Engagement is a tricky term. It is halfway to a promise, but a long way from commitment. Agent-customer relationships also work in a similar fashion. Customer engagement is the depth of the relationship a customer has with a brand. Although engagement is a good sign that leads to a prospective customer, how we navigate from the first interaction until the customer commits plays a key role. Some strategies on how we can achieve customer engagement are discussed here and we are confident these strategies will work for all Insurance agents.
- Embrace Technology
If you haven’t already, embrace the power of technology. With today’s technology-savvy customers, there is a greater focus not only on what is being delivered but also on how it is being delivered. A basic website was considered a great way to provide information about your product at one time. But now, there needs to be an App, a Facebook page, a Twitter feed and a lot of other media forms. Providing multiple methods of connecting with your business assures your customers that you are open to communicating with them.
- Add a Human Touch to Your Interactions
Every customer wants to feel you understand their needs. As much as possible, make your interactions look and feel personal. This can be achieved through a personal salutation in a phone call or an email. Engage in speaking opportunities and establish your brand’s voice with a trusted face. A customer that feels the connection is sure to come back even if just to confirm their belief and this provides an opportunity for you to establish that trust.
- Utilize Social Media
We have all long acknowledged that social media is a part of our everyday lives. All savvy marketers should seize this opportunity to engage the audience and build a community around their product. However, it is important to post relevant content and updates that will keep your customers interested and coming back. Outboundengine.com has great tips on Facebook Post Ideas for Insurance Agents.
- Welcome Customer Feedback
Although it is tempting to ignore negative feedback, dissatisfied customers provide a means for process improvement and can become a company’s most loyal and vocal advocates. Pay attention to the naysayers and disgruntled customers because they are actually helping you improve your business or product. Take note of the reviews they provide and make it a mission to acknowledge and respond positively to their feedback. They may change their opinion based on how you respond to their feedback and may also become your loyal customers. In fact, build a program internally to encourage your customer to share their feedback.
- Anticipate Customer Needs and act on them
Timing is an essential component when delivering services. If you are using social media to monitor and anticipate a client’s changed status, deliver the appropriate ad or content based on the information you gathered. By anticipating customers’ needs, develop new tools and processes that will set you apart from your competitors. It is important for businesses to recognize the growing power of the customer, and to rethink strategies to meet and exceed their expectations
- Provide Interactive Videos
Like timing, providing engaging content through videos enriches customer experience and builds a relationship with the product. Interactive videos are the most engaging media type compared to text and static images. Allowing users to be able to play, pause, rewind or skip provides the freedom and control over what they are watching. With technology, customers are also able to express how they feel about a particular clip or part of a video, which serves as a good feedback.
- Involve Your Power Users
Involving power users early in the game provides a helpful boost to any product. Highly engaged users provide a good platform for the product through their shares, tweets, quotes, and feedbacks. Another way to use these power users is by asking them to perform user testing. By involving them early, you will be able to incorporate the feedback that has been provided repeatedly.
It is a well-established fact that customer engagement is vital for businesses to thrive. How to achieve this engagement is the important question every agent need answered. Well-orchestrated relationships translate to revenue. Share with us any strategies that have worked for you to propel your business forward.
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