1. Clean up data
According to Andrew Metz, regional vice president of sales at Zywave, one of the biggest mistakes an agency can make is not having clean data. What is clean data? Cleaning data means an agency’s database is free from incomplete or inaccurate information that can hinder sales and marketing efforts. This can be done by eliminating duplicate data and complete clients’ and prospects’ contact information.
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2. Organize content
More and more insurance companies are leveraging content o build their brand and show expertise. However, content shouldn’t end at its creation. “It’s not enough to just have content; you need to think about how it’s stored and shared between everyone at your agency,” writes Metz. “Where does your content live now? Is it in one central location, or do you have seven individual producers, all with different stuff saved on their desktops?”
A centralized content management system can help eliminate guesswork for producers and the account management team working with customers. Metz suggests that agencies take a top-down approach to their content and think about questions like: “Will all content be original? Will content from third parties or carriers be used? Is all the content accurate, reliable and representative of the agency brand?
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3. Elevate the communication strategy
Metz notes that he has seen a lack of marketing strategies and communication plans amongst small to midsize agencies. He suggests that agencies build their plan by creating an outline of all services and unique offerings and then build messaging into campaigns that are deployed throughout the year.
“You don’t want to be the broker who waits until renewal, or there’s a problem to reach out. You want to proactively provide value to your clients, he writes.”
(Photo: Adobe Stock)
4. Leverage automation
One area that benefits from automation is email marketing. However, the key isn’t to be reactive but to instead use automation to communicate with clients proactively, says Metz. This could be as simple as creating a set of email templates that are ready to go. But agencies shouldn’t stop at communication and marketing automation. Automation can also greatly benefit labor-intensive tasks that require a lot of number crunching, such as quoting and proposals.
(Photo: putilov_denis/Adobe Stock)
5. Don’t underestimate LinkedIn
There is a ton of potential for agencies and agents to capitalize on what LinkedIn has to offer, says Metz. LinkedIn is a great platform to share content and grow a network, which, in turn, helps to build an agency’s brand as a leader in the industry. If inspiration is needed, agencies can look at what other insurance leaders are doing. Or they can simply share articles from industry publications, such as PropertyCasualty360.com, or other resources that are relevant to the agency’s target audience.
“Someone is waiting for you to step up and provide thought leadership and value in your marketplace,” he writes. “I encourage you to speak up and own it. Make LinkedIn a priority for yourself and your team this year.”
(Photo: iStock)
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At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, insurance agencies were among the first businesses to adapt their communication and marketing strategies to remain engaged with customers and position themselves as trusted advisors during one of the darkest periods in modern history.
Strong sales and marketing strategies should be at the core of every insurance agency. And as business and life slowly return to ‘normal,’ now is a great time for agencies to step back and evaluate their current plans — regardless of business goals. Whether an agency aims to increase client retention, build a bigger book of business or create a stronger brand voice, improving sales and marketing strategies is critical.
In a blog post written earlier this year, Andrew Metz, regional vice president of sales at Zywave, an insurance agency software company, shared his five tips on how agencies can drive growth in 2021. Click through the above slideshow for Metz’s tips on creating strong agency marketing strategies to drive growth this year.
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