Let’s face it, as insurance brokers we are not expected to be design or branding experts. For that reason, most SME brokers have been left behind when it comes to branding that is pleasing to clients and simultaneously carries the vision of the business. Have you got a brand which stands out to your clients and which they can always rely on?

We have put together some tips to guide you in branding your brokerage like a pro.

1. Get a good logo

A logo is a visual representation of your business. Logos come in different forms like word only logos, picture logos, abstract logos, symbols or a mixture of all. The logo is only limited to the creativity of the designer.

To get a fitting logo for the insurance broker market we believe that it should be simple, easy to read and visually appealing. Insurance can be a very complex thing and most clients look to insurance businesses because they believe that you can simplify the whole process for them. Let your logo reflect that.

2. Have a slogan

A slogan typically summarises the value that a business is offering to its clients in a few words. Slogans should be catchy and also be relatable to the pain-points of the client. If your businesses’ vision is to make insurance available and affordable for a majority of the uninsured, then you can use a slogan like “affordable insurance for all”. This sends a direct message to your target group and also meets a challenge that they face in insurance, namely affordability in this case.

3. Pick appropriate memorable colours

Have a good understanding of the psychology of colours and the impact that colours have on clients. Colours convey various emotions if mixed properly. Your colour choice can set your business as a serious no-nonsense corporation or as an informal startup. The colour wheel below highlights warm and cold colours.

You would want to use vibrant colours which convey a sense of happiness and joy. Colours work subconsciously on the minds of your clients so it is important to get your colour scheme right when branding your business.

4. Get online

Clients now expect every business to be well represented online and through social media. The world is moving online with more potential clients deciding to do their research online before buying. As more people move online, broker who refuse to adopt an online presence will be left behind, a bit like House of Fraser and other high street business who refused to adapt and therefore fell.

You can build your brand on social media by responding quickly to inquiries and messages through your social media channels. This requires the work of a professional as it is time-consuming. Get in touch with us if you require an affordable social media manager for your business.

5. Deliver on your promise

Let your words count by delivering on your brand promises. If you promise to get your clients the very best insurance deals, then make sure you fulfil that promise. Actions speak louder than words so the more promises you achieve as a business, the more credible your brand becomes. Clients will naturally refer a strong brand through word-of-mouth to their friends and networks.

Focusing on these tips will guaranty a strong brand. Remember that it takes a lot of effort and time to create a strong brand, but it takes even more to maintain that brand. Be consistent in your approach and with time you will have a competitive brand which can rival any major player in the industry.

Give us a call on 02071172953 or contact us here if you want to talk about branding your business.

All too soon 2018 is here. The insurance broker market had a good year and we are hoping for an even better year. The big push this year will come from those brokers who adapt to the digital age and make use of email, social media and other digital marketing techniques. Digital is here to stay so start planning for it now. 

So if there is a time to take digital marketing seriously as a broker, now is the time.

To get you on your way, we have put together these 5 things you need to consider when hiring a digital marketer, to ensure you grow your business:

1. Define Your Objectives

This is a question you should ask before you hire a digital marketer. Before you hire someone, you should have clear and specific goals that you want the person to help you to achieve. Are you looking to generate more leads for fleet or are you trying to make your business clients aware of your high net worth policies. Maybe you are trying to break into commercial after so many years doing personal lines.

Whatever your objectives, make sure that you clearly define it before hiring a digital marketer.

2. Compliance

Not all digital marketers are insurance brokers as well. As you know, compliance has to sit at the heart of everything we do. So it is important that you always find a marketer who understands the industry and compliance. Someone who knows their TCF from their FCA. A marketer who understands their ICOBS from their social media and has a team who understands what the FCA looks out for.

You will need a digital marketer who understands these terms and can make sure that all your digital marketing efforts are in line with the rules and regulations.

3. Strategy

You want to get more leads and to increase your gwp and you know that digital marketing can help you achieve that. The only problem is how am I going to put everything together? Digital marketing is very broad and can be very confusing, how do you create engaging posts or visuals? Should I use email marketing, or social media, search engine optimisation (and what is that even) or should I use videos, blogs, images, etc? The truth is that all these elements must come together in a usable strategy if you are to benefit from digital marketing.

4. How Much Are You Willing To Spend?

How much of your budget is being allocated to digital marketing? If you spend too little, you may not be able to implement the required strategies to achieve your digital marketing objectives. However, if you spend too much, you will not have enough funds for other important aspects of traditional marketing. The key is to get a balance.

Before you hire a digital marketer, figure out your budget and what is most important to you. How much of it will go into social media, and how much will go into email marketing, or search engine marketing? If you are not sure about how much you actually need to spend then fill this form for a quick assessment.

5. Level of Engagement

Another important factor to consider is whether you need a full-time digital marketer for your business or a part-time one. If you cannot match the Jelfs or your Marsh’s of this world, why not outsource your digital marketing and get it of your hands. Digital marketing is a very engaging job. It has the potential to put your business on the map and get you new customers, but you have to be ready to put in the work else, get someone to do it so you can focus on broking. 

If you need help with any of this, ask for our free advice service- just a conversation and no hard sell.

 

Brokerlink is solely dedicated to brokers and as such we understand a broker’s language.

Digital marketing, if implemented properly, can revolutionize your broker business, and increase your returns exponentially. This possibility, however, depends on hiring the right digital marketer. These 5 factors above, can guide you in making the right choice when hiring a digital marketer in 2018.

Marketing has changed drastically over the past few years and is still changing every day with the rise of digital marketing. One of the most effective digital marketing strategies today is Inbound Marketing.

The days of selling your policy to clients are over…

Inbound marketing has changed online marketing- rather than bombarding clients with direct mail, cold calling and using other outbound marketing to sell to them,…. get them to come to you.

As the name suggests, it is an inward approach that attracts clients by using content marketing, social media marketing and search engine optimization rather than just selling insurance policies to them.

Some of the fastest growing brokers such as Simply Business and Bought by Many are growing exponentially using inbound marketing.

[Watch this great video which summarises what inbound marketing is]

Aviva, one of the largest general insurers utilises inbound marketing to attract and convert users online to regular customers. The good news is that you do not have to be as large as Aviva to take advantage of inbound marketing. The right level of content and a well thought out strategy can see you emulating the success of Aviva.

Inbound Marketing is the Future

Inbound marketing is here to stay. As the world grows more and more connected through digital technology, the importance of inbound marketing cannot be overemphasised. Insurance brokers stand a chance to gain tremendously from the benefits of inbound marketing.

The inbound approach is a unique one which requires thoughtful planning and execution to achieve the desired results. A variety of content such a blog posts, infographics, videos, Memes, podcasts etc. can be used to attract, educate and empower users to make the right decision on their policies.

The BrokerLink team are not only experts in inbound digital marketing but we also understand and are focused on insurance brokers and what strategies work within the industry. Contact us now and we will map out a practical strategy that will increase your policy sales while staying in line with all FCA requirements.

Call us on 02071172953 or email us info@thebrokerlink.com