12 Marketing Ideas to Inspire You to Finish the Year Strong

12 Marketing Ideas to Inspire You to Finish the Year Strong

By: Michael Miller, State Director, Smart Choice^®

Feeling the dog days of summer? When it’s hot and the kids are out of school, it’s easy to put sales and marketing on the back burner. However, taking your foot off the gas now can cause you to end your year not with a bang, but a whimper.

Here are 12 marketing and sales ideas to motivate you to get out there and close more business in the second half of 2023.

• 1. Hold an Agency Open House

  • Growing your agency is all about growing your relationships with clients. An agency open house can be a great way to reconnect with current clients and reach new prospects, too. Make sure there’s something for everyone at your open house, including kids. Giveaways, games, and prizes are a must, as they are great ways to generate leads.

• 2. Develop Constant Lead Flows

  • As an agent, you can’t rely on a single lead source. Take a look at where your current leads come from, then add a couple of new pipelines. Consider creating a referral program at your agency and develop a plan for generating leads on LinkedIn, Facebook, and through community events.

• 3. Join a Local Networking Group

  • Networking groups can be great lead sources. Your local chamber of commerce can be a powerful marketing and sales tool if you commit to being an active member. Same goes for dedicated networking groups, such as BNI.

• 4. Create a Follow-Up Process for Quotes and Leads

  • Leads will only grow your business if you follow up with them. Most successful agencies have a follow-up plan in place for all quotes and leads. This may include an automated email campaign, a text campaign, or personal phone calls from your team.

• 5. Write Handwritten Notes to Customers

  • Your current customers are your best lead sources. Writing handwritten thank you notes for renewing with you or sending birthday or anniversary cards can go a long way in building your relationships with your customers.

• 6. Develop a Customer Referral Program

  • As I mentioned above, a customer referral program can be a profitable way to grow your agency. Send out requests for referrals to your entire book of business a few times per year. Don’t forget to ask for referrals at every customer meeting, too. Consider offering incentives for customers to give you referrals.

• 7. Host a Workshop on Insurance Coverage

  • Everyone needs insurance, but few people understand it. No matter what products you sell at your agency, you have the opportunity to educate your clients and prospects. Hosting workshops on auto insurance, home insurance, BOPs, and other products demonstrates your expertise and builds your relationship with clients and prospects.

• 8. Invest in an Email Marketing Campaign

  • Email is a great way to consistently stay in touch with your current and prospective customers. Create a series of emails with valuable information about insurance and your agency, and make it easy for recipients to reach out to you for a quote. You may not see immediate results, but keep with it. You never know when prospects will be ready to buy, and your email may hit their inbox just at the right time.

• 9. Schedule Annual Reviews with Your Customers

  • A little customer facetime can go a long way toward securing renewals and referrals. Annual reviews give you the excuse to see your customers and prove your value as an agent. It also gives you a great opportunity to cross-sell products, as you’ll learn if your customers are planning to buy a new car or home or expand their families.

• 10. Take Advantage of Carrier-Provided Training

  • Many Smart Choice® carriers offer sales and marketing training. Take advantage of these courses yourself, and encourage your staff to participate, too. Many courses are self-paced online, while others may take place virtually with a carrier rep.

• 11. Get Involved in Your Community

  • There are all sorts of ways to get your agency involved in your community. Sponsor a little league team or your high school’s football team. Participate in your local chamber’s events. Get your agency’s name and logo on the local diner’s placemat or menu.

• 12. Hold Quarterly Reviews with Your Employees

  • However you choose to market your agency, you’ll need to rely on your employees to implement your plan. The best way to ensure success is to hold quarterly reviews with your employees. Go over their marketing-related goals and take a look at their performance.

There you have it! Twelve marketing ideas to help you end this year strong. Your State Director is a great resource for more ideas for sales and marketing. Give them a call if you’re struggling to get motivated.