Getting Consumer Attention

While developing information for a producer mentoring and sales program, I realized prospecting is totally different today than it was when I was an independent agent. Like many things in our world today it’s changed because of technology. Even more importantly it’s changed because consumer attitudes and buying practices are different. Even many traditional baby boomer consumers have modified how they buy insurance protection.

Technology has allowed consumers to expect availability on a 24/7 basis. It has also changed consumer expectations to where they now require you provide instant service. More importantly it has opened a brand new world of online insurance providers who focus their sales on premium savings and ease of doing business. They work very hard to convince consumers that they don’t need the professional services of an agent; that it merely adds to the cost of coverage and doesn’t really bring any value to the process.

Want to understand insurance protection so you can choose the proper coverage—their website can do that. Had a claim—no problem you can handle all or most of it quickly and efficiently over the internet using an app on your phone. They work hard to convince consumers that buying insurance protection is like buying from Amazon, Jet or any of the online consumer sites. Just go on the computer, decide what you need and then buy it from the online site with the best price.

So how do you, a brick and mortar professional agency, convince consumers to even consider you as a possibility for purchasing insurance protection? You’re not going to do it through advertising and marketing because the online digital sites can and will outspend you. You have to develop relationships with consumers and convince them of the value you bring to the buying process. You have to educate them to the complexity of coverage and destroy the one size fits all mentality they learned from online carrier marketing and advertising.

So we now know that to be successful we need to figure out how to get our message out and convince consumers of the value an agent brings to the insurance buying process. The same technology that allows online insurance providers to lure consumers away can also assist independent agencies in educating consumers on what they aren’t being told about insurance.

Websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media now become the platform for providing consumers with information that will allow them to better understand insurance protection and to see the value of working with a professional agency. Your objective is to develop a relationship with consumers in your marketing area where you and your agency staff are seen as highly knowledgeable insurance professionals. You need to use social media to bring to the attention of consumers  the protection issues that could affect them, their family and their business. You want to use testimonials from your clients to show the value of the services you have provided for them.

Effective social media is written in language and wording understandable by consumers. Stay away from insurance jargon. Something as simple as changing insurance coverage to insurance protection can make a difference. It should also be written from the vantage point of what’s in it for the consumer. Try to not include self-serving information intended to promote your agency. Let the consumer make that decision when they see the value of what you provide and the unselfish way you provide it to the public.

Take time to review your website and blog. Are they easy to navigate? Is the information provided written in easy to understand language? Is everything focused on how it will benefit the consumer/client?

Depending on your agency size and budget, you might consider hiring a social media manager to assist you in effectively using this medium. If your agency is small or you don’t have the budget for an additional staff position, there is a wealth of information you can draw from that will help you to use social media.

To be successful you need to make sure that consumers who are looking for insurance information see you first. That means having at least a basic working knowledge of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or the availability of someone that does who can help you. Being seen first will drive consumers to you. If you are doing a good job using social media, as well as effectively advertising, seeing you early in searches should result in name and expertise recognition by consumers.

The last and most important thing is to make sure a consumer reaching out to your agency is greeted warmly and directed immediately to someone who can answer their questions and provide what they need. It won’t matter how good your outreach is to get consumers to contact you if you drop the ball when they call. You only get one opportunity to impress a new prospect, so don’t waste it.

I’ll close this article by saying if you’re not taking every opportunity to tell consumers of the advantages of buying insurance protection from an independent agent then I believe we will continue to lose ground to online insurance sites. You truly offer a distinct advantage; and when consumers understand what they are buying, your premiums are competitive as well.

Most consumers are intelligent, responsible people who are interested in making sure they have the correct protection to meet their needs. I don’t think in today’s world they are interested in investing the time and energy necessary to understand the many facets of insurance coverage and to act as their own insurance agent. They are concerned with cost but not at the expense of proper protection and most would prefer to have a knowledgeable agent to advocate on their behalf. To be successful, our focus needs to be on educating them to the pitfalls of buying insurance online and the advantages of having an independent agent.