Drive conversions during Open Enrollment with these top marketing tips.
For many insurance agencies, Open Enrollment season is a time of frenzy. Managing new leads, taking care of current client requests and renewals, handling internal needs, and trying to stay organized between them all can be difficult and overwhelming.
With the many demands you have on your plate during the Open Enrollment Period (OEP), it can be hard to consistently market your agency, let alone know how to do so effectively. In this infographic, we lay out nine simple, strategic marketing tactics your health and life insurance agency can implement during enrollment season.
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Why Is Marketing Important for Insurance Agencies During Open Enrollment Season?
OEP is a busy, yet critical time for insurance agents. During this time, prospective and current clients are examining their insurance policies and are much more open to considering other options. Some may be in the market for new providers, while others may be looking for additional policies.
Knowing how to market your insurance agency during OEP will help you reach the right people at the right time—enabling you to maximize conversions while saving valuable time, energy, and money.
Smart Marketing Tactics for Insurance Agencies During Open Enrollment Season
Every agency’s marketing plan during Open Enrollment is different. It will likely vary depending on the amount of time and resources you have allocated to your marketing efforts. However, the value of marketing shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s one of the most important ways you can support your business.
1. Look Into Lead Vendors
Purchasing leads can be a worthwhile investment if done wisely. Thoroughly research each lead vendor and make sure your team understands the different lead types the vendor can provide your sales team. Select a vendor that is reputable and reliable, and remember: When it comes to lead purchasing, quality is much more important than quantity.
2. Publish Strategic, SEO-Driven Content
Many consumers search online before making a purchase, especially with something as important as health insurance or employee benefits. You want to make sure your agency shows up in their search results.
Blogs are a smart way to get your business in front of inquiring clients. Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics to shape the strategy behind your blogs. Conduct research to see what people are asking about during Open Enrollment, then write and publish blogs that address those questions or concerns.
For example, you can write about topics like “What to Ask Your Agent During Open Enrollment,” “Things To Consider During Open Enrollment,” or “The Top 10 Most Confusing Things About Open Enrollment, Simplified.” Consistently writing and publishing blogs with relevant, valuable content will build trust in your target audience. Plus, it will also establish your expertise and credibility.
Like your blog, the other pages on your website help drive traffic when people are searching for OEP information. Ensure your entire website is optimized for search engines to get the best results. Incorporate research-backed keywords and phrases (as they pertain to your agency) like “ACA,” “Obamacare,” “Open Enrollment health insurance,” “employee benefits,” etc. on your website, when applicable. Doing so will help your agency rank well in search results for these terms and drive more traffic to your site.
3. Optimize Your Website's Lead Form
Lead forms give visitors an easy way to request information about your services. Optimizing your lead forms can increase the likelihood that prospects will fill them out—which is especially important during OEP when consumers are shopping around.
Here are a few best practices:
- Include no more than 4 - 5 fields. Prioritize information like their name, phone number, email address, and what they’re looking for.
- Place the lead form near the top of your webpage, “above the fold,” so that visitors can find it easily.
- Consider which fields could be optional. This can be especially useful if there is more information you’d like to know about a lead outside of your 4 - 5 essential fields.
- Make your form responsive. No matter which device your visitor is on (desktop, tablet, phone), you want to ensure they can easily and quickly fill out your form.
4. Check Your Agency’s Google Business Profile Listing
When someone searches for your insurance agency on Google, what do they see? Do they see a Google Business Profile (GBP) listing on the right side of their search results (pictured below)?
The Brokerage, Inc.
If not, your agency probably hasn’t been set up or claimed as a business on Google. This platform is an effective way to enhance your clients’ experience and improve visibility in search results. Setting up your GBP page enables searchers to contact you easily and gives them the confidence to know that your agency is a real establishment.
Also, searchers can view client reviews on GBP which are a powerful tool for driving sales considering that 89% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase. Use GBP to post business updates, special offers, promotional posts, manage your brand’s reputation, reply to client reviews, and more to keep your clients updated with important information.
5. Identify Cross-Sell Opportunities
Cross-selling to existing clients is a smart way to drive more sales and boost customer retention and satisfaction. It’s best practice to always check for cross-sell opportunities with new clients after a few months or at their next renewal meeting.
Run a cross-selling report in your agency management system (AMS). Once you’ve identified cross-selling opportunities, reach out to your clients through your email marketing efforts. Make sure the message is personalized, mentions the additional policy’s benefits and value, and lets them know that your sales team is available if they have questions or concerns.
6. Review Your Agency’s Technology
Ensure your team has the tools they need to sell policies and service clients efficiently. Do you have an AMS in place? Is your AMS easy to use? Is it mobile-friendly so that agents can access their book of business anytime, anywhere?
The right technology can make it easy for your agency to deliver excellent service to your current and prospective clients. The better your service, the more likely clients will become a Promoter and refer your agency to others.
7. Stay Top-of-Mind With Automated Email Campaigns
Automated email campaigns enable your agency to stay top-of-mind with both new and prospective clients. Tailor your communication according to where each individual is in the sales process. Streamline your team’s sales efforts by using an AMS that can filter sales data, generate reports, and build email marketing campaigns within it.
For example, create segmented campaigns for different purposes and audiences, such as:
- Lead follow-up
- Product promotions
- Industry insights
- Upcoming carrier changes
- Policy expiration notifications
- & more!
8. Ask Existing Clients for Referrals
Referrals are a powerful way to get new business, but it’s important to know who to ask. Find potential clients who would refer you by using the Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey. Ask the clients who score a 9 - 10 on the NPS scale if they have any friends, family, or colleagues that are searching for insurance or benefits. Then, contact those new leads and start the sales process.
The NPS can also identify which clients are dissatisfied so that your client services team can take action.
9. Promote Your Agency on Social Media
With 3.6 billion social media users globally, social media is a key opportunity to reach new and existing clients during the OEP. Post valuable information like:
- Tips to help clients navigate Open Enrollment
- Any promotions your agency is running
- Helpful industry insights and blogs you've written to establish your expertise
Additionally, use social platforms to respond to clients and encourage them to engage with your content. Staying active on social media is a great way to promote your business and build lasting client relationships.
How AgencyBloc Can Support Your Marketing Efforts & Much More
With the right technology on your side, the Open Enrollment season is much less overwhelming.
An industry-specific agency management system (AMS), like AgencyBloc, will have everything you need to handle your agency’s needs—from marketing to sales enablement to client and prospect management tools, and beyond.
Use our intuitive lead form builder to successfully capture and organize new prospects. Once a lead submits the form, their information is saved in AgencyBloc and assigned to an agent. Use our workflow automation to streamline internal processes and ensure your agents are aware of everything. For example, set up automated reminders for agents to reach out to their clients or follow up on new leads.
What’s more, our platform enables your teams to easily set up automated email campaigns based on your client data, making it much easier to proactively communicate with clients. For instance, set up emails to send at a specific date before Open Enrollment begins and tailor the message based on the audience. If there are upcoming carrier changes, use AgencyBloc to quickly identify which clients will be affected and make a plan to connect with them.
AgencyBloc, the #1 Agency Recommended Management Platform, can transform your agency during Open Enrollment season and beyond. Our industry-specific solutions designed for health and life insurance agencies just like yours can help with:
- Sales enablement
- Quoting & proposals
- Customer & policy management
- Commissions management
- & more!
Related Resources
This blog was originally published on August 4, 2020, and has been most recently updated and republished on September 5, 2023.
Posted
by Sarah Rosonke
on Tuesday, September 5, 2023
in
Automated Lead Routing & Assignment
- marketing
- open enrollment
About The Author
Sarah is the Design and Content Specialist at AgencyBloc. She creates and designs helpful resources to support life and health insurance agencies in growing and automating their business. Favorite quote: "You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try." —Dol
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