September 18, 2020 - You know your insurance agency is better than the one down the street, but it’s important your potential customers know it, too. With so much competition in the marketplace, insurance agents need to go above and beyond to stand out. While providing great service at an affordable price is always the goal, it’s not the only thing you can do to put your agency ahead. Using key insurance agency marketing strategies, you can differentiate yourself from the competition and attract more customers to your business.
1. Online reviews are the new word-of-mouth marketing.
Instead of asking friends for recommendations, today’s consumers can easily take to the internet to search for products and services. And they’re not just looking at websites, either. A whopping 82% of consumers, including 93% of those aged 35-54, read online reviews when searching for a local business. If you don’t have a healthy amount of online reviews, you could risk missing out on your target customers.
To begin gathering online reviews, you’ll first need a place for customers to leave those reviews. Make a profile on popular review platforms, such as Google Business Profile and Yelp, complete with your contact information, photos, and a link to your insurance agent webpage. Some businesses choose not to directly ask for reviews, but you can gently nudge customers in that direction by posting signage in your office.
2. Engage with your customers.
Let your customers know you value their patronage by engaging with them when they’re outside of your office. This can be accomplished in a multitude of ways. For example, you could create a business page for your agency on your preferred social media platform and post regular, useful content. Or, you could go the more traditional route and send direct mailers for holidays or birthdays.
Our chief recommendation is to engage with your customers on the review platforms we discussed above. Reputation management is an essential component to an effective insurance agency marketing strategy. It’s not enough to simply have a profile on review sites, you also need to manage these accounts by checking them regularly and responding to reviews. Doing so can reap great results. On average, businesses that respond to just one review earn 4% more than average.
3. Get a little personal.
Creating relationships with your customers is great way to add value to their experience with your agency. And this experience can begin online! Whether you have a full website or a webpage with your carrier, you can show a little personality by customizing your About Me, Meet the Team, and other page sections. Sure, customers want to hear why you’re qualified to help them with their insurance needs, but they also want to know why you want to help them in the first place. Briefly tell your story and state your mission as an agency. Customers will be able to get a sense of your dedication to helping them get the coverage they need.
Say “See Ya” to the Competition
By investing your time into your insurance agency marketing strategy, you can differentiate yourself from your competition and grow your business. Not sure where to start? Contact Melon Local to learn how we can help.