Before becoming an insurance agent, Dennis Holland had a rewarding 10-year career in credit lending. However, when the owners decided to shut things down, Dennis found a new career working for a friend and insurance agent in Alpharetta, GA. Three years later, he was given the opportunity to take over a retiring agent’s office in nearby Cumming, GA.
Since opening his agency on June 1, 2021, Dennis has been able to maintain a successful office with a consistent number of leads — thanks to a little help from us here at Melon Local!
We caught up with Dennis to learn about the challenges of taking over another agency, how Melon Local has helped with his marketing efforts, and his philosophy for maintaining a positive work environment.
Melon Local: Were there any challenges that came with taking over the agent you worked under?
Dennis: It felt like I was drowning in the North Sea — just cold water and high waves slapping you in the face. You’ve got clients leaving due to an older agent retiring. We’d try to retain them, but usually, they already have made up their mind. That’s the hardest thing to get over because you have this book.
There’s so much in front of you during the first month. You have people calling in. You’re being pulled in every direction. By month two, you kind of understand where you need to put your energy: into your team and into your marketing.
ML: How did you first approach your digital marketing strategy?
There was a little chatter among my agent intern group I was part of where people were saying, ‘Hey, the agent I came from used Melon Local.’
A fellow intern said her office was getting 50-60 leads a month and probably closing 25-30 of those. She said she knew the way they worked, and it made sense. That was the first time I had ever heard about digital marketing.
We already had these house accounts because the previous agent I worked under was very aggressive in finding realtors and mortgage lenders that could facilitate our growth. I didn’t know the digital marketing piece mainly because I never thought to ask about how we get insurance leads. Just word of mouth brought Melon Local to my attention.
ML: What stuck with you when you first spoke with us?
They presented the facts to me. I also like how they gave me my own approach. Basically, the ball was in my court. There was no pressure. The sales rep I talked to kept things simple and to the point by saying, ‘This is what we do, this is how we accomplish it, and this is what it’ll cost you.’
ML: Did you notice any immediate results with us?
Dennis: I spent so little with you all at the beginning. I think we were putting $100-500 a month toward Google just to stick my toe in the water versus putting my whole body in it.
We’re spending a little more money today than we did during the first six months. By spending just a touch more, we’ve seen an increase of almost two-fold in insurance leads.
Our Google presence has gone up. I’ve had more people walk in the last three months than I have had during my first nine months combined. I spend about $1,800–1,900 a month with you all. We probably see about 8 – 9 leads a week with your help on that.
I think we’re around the high 28 percent close rate. I think we’ll get a little bit better over time. If we can touch 35-38 percent, I’d be happy right now.
ML: Is there anything else that’s really impressed you so far with Melon?
Dennis: Probably our Google calls. We probably get 2–3 people a day who say, ‘Hey, we found you on Google. Can we get a quote?’ Just spending a little extra money in the Google realm has moved us the pages and just opened the doors for more opportunities. That’s all we’re about — how many touchpoints we can get in a day.
ML: Do you have any future goals with your agency?
I personally take things month by month. I can only control a couple of hours ahead of my day. I’m just trying to keep myself level and working with my team because their success drives our success here at the office. So long as they’re happy coming into work, then we’re going to be just fine.
ML: At Melon Local, we credit a lot of our success to promoting a positive work environment! Is there anything you do to keep your team happy?
When I was working as a team member, I missed an ultrasound for my second daughter. My agent found out about it, and he called me into his office and said, ‘If you ever miss one of those things with your wife again, I’ll fire you!’ I said it was my choice. He goes, ‘No, no, no! Family is the first thing and only thing in life. Jobs will be there no matter what.’ So, I was like, okay, noted! That’s how you have to be with your team — you put them and their families first. The job will always be there.
ML: Do you have any advice for anybody trying to get into this industry, especially in the first year?
Dennis: I would probably invest more from day one with Melon Local if I knew the results were going to be this good! I was a little skeptical about how much digital presence does matter. It matters more today than it ever has. More people will shop for you on their phone now because a phone is basically a computer. Nobody’s sitting down in front of a laptop anymore or an actual computer.
Start where you feel comfortable, and then let it grow and reevaluate every 3-6 months. Be like, ‘Okay, I’ve seen the success. I want to put some more money into it.” The more you put into this, the more you’re going to get out of this!
Whether you’re just starting in the industry or you’ve been running your agency for years, we know what it takes to grow quality insurance leads. If you’d like to learn more about how your agency can better optimize your insurance marketing strategy, schedule a demo with Melon Local today!