While there’s a large pool of business owners who need insurance, there’s also a large pool of agents vying for their business. Connecting with prospects before your competition signs them is essential to having a thriving insurance agency. Here are thirteen ways to help you increase your lead generation.
1. Refresh your website. Having an attractive and functional website will help you generate quality leads. Use features like a contact form, newsletter subscription form, or request-a-quote button to collect prospects’ information. Clearly but succinctly explain the services and insurance products that you offer. Be sure to include your contact information on every page (the bottom navigation menu is a popular location). Rebuilding or refreshing your brand may also support your other lead gen tactics.
2. Buy leads. If you have more money than time, you can purchase a list of leads from a third-party vendor. You’ll typically provide the list vendor with your ideal demographics, such as age, income, and ZIP code. Some companies offer exclusive leads, which are much more expensive, but sold only to you. Of course, you do run the risk of paying for a list of leads that don’t end up converting to sales. Testing this process before committing a large financial investment is ideal.
3. Ask for positive reviews. Today’s prospects are internet-savvy and will do most of their research about you and your company online. You’ll want to collect and post positive customer reviews and testimonials on your website, but you should also take it one step further. Listings on trusted review sites like Google My Business and Yelp add credibility to your agency. Encourage happy clients to post a review.
4. Share your insights. Providing relevant and engaging content will help position you as an expert in your field. Make your website a resource for current and prospective clients by creating content that educates and entertains. This often begins with a blog or an email newsletter. Blog articles can help attract the right eyes to your services. Be sure that your content focuses on your target market’s needs and addresses topics pertinent to your potential customers. Include at least one call to action (i.e., call, click, complete form) in every piece of content.
5. Get social. Leveraging social media may also yield warm leads. LinkedIn is particularly useful for this purpose. Ensure your profile is complete, by including a professional photo (no selfies!) and a well-planned summary of your professional background. Explain why you’re in the insurance field, what you’ve accomplished, and what makes you different from other agents. In the job history section, use bullets to highlight your accomplishments in each role. Use conversational language, so readers feel like they know you after reading your profile. Then find groups related to your industry, your college, location, or your hobbies. Contribute thoughtful comments in group discussions to establish yourself as an expert. When you’re seen as an expert, professionals in related fields will feel comfortable sending business your way.
6. Regularly connect with your existing contacts. Whether it’s your list of contacts on LinkedIn, your address book in Outlook, or the pages of your Rolodex, reach out to your existing contacts periodically. Simply say hello, wish them a happy birthday, or congratulate them on a work anniversary or recent promotion. Your contacts are more likely to send business to the agent with whom they have the best relationship.
7. Optimize your website for search engines. Search engine optimization (SEO) places your website higher in search engine results for specific keywords. There are several ways to optimize your website content, and the algorithms that search engines like Google and Bing use can change. SEO takes time, so many companies outsource this work. Check out our article on improving your website’s SEO or Moz’s Learn SEO guide.
8. Advertise online. When you search online, you’ve likely noticed that the results at the top of the page say “Ad” or “Sponsored.” Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising enables businesses or organizations to bid on certain keywords to improve their chances of appearing higher in the search results. This is different from SEO. With PPC advertising, you can target your ideal audience based on search terms or audience demographics. You can even target those who have visited your website before. Research the words that your target audience uses when searching for insurance online. Tools like KWfinder and Ubersuggest can help. Read more about the basics of PPC advertising or hire an expert to help you.
9. Request referrals. The highest quality leads are referrals from satisfied clients. Referrals can also come from friends, family, or former colleagues. To generate more leads, dole out incentives like lottery tickets, movie tickets, or gift cards for each referral. However, check your state’s insurance regulations first to learn the specific rules in your area.
10. Connect with your community. Volunteering is a great way to cement your reputation as a committed member of your community. You can even leverage your knowledge by advising local nonprofits about their insurance purchases or hosting insurance seminars for small business owners. While your supporting goal is to generate leads, focus first on contributing to your community and the leads will follow.
11. Network in creative ways. The coronavirus crisis has put traditional face-to-face networking on hold in most communities. You should network online until it becomes safe to connect in person. Then, when you’re able, join your local chamber of commerce, alumni association, and other groups and attend networking events. Speak with other professionals to explore new business opportunities. For example, seek out a CPA and forge a partnership to either pay for leads or cross-refer by recommending their services to your clients.
12. Turn to traditional advertising. If you serve a demographic that’s not predominately online, print newspapers and other offline media can generate new leads. You’ll need to consider the ad’s size, where it will appear in the publication, and the newspaper’s circulation—all aspects that impact the ad’s price. You also may want to consider radio ads, TV ads, or billboards, depending on your location.
13. Get in their mailbox. With a good portion of our communications now conducted online, an envelope with a person’s name can cut through the noise. A professionally designed and written letter can make an impact on the recipient. Direct mail campaigns can be expensive, but thousands of agents use them because they get results. You can reduce your cost per lead significantly by partnering with a mail house that already has proven marketing copy.
Generating new leads is an ongoing process. It takes time, but a quality lead can turn into a fruitful, long-term relationship. Test many methods and find out what works best for you. Keep adjusting and fine-tuning your approach as the market—and your goals—evolve.
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.
