Have you taken a seat at the new kitchen table?

That’s what I called online video (and most of digital marketing) in my first ever talk to a group of insurance agents.

I just mentioned it in passing, it wasn’t a focal point of the talk, but it really stuck and several people came up afterwards and mentioned the analogy.

So, let’s go with it.

I cannot stress the power and importance of video, if someone told me I could only do one thing to sell insurance online, video would be it.

Regardless of how tough or unrealistic a choice that is, it’s the truth.

Before you start to pull your list of technical excuses from your pocket, I’ve already drawn you a pretty detailed roadmap on how to make good videos.

Before you start in with your next excuses, “but my videos only get 30 views.”

I don’t care and neither should you.

Here’s why.

 

This is a Face to Face Business

You might have cut your teeth during a time when things were done with a handshake and at least one cup of questionable coffee being consumed.

If that’s the case you should know better than all us young pups about the importance of making that personal connection.

The only difference is the venue has change and we no longer need to make a trip to everyone’s living room to earn that trust and close the sale.

Now, you can be in everyone’s livingroom, all the time, while you’re playing golf.

Think about that for a second.

If you’re a young pup, cutting your teeth now, what’s the matter with you?

I’m kidding, but seriously you should be fully aware of the power of online video, specifically YouTube

I just got back from Social Media Examiner’s Social Media Marketing World conference and heard Chris Brogan say “YouTube is the second largest search engine, be on it.”

I think that pretty much covers it.

 

Video Makes the Phone Ring

I don’t care how many blog posts you write or emails you send, nothing spurs action like watching a video.

I’ve uploaded 118 videos and almost every phone call that comes from someone who found me online, mentions that they “watched one of my videos and had to give me a call.”

A few people have even said, “it’s weird talking to after watching/listening to you so much.”

You know what the crazy part is?

I don’t even tell people to call me in most of the videos.

My “call-to-action” is to download a ebook, guide or watch a video series explaining the health insurance marketplace in Ohio.

But they call anyway.

Most of the time without having taken the less committed option offered in the video.

 

Don’t Believe Me? Here’s Proof

I can’t find the link to the actually study but I heard these stats on Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income podcast.

According to an MIT Study that examined the most effective ways people learn, they found you retain about 10 percent when you read an article, 20 percent when you listen to audio and 50 percent when you watch video.

Give me one second, I want to repeat that.

50 percent!

The only thing that’s more powerful is when someone actually does what your telling them on their own, which takes retention to an other worldly 90 percent.

 

Don’t Do That

If you think this means to upload your latest fancy 30 second commercial or other ineffective broadcast/interruption, look at me, we’re so amazing, based “content.” Don’t!

If I find out otherwise, let’s just say I’ll be very disappointed in you. In fact, it’s been rumored that a few of us GROW members get together on the weekends to personally take care of such problems…

In fact, you probably need to check yourself into DIMA immediately.

Make it About Them

You can get as creative as you want with your videos, just remember what lives at the center of every video you record, solving your clients problems.

It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.

 

Finishing Up

For what we do, selling insurance, there isn’t a more effective way to communicate our message, educate clients and allow people the opportunity to easily get to know us without having to pick up the phone or walk through our door.

Spoiler alert: I’ll be the first one to break it to you, you’re going to be pretty bad at this video thing at first.

Don’t let that stop you, keep learning and working hard and you will eventually start cranking out high quality videos that work for you around the clock.

 

You Tell Me

If you think you still have a valid excuse left for not creating video, I dare you to leave it in the comments below.

Otherwise, I would love to hear how you’re planning on using video now that you know how awesome it is?