Blog posting. Social media. Video implementation. SEO. Analytics. Net promoter scores. Pay-per-clicks. Advertising. Newsletters.
Does digital marketing seem overwhelming—almost like you need to hire someone full-time just to keep up? Let me take a step back and offer foundations that any agent can use to develop a successful—and better yet flexible—marketing strategy for his or her agency.
Target markets
Before you can begin strategizing a marketing plan, you must be able to identify your target audience. Good places to start are specialized niches, geographic areas, and communities. Once you can identify your audience, you quickly understand you need to connect with them where they already are spending most of their time. Today, that means on the internet!
Digital marketing allows you to be present with your audience at any time, and grab their attention even when you cannot be physically with them. Do your research and find out where your audience is spending most of their time and invest in that platform first. These channels can include social media, websites, print media, emails, radio/TV or YouTube. Choose one and dedicate your time and energy there, because effective execution requires you to communicate specific content to specific users.
Earning trust
You’ve found your target audience—fabulous! Did you know they are more likely to know who you are before you’ve even identified them? Your audience is doing their due diligence long before you’ve contacted them, which means the content you present must be trusted information.
The good news is that you are an expert in your field and can provide powerful information that allows them to make educated decisions. Expert in all things flood? Manufacturers? Management liability? Make sure your information is detailed enough, and you are using terms those industries are more likely to search and watch your agency gain visibility and trust. When you earn trust, you earn business.
Identify your agency’s digital marketing needs
Making the sale is the obvious end goal to all digital marketing, but when you are looking at your marketing strategy more holistically, ask yourself, “What are my agency’s needs and why?” By asking this question, you may pinpoint that social media is not a true need for your agency sales process. An example of this may look like:
- SEO—I need my agency to be found.
- Public relations—I want my agency to be picked up in local/regional news.
- Original content—I want to share testimonials of how my agency has helped clients.
Prioritize your top three needs and focus on what will move the needle for you.
Digital marketing does not need to be an overwhelming, time-consuming feat. Dedicate as little as an hour a week on your now highly focused needs and watch your brand recognition grow dramatically. By focusing your foundational needs, you will remain a part of the conversation and build meaningful relationships with prospects before ever meeting them!
Alyssa Delaney
Alyssa Delaney has been in the insurance industry for eight years. Currently, she is the director of marketing & communications for ANE, Agency Network Exchange LLC. She also serves as the current New Jersey Young Insurance Professionals president and she is a newly appointed PIANJ board of director. She graduated from Rutgers University New Brunswick with a B.A. in Journalism and Media Communications on a full academic scholarship.
