Choosing an Agency Management System
How to Choose the Right Insurance Agency Management System
At SIS we realize that everyone has choices when it comes to deciding which insurance agency management system will best fill their needs. There are online systems and desktop systems. There are Citrix-based systems and Windows-based systems. There are systems that are high on functionality but low on usability and others that may not have all the bells and whistles but accomplish more because the features are easier to use. There are systems that work only up until a point and others that are scalable (more…)
Agency Operations, Marketing
Insurance Sales and Servicing Strategies
to Grow Your Agency’s Business
Jeff Yates, Executive Director of the Agents Council for Technology (ACT), recently wrote an article entitled, Sales and Servicing Strategies to Grow Your Agency’s Business. His article highlights what drives today’s insurance consumers and provides tips on what independent agents should do to compete against direct online carriers. Because we feel the article is highly relevant to independent agencies and aligns with our goals at SIS, we’d like to share it with you.
Inherent in Yates’ messaging is
- That consumers value convenience and personal service and
- That efficient use of technology and web-based tools enables independent agents to effectively offer both.
In addition to several specific strategies he lists to grow personal lines, Yates points out that agents should:
- Communicate regularly and proactively with their clients
- Offer the communications options clients want
- Grow agency client interest in other online communications
- Create a strong online presence
While your Partner XE agency management system will not address all the issues he presents, our marketing features make it simple for you to communicate regularly and proactively with your clients (and prospects).
With Partner XE, email communications (and calendar appointments) from Outlook are synched with your agency management system and attached to the appropriate client’s file, so you can easily track conversations.
In addition, when you take advantage of the functions like Real-Time, Downloads, Direct Mail Marketing Link and Paperless Document Storage offered in your Partner XE agency management system, it enhances the overall efficiency of your operation and frees up more time for personal contact.
Read the full article…
Agency Operations, Marketing
Generate Insurance Leads to Grow Your Book of Business
Renew, Upsell, Cross Sell & Find New Clients
As an insurance professional you know you need to constantly work to increase your book of business. You know it is far more profitable to maintain existing accounts and grow your business from within your current client base. You also know that attrition is a fact of life and, oftentimes, due to no fault of your own clients are wooed away to “greener pastures.” Marketing strategies, therefore, need to be geared at renewing and upgrading existing accounts, cross selling to current customers and getting new business to replace what you lose due to attrition. Generating insurance leads, whether through inbound web leads, networking, social media, direct mail or other means is an important step in that process.
Direct Mail
In a recent survey of independent insurance agents across the nation, it was determined that direct mail was the preferred marketing channel for agencies utilizing an agency management system. After direct mail came email, radio/newspaper advertising and social media respectively.
Because direct mail was so high on the list, today’s focus will be on how best to utilize direct mail to drive inbound inquiries. Note, we said inquiries, not sales. Direct mail won’t sell your product, but, done correctly, it will open doors for you to do what you do best – help prospects identify the coverage your company provides that best suits their needs.
Postcards
Used effectively, post cards in particular can be excellent conversation starters when it comes to new business opportunities. They are also a great way to keep your name in front of current clients with timely reminders to renew; information on your services they aren’t currently taking advantage of (to cross-sell); information on expanded programs (upgrade), requests (and incentives) for referrals and more.
Benefits behind generating insurance leads with postcards include:
- They stand out in a stack of mail.
- People ACTUALLY READ THEM (not so easy to hit the “delete” button)
- They’re TANGIBLE (how many billboard ads or Facebook posts do you see tacked on the fridge?)
- They’re AFFORDABLE
Targeting
Use your agency management system to identify cross selling and up selling opportunities:
Use the marketing features in your Partner XE agency management system to help you identify renew, cross-sell and upgrade opportunities and use a reputable list provider who “really gets” the needs of an independent insurance agent to help you generate new business lists.
For mailings designed to generate new clients, be sure to target and mail to a very specific demographic of households who match the demographic of your best customers. Look at things like household income, home value, geographical location, marital status and more to pinpoint your best potential customers.
You will get a much higher return on your investment if you do the homework up front.
Tracking
Also, remember to be consistent in your efforts, track your results and reevaluate periodically. When it comes to direct mail marketing, “one and done” cannot be an option. There are numerous studies out there which talk about the number of times someone has to see your message before they take action. Give your plan time to work before you pull the brakes on it or switch directions.
Agency Operations, Marketing
What insurance agent wouldn’t rather follow up on a warm lead than a cold one? Not only is it an easier call to make because you go into the call knowing the prospect has indicated an interest in your product, but you also go into it knowing you have a higher chance of success.
Because of that, lead generation, or LeadGen, (more…)
Agency Operations, Marketing, Technology Trends
As we wrote in our February post “Marketing with Partner XE” customer retention must be a high priority for any independent insurance agent who wants a profitable book of business. We wrote that communicating regularly with customers is one way of keeping them loyal and talked about how to use features in Partner XE to facilitate that process. We also alluded briefly to Social Media as one piece of an overall integrated marketing strategy.
Today we’d like to share an example of how insurers are using Social Media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook not only to keep their names in front of customers , but also to provide them with better service.
Marguerite Tortorello wrote in a recent edition of National Underwriter P & C, that “The latest tornadoes offer a case study of how communications between insurers and the public have dramatically changed—and how this transformation is helping insurers provide better customer service to those in need.”
She went on to give specific instances of insurers who used Social media to keep customers informed — from Alfa Insurance who posted a YouTube video on storm claims, to Amica Insurance who tweeted tips on tornado preparedness. Read the full post… We hope you’ll get some good ideas!
