Odds are, you’ve likely heard many basic insurance marketing tips and tricks, like establishing a social media presence or starting a newsletter. In many cases, though, these commonplace marketing ideas are not very simple to execute. With so many people trying to get attention on social media, and flooded email inboxes, it can be tough for insurance agents to stand out. That’s why turning to some of the more underrated insurance marketing tips and tricks can be so valuable.
These less well-known marketing ideas still require commitment and effort, but they can potentially help your agency more than if you just tried generic approaches. These underrated insurance marketing tips and tricks include:
- Boost Your Local SEO: Attempting to rank highly for search terms like “commercial insurance agent” might not be realistic for individual agencies as you not only have to compete with other agents near and far but also large insurance brands, news sites, research firms, etc., that might use those keywords. Instead, shift your focus to local SEO.
Aim to include keywords related to local areas like your city and state, especially if you can identify terms that other agents don’t seem to be targeting. Consider neighborhood names, communities, and more. Boosting your local SEO doesn’t mean you can’t serve clients outside your immediate area, it just gives you a better opportunity to be found online by relevant prospects in your local area.
- Find Niche Groups for Networking: Like getting more specific with local keywords, insurance agents can attain more marketing success by potentially focusing on niche groups for networking. For example, trying to stand out in a general LinkedIn group for small business owners nationwide might not be easy. Instead, perhaps you’d have better luck joining a group — online or offline — that focuses on a more specific area. For instance, you could join a local business group. Or find a more niche group such as one like cybersecurity for small businesses. Consider also working with your local Chamber of Commerce or other local groups.
- Develop Content Partnerships: Get more mileage out of your marketing efforts by partnering up for content. Instead of just creating a blog post about business budgeting and sharing it on your social channels, consider partnering directly with a small business owner or industry expert. Then incorporate that person’s insights into your content to create a more unique post, while also giving their company exposure to your audience. Their company could then share the article on their channels, so you both get to expand your reach by cross-posting.
- Learn Your Cost Per Lead: If you don’t already have a clear cost per lead, learn that number so you can get more from your marketing efforts. For example, if you run social media ads, track your spending on those compared with how many new leads you get, such as if they click through on the ad to then sign up for your email list.
If you then see that your cost per lead for certain social networks is lower than others, you might decide to invest more in those with a high return on investment (ROI). Conversely, if you see that you’re spending more per lead than you would like to bring onboard in revenue, then that’s a sign that you need to switch your attention to another marketing channel, like creating more inbound blog content.
- Ask for Referrals: Lastly, don’t be shy! Ask for referrals so that you can have more outbound marketing success. For example, you might send a thank you note to a new client, asking them to refer you to friends and family or other professionals if they enjoyed working with you. Many people are willing to help in this regard, they just need a nudge.
Once you do get those referrals, you might find that you’re better able to close those deals, since you’re starting warmer than when randomly reaching out to potential prospects. Getting more referrals can also free up more of your time than you would otherwise be spending on searching for new leads. With that time, you can dedicate more resources toward improving your marketing by crafting more detailed email newsletters and blog content or engaging in real conversations on social media.
Improving your insurance marketing doesn’t have to be overly complex, you just might need to investigate less obvious methods. Focusing on more local, niche topics can help you avoid getting lost in too large a crowd, and partnering with other professionals can help you expand your network.
Keep in mind that marketing takes time. Instant results can come from spending lots of money on advertising, but even with those, you still need to test and tweak to refine your marketing tactics. Take time to strategically think about how you want to grow your business and work backward from marketing initiatives from there. Knowing how and what is working can help you determine where to direct your time and money, and asking for referrals once you’ve gained customers can help you increase your efficiency even further.
Try these insurance marketing tips and tricks and see if they can help you pull in more prospects and grow your business. For more Marketing tips from Coterie, check out our Producer Resources page.
