How can independent insurance agents stay relevant at a time when people are shopping for insurance from anywhere, at any time?

As buying power continues to shift to the consumer, agents must focus on retaining and servicing current customers and at the same time, distinguish themselves from the competition to win new clients. The most successful independent insurance agents these days are using marketing automation tools that are helping them work smarter, not harder.

A marketing automation tool is behind-the-scenes software that creates, customizes and sends marketing messages to your target audiences. Agents are required to invest in the technology in order to reap the benefits, but chances are your carrier is already making that investment for you.

In addition, marketing technology has matured in recent years. Legacy systems were often clunky and hard to navigate; however, today's software tends to be much more user-friendly. As the technology has come of age, more carriers have built these systems for the sole benefit of their agents.

Don't know where to start? Conduct a cursory search around an insurance company's website to locate an agent portal. This is where the marketing automation system is most likely operating. Typically password-protected, most agent portals contain marketing automation tools that are meant just for agents to use with clients. If you can't find what you are looking for, call your carrier representative. Many companies have dedicated teams and supporting functions that are specifically designed to help agents develop business-building marketing programs.

Travelers, for example, rolled out an all-digital marketing campaign for agents called "We're Here For You." It's at no cost to agents and there's very little carrier branding. The messaging conveys the value that an independent insurance advisor provides regarding home and auto insurance topics.

Berwick, Maine-based agent Brad Scott from Spence and Matthews Insurance Agency sees the benefit of customized, free campaigns that his team can roll out with a just a few clicks of the mouse. "As an agent, I know should be using social media and other digital marketing tools, but it's challenging to find time to do it consistently and do it well. If carriers are hand-delivering marketing campaigns with high-quality graphics, messaging, videos, social media posts and other tools that can be sent automatically to my clients and prospects, why wouldn't we use them? It makes my job so much easier."

Other carriers have similar offerings for agents' use, including:

    • Email templates to inexpensively target individuals and increase sales and retention.
    • Online videos and display ads to enhance your agency's website content.
    • Social media posts to help your agency engage with local consumers.
    • Prepackaged, multimedia campaigns that combine offline and online content.
    • Dedicated sales executives to assist in developing unique campaigns to meet individual business plan goals..

Once you discover these tools and get accustomed to scheduling your messages, resist the temptation to implement all the tactics at once. Although it's important to review the options that are at your disposal, the most effective agents don't use all messaging immediately or for every campaign. Decide on your objective (for example, new business or retention) then send the right messages for your local prospects and customers. Measure everything you do to understand whether the tactic met your objective.

Recognize that you may need to try a variety of tactics to see what works best to achieve each business goal, but don't be intimidated by the prospect of going digital. Carriers are investing significant resources in tools that can only work if agents use them. It's low-cost, and can have a large impact on your agency's brand. The technology is maturing, and like fine wine, it's getting better with age.

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