Using the Internet to Grow Your Agency
What you will learn in this article:
- How small independent agents can grow their book of business using the internet
- Why the internet is a great tool for lead generation
- The top three places you should invest resources with actionable steps
Setting the Scene
2020 forced us all into a world of remote work, zoom meetings, and digital adoption. The digital shift was inevitable, but until this year was not a priority for most agencies.
What did become clear over the past 12 months was one thing . . . Regardless of their size, insurance agents who invested in their digital presence (website, social media, etc) realized growth—plain and simple.
What we can take away from all of this is that the internet levels the playing field, because, frankly, it [the internet] doesn’t care how big your agency is—everyone has to play by the same rules.
The Advantage For Small Agents
Let me re-emphasize the key point here—the internet doesn’t care about how much premium you write, or how many producers you have on staff.
A small agent with 2-3 employees can outrank a carrier like State Farm on Google because it does everything right regarding SEO, while Statefarm does not.
What this means is that agents shouldn’t look at the internet and feel intimidated because of their size. Sure, there will be some restrictions with budget as you probably can’t afford to hire Arnold Schwarzenegger as a brand ambassador, but there are dozens of other tactics that you can utilize.
Here’s an excellent example.
Our independent agent client in Massachusetts ranks above Allstate on Google for “Master Condo Insurance” across the entire country. Are they bigger than Allstate? Heck no. But did they take the time to invest in their SEO? You bet they did.
The internet doesn’t care that you write 10% of the premium compared to the guy next door—all it cares about is the effort you show on Google, Facebook, and YouTube.
To learn more about small agent budgeting, click here.
Turning Your Website Into a 24/7 Salesperson
Activating your digital presence should be viewed as an investment in your agency, not an expense.
Why?
Because the whole goal is to generate new business, just as hiring a new producer would. That new producer would be looked at as an investment, and so should your digital marketing program.
In the end, the goal of your whole digital marketing initiative is to drive targeted traffic to your website and convert them to leads.
That targeted traffic could be people surfing the web in the 8 surrounding towns within a 15-mile radius of your office, or it could be all of the landscapers south of San Jose.
That targeted traffic is led to your website through Google, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, etc.—and then converted into leads.
Once they are converted, your sales team follows up to close the deal.
Simple in theory, and with a few smart marketing tactics, it actually works.
The best part? Your website and social media pages never sleep—they’re working around the clock, even on weekends.
Learn more about how to optimize your website here.
Where to Start
In the marketing world, it’s important to walk before you run—this means establishing a website foundation that will be able to take the load once you turn your marketing on.
Your Website:
In the end, most, if not all of your digital leads will come through your website. To ensure you’re maximizing your conversions, taking the time to clean up, revamp, or optimize your website is an absolute must.
Google Reviews:
Not only do Google reviews let your customers speak volumes about your customer service or involvement in the community, but they are also becoming increasingly important to your SEO (ranking on Google). Google reviews are the best bang for your buck when it comes to digital marketing.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
This is a longer-term game—getting your agency ranking on Google for keywords like “insurance for tech companies” or “landscaping insurance near me.”
By investing in your SEO, you’re positioning your agency on Google for years to come. The clicks are free and all you have to do is sit back and follow up with your new leads!
Social Media Ads:
A hyper-targeted approach to marketing that leverages the power of social media should be considered once you have an established website foundation.
We have some amazing case studies on agents who have used our marketing programs to generate hundreds of leads. As part of our partnership with the American Agents Alliance, Jump Suit Group is offering free consultations to all Alliance members.