The Insurance Marketing Playbook

Shelby McFarland
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The Insurance Marketing Playbook is your go-to podcast for insurance agents who want to attract more clients, close more policies, and scale their business with modern marketing strategies. Each week, we break down proven tips on digital marketing for insurance agents, including SEO, social media, email campaigns, Google Business Profile optimization, paid ads, and referral systems. Hosted by Shelby McFarland, The Marketing Broker, who specializes in helping insurance agents grow, this show gives you actionable marketing strategies designed specifically for the insurance industry—no fluff, just play-by-play tactics you can implement right away. Whether you’re a new agent building your book of business or an experienced producer looking to modernize your marketing, this podcast is your competitive edge. Subscribe to The Insurance Marketing Playbook and learn how to generate quality leads, build your brand, and grow your insurance agency with confidence.

  1. 2d ago

    Recruiting is Marketing: How A Recruiter Sells A Career Without Feeling Salesy

    Recruiting can feel like a totally different world from marketing, until you hear how Demi Mathis actually does it. Demi is a business development officer at Northwestern Mutual in Arkansas, and her day-to-day sounds a lot like what marketers preach: know your audience, show up consistently, start real conversations, and build trust long before you ask for a yes. We get into the behind-the-scenes of what it takes to attract interns, career changers, and entrepreneurial people who want more ownership in their work. We talk through the on-the-ground strategy first. Demi shares how she markets on college campuses through class talks, professors, and career fairs, then shifts gears for full-time recruiting by getting plugged into the chamber, ribbon cuttings, local business expos, and referral networks. If you’re building a team, growing a sales org, or trying to strengthen your employer brand, you’ll hear practical ways to create a steady pipeline without relying only on online applications. Then we go deeper into what really “sells” someone on a career. Demi tells the story of how she landed at Northwestern Mutual during COVID and why the role clicked once she saw what she calls the “four I’s”: independency, income, improvement, and impact. We also break down LinkedIn Sales Navigator, what makes outreach feel genuine, and why automated AI DMs can hurt ROI when the message stops sounding human. If you’re hiring, job hunting, or just curious about modern recruiting and LinkedIn lead generation, hit play and take notes. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s considering a career pivot, and leave us a review with the biggest takeaway you’re applying next.

  2. Jul 15

    What A Real Marketing Agency Does Behind The Scenes

    Everyone can post a photo. That does not mean they know how to market a business. We take over the mic this week and pull back the curtain on what real marketing work looks like when it is done by an actual marketing agency, not a “pop-up” marketer chasing vanity metrics. We talk through the unglamorous parts that make the glamorous parts work: client discovery meetings, defining goals, building a content strategy, doing keyword research for SEO, and writing captions with intent instead of guessing. We also get honest about the role confusion we see all the time, like assuming a receptionist or admin can double as a social media manager. Social media marketing is its own craft, and the difference shows up in consistency, clarity, and results. Then we hit the big misconception that can wreck your expectations: likes are not the scoreboard. We explain why reach and views often matter more than hearts, how to read performance in the back end, and why monthly marketing analytics reporting is what keeps a campaign accountable and improving. We also answer quick client questions, including why content shoots, photography, and reels can be part of a full-service workflow, so businesses are not left scrambling for assets. If you want a clearer way to evaluate a marketing partner and understand what you are paying for, listen through and keep notes. Subscribe for more, share this with a business owner who is stuck on likes, and leave a review with the next topic you want us to tackle.

  3. Jul 8

    Hiring Help When Your Business Hits A Bottleneck

    You can feel it before you can name it: the calendar is packed, your brain is fried, clients keep coming, and the business still won’t move to the next level. We sit down with Leia, an adult ADHD and executive function coach, to talk about the real pivot point for entrepreneurs, the moment you either cap your growth or you start delegating the work that’s quietly draining your energy. We get specific about what delegation looks like when you’re neurodivergent. Shelby shares how her first hire worked because it matched strengths (sales on one side, content creation on the other), and why hiring a stack of people just to “look bigger” backfires fast. We also dig into the money side of growth: why a great bookkeeper and CPA can change everything, how to spot which services are actually profitable, and how to raise your prices with math instead of guilt. If you’ve been stuck undercharging, avoiding your numbers, or telling yourself you should be able to do it all, you’ll hear a better way forward. We also talk leadership skills that don’t get enough airtime: setting expectations, being transparent with your team, and what to do when a hire turns out to be the wrong fit. Sometimes it’s not failure, it’s misalignment, and handling it well is part of building a healthy business. If you’re an ADHD entrepreneur trying to scale, this conversation is a practical roadmap for delegation, hiring, pricing strategy, and energy management. Subscribe for more real talk on building a business that works with your brain, share this with a friend who’s overloaded, and leave a review with the one task you’re ready to delegate next. Order "Market Like a Boss" at www.shelbysmarketingbook.com

  4. Jul 1

    The Four Biggest Marketing Myths Holding Back Your Business

    Everybody has a “rule” about marketing, and most of them sound right until you try to build a real business with them. We sit down and call out four popular marketing myths that quietly waste your time: the idea that you must be on every social media platform, that good marketing should produce immediate results, that more followers automatically means more sales, and that a good product will sell itself.  We talk through what actually works for small business marketing in a crowded, competitive world: picking one or two platforms where your target audience truly spends time, showing up consistently enough to build momentum, and remembering that marketing is a long-term visibility play, not a two-week sales switch. We also dig into the “going viral” fantasy and why it can bring followers who do not care, do not convert, and do not stick around, while a smaller, more personal audience often drives better client results.  Finally, we get practical about sales proof and trust. If people do not understand what your product or service does, they cannot buy it, no matter how great it is. From before-and-after photos to clear outcomes and credibility, we share why showing results matters more than just posting. If you want a sharper marketing strategy, smarter content priorities, and a reality check on growth, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a business owner friend, and leave a review with the next myth you want us to debunk.

  5. Jun 24

    How One Business Owner Turned A Book Into Clients, Credibility, And Revenue

    $48,000 in two weeks sounds like a book sales story, until you hear the truth: only $710 came from selling copies. What changed everything was treating the book as a marketing tool that drives real business revenue, not as the revenue itself. We share the behind the scenes strategy of how becoming “an author” can instantly upgrade your positioning, shorten the trust gap with prospects, and give you a clear reason to follow up without sounding salesy. We talk through the mindset shift that makes a business book a lead magnet: credibility and visibility first, conversions second. You will hear how a single book can open doors to speaking engagements, workshops, podcast interviews, and media opportunities, plus how each chapter can become its own talk or training. We also get specific about launch execution, including using a network of local influencers, creating ready to post snippets, leveraging PR for TV and radio, and turning every appearance into reusable content for social media marketing and SEO. Then we break down where the money actually came from: raising prices with confidence, signing new retainer contracts, selling website projects, booking branding shoots, and finally getting paid for trainings that used to be “exposure.” The bigger takeaway is long term: if you keep showing up after launch day, your book becomes a durable brand asset that keeps generating inbound leads, authority, and opportunities months later. If you are writing a book to grow your business, build your personal brand, or land more speaking gigs, this is the playbook. Subscribe for more creator and entrepreneur strategies, share this with a friend who is stuck in perfection mode, and leave a review with your biggest book launch question. Order "Market Like a Boss" at www.shelbysmarketingbook.com

  6. Jun 17

    The Good And Bad Ways To Use AI In Small Business Marketing

    AI is already in your customers’ feeds, your competitors’ workflows, and probably your own browser history, so the real question is whether you’ll use it with intention or let it dilute your brand. Shelby McFarland, marketing boss at The Marketing Broker, shares a grounded take on AI for small business marketing: what’s helpful, what’s overhyped, and what can quietly make your business look like everyone else. We get specific about the “don’ts,” especially AI-generated graphics and AI logos. If your social media suddenly looks inconsistent, busy, or off-brand, it’s often because AI design output isn’t truly customized to your templates, colors, and style system. And when it comes to logos, Shelby explains why print work and signage require real vector files (SVG, AI, vector PDF) and why “ChatGPT says it’s vectorized” doesn’t hold up when you need professional resolution on a sign, vehicle, or storefront. Then we move into the “do’s,” including how Shelby uses ChatGPT daily (yes, she named it Karen) as a collaboration tool for brainstorming, content strategy, pitching ideas, package pricing, and thinking through ad spend decisions. The takeaway is simple: AI works best when you combine it with your experience and judgment instead of copying generic outputs. If you want smarter marketing without losing what makes your business recognizable, listen now, subscribe, and share this with a business owner who’s still on the fence. After you listen, leave a review and tell us: what are you using AI for every day?

  7. Jun 10

    What Crisis Reveals About Your Business Plan

    One day you’re grinding 60 to 70 hours a week and planning expansion. The next day the world shuts down, your clients panic, and your business has to reinvent itself before the bills hit. I’m Shelby McFarland, the marketing boss, and I’m telling the real story of how I survived the COVID years as both a sign shop owner and a digital marketing broker. You’ll hear how opening a second sign shop location in Stuttgart, Arkansas felt like a smart risk in January 2020 and quickly turned into a pressure test when lockdowns and curfews hit. I share what we did to keep serving customers safely, what it felt like to be seen as “outsiders,” and the unexpected pivot that kept cash flowing: mass-producing social distancing decals, “mask required” signage, and six-foot floor stickers. That one product opened doors to restaurants and roughly 25 school districts, creating relationships that lasted beyond the crisis. Then we get into the hard truths: why 2021 was tougher than 2020, why I chose to shut down the second location, and what I learned about strategic planning, financial benchmarks, and building a backup plan before taking the next leap. On the marketing side, I talk about losing around 75% of my clients when companies cut marketing budgets first, and how I now frame marketing as an investment that protects momentum and revenue. If you run a small business, manage a marketing budget, or you’re thinking about expanding, this is your playbook for surviving disruption with clearer eyes. Subscribe, share this with a business friend, and leave a review if it helps, what’s one pivot you’d make if your market changed overnight?

  8. Jun 3

    Human Connection Driven LinkedIn Marketing For Entrepreneurs

    LinkedIn can feel like a noisy room full of “experts,” automation, and awkward cold DMs. We want to cut through that with something more useful: what’s working right now when you’re a real person trying to grow a business, land better opportunities, or build a personal brand without turning into a corporate robot. Shelby McFarland talks with LinkedIn specialist Katie Rasure about the surprising strategy that keeps paying off: human connection. We get into why giving away helpful information for free doesn’t scare off buyers, it attracts them. Katie shares how she leaned on LinkedIn after graduating during the pandemic, how consistency helped her get noticed, and how local networking events accelerated everything once she got out of her comfort zone. If you’ve ever hit a wall, burned out, or thought “I just want a simple job and to disappear for a while,” her path will feel familiar and encouraging. Then we go practical: how to write LinkedIn posts that people actually read, why storytelling and “Facebook with a business twist” beats stiff professionalism, and how often to post without wrecking your sanity. We also unpack what to ignore: trend-chasing advice that mainly benefits big creators, overposting, and AI-driven outreach that kills trust. You’ll learn a cleaner approach to B2B prospecting on LinkedIn: comment with value, connect with intention, and message like a human. We even talk reposting, timing, and how to use scheduling without losing the engagement LinkedIn rewards. Subscribe for more honest marketing conversations, share this with a friend who’s stuck on LinkedIn, and leave a review so more business owners can find us. What’s one LinkedIn change you’re going to try this week? Order "Market Like a Boss" at www.shelbysmarketingbook.com

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About

The Insurance Marketing Playbook is your go-to podcast for insurance agents who want to attract more clients, close more policies, and scale their business with modern marketing strategies. Each week, we break down proven tips on digital marketing for insurance agents, including SEO, social media, email campaigns, Google Business Profile optimization, paid ads, and referral systems. Hosted by Shelby McFarland, The Marketing Broker, who specializes in helping insurance agents grow, this show gives you actionable marketing strategies designed specifically for the insurance industry—no fluff, just play-by-play tactics you can implement right away. Whether you’re a new agent building your book of business or an experienced producer looking to modernize your marketing, this podcast is your competitive edge. Subscribe to The Insurance Marketing Playbook and learn how to generate quality leads, build your brand, and grow your insurance agency with confidence.

Information

  • Creator
    Shelby McFarland
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Insurance Marketing Playbook
  • Show Website
    The Insurance Marketing Playbook