Whether it fills you with hope or dread, insurance marketing is a part of operating an independent insurance agency. You can only grow if you gain more business, and you gain more business by getting your name in front of prospects.
This post is a summary of our popular Digital Marketing on a Budget whitepaper. Click here to read the paper in its entirety.
But, against the likes of the Geico Gecko, Allstate’s Mayhem, and Progressive’s Flo among others, it’s tough to get your voice heard…but not impossible. You may never have a viral ad or easily recognizable mascot, but your independent insurance agency has much more: you have relationships.
How do you help people see past these flashy tactics? You hear from your customers that they appreciate your personalized service and commitment to your community. How do you get that word out?
Digital marketing is your answer. Take what people say about you and broadcast it where they’re looking most: online. A recent AdWeek survey showed 81% of consumers do online research prior to purchasing. Getting your name to pop up in those searches is what can make all the difference.
Get even more digital marketing tips from our post “Customer Retention and the Power of Digital Marketing”
Getting Started in Digital Marketing
There’s a lot to the world of digital marketing. Get your feet wet with these few initial steps.
- Start content marketing. One of the most affordable, doable, and measurable digital marketing techniques utilized today, content marketing means creating content relevant to the industry and your agency and sharing it online.
Types of content include blogs, infographics, videos, and whitepapers, among others. There are multiple options for content creation. Each has its use, but the purpose remains the same: provide something valuable to the user and tie that value to your agency.
As you start your content marketing strategy think about the “5 Ws”: what you’ll write, who will write it, where you’ll house it, when you’ll post it and how you’ll get it out there.
- Bolster your website. A strong website is foundational for any digital marketing strategy. It serves as the magnet to draw people in and the target at which to point your external efforts. Focus your initial efforts on creating a website that will have maximum impact.
Is your website up to par? Check out our resources to make your agency website engaging
- Use an email or marketing automation platform. Both are essential in getting the word out about your agency. An email marketing platform is a tool for creating, sending, and tracking the impact of emails sent to your constituents. Quality platforms provide customizable templates, making your messages stand out.
A marketing automation system provides a wider look at digital interactions. Similar to an email marketing platform, it implements and monitors digital marketing efforts. But the field is larger: email campaigns, website engagement, and social posting are all tracked in one tool. Besides monitoring touchpoints, marketing automation provides lead scoring and the ability to automate marketing strategies.
Use these quick tips to help you get started with marketing on a budget
- Leverage social media. Social media proves the best way to reach an audience. Social can be used to expand your content’s reach, help you gain ideas for content, and provide additional avenues for customer interaction. If you don’t have a social presence, it’s time to make it happen.
- Use Google Keyword Planner. Google’s keyword planner tool helps you identify high impact keywords for your website, social posts, and content. This tool analyzes search phrases and shows you what is searched most often—valuable knowledge for your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts.
Follow these 8 steps to grow your independent agency’s digital presence
Staying True to Your Roots
While these digital marketing tactics will get your name out there, it’s who you are as an agency that makes them stay. In the end, it’s your personalized service that keeps customers and prompts them to refer you to others.
Our main goal at SIS is to help your agency provide that unique service to your customers. That’s why we’ve added tools like our Client Portal, Proposal Creator, Email Integration and Mobile Access to our Partner XE management system to help build your prospect and client relationships. Find out more about these great tools by viewing a demo or contact us to get in touch with a team member today.
Sarah Deak has been contributing to the SIS team since 2013, covering topics like agency perpetuation, workflow improvements, data security, and marketing. She has a background in small business, working with organizations to improve their online presence and client engagement. Sarah also writes for the SIS newsletters and website, and counts herself lucky to hear from our many passionate, hard-working clients for our client stories. Her favorite part about working for SIS are the dedicated, service-minded people.