Just because your insurance agency sells someone a new policy doesn’t mean that things end there. The insurance industry is all about nurturing long-term relationships, and like any healthy relationship, there needs to be a balance of mutual appreciation between you and your customers.
Reciprocity is crucial to your agency’s long-term success and, in turn, makes your customers more likely to return the favor through additional sales, reviews and referrals.
Here are 10 easy and cost-effective ways your insurance agency can make your customers feel appreciated!
Surprise Thank You Call
When an insurance agency calls someone, it usually means one of two things: they’re trying to sell you something or there’s a problem with your policy account.
However, you can simply call your customers to say thank you for their business. You can also use this as an opportunity to check in with them about their policies or offer a survey to see if there’s anything your agency can do better.
Swag Bags
It’s pretty obvious people love free stuff. You can show your customers appreciation by giving them a goodie bag of fun novelty items like coffee mugs, pens, magnets and keychains. Luckily, thanks to online printers like VistaPrint and 4imprint, personalizing these items with your agency’s name is more cost-effective than it used to be. This way, you keep your name top-of-mind when your customer’s next insurance need arises!
Highlight a Client’s Business
Showcasing any of your customers’ businesses is an excellent way to give back to your community and show appreciation! You can do this by sponsoring a company event, leaving a positive online review, posting about their business on your social media or allowing your clients to leave their business cards at your office!
Gift Cards
If there’s anything people love just as much as free stuff, it’s free money. Before you start worrying about your budget, don’t think you need to spend a fortune. You can simply give away a $5-10 gift card for things like coffee, a fast food joint, car wash or gas station!
Handwritten Thank You Note
It’s easy to overlook the thoughtfulness of a handwritten note when we live in such a digitized world. Sending a handwritten note to one of your customers is an excellent way to keep things personal, and unlike a phone call, you can keep your message simple without having to worry about dealing with any follow-up questions or asking for a survey.
Flowers
Flowers are always a thoughtful gesture for new and lifelong customers. There are also many occasions where flowers are appropriate, including birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. You can also include a thank you note with your flowers to make things even more personal!
Ecards
You can save on stamps and a trip to the post office by sending electronic cards to your loyal customers. There are plenty of websites out there where you can easily create customized eCards. Depending on your customers’ personalities, you can send something funny to make them smile and feel even more appreciated!
Recommend Customers on LinkedIn
If you have a strong enough relationship with one of your commercial lines customers, you could write a recommendation about their business or endorse them for a skill. Your customers may even return the favor and give you some positive feedback on LinkedIn, too!
Social Media Shoutouts
Showing the world your appreciation for one of your customers can be as simple as thanking them on your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn page. Not only is this a great way to thank your customers, but you can boost your web traffic by including a link to your agency’s website!
Thank You Videos
Making a thank you video for a new customer joining your business can go a long way. And no, you don’t need to put together some sort of Hollywood-quality video to get your point across.
There are plenty of affordable and even free video editing programs out there that are perfect for making thank you videos, including Canva and Filmora. If you have an iPhone, you can also put together simple yet meaningful thank you videos with iMovie.
Need More Advice?
Check out this other Melon blog for more tips on building lasting relationships with your clients!
You can contact our team to learn more about how Melon Local can help you develop a marketing plan that works for your business.