The Rolodex years are over.
As you know, the digital era has ushered in the age of buying insurance policies online. Some people may never speak to insurance agents or even come to know them.
Still, as an agent, it’s important to create numerous touchpoints with your clients—even if they’re entirely, or mostly, digital.
Yes, the insurance industry, as a whole, has become less personal and more competitive.
Overcoming this apparent lack of personalization is an obstacle insurance agents must address. Any insurance agent or agency that hopes to grow their client base will need to digitize and focus on customer engagement.
Let’s examine some of the most important digital touchpoints for insurance agents.
1. Welcome email
As soon as you obtain a potential client’s contact information, it’s a good idea to contact them directly. Do so with a friendly, personal welcome email. A good welcome email reassures your client the agency they’re buying insurance from is made of real people that are ready and available to help.
A good welcome email can:
- Establish a unique value proposition
- Be visually appealing and easy to read
- Include at least one call to action
- Include a link or contact point that connects to a real person
2. Quotes
If a potential client requests a quote for an insurance policy—home, auto, life, health, or otherwise—they are demonstrating a serious level of commitment. These prospects are typically considered “hot leads,” meaning you will want to quickly create another touchpoint before they begin looking elsewhere for a policy.
Once your agency has sent a quote, you should begin sending sequenced emails until you’ve closed the deal.
3. Purchase follow-up
Your prospect became a client. Nice going. Now it’s time to think about retaining your client for the long haul. And you’ll do so by demonstrating your ability to continually provide value.
As soon as new policy becomes active, send a follow-up email. In it, you can:
- Provide your (the agent) personal contact information
- Ask if they have any questions
- Provide resources where they can learn more about their policy
- Check to see if they have any additional insurance needs
Your follow-up email will serve as an important reminder your agency cares about more than collecting monthly premiums. It shows you’re actively thinking about the client, considering their needs, and providing them with ongoing support. Establishing a basic level of trust is key to client retention.
4. Surveys
Providing questions, surveys, and other resources that call for direct action can help increase engagement with your clients. According to one study, the target response rate for internal surveys should be around 30 to 40 percent, while the target response rate for external surveys should be around 10 to 15 percent—usually much better than the level of engagement you’d get with ordinary emails.
Contrary to what many marketers assume, people are actually somewhat willing to complete short, simple surveys.
- Surveys help people feel like they did something.
- When people complete a survey, they are more likely to feel heard and appreciated.
- People are more likely to respond to a survey when they feel they have been “specially elected.”
- Surveys are an efficient, direct form of digital engagement.
In other words, a survey is a great way to get your potential customer’s attention. Once they have completed the survey, you will then be able to use their responses and generate further engagements. Issuing periodic surveys and asking for feedback can help send a subtle reminder your company is there, active, and consistently thinking about its customers.
5. Testimonial request
In addition to having your clients answer surveys, it is also smart to ask for testimonials or customer reviews. Positive reviews will not only help improve your insurance agency’s digital presence but the very act of writing a positive review can help solidify your relationships with your clients.
6. Check-in email
There doesn’t always need to be an overwhelming reason to reach out to a current or prospective insurance customer. Sometimes you just want to keep the dialogue alive.
There are many ways to create organic engagement via email. Consider checking in for:
- Birthday
- Anniversaries
- Holidays
- To announce new rates, policies, or products available
Powered by an insurance CRM platform, you can easily automate your emails and ensure your clients are getting the attention they need.
7. Renewal communications
One of the most natural touchpoints for insurance agents is the policy renewal period. In fact, many people expect to hear from their agent during this time, so it’s important to have a strong communications plan in place.
Some clients prefer to complete their renewals over the phone, while others prefer email. Knowing your client’s personal preferences can help create a better customer engagement process.
During the renewal window, you’ll find opportunities to upsell or modify their policy, answer any questions they may have, and further reinforce your relationship.
8. Payment communications
The most common interaction an individual will have with their insurance provider is when they pay their monthly premiums. Don’t overlook this touchpoint.
Instead of just saying “Thank you for payment” every month, send an email that also contains some useful, actionable information. Notifying your clients about changes in the insurance industry, giving them general financial advice, and incorporating outbound links into your payment receipts will help establish a deeper level of engagement.
