7 Basic Marketing Approaches for Independent Agents
It’s impossible to market anything successfully without communicating well. There are multiple ways, online and off, to manage this vital activity. Below are overviews of seven marketing methodologies.
Social media.Networking is about communication and sharing. And as your mother taught you, sharing is a good thing. But to get the most out of it, post your own material or modify content that you acquire. Be professionally casual to encourage positive dialogue. Add interesting images and copy to your Facebook wall and Pinterest pinboards. Tweet messages and post LinkedIn updates that consist of more than links to the articles of others (except mine, of course). People follow you to be informed; don’t disappoint them. Post good stuff on a timely basis. Social media is here to stay, and it’s constantly evolving. Enjoy the ride, but recognize that it’s not the only horse in your stable.
Email. Venerable email serves as a one-on-one communicator, as well as a mass mailer. So, don’t overlook the marketing value of periodic single topic “email alerts” to advise insureds about important insurance issues they may otherwise miss. Seasonal topics can range from spring floods to snowmobiles.
Website. Your website is the hub of your agency’s online presence, and as such, it needs to be contemporary in appearance, continuously updated, and offer interactive functions like client service and quote generation. [Details in my June 21, 2010, column, “Is Your Agency’s Website Dangerously Obsolete?”]
Client newsletters. This classic communicator is an excellent marketing device, especially when it’s printed and mailed (with older issues archived as PDFs). They work best when they’re published on a fixed schedule and written entirely (or mainly) in-house, as the authoring office knows what resonates with their clients. Blend promotional content within informational articles rather than featuring it on its own. Inform readers about their need for desirable upgrades (better coverage forms, replacement cost on contents, etc.), wise additions (floaters, flood, umbrellas), and more. Tie these into personal interest stories, featuring text or video interviews of insureds. Include a link to the video interview hosted on YouTube (or elsewhere).
Videos. It seems that reading even short bursts of practical information is too much for some people, hence the growing popularity of mini-videos. Yours may consist of brief recordings on such topics as discounts, inadequate insurance issues, testimonials from happy claimants, etc. Record a collection of standalone videos or organize them in a video blog (vlog). Also create and host longer sessions as webinars for niche markets and general audiences. Just remember that your video may be on the Internet forever, so be careful about your appearance and content.
Direct mail. This medium is not obsolete, even if Saturday delivery bites the big one this August. Printing and mailing is still worth the expense when you have an important marketing message to deliver. It stands out in the digital world, much like digital once did when print was dominant. [Details in my March 19, 2012, column, “The Death of Direct Mail Is Greatly Exaggerated.”]
Blogs. It’s impractical for typically staffed agencies to author distinct content for every medium noted here – plus a blog. It’s one reason why some agencies use blogs in lieu of traditional newsletters. However, this digital-only approach gives you less of a readership. Instead, repost articles from your newsletter and reformat them for the blog. Do the same with your social media posts. Let your blog become a second-chance repository for agency insureds. Another use for blogs is to create dedicated target market versions to exhibit your expertise. This second type is in addition to the second-chance variety.