When you’re marketing your independent insurance business, online reviews can be gold. They can also be the lead balloon that weighs down your insurance business. According to Hubspot, “60% of consumers believe customer reviews (are) either trustworthy or very trustworthy—meaning that businesses that can accumulate positive reviews (have) a good chance of them helping a customer make a purchase decision.” How can you make sure that you get those excellent online reviews rather than the ones that cause people to pause and then turn away from your insurance business?
Be Present Online
If you want people to review your business, make sure that you have a presence on common review sites. These include Yelp, a Facebook Business page, and Google My Business. Even the Better Business Bureau rates your business. Make sure that you are on these sites and that you advertise this to your clients. For example, you could have these links in your email signature.
Ask for Reviews
This seems obvious, but sometimes you need to drop your subtle approach and just ask your clients to talk about your business online. Businesses are often shy and retiring when it comes to insurance marketing, but when it comes to marketing, being shy won’t get you anywhere. While it’s possible that asking for online feedback and reviews from your clients might result in some critical discussion, those who respond to your request will likely be your happy clients. According to Forbes, “asking for a review implies you’re asking for a positive review.”
Watch Your Language
You don’t need to tell people to review you, nor do you need to make a request. Inviting people to share their experiences works better. The language around your reviews will also change the way that people reply. For instance, one business calls reviews “online feedback” and invites people to participate in this process. This implies that your business is ready to accept feedback and change, and it also softens the tone of the word review, making it less about being strictly positive or negative and more about informing others online.
Give Them an Incentive
You want people to leave feedback about your business, but they want to watch Netflix. What can you do to inspire them? Give them an incentive to complete the review process. This could be something as simple as a coffee gift card or a free and universally valuable resource that you usually sell. Make sure that the incentive is attractive to your reviewers.
Thank Your Clients
Your job is to watch your feedback, to be sure. However, your job is also to keep your clients happy. If you notice that one of your clients posts a positive review, say thank you. For instance, you could send them a simple thank you letter in the mail or donate to a cause on their behalf. It doesn’t need to be anything large, but it’s helpful for your business if you show your appreciation to those who’ve shown their appreciation to you.
When you’re working on your insurance marketing, talk with the American Agents Alliance. We offer insurance networking opportunities at our Alliance Convention and many membership benefits to help you improve your independent insurance agency. Contact us today.
