When a star client takes their blog and starts running with it, we notice (and so do their clients). We recently interviewed the woman behind Parr Insurance Brokerage’s successful website to see just how she’s made her new website a success.
Russell Lord / Creative Director at Sparkfactor
Hi Melissa, You’re Vice President of Parr Insurance Brokerage, a national insurance agency specializing in the needs of high net worth individuals. It may be obvious digital plays a large role in Parr’s marketing. What’s been your biggest success?
Melissa Neis / Vice President at Parr Insurance Brokerage
We are headquartered in Chicago, but our customers are spread across the country. It’s a competitive space, and since we don’t have a brick-and-mortar presence in all of the areas that we serve, it is important for us to find new ways to reach out to customers and prospects. We’ve found that strong digital marketing has been a cost-effective way to reach our clients.
RL For a lot of companies without a digital storefront (or e-comm site), effective online marketing is still a mystery. You’re in the same boat. What’s your top piece of advice for those of us limited to lead generation (vs. direct sales)?
MN Just because you don’t have a transactional website doesn’t mean that your web presence should remain static. The more dynamic your digital content, the more visible your business will be versus your competitors, and the more opportunities you have to communicate your value. Tools like blogs, social media, and video conferencing allow you to reach loads of people in a short period of time without investing much capital. Plus these platforms tend to be more casual than print media, so it can be a fun way for clients to get to know your team.
RL: A website is at the hub of almost everyone’s digital marketing plan, but to extend the metaphor a little, it’s often the most stationary part. People are terrified of updating their websites – even people who have content management at their fingertips. How have you and your team overcome this?
MN: At the risk of sounding cliché: just do it. Creating content can be hard and intimidating at first, but over time it gets easier and sometimes even enjoyable. We review our digital marketing strategy at weekly staff meetings where we discuss potential topics and delegate responsibility. It takes discipline to carve out the time in our already busy schedules, but in short time it has helped us build a stronger brand.
RL: WordPress was first released in 2003 as a blogging platform. It’s now the number one content management system on the web. Tell us about your buy dapoxetine experience.
MN: We are new to WordPress, but it was pretty intuitive to get started. David at Sparkfactor gave us a thorough tutorial and it only took a few posts for our team to get comfortable with the platform. I personally appreciate the analytics summary on the dashboard because it allows us to apply metrics to our efforts. Since our new website launched, we have more than tripled our web traffic.
RL: How would you say your website has changed the way you do business (or vice versa)?
MN: Having a professionally designed website with dynamic content allows our boutique agency to more effectively compete with large corporate firms. Having the ability to regularly publish new content has positioned us as thought leaders in a crowded marketplace.
RL: Blogging has been around since the 1990s, but its rise in popularity as a mainstream marketing tool is much more recent. How has Parr leveraged blogging as part of its strategy?
MN: Although our firm is still relatively new to blogging, it has already helped us connect with our community. We recently began featuring vendors and friends of the business on our blog. It’s amazing how small the world gets when you start connecting people.
RL: There’s a new employee on your website. Dwight Zivo is your VP of Marketing. Where is he taking things next?
MN: Dwight’s focus is to really take the next step in expanding our reach out west. Using a combination of digital media, new technology and old fashioned belly-to-belly marketing, he hopes to grow our business in the California market.
RL: Which brings me to Marcel. Explain Marcel to the Sparkfactor readers. How does he fit into the strategy?
MN: Marcel is our four month old Swiss Mountain Dog and receptionist-in-training. He fancies himself to be the boss and likes to keep us all in line.
RL: One last question… If you could give your customers the one thing they want most, what would it be?
MN: Peace of mind. People often assume that insurance policies are one-size-fits-all and that is simply not the case. If we can help clients to identify their risks and provide customized solutions to address their unique lifestyle, then we’ve done a good job.
About Parr Insurance Brokerage
Parr Insurance Brokerage was founded to protect high-net-worth individuals and families throughout the country with customized insurance coverage for fine homes and possessions. As an independent agency, Parr’s insurance professionals provide extra, personal care and attention to each client, tailoring solutions and streamlining coverage to fit their precise needs. Learn more about Parr at parrinsurancebrokerage.com
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