corporation and National Users of AGENA Systems. He has also worked extensively with Henderson Community College as an instructor in various computer-related classes.

1. What has happened in the past year with your agency/firm now in the area of branding? What changes or initiatives have you been working on? What is the top challenge right now for companies like yours?

We are trying to brand more with our online name GoVaughn.com Insurance, instead of our old, long name Vaughn Insurance Agency Co.

We have dropped our Yellow Pages, TV, radio and newspaper advertisements. Our biggest challenge is making sense out of it all, even though we know that the time we are spending in social media and new media (online advertising) is really the right way to go.

We also are looking more to referrals for new business. We really feel high-touch relationships (referrals) are where some of our best business is coming from.

With Internet leads, the good news is that consumers are ready and willing to talk insurance, but their eagerness to share information and buy gives us pause about writing the business.

2. It seems like 2008-2009 was a watershed time for social networking for consumers, while a few insurance practitioners were getting ramped up on social networking. But by and large, there was fear and loathing of it. What do you see as the status (of opportunity and implementation) at the moment for independent insurance agents and social networking?

Agents are seeing the benefits. Just this week I downloaded and installed Microsoft’s add in for Outlook that meshes my Outlook Contacts with Facebook and LinkedIn. I created a separate contacts list for my clients. I couldn’t believe how many of my existing clients are on Facebook and LinkedIn. This is just another way we can reach out and touch and be real to these people.

Many agents are educating themselves about SM [social media] and just a sense of awareness leads them to acknowledge how productive and interesting social networking can be. I don’t see as many totally ‘dissing’ the idea as were 12 months ago — which is good since many were dishing because they simply didn’t understand or know about SM.

3. The insurance industry has long been known for collaboration and idea-sharing among peers, especially independent agents. What are your best sources and inspirations for branding, marketing communications, social networking, etc. within the industry?

My Twitter friends! Peeps like Pat Alexander, Steve Anderson and Laura Toops. The quick little tidbits of information and links that they and many other insurance agents share, specifically on Twitter, are most helpful to me.

4. Now a word from our sponsor. Tell us one thing that you learned at Aartrijk Brand Camp 2009, and how you have implemented it or changed your branding since then.

Collaboration needs to not only be between likes (agents to agents) — but also company people, brand marketing people, large agents, small agents, new agents, old agents.

I have been trying to network more and be more open to those who might do business differently from me. I have a lot to learn from my perceived competition. I’m paying more attention to trends and reading more about the insurance-buying public and trying to adjust our agency to catering more to the different age groups and how they want to do business.

Being able to meet in person many of the relationships that I have created by using Twitter and other social media tools was really worth the entire [Brand Camp 2009] conference. The synergy that was going on during the conference was fresh and new unlike any insurance trade conference that I have been to in over 15 years. I felt like I was attending my very first insurance systems users group meeting — which I did in 1987 when we started NUAS (National Users of AGENA Systems).

Pat Alexander, founder of InsuranceEcosystem.com

The Aartrijk team is pleased to welcome — for the first time — guest bloggers from in and around the insurance industry, starting this month.

To kick off this occasional series, we welcome Pat Alexander, founder of industry blog InsuranceEcosystem.com and a Brand Camp 2009 alumna.

About Pat: In 2009, she launched InsuranceEcosystem.com as a resource for the insurance industry and a way to spark more conversation about her areas of expertise in independent agencies, coaching and technology. She describes Insurance Ecosystem as a blog that “provide[s] you with communicators that don’t normally blog but have great views and information to share. Each of these individuals … [has] so much to contribute in their area of expertise.”

1. What has happened in the past year with your firm now in the area of branding? What changes or initiatives have you been working on?

After Aartrijk Brand Camp 2009, I developed a plan to redesign my primary Web site, PatAlexander.com, and give it a fresh look and to develop a blog where individuals of interest to insurance agents could blog regularly or at their whim. Developing this blog included developing a brand for it as well as an audience.

Often watching and listening is a great way to learn how the various social networking tools can work for you. I also follow a number of non-insurance industry social networking “gurus.” One of my favorite is Amber Naslund of Brass Tack Thinking. Amber is director of community for Radian6. Smart young lady providing great thoughts and tools.

4. Now a word from our sponsor. Tell us one thing that you learned at Aartrijk Brand Camp 2009, and how you have implemented it or changed your branding since then.

At Brand Camp 2009, I learned so much about the importance of brand. I have always told agencies that I work with it is important that everyone in the agency delivers the same message about the agency.

I now believe that the brand and message are inseparable. I developed a presentation, specific to insurance agents, on the importance of brand and social media. From this presentation, I have gained a couple of clients, and I am assisting them in developing and implementing their social media plan.

The focus is on providing their clients and prospects with useful and informative information. We develop what they want their brand and message to be — and carry that through the tools that they choose to use.

Pat Alexander’s Web site also has a great resource: a list of industry blogs and other relevant blogs. Follow Pat on Twitter.

“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.

Texas agent David Berry has used the marketing lessons he learned from his experiences in the captive agency system to find success as an independent agent. Listen as Berry discusses how he uses traditional marketing practices, combined with the new tools of social media, to grow his business.

Berry understands the importance of investing in technology; but more importantly he understands the need to make sure it’s used wisely. He’s committed to building strong relationships and providing great service as he builds his new business, and credits social media as a powerful tool to help him contain costs and expand his reach. Peter and Rick particularly enjoyed listening to Berry speak passionately about the advantages and value of the Independent Agency System.

The podcast was published Monday, July 12, 2010. Run time is 20 minutes 41 seconds.

“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.”

This agency has made very effective use of video to put a human touch and project personality on their website. Linda states, “it is OK to show personality – it isn’t always about business.”

While it is important to have a solid strategy, Linda feels that having fun and enjoying what you are doing are keys to being successful an benefiting from the use of social networking.

You can also follow Linda Rey and Rey Insurance on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The podcast was published Monday, May 10, 2010. Run time is 20 minutes 9 seconds.

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.

Cindy Adams and Lori Tapscott have taken the agency on a “very deliberate path” with social media. Lori and Cindy were part of a team that looked at social media and educated each other and established a policy.

The pair wanted Holmes Murphy to maintain a culture of collaboration on the agency’s Intranet. Each division in this large firm has specialty groups, and the key was to allow the communities to get together. The agency also uses an RSS feed and monthly newsletter, and keeps a presence on Facebook and Twitter. It also hosts video for testimonials and niche marketing.

Cindy was a contributor to the Agents Council for Technology policy guide for her fellow independent agencies as they go down the social media path.

The podcast was published Tuesday, April 13, 2010. Run time is 21 minutes 17 seconds.

We had pre-surveyed attendees at Aartrijk Brand Camp. These were agents, brokers, carriers, association executives, media reps, and business partners such as technology firms.

In sum, you have genuine concerns and questions around the impact and application of social media. You are being cautious about stepping into fray.

Here are some top issues you are having with all the excitement behind Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, etc.:

Social media appears to be a time vampire. How do you manage the time you and your people spend with it?

How do you show a return on the effort? One survey respondent said: “While time spent on informing/communicating with fans helps build relationships, does that turn into referrals?” And sales?

We don’t know where or how to start with social media. We need a plan and a budget and somebody in charge—who is that going to be?

The internal battles are brutal. How do we get our management on board? And our legal beagles are putting the kybosh on us branding folks—the IT department isn’t helpful either. One of you said, “The current rule is to run all printed copy past the marketing and legal departments. Social [media] requires a more relaxed, conversational tone to be authentic and trustworthy…[But] it is viewed as more of a risk than an opportunity.”

We’re not sure when we should start! One of you said: “Maybe it’s better not to put a toe in the water until this new frontier matures.”

Who in insurance has gone before us? What are the best practices around building brand awareness with social media? “We need success stories.”

Who is this for? Is social media best for business-to-business? Business-to-consumer? Both? Neither?

Finally, do insurance and financial services play a role at all in social media? Do consumers care about us? We’re not worthy! We’re just not cool enough!

Ah, yes, great questions. Stay tuned for some solutions offered up by Brand Camp attendees.

– Peter van Aartrijk

Follow Aartrijk on Twitter: @Aartrijk. Follow Brand Camp conversation on Twitter using hashtag #ABC09.