By: Mallory Cornell | IIAW Vice President and Director of Risk Management

This article was originally published in our February 2020 Wisconsin Independent Agent magazine. Click here to read our magazine, Wisconsin Independent Agent. 

recently read an article on PropertyCasualty360.com titled “Why Insurance Agents Must Monitor Online Consumer Reviews”. The last line of the article reads, “Your customers are online. Are you?” 

I appreciate this statement and have already used it during several conversations with agents. For me it resonates on a few different levels.

The relationship is not dead. Your customers, or prospective customers, still want to work with an insurance agent they can build a relationship with.The idea is that relationships just look a little different than they have in the past. Its much easier for a customer or prospect to “get to know you” because they can find more information about the person or the agency by going online. But what if they can’t get to know you by going online? What if they can’t find anything about you because you’ve decided its easier to just avoid being online? The article in PropertyCasulty360.com stated that “more than a quarter of millennials say they learned about an agent through digital engagement (online search, reviews or social media).” This demographic should be a key target for an agency looking to grow and be sustainable. To not have an online presence is immediately diminishing opportunities with this key customer group.

2. Agency presence versus individual presence. As an online admirer of independent insurance agents (does that sound creepy?), I appreciate the opportunity to see what agencies are doing in their community or how employees are being celebrated around the office. When an agency does not have a strong online presence, its usually because they don’t recognize the importance or they do not have an internal staff member interested in managing the page (which is an key piece). That’s fair, but what about individual pages? Should a commercial lines insurance professional always have a LinkedIn page? I would argue yes because business professionals want to see and know who they are working with. It can also highlight your experience and education in the industry. Individual Facebook pages are not the same as individual LinkedIn pages. User beware, if you are going to have a public Facebook page or be “friends” with customers you are increasing your exposure to knowing more than you would like to about your customer! And don’t forget, they can learn more about you as well.  Facebook (as well as Twitter and Instagram) is a much more social platform while LinkedIn is a professional social media site. There are risks associated with each and having a clear goal for using social media as an agency or as a professional is key. An agency Social Media Policy is another essential piece to this puzzle. (Need a template? Visit www.iiaw.com/AgencySolutions and find one under “Operational Resources” or reach out to any IIAW staff member)

3. Efficiently Grow Your Network. I applaud the industry professionals who take the time to attend networking events, local community groups and meetings and who spend time face to face with customers and prospects. Your time is more precious than ever, and these commitments take you away from your desk, the office and even your family on a regular basis. This is where social media and digital marketing are different. You can connect, engage and stand out online faster and easier than in a crowded room. It may take some practice, but the tools and resources exist to help you get started. 

What’s next?

If you are looking to become more active on social media and engage in the digital world, develop a plan and educate yourself. What is the commitment your willing to make and what will successful execution look like? Know the risks but also appreciate the reward.