It seems like nearly everyone is using social media platforms these days. In fact, according to Statista data, “82 percent of the population in the United States had a social networking profile in 2021.” That means there are currently approximately 223 million social media users in the U.S. Additionally, Pew Research notes that 84% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 29, 91% of adults ages 30 to 49 and 83% of adults 50 to 64 use social media sites. Younger consumer segments including Millennials and Gen Zers have become comfortable using social media sites to learn about products and services, establish relationships and receive recommendations from trusted sources.
Social selling can be an effective way to expand your agency footprint, drive traffic to your website, engage prospects and stay connected with current customers. Social selling is defined by Salesforce as, “a lead-generation technique where salespeople directly interact with their prospects on social media platforms.” As social media platforms have grown exponentially, so has the opportunity to leverage social media for business needs.
The insurance business has traditionally been about relationships and an agent’s ability to form lasting connections with clients. While you might be already using social media for personal communication, it is time to consider using it to make and maintain connections to help scale your business. Here are a few ways social media can help your insurance agency:
Insurance agents can use both personal and business pages across a variety of social media platforms to increase their visibility. Using the native tools offered by popular social media sites, insurance agents can create a relatable but professional brand. As clients and prospects research you and your services, it is likely that they will find your social media pages as easily as they find your website. When creating content to post on social media, insurance agents should act as if they are having a conversation with clients. Avoid sounding too distant or cold, and instead actively position the unique aspects of your personality, business approach, style and business acumen. For example, maybe you are well known in a particular region or community, or maybe you have been involved with a charitable organization for many years. Social media can help you differentiate yourself and connect with prospects who have similar values and interests. Insurance agents can use social media content to help clients and prospects better relate to and understand them, their expertise and services. Social media platforms allow insurance agents to use hashtags to identify key topics and themes that relate to their business.
According to data from Sprout Social, Americans spend an average of 144 minutes using social media platforms every day. Using social media can help insurance agents avoid a hard sell by engaging with consumers where they are comfortable researching products and services that align with their interests and needs. Engaging with prospects via social media can feel more natural and less obtrusive than other forms of traditional advertising. By establishing a presence on social media and regularly posting relevant content, insurance agents can create a sense of familiarity among prospective and current customers.
Insurance agents are no strangers to hosting educational presentations, webinars, info sessions and special events. Whether the presentations and events are in-person or virtual, hosting events can help insurance agents connect with customers and prospects effectively. While phone calls and emails can be helpful ways to promote events and related activations, they may be time-consuming. Insurance agents can supplement their marketing efforts by also promoting activations via their social media accounts and pages. If you are participating in a community event, sponsoring a non-profit organization or joining up with an industry partner on an educational session, social media can help you connect with more consumers who may be interested in participating or attending. Similarly, even if an insurance agent does not have presentations or events to promote, it is likely they have savings offers, seasonal discounts or other incentives they can recommend to clients and prospects. Using social media platforms, insurance agents can easily share graphics, videos and text-based content to promote their special offers and programs. Most social media platforms offer some native KPI tracking for their business pages. This allows insurance agents to easily review content after it is published to better understand how it is performing based on organic impressions, engagement rates and click-through rates.
Insurance agents are constantly looking to amplify their marketing efforts, maximize their time, scale conversion and optimize sales performance. Adding social selling into your sales approach can help you achieve your business goals and objectives. While it might seem difficult to reach clients and prospects via phone or email, it could be easier to connect with them via social media. Using social media can be as minimal as sending best wish during birthdays and holidays or as interactive as hosting live video presentations on commonly asked insurance questions. No matter your comfort level, all insurance agents have an opportunity to integrate some aspects of social selling into their strategy with little to no expense.
If you are looking to connect with high-intent insurance consumers and need to elevate your approach, you may need to find an experienced partner that can help you achieve your goals more quickly. As you focus on growing your business this year, it’s important to invest in the advertising and marketing strategies that can help you connect with high-intent customers. The experienced ZipQuote team is committed to providing high-quality insurance leads and calls. Click here to learn more about how ZipQuote can help you grow your business.
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