Networking within your community is an important part of being an insurance agent. As someone new to the field, how do you build insurance agent networking groups? If you join Farm Bureau, you’ll start your business with education and training, marketing materials and networking guidance to get your name out in the community.
Here are practical ways new insurance agents can engage new clients.
1. Build a Robust Social Media Presence
People want to see the person behind the insurance agent, and your social media platforms are a great place to show them. We recommend that our new agents follow a few social media best practices to make new connections:
Create Professional Social Media Profiles
As an insurance agent, it’s best to keep your personal and professional profiles separate. When clients follow your business profiles, they know they can expect insurance industry-related posts that may be useful to them. Once your social profiles are set up, follow local businesses and organizations and be sure to engage with the content they post.
Share Information and Tips
Providing your followers with helpful content will keep them engaged with your business — and you. Be sure to also include posts about community events, local clubs and volunteer work you are passionate about.
Because we understand how important social media can be, Farm Bureau agents have significant social media support. This includes access to a program that allows them to add corporate-created posts and industry news to their social feeds. With just a few clicks, they can post timely, relevant content to keep their business top of mind with their followers.
Join Insurance Agent Networking Groups
Connect with people who have similar interests through communities on Facebook or LinkedIn. Insurance agency networks such as the Insurance Professionals group on LinkedIn keep agents in-the-know on industry updates.
2. Put Your Personal Agent Website to Work
In today’s world, a business without a website is hardly a business at all. To ensure people can find you, it’s critical to have a site that provides information on your services and how to reach you.
Farm Bureau provides personal websites for each agent to help them serve their communities. This will be live right away and require no extra work, ensuring they have the time to dedicate to building their business in the ways only they can.
3. Focus on Relationships
As an insurance agent, your job helps people in your community protect what matters most to them. We hope that’s why you decided to become an agent in the first place and that you always strive to propose policies that offer the most protection for your clients.
When getting to know a potential client, Farm Bureau agents think holistically. It’s not just about clients’ immediate need; understanding each client’s unique situation allows agents to better guide clients to the services that will best help them reach their goals.
4. Stay Engaged in Your Community
Insurance agents care about what happens in the places they live. As public faces in your communities, insurance agents should take social responsibility seriously. Here are effective ways agents build personal and professional networks close to home.
Volunteering
Taking time out of your schedule to volunteer within your community raises awareness of your services. If you’re not sure where to start, consider how you like to spend your free time or identify a particular skill you want to improve. Many insurance agents choose to coach a local sports team or volunteer for a nonprofit. If you’re already part of a local organization, volunteer for a leadership position to grow positive name recognition.
Giving Back
If you’d like to do even more for your community, make it part of your business model to donate to a local charity. You can give to an organization that aligns with your personal interests, such as a foodbank or animal shelter. Take it a step further by sponsoring a local festival, a little league team, school event or other community activity to get your name out there.
Buying Local
Choosing to purchase supplies or materials you need from local businesses supports the community’s economy and may even prompt business owners to work with you in the future. By choosing to keep things local, you’ll also build your reputation in the community by supporting the businesses and people around you.
5. Attend Industry Events
Conferences provide an excellent networking opportunity to connect with other insurance professionals who share your passion for helping others. Meeting other agents and learning how they do business is a great way to build an insurance agency network to stay on top of the latest developments in the field and to incorporate the successes of other agents into your business model.
Farm Bureau believes in ongoing training for insurance agents, and strongly encourages agents focus on continual learning. New agents learn from their peers by attending Farm Bureau conferences and connecting with experienced agents in their areas who can serve as mentors.
Build Your Network With Farm Bureau by Your Side
Sign up for our Developing Agent Program if you’re ready to try your hand at building a successful insurance business. Contact us to learn more about what you can accomplish with Farm Bureau Financial Services.