As an agency owner, lead generation is one of the most-important aspects to keeping your local business fueled and running, but it may sometimes feel more like drudgery. So, we’ve assembled an assortment of online and offline ideas that can work together to inspire you. Once you add new lead-generation tactics, be sure to track them so you know what’s working.
Online Lead Generation
- Create a LinkedIn post under your personal profile to announce your new insurance offerings. Create regular social shares that link back to this content. Include a link to your website in the post. You may find that many of your contacts don’t know that you’re in the insurance business. Before you do this, though, be sure your profile is up to date.
- Have you tried Nextdoor and neighborhood Facebook pages yet? These are slow burners, but they can reach prospects with intent to purchase. When you join, take the opportunity to introduce yourself, but don’t be that pushy member who incessantly hawks their services. Instead, wait for opportunities where you can authentically help people asking for referrals.
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM), or pay-per-click advertising, can be a great way to get quick leads, but it’s important to track costs and analytics to monitor your results. Keep your budget in check by targeting longer-tail, higher-intent keywords.
- Do you consistently ask customers to review you on Google or Yelp? Review platforms can help you get noticed because they carry weight with search engines. Just be sure to provide directions on how to submit online reviews. You can incentivize reviews, but be careful that the language doesn’t imply that the incentive is only for positive ones.
- Start a referral group that meets virtually. Many in-person networking functions remain on hold, but people still need outreach opportunities. Try a happy-hour Zoom meeting. You can set up breakout rooms with designated topics of conversation that mimic the small-group feel of traditional networking events so that people can make the rounds.
Offline Lead Generation
- Partner with a local realtor to share the cost of direct mail pieces and ask to be included in open-house materials.
- Host small events at your office and invite neighboring businesses. Pay attention to how you can build the guest list to create opportunities for attendees to form mutually beneficial professional relationships.
- Formalize and incentivize your referral program and make it part of your customer experience flow. If customers have a great experience with you, they are generally happy to share it on social media or personally with friends — even more so with gift cards and other goodies as incentives.
- Be sure to follow up every deal with a request for feedback on your service. Then, build a list of testimonials to demonstrate your commitment to clients. These can give you instant credibility and trust in the eyes of prospects.
- Don’t neglect old-fashioned community networking with your alumni association and chambers of commerce. When the restrictions of the pandemic have passed, there will be pent-up demand for these kinds of face-to-face opportunities.
It may feel like there’s nothing new under the sun when it comes to lead generation. But what’s more important is to have a set strategy that you work regularly. A consistent and steady approach with the right mix of digital and offline tactics will help you find those new clients.
