This document discusses how insurance agents can use social media as a communications opportunity. It notes that communication has been democratized through social platforms and outlines some major social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. The document then provides tips for insurance agents on how to use social media effectively, including focusing on relationship building, engaging in conversations, and measuring effectiveness through metrics like new relationships and increased revenue. Overall, it encourages agents to use social media in an educational way to build awareness of their brand and expertise.

1. SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE INSURANCE
AGENT

2. A COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITY
 Communication has been democratized
 The Lifestream Age
 Consumer generated content
 Age of the digital camera
 Wifi & broadband
 Facebook – Doubled since 9/08
 Twitter – Doubled since 3/09

3. WHY USE SOCIAL MEDIA?
 More messages in more places
 Attract rather than detract
 Build communities not databases
 Communicate “with” instead of “at”
 Economy of a million niche markets

4. WHY USE SOCIAL MEDIA
 Google loves social media
 24/7 access
 Connect directly with decision makers
 Build frequency more efficiently and
dynamically

5. BUT HOW CAN I USE IT?
 Be interesting
 Build awareness
 Generate relationships
 Show passion
 Demonstrate honesty
 Create discussions
 Listen, listen, listen

6. MAIN CONTENT TYPES
 Social networking (Facebook)
 Blogs (Wordpress)
 Microblogs (Twitter)
 Reference tools (Wikipedia)
 Peer to Peer Sharing (YouTube)
 Research (Google Alerts)
 Peer to Peer Reviews (Yelp)

7. WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR?
 Recruiting
 Branding
 Call to action
 Market research
 Entertainment
 Networking

8. PEOPLE
 Who is your audience?
 What do they like and dislike?
 What motivates them?
 What do they talk about? Obsess over?
 What are their demographics?

9. OBJECTIVE
 Who are the stake holders?
 What is the end goal?
 What will your audience do if you’re
successful?
 Will your organization be more valuable
for having started the campaign?
 HAVE A PLAN

10. STRATEGY
 Which analytics and data will show you
reached your objective?
 What resources (time, labor, financial) are
available?
 Who will have ownership?
 What are competitors doing?

11. TECHNOLOGY
 Which technologies are important?
 Video, picture, audio sharing
 Per-to-peer networks vs. Blogging
 When and how will content be generated?
 Who is the caretaker and observer?

12. ROI
Not everything that
can be counted
counts, and not
everything that
counts can be
counted.
- Albert Einstein

13. ROI
 Measure Awareness (Web Traffic)
 Measure Acquisition (Conversion rates)
 Measure Retention (Reputation
management)
 Qualities (Trust, Influence, Coolness
factor)

14. TIPS
 Have a personality, a perspective and
passion
 Define your audience
 Listen more than you talk
 Have a plan and keep the end in mind
 Make a schedule and budget time

15. TIPS
 Engage in conversations by being helpful
and by giving more than you take
 Consumers will share their opinions
whether or not you want to hear them
 Concentrate on building word of mouth
by delivering interesting and relevant
content
 Build trust and add value first. “Bring
wine to the picnic”

16. WHO IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA?AllstateBlog
forums.allstate.com

17. WHO IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA?

18. WHO IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA?LifeHappensYouTube
youtube.com

19. WHO IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA?

20. WHO IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA?StateFarmAgents
linkedin.com

21. WHAT ARE THEY DOING?
 Toe dipping
 Educational content
 Video, links
 Staying top of mind
 Branding as the experts
 Developing relationships
 Retweeting, replying, interacting

22. BEST TACTICS
 Focus on relationship building between
people
 Twitter search conversations
 Interject value into conversation
 Use social media tools to be a catalyst for
real, in person interaction

23. BEST TACTICS
 Create an internal platform facilitate sharing
of information and creativity
 Comment, reply, retweet, forward information
that adds real value to people
 Don’t be that guy, trolling, you can get
“blackballed”

24. MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS
 Number of new relationships
 Traffic to website
 Increased revenue
 Decreased expenses
 Conversion rates

25. TIPS
 Focus on consultative selling
 Be educational!!!
 Watch what you say!!! You can get
blackballed
 Walk before running!!!
 Prove communicate enhance repeat

26. NEXT ACTIONS
 Develop content and distribute
 Teach three agents to be experts
 Evaluate, find successes, repeat

27. NEED HELP
KSWZ Insurance Services
Five Rings Financial
Katherine Wichmann Zacharias
I can refer you to social media experts if
needed
619.208.7717
thewic@sbcglobal.net