Agents and Word of Mouth Marketing

How do you as an insurance agent go about lining up new business?

There are different ways for agents to proceed down this road, but have you actually tried word of mouth marketing?

For many insurance agents, word of mouth marketing probably does not seem like a new concept or even a good idea in some cases, but it actually can work. What you have to ask yourself as an agent is how do you best go about acquiring new customers?

Word of mouth marketing centers on the fact that you are hopefully doing your best when it comes to customer service so that new consumers will hear what they like about you when the word gets around.

What you want to achieve here is making the case for enthusiasm within your customer base and getting those individuals to talk positively about you to other consumers.

So how can you go about doing a better job of promoting your insurance business?

First, make sure you and your business are both seen and talked about. If you're someone who enjoys your time in the office or is afraid to get out, change that up. It can be done as simply as attending industry networking events and conferences or speaking at a neighborhood business organization. Being visible and getting your message out there will benefit you in the end.

Secondly, put together a referral network where you can work with non-competitive businesses in your neck of the woods and trade referrals with. The idea here is that you get someone to mention your company and in return you do the same for them. At the end of the day it is a victory for both of you.

Another option is to go outside the box and push the envelope. While you cannot risk everything without some return value, why not go a little bit out there and try something new? What have you go to lose? Maybe it is getting a little creative with your advertising. Perhaps you do something edgy with your customer service. Whatever the choices, be sure to not be afraid to try some new things out. Heck, they might actually work, right?

Don't forget to make sure you communicate often with your prospects. If they only hear from you now and then, they may feel like they're just a number in your book of business. Do some reviewing of customer's accounts regularly and see what else you can do for them. If they see you paying extra attention to their needs, they're likely to pass the word around to others.

Finally, set goals for yourself and what you want to accomplish at different intervals in your insurance career.

If you fall short from time to time, do not worry.

The idea here is to make the effort and let the chips fall where they may. If you have the effort, good things should follow.