Do you struggle with promoting yourself or your insurance agent business? All day long, there’s a lot of noise pinging from various media channels. It’s never been easier to shout your message from the proverbial rooftop.
But how do you make sure that you’re not just adding to that noise? Know what to say and where to say it.
Let’s take a look at your current insurance marketing and promotional business strategy. No matter where your company is on the spectrum, these simple steps can help modernize your marketing plan.
Stop Promoting & Start Branding Your Insurance Business
Think self-promotion and personal branding are the same thing? They’re actually quite different.
- Self-promotion: The action of promoting or publicizing oneself or one’s activities, especially in a forceful way
- Personal branding: The practice of marketing yourself and your career as a brand
Personal branding can be a much more effective and long-lasting benefit to your business. Building a brand requires brainstorming, research, and planning to develop a strong vision. That vision then becomes embedded in your marketing strategy, encompassing all of your communications and interactions.
Research brands you love and compare the strategies used by your competition. Take note of what they’re doing well and what you would do differently, so you can implement what you like in your own plan. Just be sure to make it your own.
Think self-promotion and personal branding are the same thing? They’re actually quite different.
As you create your personal brand, remember that nothing is set in stone. Your selling style will evolve. The products in your portfolio are bound to change. It’s wise to leave room for improvement and growth.
Know Your Role as an Insurance Agent
To effectively market your business, there are four basic truths you need to understand. Start by answering:
- Function
- What goods or services do you plan to provide?
- How do you plan to provide them?
- Appeal
- How is what you’re doing different?
- What makes you unique?
- Identity
- How will people associate with your brand?
- Will you use your name or your business name?
- What image (photograph or logo) will they associate with you?
- Audience
- How do you plan on connecting with people?
- Which platform will you use?
- Which materials will you need?
Create a Mission Statement
Taking some time to answer these questions can help you gain a better understanding of your company’s direction. And once you have that, you can start crafting a mission statement that counts!
A mission statement is two to three sentences that drive your business, determine your focus, and set you up for success.
When it comes time to make important business decisions, you won’t be left in the dark. You’ll be able to look back on the mission you set for yourself, and your company, and make the right call.
Establish an Online Presence
There’s no arguing over this one anymore, not when nearly 5.5 billion people actively use the internet, according DataReportal. You want your clients to be able to find you when they type your name into a search engine. That way they connect with you and not your competition.
Enhance your social media presence by reading our guide, Social Media Marketing for Insurance Agents. Request your free copy here!
On Your Website
Every website has a unique domain name and that’s where your research will begin. Brainstorm a few different names for your website, but keep it simple. While unusual spellings might look clever on paper, they can fall flat when spoken out loud.
Unusual domain spellings might look clever on paper, but can fall flat elsewhere. Keep it simple.
Next, you’ll need to decide who will host your page. Price points and features will vary between hosting companies. Prices go up as you add features, such as additional storage, higher bandwidth, customization, etc. AgentMethods is a hosting company that specializes in the creation of insurance websites and offers three different plan options. Like any other product, it’s important to shop around for the best deal.
Which additional features should you consider? Embedding a blog onto your site enables you to write about current events and offer insight. You can use it to build credibility and gain a solid online following. If you’re thinking about hosting a blog, be sure to choose a platform that offers the option.
If you sell Medicare and life insurance, Ritter offers a great way to round out your site through our partnership with Integrity! A PlanEnroll Agent-personalized Website can function as a low-maintenance website with your bio, headshot, and contact information. The choice is yours!
On Social Media
Effective marketing requires a social media plan. While you’re brainstorming, consider different username options. Test for availability on all of the social networks you plan to use. Ideally, you want to be able to use the same name across every social media platform.
There’s no shame in signing up for more sites than what you initially plan to use. It will ensure that your branding stays consistent, even if your marketing strategy shifts down the road.
It’s okay to sign up for more sites than what you initially plan to use. It ensures consistency.
Next, do your homework, and determine which demographics you want to target. If you’re selling Medicare products, it makes your math pretty easy.
Download our Modern Medicare Marketing guide and learn how to use today’s technology to highlight your business in effective and affordable ways.
Here are the most popular social media platforms and why you should use them.
- Facebook: Enhance visibility and share content with about 3.1 billion users worldwide
- LinkedIn: Position yourself as a thought-leader among your professional peers
- X (formerly Twitter): Growing in popularity among seniors, X is a real-time discussion on many topics
- Instagram: This photo-sharing platform boasts the highest level of brand engagement
- TikTok: Adult users spend around 54 minutes a day on the app.
Good Old-Fashioned Networking
Digital goes a long way, but here at Ritter, we know the value of face-to-face interactions. That’s why we recommend including traditional offline networking when formulating your marketing plan.
- Learning experiences: Workshops, seminars, and trade shows are a great way to stay current on industry trends and meet like-minded individuals.
- Networking events: Mixers and open houses enable you to meet individuals in other industries who could use your product and connect you to potential clients.
- Partnerships: Look for business opportunities with others who also serve your demographic. Financial planners, other insurance agents, and local business owners are just a few examples.
- Local community: Never underestimate the power of service organizations, business associations, or your local Chamber of Commerce. These groups offer a way to connect with other professionals and keep your finger on the pulse of your community.
Marketing Materials
As an agent, you’re always on. That means a constant supply of materials for potential clients and networking contacts.
Did you know that, on some occasions, we offer partial marketing reimbursement when you contract with Ritter? You can submit expenses for business cards, lead mailers, and even advertising expenses. For more information about what’s covered, contact your regional marketer.
Advertising
Don’t forget to budget for those times when your message needs more reach than you’re capable of on your own.
Check out pt. 1 of our The Ultimate Agent Resource List and find marketing partners that can supply you with some type of printed material for traditional marketing.
Are you moving to a new location or making another significant change? Advertising can be a great way to convey information to a large, but specific, demographic of potential future clients. Formats include digital, print, television, and radio advertising.
Compliance
Lastly, and most importantly, everything you communicate must comply with standards, especially for Medicare Advantage and Part D set forth by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), including social media posts.
Remember not to broadcast carriers or specific plans, as it’s considered sensitive information.
Remember not to broadcast carriers or specific plans, as it’s considered sensitive information. To learn more about compliance, download Ritter’s Code of Conduct.
Go Forth and Market
Ready to start working on your strategy? Planning, research, and honesty can go a long way in developing your successful marketing plan. Add your own experience, knowledge, and personality for a truly authentic touch.
You can rely on Ritter to keep you updated with the latest innovations in marketing as our industry grows and changes. Register today to get started!
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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