How to Use Social Media for Insurance Agents

When you think of the ways you market yourself and your agency, social media may not be the first avenue you consider. However, with nearly 1 in 4 people worldwide using social networks, you are missing a huge opportunity if you choose not up jump on board with social media for insurance agents.

To sell any product or service on social media, start by not attempting to "sell" anything. Instead, immediately focus on connecting with others. Social media enables you and every member of your organization to promote individual world views in ways traditional advertising never will, right down to the front-line representative. What this does is allow far more people to connect with you and your brand on a much more personal and diverse level.

In the words of Joe Girard: "If you can sell yourself, you can sell anything to anyone." Get active online, interact and connect authentically with others' priorities in mind. Then coach your team to do the same. Results may not be immediate because not all consumers are frustrated enough by the interruptions to force change in the way products and services are sold, but the long-term benefits to both businesses and customers will be significant.

Once in board, teach your brand advocates how to spread your message of differentiation. Execution will result in the formation of a solid core in all facets of the business.

Knowing social media can play a key roll is obtaining new clients, how can agents harness this technology?

Here are 4 ways you can grow your business with social media.

1. Create a Business Page

Creating a business page on Facebook is the best way to be sure you separate your personal life from business. Your prospects want to see you in a professional way, not just where you went to eat last night or that you are binge watching Making a Murderer on Netflix. Creating a business page also gives you the options to run paid ads to attract more people locally or nationally to your page.

2. Be Personable

While this may seem contradicting to #1, being authentic and personal is important when in comes to marketing on social media. People come to social media to be entertained and to take a break from the "real world", not to be sold something. While staying professional is important, make sure you are not blatantly trying to sell your products on a consistent basis. Your posts should be informative and relevant to the audience you are trying to target. When they are ready to buy, they will know you are the expert and will come back to you for advice and ultimately the sale.

3. Follow industry news and carrier pages

While you want to make sure you have a good amount of original content, keeping up with and sharing news will show you keep up with industry changes and are an expert in the insurance field. Carriers also have the resources to make some great creative images that you can share if you are not a Photoshop expert. Just make sure you do not fall into the trap of solely sharing news without giving any opinions of your own. Always point out why your followers should take the time to read the article you are sharing, or just give a quick highlight of the article for them.

4. Be Consistent

This is one of the most important things to remember when beginning to market on social media. Posting consistently can be tough, especially during open enrollment times when agents get busy, but there are programs such as Hootsuite.com that will let you schedule posts ahead of time. Pick a time each week to schedule at least one post a day so that you will always have fresh content. You can always post and share content in real time throughout your day.

If you're still looking for help on working with your social media channels, Insurance Engine can assist you from lead generation to marketing automation.