In this podcast episode, I walk through step 3 of the Complete Game Marketing Playbook.

This is your blueprint to build an unstoppable marketing machine in 2023.

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Video Transcript:
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So when you think about creating content, I believe there are two types of content you have to create. Number one, content that teaches your prospects. And this is the part you’re going to have a challenge with because I’m going to tell you that topics you need to be talking about are not sexy. They need to know the basics.

What questions are they asking in their head? What objections do they throw out there? What hesitation points do you see them having? Those are the topics you need to be talking about on social media, on LinkedIn,

Hey, Welcome back to Friday Bullpen sessions. My name is Andy NEARY and this is episode 217. We are on part three of building the 2023 Marketing Playbook.

First, two episodes, Episode 213 was dedicated to clarity, understanding what your brand is, who your ideal prospect is, and how you can build the brand message for the right prospects. If you did not listen, go back and download and listen to Episode 213 Episode 215 with Capture How to Build a System to Capture Qualified Leads. Remember, you can’t just buy lists anymore and spam people.

You have to use what Marcus Sheridan, the author of They Ask You answer refers to permission based marketing. Build a list of prospects who have given you permission to stay in touch and reach out. It’s a great way to build a lead, a list of leads of people who become hyper qualified. Today, we’re going to get into step three, which is my favorite, and that is content.

You need to create content that draws your prospects in. And this is where most advisors get stuck. I want you to I’m going to paint a scenario for you, and I bet you’ve been here once a time or two. You call a prospect and they’re interested, but they give you the classic. You know, it sounds interesting, but we’re a bit busy right now.

Why don’t you give us a call back in six months? Nine months? Now, here’s what most advisors do. They hang up the phone. They’re excited because somebody is interested. Yet for the next 6 to 9 months, they do nothing to keep that prospect engaged and they call 6 to 9 months later. And the prospect says, Who are you again?

And that call was as cold as it was the first time you made it. And the broker wonders why the hell the prospect doesn’t remember them, because you’re not that important to them. That’s the reality. However, if you would have kept them engaged for the last 6 to 9 months and called them back, they not only would have known who you were, they might be like, Hell, yes, let’s meet.

And that’s the purpose of content. You have to be able to create content that draws your prospects in. So I’m going to just start with just like I’ve done with the first two. There are three pillars of creating good content that draws right prospects in and it’s the pillars are the channels by which I believe you really need to focus your content on, and that is social media.

And again, if you’re an insurance advisor, probably LinkedIn, email content and website content. And I’ll even throw a little bonus in here today on a fourth channel that I’ve we have been leveraging really well lately. You have to create content on these platforms that engage your prospects. So think of social media, think of LinkedIn. One of the most common questions I get from advisors is what kind of content should I put out on LinkedIn?

And the message I want you to hear today with content, especially on social media, is performance over popularity. What do I mean by that? Well, I know plenty of advisors who go on LinkedIn. They create content and they create content with the goal and intention of getting engagement from their peers, their buddies. And it’s that dopamine hit of the likes and comments that make them feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

But guess what? It does nothing for their business. When I go on LinkedIn, I have one purpose drive business and so you need to have that same attitude if you want to be effective on LinkedIn. Now, if you just want to use it as a platform to hang out with your peers, by all means, go ahead. But today I’m going to talk to you about how you can create content on social media and email on your website that are actually effective, that actually drive business.

And it starts with the attitude of performance over popular business posts you make on LinkedIn are going to be very popular when it comes to likes and comments, but it doesn’t matter. All you care about is the fact people are watching. So when you think about creating content for social media, for LinkedIn, I believe there are two types of content you have to create.

Number one, content that teaches your prospects. And this is the part you’re going to have a challenge with, because I’m going to tell you that topics you need to be talking about are not sexy stuff. Your prospects need to learn about what you do is not sexy. They need to know the basics. What questions are they asking in their head?

What objections do they throw out there? What hesitations do you see them having? Those are the topics you need to be talking about on social media. Only then create videos, articles, picture posts. I don’t care. Teach your prospects. That’s important. Again, this is going to make you feel disappointed because it’s not the the content that’s going to get all the likes in the comments from your buddies, but it’s the content that speaks to your prospects.

Oh, by the way, if you listen to episode two, you have to be making connection requests to your ideal prospects too. You got to build your community on LinkedIn. The second type of content I highly recommend is content that lets people get to know you. And this is the these are the posts that a lot of people in the insurance industry hate.

I don’t want to see another picture of a guy walking his dog and talking about the lessons he learned. Yeah. You know why you hate that? Because you don’t want to do it. But guess what? It works. Think about this. Pre-pandemic. If you wanted to build a relationship with your prospects, how would you do it? You would go play a round of golf, buy them a cup of coffee, buy them, launch by him dinner, and you would build that relationship one event, one encounter at a time, right?

Well, how easy is it to do that post-pandemic? You may still do that, but not as much. It’s not as easy. But the good news is you can build that same kind of relationship using a platform like LinkedIn before prospects ever meet you, but you have to create good content. So if you teach me, if you become my go to resource of teaching and at the same time I get to know you a little bit, man, that’s going to be powerful.

I’m going to start to get to know you. And over time, I’m going to start to like you. And when I finally realize I need to maybe make a change with my insurance, guess who I’m reaching out to. Yeah, you so when you think about LinkedIn content, you have to create content that teaches and lets people get to know you.

It’s that simple. Now, the teaching side of that content is what will bleed into your emails and your website. Your goal with teaching is to be searchable. What do I mean by that? Well, if you sat down and you made a list of all the questions, all the objections, all the hesitations and problems your prospects have, the things they’re looking for when it comes to what you sell and you just created content around that.

On and on LinkedIn, you turned it into a nice email newsletter and then you took that blog or the video you created around that topic and you posted it on your website. You now have become very searchable. Here’s what I mean by that. When you are looking for something today, you’re thinking about making a big purchase, thinking about making a change, an investment, comparing insurance, whatever.

Where is the first place most people go? Google. Google is the second largest search engine in the world behind excuse me, YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google. Google is the largest. When people are looking for things today, they go for good. They go to Google, they type in questions, they type in how do I do this?

How do I compare this versus this? When they type those questions into Google, you want to make sure you show up. You want to make sure your website shows up. How do you do that? Create top content that answers those questions. It’s the same thing with emails. Write emails, nurture emails, not sales pitches, nurture emails that answer their question, Put the question in the subject line.

So when that email shows up in their inbox with that question, if they’re thinking about that question or they’ve asked themselves that question, guess what? They’re going to read your email and do the same thing with your LinkedIn content. You see, if you just take content and apply it to all three channels and it’s searchable content, it’s content that teaches your client on LinkedIn is topic.

It’s content that lets them get to know you. You’re going to crush it with content. Your content is going to be a lead generator unto itself, but you’ve got to throw away all the bullshit in your head about, well, what my peers think and how much engagements it’s going to get. It doesn’t matter. The people who will end up doing business with you because of your content will never like your content, never comment on it.

But they’re watching. So I hope I’ve sold you today that you’ve got to start creating content. And it’s not the sexy content, the not it’s not the content that’s going to create virality now. It’s content that teaches your prospects. That’s it. Apply it to your social media, apply it to your email and apply to your website. Now I get I said, I’m going to give you a bonus.

I’m going to tell you to to start looking at creating a YouTube channel. What did I just say? YouTube is a second largest search engine behind Google, its parent. So why aren’t you there? You want to be searchable. So if you’re a producer, have a YouTube channel. If you’re an agency industry partner, have a YouTube channel. Our clients, we almost make it a requirement they have a YouTube channel because you got to be searchable.

All right. That’s my advice for step three, Creating content. This is how are you going to draw your ideal prospects in If you’re clear about who you’re going after, you clear about the message, you’re capturing good leads, now you’re creating good content. They’re going to start raising their hand and coming into your pipeline. Which leads us to our final step on episode two, 19, which is convert.

So want to make a quick announcement for wrap up today? We are excited that the Broker Branding Academy is open for enrollment. It starts pretty close January 18th. We are taking enrollment. We cap it at 20 seats are going fast. It’s for industry partners, insurance advisors, commercial benefits doesn’t matter if you want to build an unbelievable marketing plan next year, this is it.

12 weeks, 12 calls. We literally teach you the marketing playbook from start to finish. So if you want to know more, go click the link in the show notes. Get on my calendar. You and I are going to connect. We do it by phone call only. We don’t take everybody. We want to make sure you’re the right fit because it’s about coaching and collaboration.

So go check it out. Come on in. Make next year the best year you’ve ever had. And you know what happens when you mix clarity with confidence? You go do unbelievable things, have a beautiful weekend, my friend.