Social media has completely changed the game for the 21st-century enterprise. Think about it; with just a single tweet, a brand in the U.S. can reach a customer in India; deliver meaningful messaging and hopefully, procure their business for life. A Shareaholic report revealed that social media is the number 1 source of website referral traffic.
Given that over 70% of people have at least one social media profile, it is one of the most powerful tools to tap into a huge portion of the target population with ease.
Edward Karram recognizes the value that this medium has for life insurance agents. So how do savvy agents build a great referral business on social networks? Here’s what he has to say;
Show Off Your Personality
Life insurance is a sizeable investment, why should people trust you?
As an agent, it’s important to divert from the hard sell and focus on making human connections with your customers. Per Edward Karram; Listen to what they have to say, address their concerns and, every now and then, provide inspirational and informative content that doesn’t have an ulterior motive. Talk about car safety tips, responsible cannabis usage, etc; solution-oriented content that users are seeking out anyway.
Twitter is big on polls. Start a poll with your audience, something like; For those who don’t own life insurance, “What’s holding you back? Option A: Too expensive, Option B: I don’t see the need, Option C: My boss has me covered, Option D: Other (Specify please!)
Edward Karram also urges to keep it conversational. This is also a great way to crowdsource answers. Once you establish a great rapport, it’s easy for people to look at you, not only as an industry expert but also as a real person that understands the real needs of the average consumer.
Find Out Where Your Target Market Lives
Ask yourself two questions:
“Who is my current demographic?”
“Who do I want my future clients to be?”
Says Edward Karram, “In today’s world, if you do not exist online and on social media, you do not exist.” Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are the best platforms for agents to elevate their branding efforts.
Learn the rules, behaviors, and etiquette of each before you narrow down to two core media. It’s important to experiment initially and find out which best suits your value proposition and where you aim to take your business in the future.
It’s a Marathon Not a Sprint
With an oversaturation of businesses in this realm, posting every so often just doesn’t make the cut. People have split-second attention spans and if you don’t capture their interest on an on-going basis, they move on to to the next shiny object.
Any good business strategy has a certain time threshold after which you start seeing the fruits of your labor. Edward Karram reminds agents that patience is key. Post consistently so that your audience comes to expect content from you at certain days or times.
Learning is Lifelong, Embrace That
Life insurance agents can never know too much. Edward Karram is the founder of a novel agent training platform called SELL-U. It offers in-depth modules for licensed agents and takes them through all aspects of business fundamentals, telemarketing, online branding and more.
Moreover, agents learn how to use strategic and savvy social media tactics to increase referrals and tap into new leads. With professional instruction from people who earn a 7-figure income in the business, agents are groomed to become masters in their field.
