What image comes to mind when the public thinks of people who hold insurance jobs? While the diversity and commitment of those in your field might come forward to you, often the public perception of insurance salespeople is more of a stereotype. You know that you’re dedicated to helping people prevent disasters and recover from losses when they do happen. How can you show your clients that you’re interested in their well-being and not simply in sales? Here are four ways you can break down the insurance stereotypes.
Look for Your Client’s Real Needs
The insurance industry doesn’t need to be about sales at any cost. It can be about authentic customer service. Get to know your insurance clients. Ask them questions about their needs. Create profiles of your client base so that you can understand each individual’s background and also collate that information to better understand and accommodate different groups’ needs. Provide products and marketing that seek to meet each group where it’s at. For example, you might see that a number of young families in your area live in rental apartments, and you can both market to these families and allow them to see the value of renters insurance by providing insurance plans that work well for families who are just starting out.
Provide Reminders and Personal Service
Everyone is busy, and it’s hard to remember to renew your insurance if it’s not a daily priority. Tragedies can happen if an individual forgets to renew his or her home insurance. Your job is to ensure that your past clients renew or upgrade to more appropriate products. Send out reminders about insurance renewals and use the technology that best fits that segment of your customer base. Reach out to see if a client’s assets have changed. For example, home insurance may need to change to accommodate new home renovations.
Create Items of Value for Your Customers
Creating items of value for your clients is a way to gather email addresses and bring your brand to customers. It’s also a way to solidify your reputation in the insurance industry. Think about the questions your customers have and the issues that impact them every day. They may wonder how to make a home more fire safe or whether they actually have enough renters insurance. Develop articles, webinars, videos, and ebooks for your clients and encourage them to sign up for email newsletters as well. By giving something of value, you create a better reputation for yourself in the community.
Be Authentically Social
When you’re on social media, remember that it’s supposed to be sociable. It’s not just an advertising venue, although it can certainly build your brand. Social media is an opportunity to let people know about the free webinar you have available or to ask questions of your clients and prospective customers to see what they value and want to see in your business. It’s also a chance to engage in real dialogue with your customers by responding to their questions and concerns. You can humanize your business through your interpersonal interactions on social networking sites such as Facebook.
Are you looking for help as you develop your insurance business? Contact us today. The American Agents Alliance is an association of insurance agents, and we’re here to help you develop your business. If you have insurance jobs available, you can benefit from our networking opportunities. We offer professional discounts on insurance, a legal hotline, and many more resources that can enhance your workplace and your clients’ experience.
