by Krista Suozzo Digital Marketing Manager
You’re standing in line to get coffee behind a prospect right now with whom you regularly cross paths. You both live in the same community, frequent the same places and know some of the same people. So, it’s no surprise you ran into this person today. Are you going to spark up a conversation, or wait to see if the individual starts a bit of small talk? Our guess is that you’d engage the prospect and muster up a good chat.
Well, we have news to share: You are virtually standing in that coffee shop as you read this – or you’re at most just a few steps away. By merely hopping on your computer and getting online, you join the same common space where a vast majority of your prospects (and clients!) consistently spend time. You’re never far from the next opportunity to let your reputation precede you, whether the meeting is one in which you’re physically present or otherwise.
FIND YOUR DIGITAL VOICE
With your online self, just like your in-person interactions, you can’t simply sit in the room, stare business in the eye and stay quiet. You need to pipe up, show people who you are and, naturally, share your practice’s reputation for helping individuals and families retire securely and confidently.
In the Digital Marketing Series of posts we released throughout this past year, we showcased some of the most beneficial ways you can build an engaging, results-driven online presence. Whether you’re claiming your digital territory by putting your business on Google Local, building a Facebook fan base from your existing network or getting your audience to press “play” on the videos you send them, your efforts to connect with clients and prospects online are instrumental to your success.
Yet remember, building a better business online isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. You’ll be able to see serious return on your digital investment in some areas but rarely across the board. An attractive aspect about online marketing, however, is that free trials abound. You can try most tactics to gain referrals and meet prospects without any dollar cost to your bottom line – and, as long you’re careful to protect the integrity of your brand, experimentation is encouraged. For more guidance, refer back to the Digital Marketing Series, listed below, and review our recommendations of each medium.
- Oh, the places you’ll go
- Get in where you fit in
- Let’s face it: You’re “like”able
- Getting your audience to press “play”
- Content #confusion? @CreativeMkting can help!
- You’ve got (e)mail
- Coming full circle with digital
These opportunities we identified provide you with a variety of avenues for highlighting your location, your services and your background.
You’re in control of the message and can ensure it’s consistent with all of your other business efforts, from the customer service your staff provides to holding the policy reviews you promise. However, this is just half of your online reputation.
The other half requires you to live up to the expectations you set, create and maintain relationships that are as beneficial for your clients as they are for you, and ask your best advocates to help spread the word to others in a digital format.
BUILD CREDIBILITY WITH CUSTOMER REVIEWS
One of the most powerful elements of this new platform that will impact your practice is customer reviews. When you create a solid online presence, your clients and prospects can comment on your posts, retweet your messages and share any experiences they’ve had interacting with your business. Garnering enough positive reviews can automatically lend authenticity to your marketing approach. At this point, you’re not just saying you do great work anymore, but the people for whom you work are confirming your affirmation. In the online sphere, that’s a golden ticket.
Unlike all other forms of media, social media and the Internet create an environment in which users, consumers and customers are largely in control. This half of your reputation lies in the hands of what people write, tweet, or post about you and your practice, rather than the catchy description you create as a tagline for your logo.
In part, because of the semi-uncontrollable nature of online reputation management, this reality can be worrisome. However, with proper guidance from Creative Marketing and a willingness to uphold your promise to clients, you can capitalize on the phenomenon by fostering positive customer responses and sentiments that inherently build your credibility and can quickly expand your reach.
START WITH A WEBSITE
One of the easiest ways to successfully transition into the digital world with your practice is to make sure you have an accessible, informative and attractive website. Building a custom site is the bedrock of online engagement, and it’s where you will end up driving all online users who come across other aspects of your digital presence.
A personal website for your practice can also be an instant reputation builder – or killer. Just think, your clients and prospects are used to getting online every day and looking for various services to meet their professional and personal needs. With which firms do you think they choose to do business: the ones with outdated, confusing web pages or the ones with simple, navigable content that immediately relate tangible benefits to the reader? The same goes for you and your practice.
In order to develop a functional, eye-catching site, it’s best to partner with experts who can customize and build the look and feel to reflect your unique brand. They can help ensure what users see on their screens reflects the personality and purpose of your practice. Or, for an even simpler, equally effective approach, utilize our newest proprietary Agent Website Creator for helping you establish an incredible digital foundation.
Remember, prospects are standing next to you in line, waiting for you to make the next move at all times. Don’t sit quietly and watch your opportunities escape you. Speak up, and let your reputation precede you.