Let's all admit itat once: insurance policies, claims, underwriting and technologymight not be the sexiest topics, and you'd be hard-pressed to finda lot of average folks willing to admit that they'd like to seemore talk of it in their social media feeds. If you're a producer,you most likely don't have the luxury of filling space with Snoopyor gecko pictures, like a lot of the big guys, and you're wellaware that people usually don't feel comfortable being sold to onsocial media. A lot of producersseem to be scared—a study earlier this yearrevealed that only 34% of agencies are using Twitter and 46% areusing LinkedIn. Even Facebook use by producers only sits at 65%.And for any producer who wants to be taken seriously intoday's 24/7, always-on Twitter landscape, it's crucial to find theright balance — inform but don't bore, find new customers but don'tbug, appear relevant but don't seem too eager, etc. Here are severalkey ways to find and build new relationships while not boring yourfollowers to tears: Teach andProvide ExamplesOne of the primarythings that buyers are looking for out of their insurance agent isa sense that they can be found, trusted and are extremelywell-versed in all types of scenarios. The smartest producers todayare accessible on every platform and utilizing social media toregularly share their expertise, whether it's commenting on anational disaster or an accident that just occurred down thestreet. Showcasing knowledge on social media could be thedealbreaker for a customer shopping around different agencies. Itshouldn't be morbid all day — finding ways to meld insuranceknow-how with friendly tips and trending topics is key — and whilethe promotional aspect shouldn't be overt, the overall goal is todirect the consumer back to your web site. The overarching themeshould be clear: “We understand you and your concerns, and you cantrust our expertise.” Don't BeAfraid of Third-Party Content…Sharing contentfrom other sources can be just as effective as original content.Curating from a wide range of trusted third-party sources, whetherit's PropertyCasualty360, Insurance Journal, New York Times, or thelocal paper, will garner as much attention, respect, and engagementfrom followers as most original content. But make sure the humanvoice doesn't disappear. Social media is all about people, andwhile technology can help you find and curate content, it can neverreplace the specific personality of the brand's voice. Successfulmarketers present the curated article or news item as only a pieceof the big picture, supplementing it with the “why” or “how” toshow that this really means something to the reader and showcasesyourself or your agency as a valued source of information. …orPersonalitySo theaforementioned formula for retaining new customers can't workunless there is a heavy dose of personality injected into the mix.If you're just going to rattle off different policies, promotions,news and dry commentary, then social media is not for you — best ofluck! Otherwise, make sure you and your partners are clear on howyou're trying to position your brand. Whichever angle you choose,it should be paired with the point that your customers need to knowyou're human and can maybe find a common interest to latch on to.If you're a small town agent inserting occasional Tweets thatcongratulate the local Little League champs, expressing yourexcitement about the big Fleetwood Mac show hitting the area thisweekend, or asking for yoga recommendations, that could be justenough to push a customer into your corner. Don'tUnderestimate LinkedInThough Facebook andTwitter typically grab the most attention when it comes tobusinesses promoting themselves on social media, LinkedIn is afast-growing tool that should not be underestimated. It allowsproducers to easily stay in touch with consumers in a work-centricsetting (as opposed to the more personal Facebook or the lesspersonal and message-friendly Twitter) and also provides anopportunity for a producer on an account to locate the appropriatedecision-maker — a huge time-saver on larger, more commercialpolicies. Additionally, LinkedIn can serve as an effectiverecruiting platform for young and upcoming industry talent in yourarea or nationally. BeProactive and Engage With Potential Leads…Insurance producerswere the forefathers of social networking, always hyperaware ofpotential customers, their needs, and any room for a professionalrelationship or added word-of-mouth. So when it comes to modernsocial networking in the technological sense, it's simply notenough at the end of the day to be complacent with a nice set of“likes” and followers. These are potential leads who need to beengaged with. If you replied to a local business' Facebook postabout the best pizza place in town, they might think of you weekslater when they're in need of a new policy. If you see someone'spost saying that their company is rehauling their insuranceframework, find the appropriate colleague on LinkedIn to touch basewith. …But FollowThe RulesGiven the delicatenature of the insurance industry's work, there is a persistent andlegitimate paranoia of both employee misuse and consumermisunderstanding in regards to social media. More so than in mostother industries, insurance companies often lay out strict socialmedia guides and guidelines on how they should and shouldn'trepresent themselves and their business. Make sure that whateveryou're posting, it doesn't include any confidential details orexplicit recommendations—or to simplify it even further, justfollow the rules! UtilizeTechnologyThankfully,technology can help you manage all these social media conversationsin one place. Your agency may already have a platform you can use,such as our product, Rallyverse. Sure, it will take you an hour ortwo to set up your account the first time, follow your relevantarea outlets like your local papers, TV, and radio stations, andinput your key search terms for different types of changes in law,technology, business, or local news. But once you are up andrunning, checking in a few times a day for a few minutes should beenough. Any time spent honing your skills in social media couldquickly become the most valuable investment you can make to growyour customer base.