Every broker should have a digital presence. It’s the way the world is going. Consumers are doing everything online, including their insurance shopping.
Creating an online presence doesn’t need to break the bank. Insurance broker Frédérik Tessier has demonstrated that by bringing his social media and marketing skills to the small-town office of MLS Insurance Brokers, based in the community of St. Isidore.
Tessier is responsible for increasing the brokerage’s visibility on social media and developing and implementing marketing strategies, including launching the myMLS online portal/mobile app and creating an e-transfer payment option for customers – all without throwing money away.
“Social media is a tool every brokerage can make the most of,” said Terrier. “It can cost a lot of money to promote your brand and increase your brokerage’s visibility through mainstream media. A big marketing budget is something not all brokerages have. If your budget is low, social media is a fantastic alternative because it’s very inexpensive. You can start a Facebook page for zero dollars and start building your brokerage’s presence in the digital community.”
MLS Insurance Brokers has three small-town locations in Ontario: Alexandria, Casselman and St-Isidore. This local dynamic has resulted in the brokerage gaining greater traction on Facebook than rival social media tools, Twitter and LinkedIn.
“When we started our Facebook campaign, we saw competitors using the site to post sponsored adverts, trying to drum up new leads with discounts and multi-line deals. We didn’t want to use Facebook like that. We wanted to use it to help us become a pillar in the local community and to become a friendly and trusted source for our clients,” Tessier told Insurance Business.
“At first, we thought Facebook would be a great tool to attract new leads, but we’re finding that many of the people that engage with us via social media are already insured with us,” he added. “Therefore, we’ve changed our focus slightly to become more of a trusted source, offering ‘How-to guides’ and brokerage updates. It’s about creating that special connection with clients.”
Focusing on friendly communication rather than constantly trying to sell a product has been valuable for MLS Insurance Brokers, according to Tessier. Posting more engaging content encourages more consumer interaction and therefore enables MLS brokers to “get a finger on the pulse of the clients.”
“We get to know our clients in a different way,” Tessier added. “I would really encourage all brokers to consider using social media as a tool to promote their brand and their brokerage.”
