According to a January report in the New York Times, kids spend and average of 7 ½ hours a day on various electronic devices, whether locked into screen time with a smartphone, computer, TV or video games, or in some combination. And the only reason it’s not HIGHER, is the inconvenience of school six hours a day.

Granted the study used a small sample of 2,000 students, and the researchers were from a “Family Foundation,” but data was also collected in 2008, and whatever the real screen time hours were then, they’ve only gone up.

Future valued insurance customers ranging from grades three to 12, some on the cusp of adulthood, can barely survive without a mobile device or internet connection. I’ve literally had a conversation with my 17 year-old cousin where she is listening to an iPod while texting and looking over my shoulder at a TV screen, offering the occasional courtesy nod to give the impression of listening.

Of course this is a gross generalization, not all youths are screen-dependent technology zombies. But even if the exact data is a bit fuzzy, our youth are sending strong signals about the way they like to be reached, and we are smart to feel an obligation to learn these new tools and techniques, or we run the risk of being phased out.

Establishing a screen time comfort zone is a must. Not everyone is cut out to be an eight-hour a day desk/monitor jockey, but even simple ergonomic adjustments can make prolonged screen time more comfortable and productive.

Ironically, in the past month, there’s been an influx of Astonish Results employees adopting the practice of “working while standing,” mainly because of one team member’s decision to work vertically and the subsequent sharing of this BusinessWeek article, “Your Office Chair will Kill You.” Ergonomics may not be the final answer towards embracing screen time, but it certainly won’t hurt, and in some cases, it will literally make the hurting less.

My son will never be allowed to zone out in front of video games for five hours straight, or run up my phone bill with 1500 text messages in a week, but I will always respect his decision to use screen time to research and make an informed decision, even if I am a bit hurt the first time he says, “Why would I ask you dad, I’ll just ask Google.”

The days of detached insurance marketing are over, we must be seeking interaction and conversation with customers and potential customers on a daily basis. Sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer says, “Social media is the new cold call,” and even if the rules of engagement are different, social media lives online, behind a screen. Social media can  get you out of the agency, but only with a commitment to screen time.

Teaser - Part II will focus on additional ergonomic and operational adjustments you can make to enhance your screen time productivity.

Astonish Results’ closest geographic insurance marketing partner, Bucci Insurance, and owner Anthony, were kind enough to host me for an informational consult where I learned about unique Rhode Island insurance laws and common claims.

Gloria, the congenial, bilingual account manager from Bucci Insurance was discussing aspects of RI renters insurance when it fully dawned on me that everything we were discussing was playing off my fear that something catastrophic could happen to the physical objects I hold dear. Insurance, duh, I know, but material wealth doesn’t hold much personal value, so the scenarios were not frightening, as much as inconvenient.

Almost convinced I could get by without insurance, Gloria told a story. I won’t rehash, but it was selling fear at its finest, playing off emotion, refuting objections and getting us closer to “yes” all in one expertly delivered anecdote. I also admired the opportunity to connect on a personal level and felt a stronger level of trust in her and the agency because of it.

Great as it was, one story does not make a trusting relationship. For that we reference a recent Astonish Results coaching winner from Connecticut’s Paradiso Insurance. The social media intern was hired while in college to manage a Facebook page and do some blogging but eventually started accompanying the agency owner on business visits and using her knowledge of social media during meetings. The percentage of deals closed increased, significantly.

Not only did closing ratios increase, small, locally-owned businesses started seeking out Paradiso Insurance for marketing advice and a Partners program was created.

Want to build trust with a potential business partner? Offer to handle some marketing by promoting their services with social media tools and on your website. Selling fear is at the core, but trust is truly earned when commitment is shown and value beyond excellent customer service is provided.

And it doesn’t hurt to have a good story or two…

One of the biggest factors working against widespread agency social media integration is the perception that it takes away from “real work” and somehow robs agents of their productivity. Disclaimer: Social media is not for everyone…but insurance agents who can parlay a genuine, helpful, bubbly, humorous, informative, trend-setting or spirited persona into a tangible and productive web presence; are wasting an opportunity by not engaging.

Polished computer and communication skills offer an inherent advantage in almost any office setting, and the insurance agency is no different. Building connections (generating leads) through social media is possible, but it takes patience with a dose of selflessness and dedication mixed in with the occasional self-promotion. The bottom line = converted leads, but an effective social web presence truly is about more than profits.

Linda Stone, a brilliant blogger and contributor to the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Economist and many more introduced a concept called “Continuous Partial Attention” explaining it as,

“To pay continuous partial attention is to pay partial attention — CONTINUOUSLY. It is motivated by a desire to be a LIVE node on the network. Another way of saying this is that we want to connect and be connected. We want to effectively scan for opportunity and optimize for the best opportunities, activities, and contacts, in any given moment. To be busy, to be connected, is to be alive, to be recognized, and to matter.”

Any insurance agency in America would benefit from having one person who can use the Internet and social media to achieve what Linda Stone describes above. Sure, it’s possible to survive without an insurance website or social networking plan, but the days of print are fading, and research shows that companies with a social web presence are more appealing to consumers, so why ignore what’s working so well for so many?

One of the best ideas I’ve heard an agent come up with to justify the use of social media, was to promise the agency owner she would set one out-of-office business appointment per week via her social media efforts.  Hesitant at first, he agreed, with the added condition that she keep track of other community members active on social media. The result, business they’ve never expected is FINDING THEM based on outreach she’s done, and the agency now has a larger digital and public footprint, just from one person’s use of social media.

Insurance marketing is a blended strategy. A strategic social media presence won’t manage your agency, but it can play a critical role in reputation management, lead generation, brand awareness and actually giving employees MORE PRODUCTIVE work to do. Imagine that.