Insurance Agency Marketing Tip: Are You Advertising or Marketing?
The world of marketing for many agencies is a little scary and way too complicated! All you want to do is sell and service insurance and now you have to add marketing to this list? Yikes. The reality is advertising and marketing are very different. Advertising is a part of marketing but certainly not the whole enchilada!
The American Marketing Association defines marketing as: “the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.”
Whereas, advertising is defined as: “The placement of announcements and persuasive messages in time or space purchased in any of the mass media by business firms, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and individuals who seek to inform and/ or persuade members of a particular target market or audience about their products, services, organizations, or ideas.”
Marketing is a much bigger concept than advertising!
You may have taken out billboards, yellow page ads, radio spots or sponsored a little league team. All are great activities but they are just that, activities. If you want to start marketing you have to start at the very beginning by clearly defining your agency’s brand.
Now, this is where so many agencies I speak with look at me like I’m speaking a whole new language! If you want to begin the process of attracting, selling and keeping you have to start here. No ifs, ands or buts.
So how do you develop a brand? Well, my honest opinion is that many agencies need help in this area. For most of you, you are too close to the agency and can’t see clearly how to evoke a response from your target markets. Take this quick test to see if you are on track to develop a killer agency brand:
- Who are the top 5 personas you are targeting? In other words, who are your 5 target markets? Now, this can’t be contractors, families etc. It’s much deeper. It’s income, age, geography and more.
- Why do you want to write these people?
- Why should someone buy from you? You can’t use price and service in your response!
- Why should someone stay with you? You can’t use price and service in your response!
- What exactly do you provide for service that is extraordinary?
If you can answer those questions, in unison with any of your partners, you have a winning shot at creating a brand. If not you need to call us!
Once you determine your brand you then need to hire a designer to create the look and feel on your business cards, website, print pieces, emails and more that match it. Brands create an emotional bond or response. It matters, but too often in this industry, we cut corners. You need to promote the look and feel of you, that inspires people to buy from you, not your competitor.
If you aren’t marketing, today’s the day to take it to the next level!
Contact us to find out how we can help your agency’s marketing plan.
