Julia Errante, Co-Founder & COO @ Agency Incline
Julia Errante, Co-founder & COO
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-errante-2a3b4a54/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/35646478
Julia, your insights and experiences are incredibly valuable, and I'm eager to learn and share more about your journey and the innovative strategies you employ at Agency Incline. Your journey navigating B2B (Business-to-business) and B2C (Business-to-consumer) strategies for national brands is remarkable. Agency Incline specializes in delivering real-time, targeted consumers to insurance producers and brokers. How do you ensure the quality and relevance of these leads?
That is an excellent question. Ensuring the quality and relevance of leads is a key element, and we implement a variety of strategies to achieve this goal. Behind the scenes, we have robust algorithms in place, enhanced by AI, behavioral intelligence and machine learning. There’s a lot of moving parts but it allows us to intercept less desirable leads or invalid traffic before they reach our advertisers while targeting highly qualified leads that are more inclined to convert. This level of diligence is essential, as the quality of leads can significantly and quickly impact the success of our advertisers. We take pride in the fact that our strategic processes have helped our clients to achieve a substantial return on investment compared to our competitors.
Can you also share a bit more about why you created Agency Incline?
In 2017, I found myself at a crossroads when the lead generation company I was working for at that time, unexpectedly closed its doors after 16 years in business. The closure came as a shock to everyone. My clients heavily relied on me, and the sales generated through our partnership to sustain their operations and I had a deep-root desire to continue supporting them. Ultimately, a highly respected industry publisher extended a partnership offer to me.
This pivotal moment became the catalyst for the creation of Agency Incline. It made perfect sense – I had the book of direct advertisers and they were generating the highest quality live calls, data and driving new customer traffic to insurance offers. In the span of just a few days, I transitioned from “unemployed” to assuming the role of a female Co-founder. It happened just like that.
What sets you apart, and who should reach out to you to help scale their business?
What truly distinguishes us at Agency Incline is our first-hand experience in the trenches particularly alongside Insurance Agencies. We intimately understand the daily challenges, complexities and obstacles they face each day. As the saying goes, “It’s not Christmas everyday” in this industry. There can be a lot of volatility and constant change and it’s not for the faint of heart. You must be able to pivot and effectively adapt to those changes in order to survive.
Based in Fort Lauderdale, I've had the privilege of personally visiting and meeting with dozens of agency owners face to face right in their offices. I distinctly recall stepping in to aid numerous agency owners, whether they were newly licensed or seasoned veterans, in areas beyond lead gen. Recognizing the gaps in their team's knowledge and resources was concerning. I extended support and expertise at no cost to them to ensure their sustainability. Agency Incline is more than just a provider of leads or marketing services, we are more like trusted allies.
Any business, regardless of the vertical or industry looking to scale their operations would greatly profit from collaborating with Agency Incline. Our primary objective is to assist in acquiring new customers through digital marketing efforts, with a strong emphasis on maximizing lifetime value and lowering overall cost per acquisition.
What has been the most rewarding or fulfilling moment in your career journey so far, and how has that particular experience shaped your perspective on business, leadership, or life?
One of the most fulfilling times in my career happened when I led a team of developers through a tough project, a 650 page API custom integration. At that time, the project was with the lead intelligence company, Journaya. It put me out of my comfort zone a little but taught me a lot about leadership. There is just something about empowering and motivating others to do their best that is so rewarding. That experience has not only helped me grow professionally but personally as well. This project also resulted in winning the award for ‘Best Implementation of the Year’, recognized by Journaya.
Your dedication to helping Fortune 500 companies achieve their growth goals is commendable. Can you walk us through a specific example where your strategies resulted in significant revenue growth for a client?
Thank you for that recognition. I’ve had the honor of collaborating with Fortune 500 companies. Leads have always served as the bloodline of this industry, fueling growth. Agency Incline has worked hand in hand with these organizations which enabled them to unlock marketing compensation dollars from carriers and brands as a reward for achieving and exceeding set targets.
I’ve also worked with numerous newcomers to the industry. It didn’t happen overnight but through providing consistent value they were able to quickly scale and reach milestones earning the “million-dollar producer” status within their respective company.
As someone deeply involved in lead generation and marketing, how do you implement compliance in your strategies?
So this is really important and as you know, the lead generation industry, particularly in insurance, is highly regulated. Failing to adhere to regulations and laws can lead to a legal disaster and headache you don't want. Our compliance team remains vigilant, staying ahead of the curve by closely monitoring both proposed and active legislation to ensure full compliance at all times.
Your expertise in lead generation is evident. Could you share some insights into the future trends you anticipate in the lead generation landscape, particularly within the insurance sector? There has been a lot of buzz around compliance pertaining to the FCC’s one-to-one consent which will play a huge role in the near future for lead gen and technologies needed to overcome the barriers there. I think that the best use case for compliance overall will eventually be through blockchain technologies.
Looking ahead, what excites you the most about the future of Agency Incline, and what do you envision as the next milestones in driving growth and innovation for the company?
I envision our team continuing to expand and drive growth. I believe diversity is key to success. Each team member brings unique ideas, skill sets, and values to the table and when we come together, magical things happen.
Our upcoming milestone involves unveiling and introducing our in-house developed technologies and processes, which will offer significant value propositions to our clients and partners.
Can you share some insights about your personal life and hobbies you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I am a true native Floridian, born and raised, which is rare to come across nowadays. Motherhood is a new addition to my life. My son is 2 years old now. Life with a 2 year-old is always lively - there is never a dull moment! I am also a devoted dog and cat mom. While spare time is scarce, I prioritize moments to enjoy walks with my dog while admiring the sunset/sunrise and of course spending some time relaxing with my family at the beach or by the pool. Yoga, especially hot yoga and meditation have always been a part of my life. In an industry that operates around the clock, meditation has helped me reset and rejuvenate each day.
Julia, it's clear from the numerous comments and reviews about your work that you're not only highly skilled professionally but also widely regarded as a wonderful person to work with. With that in mind, could you share with us what you consider to be the best compliment you've received regarding your work ethic, leadership, or personal qualities?
I've received some pretty amazing compliments from my former bosses, colleagues and clients over the years all which you can read on my Linkedin profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-errante-2a3b4a54/details/recommendations. Some include being a shining star, a total rock star package and a fearless leader.
Will we get to see you at the upcoming Affiliate Ball and AFFY Awards Gala in New York July 28th and 29th where the performance marketing industry unites? What are you most looking forward to? Is there a particular category you’d hope to be nominated for?
I am excited to share that I will be attending the Affiliate Ball and for the first time ever the AFFY Awards Gala in New York. I am looking forward to seeing industry friends and partners who over the years have become more like family to me as well as meeting new connections.
My aspiration is to receive a nomination for The Legend Award, representing my leadership and capacity to adapt and thrive, enriching not just my own journey but also uplifting others within the industry and helping them to reach their full potential.
I would also be delighted to witness Agency Incline be nominated for Agency Of the Year. Our customer testimonials really speak to our work which elevated our clients to the next level. We have always been committed to standing by our core values one of them includes prioritizing our clients over profits and that has had a lasting impact on our success.
Did ya’ll know you can submit Julia for an AFFY Award nomination here?
Julia, I can’t wait to see you in person at the upcoming Leadscon tradeshow and surrounding events in Vegas in a couple weeks, along with the Affiliate Ball and AFFY Awards in a few months in NY! Everyone, feel free to reach out to Julia to see how Agency Incline can help you reach your business goals!
