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You can’t run a successful agency without getting to know people.
If you sell insurance, networking is the key to getting high quality referrals and finding high-intent prospects. And what better place to find new contacts than online?
Unfortunately, social media networking isn’t something that comes naturally to a lot of us. If you’re like most people, you’re not quite sure where to focus your efforts, how hard to sell your services, and what you should say when you have the opportunity to share content on your online platforms.
That’s why we’ve asked social media guru Danny DelVecchio of coachdannyd.com to share his best advice for insurance agents trying to master the social media side of networking. Danny specializes in attracting leads and growing businesses through social media, so we are thrilled to pass his expertise on to you.
Networking helps to bring you more leads over time. You can also take the direct approach and purchase warm leads from EverQuote. Get started here.
How To Use Social Media For Insurance Agency Networking
1. Focus on LinkedIn.
You can create posts, share success stories, find insurance networking events, and reach out to people in parallel interest groups on nearly any social media platform.
However, one platform rises above the rest when it comes to professional networking: LinkedIn.
“Whereas most users scroll through Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok primarily for entertainment purposes, people hop on LinkedIn specifically to do business,” Danny says. No other platform is as effective at connecting professionals who want to develop strategic business partnerships.
“The one possible exception is if you specifically want to network with local, mom-and-pop businesses,” Danny says. “These smaller outfits are less likely to maintain a presence on LinkedIn, so you might have better luck on Facebook or Instagram.”
For our purposes here, however, we’ll assume your goal is to meet other like-minded business professionals in parallel industries and attract customers who are intentionally looking for a reputable insurance agency—professionals in areas like real estate, auto sales, property management, financial services, etc. In that case, you’ll want to dedicate most of your online networking efforts toward LinkedIn.
2. Showcase your expertise with great content.
If you have insights and opinions on trends happening in your industry, social media is the perfect place to share them.
As you do so, remember to provide value to your readers, not just sales pitches about why they should work with you. People should finish reading your content and be curious to know more about you and your business. What they shouldn’t feel is pressured to buy a service or turned off by your overly pushy sales techniques.
Danny explains, “You want to build curiosity around the products and services you offer. But I don’t recommend you go out and create promotional content right off the bat.
“Instead of saying, ‘Hey! We’re running XYZ special,’ you want to say ‘I’ve been working with this client, and here’s what I did to help them. This is the problem we solved for that client, and this is how the client is doing now.’ Telling transformational stories lets you share the details of what you do without coming across as pushy or salesy. It also helps people put themselves in the shoes of your client and get a sneak peek of what it’s like to work with you.”
You can also create content that educates your readers on topics they want to know more about. The best way to present educational content is with a focus on being helpful. If you do this well, the reader will be more likely to turn to you when they need the services you offer.
Think of some of the questions your clients ask most often when they call you, and write a blog or create a short video answering these questions. If you notice a trend beginning to take shape in your industry, write or speak about it online. Teach your viewers something useful and they’ll begin to see you as an expert they can trust.
Plus, showcasing your expertise with great content—especially if you post regularly and have a good keyword strategy—can help search engines recognize you as an authority in your field. This means you’ll show up higher in search engines when people look for services similar to yours.
3. Get personal.
These days, there are probably a hundred agencies similar to yours in your region. Depending on where you are, there might be even more.
Despite the stiff competition, you always have something that can set your agency apart from the rest: your unique personality.
“People want to do business with agents they know, like, and trust,” Danny says. Remember those three key words as you build content for your social media pages.
“This is why I love video content,” he explains. “I focus a lot on teaching people that they should put themselves out there on video. People want to buy from agents they see, that they know, and whose personality they vibe with.”
If you have the choice between writing a dry, informational article on insurance topics or injecting some personality and opinions into your content, always do the latter. And if your content is easily presentable in video form, then put on your best smile and press record.
Next time someone in your area needs insurance, they’ll remember your helpful, engaging posts and search for you specifically online.
“People want to do business with agents they know, like, and trust.”
4. Make intentional, memorable connections.
Once you have a content strategy in place, it’s time to attract people to your profile so they can see that content in action.
“LinkedIn is the easiest platform to get connections. It gives you the best ability to search for exactly who you want to find,” Danny explains. People on LinkedIn are also likely to respond favorably to your invitations, because they too are on the platform for networking purposes.
“There are two different types of people you want to meet as an insurance agency owner,” he says. “You want to connect with potential clients and with peers in parallel industries. Don’t overlook those peer connections; even fellow insurance agents who like or share your posts are helping to give you extra visibility, which gets you seen by more people.”
That’s because social media platform algorithms will give you a boost if they notice your posts and comments regularly get a lot of traction. This, in turn, makes it more likely that potential clients will come across your content. Not to mention, if you get to know financial advisors, mortgage brokers, and other peers in similar industries online, they may send the occasional referral your way.
In fact, Danny recommends brainstorming connections that could be mutually beneficial. For instance, “Divorce attorneys are great potential partners who could send referrals your way. You could go to LinkedIn, search for divorce attorneys in your target region, and narrow the search down by title, geography, and any other requirements you have. Then you can start reaching out.”
5. Be creative with your connection invitations.
When you reach out to your connections, Danny suggests using a strategy that will help you stand out from the crowd.
“The whole purpose of going out and finding these connections is to start a conversation,“ Danny says. “So you want to give everyone you connect with a nice, warm welcome. Personally, I like to send a voice message saying:
Hey! I just wanted to say thank you so much for connecting with me. Welcome to my community here on LinkedIn. I look forward to seeing you around, and I hope you’re having a great day.
It takes like thirty seconds, but maybe one in ten thousand people are doing this. So it really makes me stand out.”
He is quick to point out what is not in his voice messages, as well. “I don’t tell them what I do for a living. I don’t try to sell them on anything. I just say, ‘Hi.’”
6. Keep your profile up to date.
Once you start making connections, people will visit your profile to learn more about you. At this point, it’s important that your profile gives them everything they need to know.
“Your profile should say two things,” Danny says. “It should explain who you’re helping and the outcome you’re going to help them achieve.”
“Let’s say you sell P&C to restaurants,” he continues. “Your profile should make it clear that you help restaurant owners protect their property from all the things that could go wrong.”
7. Last (but not least), go for the sale.
“First you want to build some rapport. You do that with your content and your welcome message. You’re starting a conversation. Once that conversation is happening, you can pivot from casual to business,” Danny says.
This is where the magic of conversions happens—when casual online connections turn into paying clients who bring income to your business.
“I like to start the conversion process by finding something people are excited about,” he continues. “Basically, all you need to do is look at their social media profiles. Maybe someone posted about their grand opening on a certain date. If I reach out to that person, I’d say, ‘Hey! I see you have a grand opening coming up. How’s that going?’ And then you can pivot toward what you can do to help their business.”
Want guaranteed growth for your insurance agency?
“When you have the four key components running together—your profile, content, connections, and conversions—you’re going to have success on social media platforms,” Danny says confidently.
However, what if you need to drum up business now in addition to playing the long game on social media? Or what if you want the best of both worlds with a long-term strategy and an immediate burst of new business?
That’s where warm leads from EverQuote come in. Just let us know the ideal clients you’re interested in working with and we’ll direct interested prospects straight to your phone or email inbox. That way, you can skip straight to the conversation and conversion steps.
Contact EverQuote here to ask about receiving warm leads today.
