Geo-Targeting Proves That Less is More

Geo-targeting, also referred to as “location-based marketing,” can help insurance agencies narrow their focus down to local leads. While it is used typically used by national insurance companies and large multi-state agencies, it also makes sense for state-specific agencies to cast a more targeted net. State-specific insurance agencies may experience a greater ROI (Return on Investment) from a more concentrated approach. These tips will help you reach potential customers locally by going after low-hanging fruit that could be juicer than you think.

• Localize your marketing collateral. Send email blasts tailored to Florida customers if you have a promotion going on that’s only available to those in the Sunshine State. Try including the city/state in the email subject line or in the headline, to call the readers’ attention to the fact that this information is relevant to them as a Florida resident. Not only does this provide locality, but it also provides a sense of exclusivity.
• Get added to local directories or participate in localized social media platforms. Consider submitting your agency’s business listing to directories, like Yelp. You can also participate within location-based social networking websites, such as Foursquare, which helps users locate what they need in their area.
• Customize your ads to your target audience. If you advertise on Facebook, you can target a specific location in the ad copy (such as Boston), and then decide to whom your ads will be shown based on demographics, location, interests, and several other options within the channel.
• Utilize press releases geared toward local media. Has your agency accomplished something newsworthy recently? If so, consider writing a press release with a local angle and send it out via an online distribution service (e.g., PRWeb). Write a release about your insurance agency creating new jobs for employees in Seattle, or how it partnered with a local charity to raise money after a national disaster. Then, when sending the release via the distribution service, select which states or specific cities you’d like to target.
• Have a mobile strategy. How does your agency’s website appear on a mobile device? And how easy is it for users to find what they’re looking for quickly (such as getting a real-time auto insurance quote). Also, consider adding buttons to your website’s homepage, such as “Click to Call,” which allows customers on-the-go to call your agency for a quote with just one simple click.

Has your agency utilized geo-targeting yet? Share the outcome with us on Google+.

You won’t be successful without a mobile strategy. Do you think I’m being overly dramatic? Well, perhaps. But, here are some facts and figures that back me up.

According to Boston Consulting Group, the growth of global Internet will be driven predominantly by mobile users. 54% of US mobile subscribers now have smartphones and 14.6% of all US Web traffic now comes from smartphone users.

The increasing importance of having a mobile strategy

And, the tablet is dramatically accelerating the growth of mobile. According to comScore, “In less than 2 years, nearly 40 million tablets were in use among mobile subscribers in the U.S., outpacing smartphones, which took 7 years to achieve the same level of adoption.” In a few years, the number of mobile devices will dwarf the number of PCs. Yes, the tablet has made its mark and it’s here to stay. I believe it will ultimately replace the desktop PC. These statistics show that mobile is a medium we must start leveraging more effectively.

And, your customers today are doing everything on the go, from comparing home insurance coverages to requesting online quotes for car insurance. In fact, according to comScore, over 80% of auto insurance shoppers go online for a quote!

Your mobile strategy should extend to your employees and operations as well. A new generation will be entering workforce for whom a desktop computer is a quaint relic of their parents’ generation. They are not only completely comfortable with mobile technology, they bring their own devices to work. BYOD or bring your own device to work is an important trend in IT these days.

So, your customers and, just as important, your employees will be using tablets and similar devices. Therefore, so must your agency, if you expect to engage with your customers and hire and retain the best talent.

What does this mean for your insurance agency? It means that if your customers are using their mobile devices to search for insurance, learn about your agency, request a quote, etc., then you should be targeting mobile users as well. Here’s how:

• Ensure your website is mobile-optimized. Test the experience out for yourself by pulling up your agency’s website on your phone. How does it look? Then, try to complete any calls-to-action on your own site, such as requesting a quote. How does the form display? Was it easy and quick to complete? If not, you may want to consider re-vamping your website to be more mobile-friendly, and/or create an alternative mobile version. In addition, make sure any marketing emails you send out are also optimized for mobile devices.
• Incorporate your mobile device into your sales pitch. Tablets, such as the iPad, are a great way to talk a potential customer through a presentation over coffee or lunch, or in their home. You can also use it to provide the client with custom quotes on the fly, without losing the momentum and their interest when you are not available.
• Utilize a mobile agency management system (mAMS). QQ Solutions’ revolutionary mobile agency management system, QQ Catalyst, is completely Web-based and works on any device, including tablets, Macs, PCs, iPads, Android devices and more. With its open API, it also supports smartphone apps. In addition, Catalyst allows you to see your business at a glance with its innovative dashboard, and make real-time updates to clients’ policies anytime, anywhere. Catalyst has features designed specifically to faciliate mobile use, such as its Stack, Notification System, cloud file manager, and more. Discover the many ways Catalyst can give your agency a competitive edge by requesting a demo.

The mobile agency management system - QQ Catalyst

A mobile strategy is a necessity for your agency. These are just some ideas to help you get started. And, I’d love to hear what your agency is doing to go mobile. Please share with us by posting a comment below.

Thanks!

In the days when your father or grandfather was an insurance agent, a “tweet” was a noise made by birds, and if you “Liked” something, you probably didn’t share it with anyone unless they asked. Those days are gone, and, a successful insurance agency has to change with the times. However, there are tried-and-true sales methods that are still as effective today as they once were. In this post, I’m going to help you get back to the basics of what it takes to close a sale – and keep your customer’s business.

Sell Yourself, Then Sell Your Product

Unless you have a product that people absolutely can’t live without AND can’t find anywhere else, you need to get your customers to choose your agency for their insurance needs over your competitors. But first, you need them to listen to what you have to say.

Before you can get them to hear your elevator pitch, you have to get them to like you. Put yourself in their shoes and think about their needs. Find commonalities between yourself and them, and then use that to naturally start a conversation. In other words, demonstrate customer empathy (I’ll talk more about customer empathy in a future post).

Listen More Than You Talk

Treat your time with prospects as a two-way conversation, rather than a sales pitch. Ask them questions about their pain points, and actively listen to their answers. Tell them, honestly, how your insurance agency can address each of the pain points they’ve experienced and the key differentiators that set you apart from the competition. Address any questions they ask or rebuttals they come back with patiently, but directly, without skirting around the issue.

Anticipate Client Needs

Once they’ve become a customer, don’t disappear. Follow-up with them occasionally via email or phone to ensure they’re happy with their policy and your service. Let them know you’re available if they have any questions or concerns. When they’re up for renewal, do the extra legwork to “audit” their policy and see if you can find any available discounts or important coverages they haven’t taken advantage of yet (e.g., paperless billing discounts, etc.). However, don’t try to up-sell them into something you know they don’t need. In the long run, their trust will prove to be more valuable than the extra few bucks you pick up here and there.

Remember that, at the end of their policy term, your customers have a choice of how they spend their money and whom they spend it with. So even if your sales methods earned their initial business, it’s the actions you take after the fact that determine whether or not you’ve earned their loyalty.

New Features

• Context-aware videos. Simply click the new video icon on the Dock to view the appropriate video to help you with what you’re doing
  

  New context-aware video button on Catalyst's Dock

Enhancements

• Added functionality to SEARCH across ALL contact types by default, in addition to searching within specific contact types.
• Several improvements to ACORD forms, such as prefill of agency information, ability to customize certificates per certholder, faster ACORD form search, and improved display of full ACORD form names in the list.
• Ability to enter Extensions for all phone number types.
• You can now edit policy expiration dates, if necessary.
• Added new address type: “Location/Property” in addition to the garaging, mailing and billing addresses.
• Improved navigation by locking the global navigation and guided workflow toolbars to fixed areas on each page.
• Ability to set “Premium Sent” field on policy based on Writing Carrier
• Removed requirement to enter Contact Name when creating new Carrier, MGA, Cert Holder, or Lien Holder contacts
• Updated Carrier Downloads page to display effective dates per transaction and included sequence numbers per transaction.
• Numerous new ACORD forms and download certifications.

We’ll be adding even more great new features and capabilities over the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

As an insurance agent, you receive several dozen emails a day, from changes to existing policies to custom quote requests, which (hopefully) lead to new business. However, more likely than not, you aren’t idly sitting at your desk, just waiting for new business to roll into your inbox. As the saying goes, “Timid sales people have skinny kids.” You have to go after it and, even more importantly, you have to do it strategically. Email marketing is a great way for insurance agencies to not only let customers and prospects know that they exist, but also tell them why they should care. So how do you do it effectively? Follow these dos and don’ts for email marketing tips.

• Do: Use provocative, yet direct email subject lines. This is the most important piece of copy in your email blast, as it is the one line recipients will likely read to determine whether or not to open your email. Use language that entices the prospect or customer to click through.
• Some tips include:
• Ask questions, such as “Does your insurance cover a natural disaster?”
• Use teasers, such as: “Five Mistakes Your Insurance Agency Makes That Could Cost You.”
• Leverage sales or special offerings: “Switch to us, get a 15% discount off your policy.”
• Don’t: Use industry jargon. Your customers most likely don’t work in your industry, so you shouldn’t speak to them as though they do. They may not be familiar with terms you consider basic such as “GAP insurance” or “binder.” Try to avoid jargon when possible. If you must use jargon, give it a context (e.g., use “Guaranteed Auto Protection Insurance” instead of “GAP insurance”).   
• Do: Include your branding and contact information. Every email should feature your logo at or near the top of the email design.
• Also, make sure to include:
• A link to your agency’s website.
• Your phone number.
• Your physical address (if desired).
• Your agency’s email address.
• Links to your agency’s social media pages.
• A link to your blog (if applicable).
• Don’t: Send your emails out at the end of the business day. Consumers are inundated with emails every day, and you want yours to be at the top of the stack. If possible, schedule them to blast out in advance, first thing in the morning (roughly between 7 am to 8 am).
• Do: Plan ahead based on seasonality. Does it typically hail during a certain time of year, causing your customers in Texas to file more insurance claims related to property damage? Be proactive: Send an email asking customers if they have the comprehensive coverage they need heading into storm season.
• Don’t: Send multiple eblasts a day. Be judicious about when you send out emails and to whom you send them. If you’re constantly overwhelming prospects or customers, they’ll not only unsubscribe from your email list, but they may even switch providers.
• Do: Follow online trends. One great way to tell what your customers are interested in is by following their online posts and conversations. Look at popular Twitter hash tags, which is a tool used to group related posts together. So, for example, if you find that #cheapinsurance is a common hashtag, send out an eblast on “Tips to Lower Your Insurance Rate.”
• Don’t: Assume that everyone is viewing your email from a desktop computer. According to comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, 89.6 million Americans used their mobile phone to access email for work or personal purposes during the three-month average period ending November 2011, growing 28 percent from the previous year. As a result, your marketing emails must be mobile-friendly, in both design and content. Keep the copy short to avoid excessive scrolling, and don’t include large image or video files that could slow down load time. You want to keep their attention after you convince them to click through.

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve seen a brand make in its email marketing? Share your feedback with us by leaving a comment below.

Social media has become an important channel for insurance agencies to connect to their clients and prospects. In fact, the 2012 Agency Universe Study found that a quarter of agencies use Facebook to keep in touch with prospects and a fifth use LinkedIn. And, social media have now exceeded periodic personalized emails as agencies’ preferred method for keeping in touch with prospects. Further, over 51% of agencies now devote staff hours to social media activities. Yet, not every agency knows how to forge and utilize a social media connection with their clients.

A great place to start is during the next call you have with a prospect or client. As you collect their contact information, also ask them if you can have their social media handles as well. By being able to see your clients on LinkedIn, Facebook, or other social media channel, you can learn more about their interests and values and what’s going on in their lives. Not only can this improve the relationship you have with your clients, but it can also enable you to better serve their needs. For example, say you see that a client is asking friends for recommendations on a new vs. used car, or proudly posting pictures of new home renovations on their Facebook wall. With that knowledge, you’re now in a better position to make them offers for auto or homeowners insurance tailored to their individual needs.

If you’re using QQ Catalyst, then you have a great new tool to help you get the most out of social media. If you enter your prospect’s or client’s Facebook name, Catalyst automatically adds their profile picture to their record. And, on Catalyst’s Dashboard, you can see your social media feeds in real-time along with other key agency information, all on one screen. Now when you see x-dates and expiring policies, for example, you’ll be able to learn more about your customers before reaching out to them.

Catalyst's Dashboard showing Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter social media widgets

Catalyst already has the most advanced social media features of any agency management system on the market, and we plan on adding even more features and better integration in future releases. With the best agency management system and right social media savvy, insurance agents can really reach their full potential!

Social media handles and links are available for all your contacts in Catalyst

P.S.: To find out more about Catalyst, why not attend one of our demo webinars?

Your insurance agency may offer the best insurance products and rates in the world. But, if you’re pitching them with robotic enthusiasm, you’ll still lose leads and clients. Customer service interactions – at every level – reflect your agency and influence a customer’s opinion. Quote calls are especially important because they are often a customer’s first impression of your agency. And, you know what they say about first impressions. To make sure you nail your quote calls every time, keep these ideas in mind:

Don’t be a robot: This is a common problem that really seems pervasive in the insurance agency. Believe it or not, on more than one occasion, I’ve called an agency only to hear them answer the phone like this: “Insurance.” (or something just as abrupt and uninviting). Wow! That’s a tone that conveys “what do you want!” more so than “how can I help you?” Now that’s an extreme case, of course. But, don’t be robotic. Be personable. Answer the phone in a welcoming way and try to be engaging. Help the customer understand that the information you’re providing is more than just numbers; you’re offering them solutions to help them meet their insurance goals and get the best possible service.

Get the whole story: Speaking of which, just what are their insurance goals? Why are they shopping? What’s changing in their lives? Why are they leaving their previous agency? Understanding the reasons why a customer is calling will make you better equipped to make recommendations and provide the type of customer service that will delight your customer. Keep notes about this information in the prospect’s record in your agency management system to remind you when you follow up.

Sell your agency: When it comes to quote calls, assume your agency is not the only one the customer is talking to. Make clear all the ways your agency stands apart from the others. Do you have an “elevator pitch” that clearly describes how your agency is differentiated and better? If not, you should (I’ll be talking about this more in a future post). Also, direct customers to your agency’s website, blog, newsletter, videos, testimonials, and any other helpful information that illustrate and support your agency’s value proposition.

Really, it’s the little things that matter. Remember these tips and try to make your customers feel appreciated. That could be all it takes to start a great new client relationship.

Sorry about the title of this post, but, I’m really excited about our big new release next week.

Here are some of the new features in Catalyst version 1.4:

• We’ve added an incredible NOTIFICATIONS system that allows users to see the status of their jobs in progress (e.g., Carrier Downloads, Bulk Email/Print), as well as see reminders on their pending tasks. Just look for the new Bell icon on your dock to the right of the Stack!
• Users can now CREATE TASKS and SET REMINDERS on those tasks and get visible reminders of upcoming tasks. This also enables worker collaboration to boost productivity in your office.
• Added Policy Details for DWELLING FIRE policies.
• Can now add social media and Web address information to any contact, including carriers.
• Plus, numerous enhancements and improvements.

In addition, we’ve added new dashboard widgets and improved others. Here’s a directory of the Catalyst widgets available in v1.4:

QQ Catalyst v1.4 Dashboard showing some of the newly available widgets

We have an exciting roadmap for Catalyst development, and will be adding lots of new and innovative productivity-enhancing features going forward. I’ll be talking about these in coming posts. Come back often!

Meanwhile, if you haven’t done so already, please register for one of our bi-weekly QQ Catalyst demo webinars and see Catalyst in action.

Facebook may feel like the Wild West when you first launch your insurance agency’s page, and, it’s easy to get the hang of it, eventually. However, there are still tons of businesses breaking the unwritten rules of Facebook. There’s no harm done, but it’s just not very good marketing. For your own Facebook page, try to avoid making mistakes such as these:

Ignoring the fine print: Okay, this rule actually is written, but it still gets broken. Yes, anyone can join Facebook, but they do so by engaging in a Terms of Service agreement. Businesses are not immune to this; so, make sure you read that fine print (really, as an insurance agent, you should know this)! There are guidelines that dictate what types of pictures you are allowed to post, what types of contests you are allowed to run, and more. As long as you abide by Facebook’s guidelines, you’ll have nothing to worry about.

Posting tons of stuff: Some businesses struggle to come up with post ideas for their Facebook pages. If you don’t fall into that camp, you should still consider pacing yourself. More than one post per day can look like spam and you could wear out your welcome in your fans’ newsfeeds. Just remember: focus on quality over quantity. One great post per day is better than a few so-so ones.

Focusing only on likes: Sure, likes are great. The more you have, the more potential customers your messages are potentially reaching. However, you need to look at the bigger picture. Your content should be engaging users and striving for comments and shares as well. If you follow this advice, the likes will come naturally.

Loving text: Users aren’t very interested in big blocks of text. Try to think of creative ways to use images, videos, polls, and more. Lots of variety will keep users coming back for more.

Leaving out information: When you set up the Facebook page for your agency, fill out all of the information fields with as much detail as possible. If a user clicks on your About tab and it’s incomplete, it just doesn’t look professional.

If you watch out for these common mistakes and use your agency’s Facebook page to share quality content and engage with your customers, you’ll be on the path to success.

Should your agency be on Facebook?

In a word, YES!

Facebook has become a very important channel for insurance agencies to engage with their customers. Here is an interesting fact. The 2012 Agency Universe Study found that a quarter of agencies use Facebook to keep in touch with prospects. And, social media have now exceeded periodic personalized emails as agencies’ preferred method for keeping in touch with prospects. Further, over 51% of agencies now devote staff hours to social media activities.

Yet, it’s not unusual for insurance agencies have a bit of trepidation at first when considering building a presence on the world’s largest social network. At first glance, it looks like an incompatible match-up. But in reality, Facebook can be an excellent (and free) way to market your business and engage your customers.

However, an agency Facebook page is only effective with whole-hearted effort. If you don’t maintain an interest in your Facebook page, neither will your customers or prospects. Once your page is up and running, don’t wait around for people to find it. Include a link in your email correspondence, mention the page in sales calls, and encourage your customers to Like your page.

As your Facebook audience is building, post content on a regular basis. But, your content can’t all be ads or sales pitches – Facebook users are just going to see it as spam. Your content should be useful and engaging. Try posting educational information about insurance, maintenance tips for homeowners, readership polls, and trivia questions. As your fun and interesting content appears in people’s news streams, they’ll be more likely to start interacting with your agency.

See my recent post entitled, “Facebook Topic Ideas for Insurance Agencies,” which discusses some suggestions for Facebook topics.

When your Facebook fans post something on your wall, quickly engage and respond! Answer questions, or request that they call or email you with questions (this will be a better course of action for questions that can’t be answered via Facebook). Prompt responses generate customer satisfaction and show other Facebook fans that your agency is truly responsive.

Our newest agency management system, QQ Catalyst, integrates with Facebook (and other social media channels) to keep you connected with your customers and build more robust data profiles for them. To learn how Catalyst’s social media integration can help your agency, request a demo today.

Is your agency already on Facebook? What techniques are you using to engage your customers? Share your ideas on the QQ Solutions Facebook page and join in on the discussion.

That’s Facebook marketing in action. Your agency can do it too!

Our product launch for QQ Catalyst has been wildly successful, and we couldn’t be more excited to show this great new insurance agency management system to the world. We’re going to celebrate this game changing moment in insurance agency management by hosting a special sweepstakes.

If you’ve been following our news, you may recall that QQ Catalyst is a full-featured, cloud-based agency management system that works on any device with any modern Internet browser. This means that Catalyst can be used on PCs, Macs, smartphones, and of course, the iPad Mini and other tablets. The mobility of QQ Catalyst is one of its defining features. So, what cooler way to spread the word about this revolutionary agency management system than by giving away a top of the line mobile device? The winner of the sweepstakes will have the opportunity to use QQ Catalyst to manage their insurance agency from anywhere, on a stylish iPad Mini.

The sweepstakes will accept entries until March 15th. To enter, users must visit the QQ Solutions Facebook page and click the “Like” button. After that step, they can enter the sweepstakes by clicking on the Sweepstakes tab and submitting their information. Full details and the official contest rules can also be found on the tab.

Just like Catalyst, this contest has really taken off so far! We wish the best of luck to everyone entering!

For most insurance agencies, local clients are the bread and butter of the business. So, it makes sense that the bulk of your marketing efforts try to target your local area. However, there is much more to marketing success than local listings.

More than ever, people are turning to search engines to find local businesses. There are a variety of things you can do to make your agency stand out. First and foremost: claim your location on Google Places, if you haven’t already. Furthermore, don’t just claim the page – fill out everything you can and make your listing as robust as possible. This will let users see “at a glance” all your vital information, like contact info, operating hours, etc. The easier you make things for a user, the more likely they are to become a customer.

Secondly, you’ll want to spread your agency’s presence on the Web. Make sure you’re listed on sites such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and your local chamber of commerce. It’s important that when you do this, you maintain consistency across the board. Make sure your company name and address is exactly the same no matter where a user might find it (e.g., your agency’s website, Google Places page, Yellow Pages listing, etc.).

Once you’re set up on these sites, you should be requesting reviews to get the word out about your agency’s level of service. To start garnering reviews, just ask your customers. You can have agents do so at the end of their follow-up calls, but you can also do so online. In your marketing emails, include links to review sites where you have a listing. If your agency is active on social media, you can also reach out to your clients there. With enough effort towards targeting your local market, you can help your customer base continue to grow.

Posting content on a regular basis is an important part of interacting with customers on your agency’s Facebook page. The more you can get users to engage with your content, the more your posts will appear in newsfeeds and advertise your agency. Sometimes, coming up with interesting posts can seem like a challenge. But no matter what types of insurance you sell, there are all sorts of angles your posts can approach. Here are a few ideas that cater to different lines of business.

Auto Insurance

• Photos of new concept car announcements
• Poll: favorite car company
• Driving tips
• Road trip checklist
• Poll: favorite car color
• Maintenance tips
• “What was your first car?”
• What to consider when purchasing auto insurance

Homeowners Insurance

• Home improvement ideas
• Green living
• Seasonal maintenance tips
• Poll: Which part of your house could use a remodel the most?
• Decorating ideas
• Disaster proofing
• Poll: Which would you prefer – a bigger yard or a pool?
• What to consider when purchasing homeowners insurance

Life Insurance

• Fitness tips
• Recipes for healthy eating
• Tips for quitting smoking
• Poll: What’s your favorite time to exercise?
• Fun family activities
• Budget tips
• Types of policies and how to select the right one

For even more ideas, you can tap into QQ Catalyst. Our newest agency management system uses social media integration to connect with your clients. By browsing your contacts, you can get an idea of what their interests are and cater your posts accordingly. Don’t forget, you can also try hosting contests on Facebook to increase your reach. Short messages about the products or packages you offer are also good but they should be posted on a limited basis – maybe once per week. Any more than that could come off as spam and cost you fans.

What topics and ideas do you like to use for your agency’s Facebook page? Join the conversation and post your favorite ideas on the QQ Solutions Facebook page.