First impressions are everything, and in the changing landscape created by the internet and social media, that first impression often doesn’t happen in person.
Back in 2005, when Ross Karp, a CLTC with 3P Insurance Services, started his career, he didn’t want to walk the streets of New York City to find clients because he knew that if he was going to grow his business properly, he needed to grow his network.
“I didn’t want to be the one calling clients; I wanted the clients to call me because they had a pain point and needed someone to solve it,” said Ross. “I had been in the industry since 2005, I grew my network by attending events and creating a networking organization, but it took me a long time to get my act together on social media.”
With almost all his social networking done through LinkedIn, Ross first came across Life Happens content through colleagues’ feeds. After following Life Happens, he decided to sign up for Life Happens Pro.
“I started noticing Life Happens popping up on my feed on LinkedIn, and then after learning about Life Happens Pro, I asked my wife [a marketing professional] if this was worth it and we really thought it was worth a shot. Since then, I’ve been sharing graphics and articles daily. A few connections have mentioned to me that they were impressed how I’ve really upped my game on LinkedIn.”
Going back to building relationships, Ross continued with how he uses Life Happens content to “plant seeds” in his social network to be top of mind with his network
“For me, it’s really about staying in front of my partners, like wealth advisors, because it is really helpful to put these tidbits out there to plant seeds and bring these things top of mind so maybe in the future, they can bring me into the picture with a client. It’s key because most advisors have clients who know about life insurance but haven’t necessarily thought about it, so these posts help that light go off for them.”
Ross went on to mention that he has found success in recommending his LinkedIn page to create several touchpoints of communication.
“It’s been more about conversations with some of the folks that I work closely with and establishing that relationship by having them follow my page so that they see the activity. It is all about getting in front of people, and when they engage with it—it is really what we are looking for.”
Having implemented many different techniques through his 17 years of experience, Ross recommended that new Life Happens Pro users assess their strategy first and then fill in the gaps with content.
“I would tell them to look at it and see where it fits into their model and for their target. The way I market is different from other people since I am looking to get in front of wealth advisors and brokers. They view me as an extension of the services that they offer.”
Ross closed by stressing the importance of taking care of the client, “First and foremost, it has got to be the right thing for the client and put them in the best possible position. This is why I love being on the broker side.”