December will see a fresh batch of new cars hitting the roads. Some will be due to generous gift givers; others will simply be people giving themselves a well-deserved treat. Whatever the reason, the season of goodwill is one of the top months for total U.S. car sales, according to Bloomberg. And, that means a surge in people needing auto insurance.
The month of December, and into January, is the perfect period to add new auto insurance clients to your books. One of the first things a buyer needs after getting a new car is insurance. An agent with the ability to swoop in with a few tempting offers at the key moment is likely to win the car buyers business.
Timing is everything. You need to find creative ways to figure out who got new cars for Christmas and the best way to market to them. The following ideas will help ensure that you have a book of business filled with new car owners in the New Year.
Utilize Social Media Communication
Social media’s existence is one of tremendous value for insurance agents. A relatively small investment of time can have a massive impact on your insurance agent marketing efforts. All that is required to find prospects that got a new car for Christmas, is to scour the social media channels and keep your eyes peeled.
When something important happens in people’s lives, social media is one of the first places where the news will get broadcasted. For most people, getting a new car is eventful. They will no doubt want to share the surprise of getting a shiny new car with their social network. That is an opportunity for you to contact them with help, advice, and suggestions for car insurance.
Twitter is the ideal platform for monitoring this type of broadcast. The public, real-time nature of the platform means that news is shared instantly and to a wide audience, as opposed to just the person’s network. That is not to say you should discount other platforms, though. Listen out for things your current clients are saying, such as “my friend just got a new car for Christmas.” You could then press for the all-important referral.
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Check Out Local Auto Clubs
If you want to sell more car insurance, it helps if you mingle with people who love cars. There are few places more suited to that task than car clubs. Club members often own multiple vehicles, care passionately about cars, and have insurance as a key concern. If ever there was a place that you could bank on people getting new cars for Christmas, it would be at a car club.
You can’t just walk into these clubs and begin selling insurance, though. It is important to build recognition and trust with the members. One way to do that is to sponsor a local show if you have the funds. That shows you care about the same things as members of the club. Over time, you will gain their trust and respect.
You should also spend time asking questions, listening carefully, and offering genuine help where necessary. This effort will not only help you find the new car clients; you will likely entice a few others to switch allegiance and become your client.
Advertise in Gas Stations
According to Statistic Brain, there are just over 121,000 gas stations in the U.S. Most station owners will allow you to leave business cards in a prominent area or post information on a billboard. That is a huge opportunity to capture the attention of all kinds of car owners. Whether old or new, most drivers will visit a gas station regularly.
Depending on your marketing budget, you may be able to convince the gas station owner to let you run large ads in prominent areas on the forecourt or enter a referral partnership with you. Few owners will refuse the opportunity to gain a new source of income, and you shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to attract more leads.
Get Friendly with Driving Schools
Driving schools are not just for 16-year-olds. Older people also learn to drive. Many of them will likely be driving a new car sometime soon: perhaps as self-reward for acquiring their driver’s license, or as a gift from a generous gift giver. A timely recommendation from their driving instructor, would go a long way to persuading them which agent to choose for their car insurance.
That recommendation will also benefit younger drivers too. Those 16-year-olds might not be likely to buy insurance themselves, but on the recommendation of their instructor, they may persuade their parents to enquire about your services. Driving schools can provide a steady stream of leads.
Ensure Mobile Accessibility
These days, a majority of your insurance leads will come from mobile devices. The prevalence of mobile devices cannot be denied. People are increasingly making purchases directly from their handsets. For that reason, it is important to ensure that your agency has prominence in the local mobile search results.
People looking for new cars are likely to check insurance deals on the go. A quick search on their smartphone and they are presented with a selection of auto insurance offers in their local area. If your website is not optimized for local search, you could be missing out on many opportunities.
Don’t forget about mobile as you optimize your digital presence. Make sure your website is responsive so that it automatically adjusts to fit smaller mobile screens. Users expect a comfortable, user-friendly experience when browsing businesses on their handsets.
Partner with Auto Dealerships
Finally, lots of people still go to auto dealerships when they want a new car. Similar to the arrangement with gas station owners, you can get local car dealers to send a few leads your way this Christmas. A relationship between you and the dealer can be reciprocal. You recommend clients to them, and in return, they mention you every time they sell a new car.
Once a person finds an agent or a particular insurer, it can be difficult to pry them away. Despite an increase in options, many people remain fiercely loyal. But, if you can get their attention before they have settled with another agency, you can work on winning their loyalty. You do that by targeting people getting new cars, and the Christmas season is the ideal time for that.
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