by admin on April 21, 2010
I had the fortune of attending a luncheon yesterday honoring Dallas Cowboys superstar Jason Witten and his wife Michelle. The event was to the benefit of Austin Street Centre. I enjoyed the luncheon. I got to shake Jason’s hand and realized how small I actually am compared to football players. The Witten’s seem like a class act. I truly enjoy when people that have been blessed at their level (financially, talent wise, etc) decide to give back to others who aren’t as fortunate.
I also enjoyed hearing about the work of Austin Street Centre. I have heard about them for years through my church, but haven’t really paid much attention to their mission (I am embarrassed to say.) Here is their mission from their website: The Centre’s primary purpose for existence is to offer emergency shelter and related services to the homeless person in a compassionate Christian community, so that the person in need might be better able to make responsible choices and changes in their lives. The Centre has a particular ministry of caring for those who suffer from various physical and mental disabilities, unable to care for themselves, with few or no available alternatives. This includes 24-hour shelter care for those persons recovering from serious illness or injury.
We get so caught up in ourselves, that we forget their are those who are really in need. In many of these cases, they don’t have an alternative. It’s not like people choose to live in a shelter. It’s not like people choose to live on the street. I bet you didn’t know that 25% of the people in the shelter have a full time job. Many of these individuals are escaping abusive relationships or are suffering from mental illness. Many just flat out don’t have any other options.
Think about your local community and find a charity that helps others. Actually, that is almost an oxymoron since most, if not all, charitable organizations help others. Think about something dear to your heart: homeless children, abused spouses and children, people who have lost loved ones or jobs, people suffering from unbearable illness or disease. Your community has a charitable organization to help these individuals. Now, pick up the phone and call them to see if you can help them. I bet you can.
Thanks Austin Street Shelter. Thanks Jason and Michelle Witten. Thanks to the greater charitable community as a whole.
collinharbour.com
by admin on March 6, 2010
This post was initially written for insurance agents and agency owners, but actually applies to all businesses both large and small.
Over the last few months I have spent a considerable amount of time “enhancing the web presence” of one of my businesses in Texas. Much of this time has been spent on the intricacies of getting our website, www.spinstx.com, to move up in the rankings of the search engines. I have done this by registering with various local search sites, industry specific sites, blogging, updating content, and the list goes on and on. Through this process, I delved more deeply into the “Social Media/Networking” arena and have learned a few things in the process.
MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS
Since there are multiple entry points for potential clients, it is necessary for an insurance agency to be multiple places on the web. For instance, many agencies have a Facebook page, a Twitter account or a web page. That is great. You actually need all three (and many more) due to the fact that all of your potential clients aren’t pursuing the exact same interests in their social media participation. For instance, some customers and potential clients may utilize Facebook as a “friend” networking site only, and may not be interested in finding an insurance agent, or pizza place, or BBQ joint. At the same time, this exact same person (also known as a potential client) may be interested in reading your Tweets to determine if you are an expert.
I would recommend that you choose one or two and focus on getting them going in the right direction. For instance, I have chosen Twitter(@collin_harbour) 
, our website (www.spinstx.com) and my insurance blog (www.keeptexasinsured.com). I started a Facebook page, too, but I was overwhelmed by all that I needed to maintained so that page was taken down, but will be up and running again soon.
BE FLEXIBLE AND CREATIVE
It is important for any business owner to be flexible and creative. Through my Twitter experience, I have discovered various agents and agencies trying to achieve the same goals as me. One of the most creative ones I have come upon is www.atlantainsurancelive.com. Chris Jordan has taken his passion for insurance and customer service and brought it to his blog through video blogging. You should check it out as it is creative and (for lack of a better term) innovative.
Because most of this is still so new, it is understandable that a business owner or those responsible for growing a business can be overwhelmed with determining the best strategy. There are many consultants out there such as myself who can assist your business in choosing the right strategy for your agency or other business. Fill out the “Contact Me” form at the top of this page if you would like for me to reach out to you.
collinharbour.com
