Clients are the lifeblood of any successful insurance agency. It can be difficult to grow and maintain success without loyal customers who continue to choose your company for their insurance needs. Often, insurance agents are focused on bringing in new clients and forget to improve relationships with current policyholders.
The truth is that while business development is important, most insurance agencies get a large portion of their new business from referrals and word-of-mouth.
To maximize the chance someone will refer to your company, you’ll want to build a strong relationship with your current client base. There are many ways to strengthen your connection, but simple gestures often go a long way.
Let’s look at five simple ways to show your appreciation to your customers.
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Most insurance agents underestimate the power of a handwritten note or card as many believe it’s time-consuming and outdated. However, this same line of thinking makes a handwritten note a powerful tool in your customer appreciation toolbox.
Since very few people send handwritten notes and cards anymore, it comes across as a kind and thoughtful gesture when you do send one. There are many reasons to send a message, including birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or even a thank you.
Another great way to show your appreciation for a client is through social media. If your insurance agency has a Facebook page, you can use the platform to share a “thank you” post about your clients. Tagging their business in the post will raise awareness for both pages and is an excellent way to show you appreciate their relationship.
Since every company is different, you’ll want to speak with your client first before posting anything to social media. Having discussions around social media posts could also open the opportunity for them to share a post about your insurance agency as well.
Some insurance agents think they need to purchase extravagant gifts for their customers to feel appreciated. The truth is, even small gifts can be a great way to show appreciation. For example, sending a calendar or a coffee mug can be an impactful way to say thank you to a customer.
Other small gift ideas include:
If your customer base is made up mainly of small businesses, then sending referrals their way can be a great way to strengthen your relationship with your clients. Next time you are talking to a friend or out at a networking event, keep your clients in mind and listen for opportunities to pass along a potential customer’s name or make an introduction.
Your customers will appreciate that you understand the type of leads they are looking for and will often send you referrals.
Many insurance agents overlook the notion of buying someone a coffee. Most customers don’t hear from their insurance agency until it is time to renew their policy, so taking them out for coffee and discussing other items like how their family or business is doing can go a long way to show you care about them.
As you get to know your customers, you’ll begin to see more opportunities to show your appreciation in ways that are personal and tailored to them. Keep your eyes and ears open and cultivate a culture of gratitude within your agency. The impact of your appreciation can go a long way.
Thanks for reading our educational resource! Any above reference to a specific company, method, or product is meant for educational purposes only and is not specifically endorsed by Pie.
