They key to getting referrals for your insurance agency with social media is to actually start off getting all of your clients to connect to your social media presence. Then when you post things you can attempt to get your clients to “LIKE, Comment or Share” the post. This makes that post go out to all of your client’s social media connections, which is likely where referrals are going to come from anyway.

Inviting your clients via social media or traditional email marketing is imperative for social media “Distribution Growth”. The “How To” verbiage that you use to do so is the key to success.

Here is an example of what most insurance agencies write to promote their page:

Bob’s Insurance created a facebook business page! Go to our page and LIKE it today!

Here is what we suggest.

Bob’s insurance continues to use technology and innovation to keep its clients in the loop when it comes to industry changes and updates. We’ve created a special facebook business page that offers industry news, ideas and fun tips. Just go to www.facebook.com/bobinsurance and click the “LIKE” button at the top middle of the screen to receive our free value. Contact us if you want us to walk you through the process!

Ken French

www.benefitstore.net

973-607-1916 Ext 1

Ken@snoozzy.com

3 Steps For Getting More Agency Facebook Fans

As we move into the middle of 2013 it is now pretty obvious that a high percentage of agencies not only use facebook, but use it strategically to generate referrals via their current book of business. The formula is pretty simple; get as many of your clients as possible to “Like” your page. This allows them to potentially receive your daily posts.  Next you post four or five days a week, with the goal that your clients “interact” with your posts. (Interact means they click Like, Comment or Share under the post on Facebook.) If you can get interaction on your post, it then goes to those clients connections. Touch enough of your clients “friends” and you generate referral phone calls.

The above strategy sounds easy enough, however likely only 10% of all agencies have a strategy in place to actually achieve these results. The biggest part of the strategy is getting your clients to become “fans”. Below are 3 steps to make it happen.

Step 1 – Setup your agency facebook page so it is complete and professional looking. This sounds obvious but most agencies over look it. Make sure your logo is present and that you have an impressive main image. Also make sure your contact info and agency description are inserted into the “Edit Page” area.

Step 2 – This is the step most agencies skip! Most think step 2 is to market the page and get more fans. Actually step 2 is to start posting, even though you may have minimal or no fans. We suggest you post once a day for two weeks. Make sure your posts look good and have value. Once you’ve posted for 2 weeks straight the page will look active and have value.  Now when you market the page, more people will see a reason to click “LIKE”.

Step 3 – It’s time to market the page. First we suggest you click the “Build Audience - Invite Friends” tab at the top of the business page. This allows you to send an invite to all of your current facebook friends about the page. You can expect about a 30% conversion ratio. This means if you invite 100 friends you will get about 30 fans. Next we suggest you send out a special email to your entire client base. The verbiage on how to become a fan are very important, below is a sample. You should be sending out variations of this email three times a year. Remember you’re never done adding connections, it’s a constant process.

Sample Verbiage

Bob’s insurance is excited to announce the relaunch of our social media presence. Each day we will be posting insurance insight and interesting ideas. To receive this information you need to become a fan of our page. To become a fan go to www.facebook.com/benefitstore.net and click the “LIKE” button at the top middle right of the page. 

Facebook Vs Linkedin

Let’s say you won a contest and were able to film a TV commercial for your insurance agency. The commercial would be shown on ABC and CBS during prime time viewing hours. Both networks guarantee at least 10 million people will see the commercial on each channel.

The problem is you have a real personal dislike for ABC, you refuse to watch the channel.
So the question is, will you let your “personal feelings and thoughts” effect guaranteed exposure for your agency? Or will you put those feelings aside and use common sense and let the commercial run on each network for free?

The reason I use this example is because I feel it’s the same dilemma most agencies are having between LinkedIn and Facebook. Linkedin has done an incredible job at marketing themselves as “The true business” social media. Where, Facebook has been painted as a hangout for teenagers. It’s amazing how many insurance agencies refuse to use facebook.

Fact is more people clearly use facebook and facebook is far easier to obtain quicker results. Whereas LinkedIn offers very unique lead generating tools however you have to be an expert to use them and get results.

I guess my point is both LinkedIn and Facebook are very powerful marketing tools. You’re making a mistake by ignoring either. Both need to be utilized and mastered if you value marketing and referrals.

Ken French
President
www.Benefitstore.net
Ken@snoozzy.com
973-607-1916 Ext 1