Get more insurance referrals!

Lead generation is top priority for agents. But insurance referrals matter, too.

Turning prospects into clients is an elaborate chess game that you’re playing, even in your sleep. There is one queen piece in this game, however: insurance referrals.

Insurance referrals are a near-magical combination of testimonial and lead, directing people to you via people they already trust. Referrals are an incredibly valuable business commodity, so how can you generate more of them? It all starts with who you know, and who knows you.

Start with a lead idea list and see where it…leads

This list from Insurance Leads Guide on — surprise — generating leads has an entire section on referrals. There are 42 tactics in all, and any of them can kick your referral memory into gear. How well do you know your local mechanic for auto insurance leads? What about your local doctor’s office or pharmacy? Your support of small business can certainly benefit your small business. Small referrals can lead to big leads.

Who do you know? And who do they know?

Think about everyone you come into contact with during your day. Not just at your desk — where you should ask every client to refer two friends to you while they’re filling out an application — but on your daily commute or weekend adventures. Baristas, mail carriers, crossing guards, train conductors… these are all people you probably talk to and know a bit about.

Do they know what you do? Do you know if they’re looking to buy a home, or if they’re expecting a baby? Maybe they just bought a new car? They’re major life events, and chances are people will talk about it in the course of everyday conversation. Check in with the people on your list often.

Run digital ads to the people in your database

Digital ads for insurance aren’t just for new business in your zip code. They’re a way to remind the people you’ve already worked with that you are their go-to insurance expert. If you were their agent when they bought their home, you should be the agent for their other insurance needs. Why not? You have a relationship. You just need to remind them with very subtle digital ads.

Don’t have an insurance client list? Start one yesterday.

Many insurance agents don’t keep track of their clients in any other way than file folders. They are so focused on the next new client, they forget who they did business with. So you might need to go back and build your list from sources like LinkedIn, Facebook, your iPhone contacts. Combine them all together and load them into a sphere campaign from Adwerx for insurance.

Get outside your comfort zone and get comfortable there.

If you don’t ask, you don’t get. People, including your clients past and present, won’t know you’re in need of referrals if you don’t tell them. Perhaps include an easy-to-fill-out form link in your email signature, or put an announcement on your social media page about referrals, and offer a potential reward, such as an entry in a drawing to win a gift card, perhaps. See if you can set up your service on customer review sites like Yelp in order to let people refer each other to you with positive reviews.

Referrals are the true testament of your value as an insurance agent. The insurance process can be an intimidating one. But you can still be of value to your clients who would rather work with someone they trust and had success with before than shop around for coverage options and rates.