In an industry that was built on a firm handshake, it can be difficult for some agents to let go of what worked in the past and adapt to today’s marketplace. The good news? Relationships are still at the foundation of a successful insurance agency. So, how can an insurance agent nourish and grow existing relationships, while also developing new ones? By avoiding the common pitfalls that stand in your agency’s way of making a connection. Here are three common marketing mistakes made by insurance agencies – and how to avoid them.
Common Mistake No. 1: Relying on Cold Calls for Leads
Cold calling and face-to-face breakfast meetings to exchange referrals with contacts in other industries have long been traditional methods of prospecting. However, an insurance agency might see more leads convert to sales if it leveraged online marketing to turn “cold-calling” into “warm-calling.” For example, prior to attending an event, meeting, etc, consider sending out an eblast to let customers know you’ll be attending the event, and include images and fun facts about the agents who will be there. This helps your audience, who is likely receiving the same collateral from competitors, put a face to a company name. They may be more likely to recognize your team at the event and, by the time you call them, they’ll already feel like they know you.
Webinars can also be an effective way to establish a relationship with prospects prior to reaching out to them on the phone. Consider offering monthly webinars, and allowing users to register for them via your agency’s website.
Common Mistake No. 2: A Website That Isn’t Mobile-Ready
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.
From comparing home insurance providers to requesting auto insurance quotes, today’s consumers are doing everything on-the-go. As a result, an insurance agency’s website should be mobile-optimized. Test out your agency’s website to ensure it loads on your mobile device, and ask other team members using different types of mobile devices to do the same. If your website takes too long to load or if it doesn’t display cleanly on the screen when it does, you could be losing business as a result.
See my post, “Why Your Insurance Agency Needs a Mobile Strategy.”
Common Mistake No. 3: Posting Self-Serving Content in Social Media
As of June 2013, Facebook reported having 1.15 billion monthly active users. They’re using Facebook to share their lives, and also to connect with the people and brands that influence it. One of the biggest disconnects that an agency can create with its audience is using its social media channel to exclusively talk about their products and services. Instead, consider using your social media channels to share news, provide tips on how customers can save on insurance, or to poll your audience. Your agency can also leverage events to create interesting content. For example, if the Oscars or the Grammy’s are approaching, consider writing a post about the most over-the-top celebrity insurance policies. To brainstorm ideas for new, engaging content, search for trending hashtags within social media channels, such as Twitter.
While there are numerous ways you can connect with prospects through strategic marketing, the key to selling more insurance is really to focus less on the product and more on the people buying it.
