Social media is an ever evolving tool that many people of all ages utilize now a days. Most likely, your insurance agents use different social accounts to keep updated with family, friends, colleagues, and others. However, once you allow them to make a workplace profile or page, it is important to give them the freedom to express themselves, but in a professional manner.

Your customers want to connect with your insurance agency, but they also don’t want to be exposed to inappropriate posts, videos, links, and more. This is why setting clear expectations for an insurance social networking strategy in your agency is a good approach to take. Here are some tips on getting the conversation started:

• Before approaching your employees, make sure you understand why you want to set these expectations. Social media is an important factor in growing your customer base as well as exposing your services to the community. If you cannot clearly articulate what you expect from your team or from the strategy verbally, you are not ready for this conversation yet.
• Make it your goal to help your employees understand the bigger picture. Establishing different social outlets and creating a voice for your insurance agency to influence the lives of your customers will have a huge impact on your business. Painting a bigger picture will help your agents feel better about the initiative and commit more easily.
• Sit down with the other people that will help design the social media strategy to discuss your expectations. If you are not prepared enough, you risk being unclear.
• As a leader, you have expectations of others that they need to know so they can succeed. This is why the conversation about expectations needs to be honest and open to input.
• Once you have written down a plan, read it over to make sure it is understood and agreed upon. Then make sure everyone involved commits to the strategy now and in the future.

You do not want to cause confusion, conflicts, or dissatisfaction from customers due to disorganization within your insurance company. As a leader, you must strive to build clear expectations throughout your agency. Without an agreed upon insurance social networking strategy that both appeals to and engages your audience, you will not be able to continue growing positively. Therefore, make every effort to communicate fully and clearly with your team to encourage their personal talents and skills in the social media world.