Does your business need a little respect? Respect isn’t something you just ask for; it’s something that you work to build over time. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve worked in a community for many years, you need to run your business in a way that continuously grows the respect that your clients hold for your insurance agency.
1. Listen
When you’re interacting with clients, be prepared to be informative, but also be prepared to listen. What is that client’s need, and how is it different than the next person’s? When you hear a comment and you’re not entirely sure what’s behind it, dig deeper. Asking a question that gets to the heart of a situation will help your clients feel valued, and they’ll respect you for the fact that you’re willing to do the hard work of solving that problem. Stay in touch with your clients so that you know when they have questions or concerns that you can address.
2. Keep Promises and Follow Through
Whether you have a seasonal promotion or you’ve promised to call someone back, make sure that you exceed expectations with your ability to follow through. If you think that finding the answer to a question or solving a problem may take three days, estimate four and deliver more promptly than expected. When you promise a customer that you’ll find an answer or seek a resolution, don’t let that slide, even if it’s a difficult task. Every time you follow through, you build trust.
3. Know Your Business
When it comes to something as important as insurance, your clients want to know that you’re among the best in your business. Offer information on your website to help clients with their questions and show that you’re an authority in the field. Have information sessions, pamphlets, and quick answers to frequently asked questions on hand when you meet with clients. Clients feel reassured when you have the answers to their questions, and this helps them respect your understanding of the business.
4. Be Punctual and Prepared
No matter whether your customer has a large and important account or is just starting out with a small policy, you need to be prepared to interact with that person. No one likes to wait, as it makes people feel like you don’t value their time. If you have a meeting or a phone call, be punctual. Make your website as simple and informative as possible so that people can get answers quickly, and if they do email, make sure that they receive an answer as soon as possible. Be ready to talk about what matters to your customer.
5. Cultivate Word of Mouth
One of the best insurance marketing techniques is word of mouth. You can’t pay for this advertising, but you can cultivate it as a part of everything that you do. Encourage your clients to tell you what’s going well and what’s going wrong, so that you can fix any problems before they become marketing disasters. Provide options for feedback on your website, on forms, and in person, and actively ask people to share your information with others. Develop a social media presence to further cultivate sharing and dialogue between you and your clients.
Building respect is the best form of insurance marketing. From a relationship of trust, you’ll develop excellent ongoing interactions with your existing clients and be able to extend your reach with positive word of mouth. As you build your connections and strive to be an insurance agency that’s known for its excellent service, join a network of others who are trying to do the same. At the American Agents Alliance, we’re here to help your business take the next step. We’re a national insurance association of independent insurance agents & brokers. Contact us today.
