While insurance agent may rank with accountant in people’s expectations of what makes a career exciting, it’s important to remember that insurance agents make a difference in people’s lives. From providing a safety net when something catastrophic happens to being a beacon to help customers navigate the incredibly complex insurance world, working as an insurance agent can be an exciting and rewarding career. But it’s important to be savvy to the right kinds of marketing tactics to help you connect with your customers and represent your brand. Here is a closer look at the tactics that are working today for marketing your insurance agency.
Focus on the benefits
Many experienced agents have discovered that it’s important to take an approach that focuses on the positives of insurance. Explain the benefits of having life insurance for example; people can go about their lives knowing that their families will be taken care of no matter what happens to them. It may be tempting to focus on the worst possible outcomes. But these type of predatory and negative marketing tactics can backfire. Instead, help consumers understand the benefits of having a comprehensive insurance safety net in place.
Connect with your audience
Many insurance agents are generalists; others have specialties, either in terms of insurance types they offer or where clients are likely to fall in the life cycle. Get clear on who you serve, whether that’s your most profitable clients or simply the people you enjoy working with day to day. Once you’ve clarified this important issue, think about the right tactics to connect with your audience. Your messaging and marketing channels will be different for millennials, for example, than for dealing with baby boomers.
Take advantage of content marketing
Today, buyers want information that helps them make smart decisions and understand complex buying cycles. As an insurance agent, you’re in a great business to create content to help your customers understand these important issues. Whether you’re writing blog posts or sending out a newsletter to clients, content marketing offers several benefits. One is that it helps you build your brand and allows people to see you as an expert in your field. Another benefit is that content can be viral, and help you attract new leads and clients over time. In a way, content is a sales force that’s working for you 24/7.
Expand your offerings
Like every business, insurance changes rapidly. From new programs and companies to the latest thinking on how clients should approach planning in specific scenarios, it’s important that you continue to grow your agency. This can happen in several ways. One is to continue investing in your own learning and credentials. Share that with prospective clients. Expand the relationships that you have with professional companies so that you can offer a wider range of options depending on their needs.
A career in insurance can be incredibly rewarding. One of the most important steps to making that happen is developing an understanding of how to market and create a successful practice. Speaking to the benefits of insurance, developing a clear persona of who you serve, expanding your own ability to create value, and producing content to showcase your expertise are all important steps that will help you develop lifelong relationships with clients.
About the author: Jenny Saskin is an experienced insurance agent that works with families throughout New Hampshire.