Insurance needs to up the ante on recruitment ads

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The recent publicity surrounding the New Zealand Police recruitment video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9psILoYmCc, had me thinking that the #insurance industry needs to take a leaf out of their playbook.

It is traditionally hard to recruit good, new talent into both the police and the insurance industry. If the police are up for trying something really different, shouldn’t insurance?

Granted, a number of insurance organisations are working really hard in this space. For example, AXA has many graduate initiatives including a recent one where an Aussie from Brisbane, won an amazing round the world experience including stops at AXA locations – https://www.axa.com/en/spotlight/story/chelsie-entrepreneur-globetrotter

Having worked in the insurance industry for 20+ years (ouch, that sounds a lot), I’ve been fortunate enough visit over 15 countries and do a fantastic variety of activities with some great companies – not to mention meeting loads of genuine people, many of whom I am lucky to call friends.

I find it such a shame when insurance scores so low on the most trusted occupations and how few are proud to say they work in the industry – even I have to admit to telling people I was a tennis coach rather than talk about my day job in insurance.

Let’s come up with some advertising that makes waves and shows people how much diversity and global opportunity there is in this great industry. Just look at where airlines have taken the dull, boring safety video over the last few years. Interestingly, it is the Kiwi’s leading the field here too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9psILoYmCc

If anyone is keen to create some fun and effective insurance advertising, I’d love to help you take insurance advertising to a better place!

And, if you have seen some noteworthy adverts please share.

5 things I’ve learnt from 5 years of Hillster Marketing

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Hillster Marketing is now 5 years old and I’ve learnt a lot of things – here are my favourites. Also, lots of people talk to me about the challenges of creating great content, so we have formed a partnership with Zebra Vision to develop text and video content and then post it online and on social media. Finally, see the bottom of this blog for some great festive car number plates. 5 things I’ve learnt from founding Hillster Marketing:

1. Knowing you’ve earned every cent (or Penny in the UK) gives a great sense of achievement – it is harder to demonstrate this in the corporate world, but if you can show/tell people how their contribution directly influences business success, the more committed employees will be.

2. Corporate life is good, no really! – People have a habit of dissing corporate life. It actually has lots going for it, including more resources to do stuff, a support infrastructure, IT assistance, job security, ability to focus on your specific role and a pleasant office environment – and don’t forget the regular pay packet.

3. There are great people out there - I’ve met so many fascinating people who are great at what they do. It pays to get out there and meet new people. You may even find the person to solve your business problems. So, if you need anything from a fabulous IP Lawyer and pest control expert to state-of-the-art risk based auditing software and the country’s best workplace injury treatment just let me know!

4. Some people don’t deserve a job – I’ve become increasing intolerant of people disinterested in providing a good service, leaving you left with a negative impression of their organisation. These people seem particularly prevalent in the health industry, larger corporate and government organisations. With so many people desperate for a job, these ‘quitters that stay’ really shouldn’t!

5. Plans are great but action is greater – I’ve seen, and written, some great marketing plans for businesses but a plan is nothing without execution. Yes, get your plan right but make sure you get it out there and test it so you reap the benefits and make ongoing improvements.

So, what will the next five years hold? It is hard to say, but working with leading American consultancy firm Brookeside has led to the formation of Hillster Consulting. Using the Sales Equity tool, Hillster Consulting has been established to help businesses get a real picture of how loyal their clients are, and crucially, what specific actions to take to increase revenue. If you are like one of the numerous people I’ve spoken to who want to put great content online but don’t have the time or the resources to do it, we have developed a 90 day plan to develop videos, blogs, e-newsletters to get your message out there CLICK FOR MORE

Lastly, here are some amusing festive number plates I’ve seen recently:

90 Day content plan offer

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We have been speaking to many business owners, especially in the insurance sector, who want to get there message out there and take advantage of the power of social media but don’t know where to start and don’t have the resources.

Hillster Marketing has teamed up with Zebra Vision to offer a 90-day content plan that includes developing and posting 2 videos, 6 blogs, 12 social media posts and a newsletter.

Contact Nick Hill on 0419 371018 / nick@hillster.com.au to find out more.

10% discount for orders placed before New Year’s Day 2015

Full details –  90 day social media content pack offer Hillster Marketing and Zebra Vision

Can’t get enough cute cat photos?

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I couldn’t help smiling when I read this latest Hubspot post about the ability to replace web ads with pictures of kittens and puppies on your screen.

Partly, I’m interested that it is another way dilute the reach of advertising just like being able to skip through ads on downloaded/recorded shows.

The thing that really got me was that someone came up with the idea of replacing ads with cat photos!

So, here’s my own cute dog photo. Read the Hubspot blog

A message to journalists from PR Professionals

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I have just read a great post by Zach Weiner about PR professionals working with journalists.

Like Zach, I have read many blogs and ‘how to’ guides for dealing with journalists but this is the first one I have seen that talks about how journalists should deal with PR professionals – and save on those annoying follow up calls.

Essentially, the post is requesting journalists to let people know when an article is going to run (admittedly a tough one) and ‘not leave them hanging’ regarding whether a pitch is successful.

Last week, I was pleasantly surprised by a journalist from the Australian Financial Review who responded to my pitch by simply saying, “Thanks for the interview opportunity. I could not do that.”

He has saved himself a couple of extra emails and phone calls but also increased my respect for him – and if I found a great newsworthy story that was in his field, I would now be keener to offer it to him as an exclusive to help him out.

I do know, as some of the comments on the blog attest to, that journalists are spread very thinly and have a ridiculous amount to do within crazy deadlines. However, I do think that some basic responses would help both parties.

Read the Zach’s blog

Have you ever used a QR code?

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I have just read a great post about QR codes and various people’s comments on them. The basic premise is that while marketers like them, very few people even know what they are, let alone scan them.

The fact you have to download an app rather than it being obviously built into your smart phone doesn’t help – did you know there is a QR reader in Apple’s passport app? – me neither!

So have you ever scanned a QR code or put one in your marketing material?

My thoughts are that there is a great case for using them, but they need to be in the right place and link to something useful. For example, I was recently given a business card and by scanning the code the person’s details were automatically put in my phone contacts. Simple and effective The blog post cites a code that was put on a billboard by a busy road – not the safest or easiest concept!

The other area I would have thought was perfect for them was in any kind of catalogue or magazine advertising where the QR code links directly to the ‘buy now’ section of the website so all someone has to do is choose their quantity/size/colour and pay.

Here is the full post – http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/qr-codes-dead?utm_campaign=blog-rss-emails&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=13794702

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

 

Marketing lessons from the World Cup

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As we consign the memory of the World Cup into history for another 4 years, it is time to reflect on what companies can learn regarding marketing around this and other major events.

The post below has some great comments and tips. These events are a great opportunity to raise the profile of your business – whether it has 1 or 10,000 employees – and have a bit of fun along the way.

There are opportunities ranging from creating interesting sharable content to food outlets designing special drinks or dishes. On the larger scale there are a raft of sponsorships companies can get involved in – never forgetting the World Cup, and other major events, have very strict rules around how you can’t be seen to be any kind of endorsed company if you are not.

Read the 10 marketing lessons from the World Cup