Owning local marketing

According to the results from our Agent Authority Survey, COVID19 and economic uncertainty have forced many independent agents to reevaluate their marketing strategies. 60% of agents report that they have had challenges shifting to a more digital-based marketing approach.

If your local marketing used to be face-to-face driven, undoubtedly you have had to take steps to be more relevant online, and what worked even one year ago to drive business may no longer be effective. Independent insurance agents must adapt to grow their customers or risk being left behind.

Today it’s easy to go to the internet and bypass a neighborhood insurance agent to choose a famous-name carrier. However, people like to support locally owned businesses – they just need to know you’re around.

Contact with your community and a strong digital presence can generate the name recognition and good reputation you need to capture more clients.

Use these 5 tips to find ways to win in the marketplace:

1. Recognize that this business is about relationships – Only 69% of customers reported sufficient check-ins from their agent. Make sure you’re maximizing relationships with your customers by checking in and ensuring that their coverage is still right for them.
2. Excel with social selling – According to a LinkedIn study, sales professionals who use social selling achieve 16% gain in year-over-year revenue. Connect and network with prospects and customers on social media networks, especially LinkedIn. You can build credibility and increase relationships by sharing content and interacting with posts.
3. Build a center of influence to enhance your network – Centers of influence can be a sustainable way to attract business from customers who are shopping (or are likely to shop soon) for insurance. Building a good relationship with local mortgage brokers, real estate agents, and car dealers takes time and commitment but can pay off considerably in the long-term.
4. Be easy to find online – Search engines such as Google use listings to help rank your agency in search results. Make sure you are maximizing your carrier partners’ and digital vendor’s resources to show up prominently
5. Grow your brand by giving back – People want to do business with companies that make them feel good and share their values. How can your agency do well by doing good in the community?

Just remember – competitors may outspend you but there’s no substitute for your local presence and authentic connections to the community.