With technology growing at an ever increasing rate, it is important that independent insurance agents keep up and are not left in the dust. In years past, social media was not commonly used by insurance agents as a marketing tool. According to a recent LIMRA research study, 80% of advisers now use at least one platform to market their products or services.
Have the masses come to you!
The number of Americans actively using various forms social media is experiencing annual double digit growth. Currently, 79% of Americans are active on Facebook which equals almost 8 out of every 10 people. According to the Pew Research Center, 62% of Americans over the age of 65 have a Facebook profile. That translates to a whole lot of Medicare eligible prospects that you could possibly reach for FREE.
Content, content, content…
When using social media as a marketing tool, it is important to have meaningful content to engage with your audience. You can share funny or interesting stories that spark discussion, random facts, delicious recipes to lower cholesterol, or even useful household tips. Remember that it DOESN’T ALL HAVE TO BE INSURANCE RELATED! Obviously, the goal is to get your name out there as an insurance agent, but you don’t want to shove it down anyone’s throat.
If you use your Facebook account, or any other social media platform, to do nothing but self-promote products and services, you won’t build a following and gain any traction. You do need to offer something people can relate to or act on.
Each post, tweet, or blog should include a “call to action” (CTA). The purpose of a CTA is to get the reader to interact with you. A truly great CTA is something that is relevant to the person reading and easy to accomplish. There are many different ways to make that happen; doing a Facebook poll, include a link to your website, share your posts on other platforms, link to a YouTube training video, or ask people to leave a comment. These are great ways to get a relationship started and build your online presence.
Consistency is key!
Make a schedule, and STICK TO IT! You want to stay relevant to your followers, so having fresh content posted on a regular basis can keep your name at the top of their minds. This doesn’t mean that you need to post 5 times a day, but don’t go for weeks or months without touching base with your followers.
A healthy posting schedule to start with is two posts a week. One small post that you can ask people to share, like an interesting fact or recipe, and one big post that allows you to interact with your followers, such as a poll, blog, or a question you ask. Following that simple formula will help to get your name out there and to grow your presence on social media.
You don’t need to be a rocket scientist!
When you create relevant and engaging content, you will be able to grow your online presence with no investment from you, other than time. This may not be an instant sales technique, but in the long term will be a very useful tool to keep up with your current book of business and grow your brand.
When you’re posting Medicare related content on any of your platforms, you do need to keep in mind that compliance rules may apply. Contact our marketing or compliance team today to discuss ways to increase your online presence at 1-800-203-0433.
