It’s true—a few years ago social media and social networking sites seemed to be no more than a fad. So many professionals fell into the trap of believing social sites would fizzle out and lose their appeal; however no one is second guessing these platforms’ influence now.
A few years ago the idea that social networking would become a integral part in the lead generation process seemed like a laughable, unlikely outcome—but today more and more businesses are turning to sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to not only market their company but also directly connect with and engage individual consumers.
One of the easiest, and thought to be the most professional, networks for a business to use happens to be LinkedIn. The ability to positively and credibly brand yourself as a professional has never been easier. Below are 5 tips from a recent post on Leads on Track, to help insurance representatives better harness the power of this exciting social tool:
1. Spend Time and Effort Creating Your Personal LinkedIn Profile
The more accurate and complete your profile the better. Your LinkedIn profile is the first thing competitors and prospects will see about you, so make sure it represents you in the best way possible. Use the profile to explain in detail what types of insurance your company sells, while also explaining how your coverage can help customers both resolve their problems and/or meet their goals.
2. Build Mutually Beneficial Relationships via Social Media
It’s a common best practice that whenever you meet a new prospect or professional peer that you then look them up on LinkedIn; if they have an account, extend an invitation to connect.
3. Write and Request Recommendations
The unique quality that makes LinkedIn really stand-out is the ability to write and collect professional, credible recommendations. Writing recommendations or “endorsements” doesn’t take much time and it also acts as a great way to build positive energy and goodwill amongst your contacts!
4. Check Out Prospect Profiles
Reviewing a prospect’s LinkedIn profile before placing a cold call or following up is a great way to get some inside information in regards to common experiences or interests you may share; use this information to ease into conversation and find establish common ground.
5. Join Insurance-Related Groups
Becoming a member of credible insurance groups for Insurance Marketing professionals, such as Insurance Agents’ Opportunities for Success allows you to meet other insurance professionals and discuss sales techniques, best practices and overall changes occurring in the industry. Learn from one another!
Want to learn more? Check out the rest of this great blog post to discover how you too can utilize LinkedIn as an insurance representative!