Influencer marketing, although complicated, can be incredibly useful when executed properly. With everyone being so connected in today’s world, your marketing should focus on the expansive network provided by social media and the Internet. Now that you know what influencer marketing is and how to do it, you need to know who you should reach out to.
Anyone can be your influencer. They don’t need to have over 10,000 followers or over 1,000 likes on every post. As insurance agents, your customer base is the common people. Everyone needs insurance, and most of the time, they’re not satisfied with their current plans. You can start with the people in your network like other insurance agents or even your happy customers!
Small Business Owners
If you have customers who own small businesses, they can be great influencers for you. Small business owners already have their own customer base. For example, people of all demographics visit restaurants. If it’s small and local, the business owner will most likely have good relationships with their customers. Endorsements from local figures or “real” people will give you more credibility than spending money on famous ones. Your consumers can relate more, allowing them to form an emotional connection with you. The more your audience can relate to the source, the more likely they will trust it. Since small business owners are already established members of the community without being too far from your audience, they have the credibility and popularity you need for a successful campaign.
Families
Think of the families who’ve bought insurance from you. You can organize a social event for the parents or the whole family with fun activities while talking about insurance. They’ll be more knowledgeable about insurance and can find plans that are more suitable for them. The event will also give them a chance to spend time with other families in the neighborhood. You can document the event with some interviews of the participants and use it for content creation. Write about it in your blog and post pictures on Instagram!
Marketing through families is effective because they’re constantly talking to each other. Word-of-mouth marketing is hard to track, but is often the most effective, assuming it is positive, of course. By creating an opportunity for them to interact with you and each other, you get to show them that you’re a real person who cares about your customers. It’s not about trying to get them to buy insurance from you anymore, you’re forming a deeper relationship with them. Even though you organized an event for them, you’re not pressuring them to make a purchase.
Online Reviews
Despite being an insurance agent, you should still have a place for your customers to leave reviews. Consider making a Facebook page or a blog where they can interact with you. If one of them really liked your service and you left them with a good impression, reach out to them to see if they would want to be featured in a blog or if they’ll write a testimonial. Consumers rely heavily on online research and reviews before making a big investment now more than ever. With the amount of information available to them thanks to the internet, reviews can help narrow down their options. They’ll be able to see that you have a customer base through your page which helps you build credibility.
Mom Blogs
If you want to work with influencers outside of your network, a good place to start would be “mom blogs” or “mom accounts.” Most of the time they have their own website or operate an Instagram page. Mom blogs have a community established around them by tugging on the heartstrings of other moms to build an emotional connection. By associating yourself with mom blogs, you also get access to their audience who trusts them in providing the best care to their families. Consider reaching out to a few and talking to them about their content. Let them get to know you as a person before asking for collaborations or favors. If you’re genuine in your approach, you’ll be more likely to form a lasting relationship with the influencer, making the content you produce together more believable and sustainable.
You Don't Have to Look Far!
Finding influencers for your marketing campaign isn’t limited to dm-ing popular ones every day, hoping that one will respond and agree to work with you. Instead of wasting time vetting through potential people to work with and paying money (depending on who you work with, it can get pricey), you can reach out to the people in your network. You’ll be strengthening your relationship with them while expanding your customer base at the same time. The ones most suitable for your needs might be the pizza shop owner down the street or even your neighbor!
