Interacting with your insureds outside of renewals is tricky. You do not want to over-communicate and become an annoyance, while simultaneously making them feel valued. One way we can do this is by starting a blog. A blog is like other digital-first ways of engaging with your audience, such as podcasts. There may even be some overlap, but for many first-time marketers who undertake this creative effort, a blog will routinely be less complex and require fewer hours per week to get started. That’s why starting a blog your insureds will love is a great engagement tool.
Why a blog?
In this article, we will break down the basic considerations of building a blog that gets high engagement and promotes your brand in a soft sales approach. What is a soft sales approach?
HubSpot defines soft sales (or soft selling) as a sales approach focused on subtle persuasion and casual language. A soft sell technique intends to create a low-pressure sales experience for the prospect that is less likely to turn them off from excessive pushiness.
It is important to note that soft sell is not synonymous with “passive.” Though they don’t ask directly for the sale right away, sales reps who use a soft-sell approach must be persistent throughout the sales process and knowledgeable about the product or service they are offering to establish their expertise.
In addition, they must balance persistence and product knowledge with relatability for the prospect, keeping a conversational tone to help buyers feel comfortable and at ease throughout the process. Soft sellers are masters at keeping prospects engaged for the long haul without turning them off with aggressive sales tactics. Technology can assist even the most experienced sales staff with this - learn how with 'The Ultimate Guide of Building a Tech-enabled Sales Team.'
How to start a blog in 5 easy steps
- Pick a blog name
You are not the first person (nor the last) to start a blog, so it is important to name it in a way that is both catchy and informative. You want potential readers to be automatically curious because the name of the blog aligns with an interest they have or an obstacle they are facing.
2. Get your blog online
If you already own a web domain for your business, getting your blog online is easy. Most blogs put ‘blog.’ in front of their domain name. The ReFocus AI blog uses this nomenclature (blog.refocusai.com). If you do not own a domain name yet, you can get started for free with Weebly. From a long-term perspective, though, owning your domain will improve web traffic, but to get off the ground, using a free tool is perfectly acceptable.
There are many free blogging software, such as WordPress and Ghost that will allow you to get writing quickly, keep your thoughts organized, and track engagement. If you are less tech-savvy or do not want the hassle of maintaining your own backend, look for a managed blog service that, for a nominal investment per month, gets you up and running.
3. Customize your blog
Your business has a unique brand. So your blog should too. Find a free theme for whatever blog service you choose that best suits you. In the future, you can always upgrade to a paid theme or one that is customized, but in the beginning, it’s not normally worth the investment.
4. Write & publish your first post
Get writing! It’s important to publish regularly, so once you get started, carve out time to put your thoughts on paper. You will also need to determine how often you publish. Weekly posts get higher engagement, but only undertake this if you can maintain the pace. Be realistic from the get-go, and your quality will shine through.
5. Promote your blog
You’ve put in considerable time and effort getting your blog built, so now it’s time to promote it. While you need to get your blog in front of eyeballs that will be interested in what you have to say, it’s important to do it in a way that is not pushy. Leverage your social media and expand from there. The more regularly, and more time you are active publishing, the more people will find your blog and return.
The Best Time is Now
We hope these tips help you and if you can think of any improvements to this article, drop us a line at support@refocusai.com.
