Technology changes at a rapid rate, and it drags marketing along with it. While new technologies like social media and PPC advertising may have provided fresh playing fields for marketers, they’ve been accompanied by tools that allow consumers to avoid ever catching wind of these ads. This has made modern consumers less tolerant of traditional interruptive advertising tactics, and it has rendered a few traditional marketing strategies nearly obsolete.
As more opportunities become available to allow consumers to forego paper in favor of digital communication, direct mail is increasingly seen as an antiquated form of marketing, in particular among Millennial consumers, the largest generational market. In many cases, carefully crafted direct mail never even had a chance to relay your agency’s message as 44% of direct mail is never opened.
As more businesses abandon the strategy, competition for that marketing space declines, increasing the impact of your message. However, it’s more important than ever that the direct mail you do send be powerful and compelling.
Even in its heyday, cold calling has never been popular, but it’s become even more offensive to consumers who have gotten accustomed to having control over their marketing experience. According to the Harvard Business Review, cold calling is utterly ineffective 90% of the time, and that’s even more disheartening when you discover that only 5-10% of your prospects bother to pick up the phone.
The only good news in regards to cold calling is that there are dozens of alternatives that are less expensive to adopt instead, such as content marketing and offering messaging and online support via your website.
Adblocking grew in use by 70% between 2013 and 2014. Even when adblocking isn’t installed, consumers seem to have become immune to display ads, completely overlooking them. As of 2015, the click through rate for paid advertisements was 0.06%, and considering the fact that “insurance” is currently the most expensive keyword to buy, that’s a meager ROI.
Pay-Per-Click advertising does offer some pragmatic advantages over traditional marketing forms. You only pay when someone clicks. You can set a budget to control costs. You can target a specific market.
<h4>A view towards the future of marketing and a respect for its traditions</h4>
A wealth of marketing options exist in the 21st century, and wise insurance agencies will diversify their strategies in order to capture the widest portion of their market. At AgenciesOnline, we stay abreast of current marketing trends while maintaining a healthy respect for the possibilities of traditional marketing. Contact one of our experts today to see how we can help breathe life into your agency’s marketing strategy.