According to forecasts, car sales in the US will remain above 17 million in 2017. While the numbers aren’t steady, they aren’t predicted to grow either. What does this mean for insurance agents? While demand for car insurance will remain steady, it won’t grow either. That means you might find it harder to sell more auto insurance this year.
Perhaps, that’s why, if you want to see your sales go up, you need to work a little harder. By focusing on auto insurance marketing, you can improve your numbers, even if car sales remain stagnant. So, here are 5 auto insurance marketing ideas to help kick-start 2017.
1. Partner with driving schools
Just like new homeowners are great potential clients for homeowners insurance, new drivers could also be in the market for auto insurance. Driving schools, therefore, might make good sources of future clients. Of course, not many teenagers are buying insurance on their own, but still, there are many adults who are learning to drive, specifically because they want to buy a new car. They might have just moved in from a city or maybe they have a new job that requires a long commute. Whatever the reason, you can catch their attention right from the beginning, by partnering with driving schools.
You could do something as simple as leaving flyers and calling cards in their classrooms or offices. If you want to go further, you might even want to sponsor a safety driving class or other event for adult driving students. It’s a great way to get in front of potential clients before they even drive their cars off the lot.
2. Contact commercial clients
When you think of auto insurance marketing, you don’t just have to stick with private car owners. While retail car sales may not be seeing an uptick, one sector that’s always growing is the commercial auto industry. Delivery trucks, construction vehicles, food trucks, and yes, even funeral hearses all need some type of insurance.
Start by finding a list of commercial vehicle businesses in your area. You might want to use Internet business listings, do a search on Google, or even use the Yellow Pages. Of course, if you’re driving around and you see a commercial vehicle, you can take note of the name of the company and search for their contact information later. Once you find a way to contact them, give them a friendly call. While they might not be looking for a new agent, they might be in the market down the road. After all, contracts expire eventually and you might be able to offer them a better deal that can add to their bottomline, as well as yours.
3. Join an auto club
If you’re passionate about cars or even just interested in cars, then consider joining an auto club. These clubs are an excellent place to network with other car enthusiasts, especially those who own several vehicles. Of course, don’t just join so you can sell auto insurance. Instead, wait for other members to to come to you, but also offer your honest advice. After all, the topics of conversation in such clubs often revolve around cars, and eventually, auto insurance.
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4. Work with local dealerships
A local dealership and/or car lot is another potential source of auto insurance clients. After all, people need insurance for their new or used vehicles. You can partner with a dealership in your area for referral business. They can refer their clients to you if they’re searching for an insurance agent. In turn, you can refer any clients or friends who may be in the market for a new or used car.
5. Go mobile
It’s no secret that more and more people are using their mobile phones for everything, from shopping for clothes to ordering pizza. Over 92% of adults own a smartphone, so if you want to capture this demographic, then you’re going to have to focus on mobile auto insurance marketing.
First, if you are non-captive agent and have your own website, then make sure that your site is mobile-friendly, whether that means creating a responsive site or having a separate mobile site. Next, you want to make sure people can find you while they are on their smartphones. That means that you should ensure your website or social media sites can be found on local searches and map applications. That way, if people want to find you or pay you a visit, they won’t get frustrated by driving in the wrong direction. Finally, you should consider optimizing your business for voice search. Since many states are now banning drivers from using their smart phones while driving, and with the popularity of devices like Amazon’s Echo and Echo Dot, more and more people are using voice search. It’s a great space to be an early adopter, and you can get ahead of the game before your competitors.
Auto insurance can be a competitive space for agents, especially since sales for new vehicles have been stagnating in the past years. However, that doesn’t mean you should totally ignore auto insurance marketing. In fact, you should be more creative, if you want people to remember you. By employing a few creative and different ways to market your insurance business, you can generate more leads and increase your business.
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