Whether you are an insurance industry veteran or early on in your career and still establishing your agency, you are probably aware that it can cost more to get new clients than it does to retain existing ones. Retention is an essential component of maintaining a successful insurance agency, as retention typically equates to long-term profit via customer loyalty.
As an agent you are probably very familiar with the art of relationship building and how to incorporate that into your short and long-term sales strategies. But are you taking this strategy to the next level and leveraging it to yield retention?
Read on to learn three simple strategies you can start incorporating right away that could equate to higher sales, higher retention and a more profitable agency.
You gained the trust of a new client, and they are relying on your agency to ensure their most valuable and prized possessions. Whether it’s auto, home, life or health insurance, what should you do next? Celebrate! Be Excited for your clients and get them excited, instilling confidence that they have made the right choice to trust you, your team and your agency -- today and in the long term. There are many ways to optimize the onboarding process that may seem simple, but in reality could make lasting first impressions with your clients. Taking these simple extra steps could lead to not only customer satisfaction but also higher retention rates and referrals from your established client base.
Make every new client feel important and like they have joined a reliable support system that will be available whenever they need them to answer any questions or concerns. The onboarding process should make clients feel like they made the best decision, provide important information and act as a resource guide should they need supplemental support from your team, all while making it feel personal and authentic.
A welcome packet is a great starting point for the client onboarding process. You can provide personalized information regarding their policy, where to find helpful resources and information, and create a sense of connection to your agency. A welcome packet acts as a vehicle to share key points and information and can also be utilized to make clients feel like part of your agency and community. A great way to optimize client connections created during the onboarding process is by continuing to nurture those relationships through regular check-in calls, emails or texts, making yourself available should they have any insurance needs or questions.
No client is the same. Each client is going to have different personalities, needs and priorities, and learning how to cater to these differences is essential to retaining your book of business. After you successfully onboard new clients, it is important to continue following through with your commitment by providing personalized experiences. Creating personalized experiences doesn’t have to be tricky. As an insurance agent – you are probably already accustomed and trained to personalize your approach through your existing sales strategies. Those same skills can be applied to retention strategies.
Successfully creating personalized customer experiences comes down to strengthening the existing relationships with your clients and continuing to provide solutions for their needs. Personalized services can include the following gestures:
Figure out what other needs your customers have and align them with the services you offer. The more services you provide to clients, the higher the retention rate is going to be. In many cases, it is more convenient and cost effective to have all your insurance needs bundled – make sure your clients know this.
Who doesn’t love discounts? Ask your clients the right questions periodically to ensure they are taking advantage of every discount they qualify for with your company. This gesture will make them feel more confident they are being treated fairly and they will be grateful you have their best interest in mind as their agent.
In order to stay relevant to your clients, set up times to meet with them at least once a year. During this sit down, you can review their claims and policies and work with them on action plans for their insurance coverage needs in the coming year.
Clients will appreciate the personal gesture of birthday or holiday cards that shows you were thinking about them on special days. Taking the time to celebrate your clients will show you are committed to maintaining long-term professional relationships and keeping them top of mind.
Technology and automated systems have brought consumers to a whole new level of comfort and convenience, saving time, alleviating stress and helping accomplish daily tasks in an efficient and speedy manner. Why not provide these conveniences to your clients?
Some of the great ways your agency can take advantage of technology and automated systems to help provide better services for your clients include:
Set up calendar notifications and reminders for important policy dates, upcoming meetings or claim updates to ensure your client is up to date on their policy.
Setting up an auto pay option is a great way to help your client avoid late fees and keep their policy in good standing.
Take advantage of automated email systems to communicate with your clients and keep them in the loop about important updates at your agency. By helping clients stay connected with your team members and communicating any important changes that may affect them, clients will feel informed and at ease
A few simple retention strategies can go a long way towards making your new and existing clients feel well taken care, creating loyalty and long-term growth.
Need help strategizing growth strategies for your agency to attract new clients? ZipQuote specialists take a personalized approach to finding the appropriate solution to help you reach your growth goal and full agency potential based on your team’s size and capacity. Click here to learn more about how ZipQuote can help you grow your business.
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