How can an intangible service as mundane as selling insurance benefit from the value of social media? The marketing and selling of auto insurance for example, is really no different than the marketing and selling of any other intangible product such as hotel rooms, and there is plenty of opportunity to use social media to engage and inform potential customers.
The most successful on-line campaigns come from those who know their markets and are focused on their customers’ wants and needs.
“The big pitfall is in not knowing your market,” explains Laird Rixford, vice president of Products and Marketing at Insurance Technologies Corporation. “If you’re sitting there trying to sell commercial policies on Facebook, it’s just a waste of time.”
Facebook and Twitter offer the ability to showcase the personality of an insurance agency while assuring customers that they matter.
And insurance companies like Progressive and Geico were two of the first to realize in creating to memorable mascots to sing their praises, they could use social media to tell their stories. Think of the recognizable spokespersons of Flo, the Progressive Girl and the Gecko from the Geico ads as examples of how auto insurance companies have put ‘personality’ into their offerings.
In 2012, Geico launched its “Gecko’s Journey Across America,” and while TV commercials whet the consumers’ appetite, the Gecko’s tour of the country was far more comprehensive and interactive online, thanks to social media.
Using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media portals, the Gecko posted commentary from the road, including photos and videos. With tweets and status updates, the Gecko delivered his perspective in the fun-loving way we as consumers have come to expect. What does a Geico office look like to a gecko? Where would a gecko go in New York? Know a great place to eat in Dallas? Let the Gecko know and he just might end up there.
The campaign’s social media staple of being “user-generated,” resulted in a lot social media engagement for Geico.
According to Jeff Charney, chief marketing officer of Progressive, Flo’s success is due to the fact that people are able to connect with her through her Facebook fan page – where she has more than 5.2 million fans. She also has her own Twitter profile. And her fans find it easy to connect and relate to her because she comes across as real and honest.
What Flo doesn’t do is tackle customer inquiries and problems directly — @Progressive handles the customer complaints. Separating the customer service issues from the brand persona allows Flo to remain a brand-focused asset for her Progressive presence on Twitter.
Characters like Flo and the Gecko offer a softer sell which is a perfect fit for marketing via social media channels.
On Facebook, “one out of every seven posts should be self-promotional,” Rixford said. “The other six should be just fun things that you are doing for charity, your community, what’s going on in your community. Just being out there is what people like to see.”
You don’t need a fancy mascot or dedicated character, but sharing information, insight, and putting a real voice to your business via social media, can keep clients coming back to you for their insurance needs.
Connect with ILScorp on facebook and on Twitter at @ILSCorp.
