The primary job of an insurance broker is to sell. They must use whatever legal and ethical means are at their disposal to persuade customers into signing above the dotted line. Is today’s broker doing that though? Are they integrating modern tools in their overarching marketing strategy?

For example, technology is a critical aspect of everyday life, but you’ll be surprised at the number of brokers who pay little attention to it when developing their marketing plans. That’s why enrolling in a new broker scholarship program, like this one if you are based in the US, can be a great way to gather useful knowledge and tips from the get go.

The following are some of the ways insurance brokers can use modern methods to complement traditional marketing techniques.

• Encourage Customers to Leave Positive Reviews

Reviews are crucial business pillars, especially for small enterprises. Unlike large corporations that have an established reputation and recognizable brand, small businesses are heavily dependent on reviews and referrals to maintain a steady flow of sales. Many people you get in touch with will be keen on knowing the experiences of your previous clients.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave a positive review on your website, review sites, your Google Business listing or your Facebook page. Google includes aggregated ratings in search results. Since people will likely search for your name or business on the internet, you’ll want to have a stellar rating that will raise your credibility.

• Personalize

No two clients are the same. They may be buying the same product, but their needs and expectations will not necessarily be the same. Personalizing product presentation and customer service is a powerful way to connect with the client.

You cannot effectively customize your communication if you haven’t taken the time to do some background research and understand the client’s needs. Personalization is not just a sign of diligence, but evidence of a person who holds nothing back in their attention to detail. You’ll make a lasting impression on the client and be more likely to close the sale.

• Blog Regularly

Search engines prioritize regularly updated websites over dormant ones. Since your product portfolio won’t change that frequently, blogging is one way to make sure your site has fresh content on a regular basis. Choose relevant keywords, so that your website appears in the first pages of relevant search results.

Search engine visibility is just one benefit of blogging. Blogs allow you to share your thoughts on industry developments and the experiences you’ve accumulated from working with different clients. This will help you project the image of a subject matter expert and reassure your clients and prospects that they are in safe hands.

• Mobile Optimization is Mandatory

Over the last 10 years, smartphones and, to a lesser extent tablets, have overtaken laptops and desktops as the primary gadget used for accessing the internet. That doesn’t mean that you should build your site solely for mobile. What it means, however, is that while mobile optimization was an afterthought in the past, it must now be a thoroughly tested feature before your website goes live.

Since many of your prospects will access your site on mobile first, you don’t want a chaotic interface to be their first impression of you. You could be selling the perfect product, but a shambolic presentation can turn even the most enthusiastic leads away.

• Utilize Video

If a picture is worth thousand words, is a video worth ten thousand? Not everyone will have the time or patience to read through the acres of text on your website. Many visitors will spend just a couple of minutes, then leave. You want to cater for both the patient reader and the more transient visitor.

A video is the perfect means of reaching prospects that want to know what it is you offer, but within the shortest time possible. A brief, professional and engaging video that list your products and values in an uncomplicated way can set you apart from the rest.

Video is also a way to increase ‘dwell time’ (the amount of time visitors spend on your site) which is one of the attributes Google looks at to determine which websites to rank higher.

• Try Twitter

Twitter has been struggling in the last few years with the number of active users barely growing. This stagnation has looked even worse in the face of exponential growth among competing social media and messaging platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.

Yet, Twitter still provides a valuable networking and customer service avenue for professionals of all shades. Insurance brokers can use Twitter to respond to queries, engage in insurance conversations, stay current on industry developments and keep an eye on what the competition is up to.

Twitter isn’t an appropriate medium for hard selling, but can go a long way in building your profile.

• Don’t Ignore Local

The internet’s vastness is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Anyone with an internet connection anywhere in the world can access your website and social media profiles. However, only a miniscule percentage of this enormous audience is your target market.

Don’t expend resources on marketing your product to the entire world when the overwhelming majority of your viable prospects are within a dozen miles’ radius of you. Focus your digital marketing to relevant areas. Don’t limit yourself only to online marketing, though. For example, you can sponsor a local awards category in order to get your name out there.

Whereas the core principles of insurance remain, the environment within which brokers sell policies is ever changing. Brokers who fail to recognize changes in consumer behavior and preference and adopt that into their marketing campaigns are likely to fall behind the competition.