Thinking about joining the Twitt-o-verse but aren’t sure how to get started?  Most business owners understand the concept of using Twitter for personal reasons, but when it comes to their business, they’re at a total loss.  However, there are a number of ways in which those who own and run an insurance agency can use Twitter to their advantage.

Remember that everyone needs insurance at one point or another.  No matter what kind of insurance you’re offering, there’s a good chance that most people on Twitter will need that insurance you offer at some point during their life.  This is why it’s all the more important that insurance agencies build and maintain a Twitter account.  If you’re just getting started on Twitter and aren’t sure how you can use it to your advantage, then here are some ideas to get you started:

Advertise your Site

The most obvious of them all: use Twitter to advertise your website!  If you don’t have a website yet, read our free Ebook on Website Redesign 101 and start putting a plan together for one now.  The best way to use Twitter is to use it as a stepping stone for people to get to your business.  You want to create posts on Twitter that will intrigue followers or people you’re responding to, and draw them back to your site or blog.

Twitter only offers up 140 characters of space, so make sure that when you post a tweet that it is engaging and captures the interest of followers or people you’re responding to.  For instance, think in terms of seasonal tweets.  An example of this would be for you to post tweets about your Top Ten Travel Tips and provide a link back to your blog or site for travel insurance during the summer. This is when most people will be going on vacation, so you have the best chance of engaging an audience for this type of insurance as a result.

What are Peoples’ Concerns?

Twitter offers you the unique ability to eavesdrop on conversations.  What you can do is search for certain keywords that are related to your niche or industry, and then look up conversations that surround those keywords.  If someone is on Twitter and asking a question about life insurance and you know the answer, get on that!  Offer a short response and then link them to an article or blog entry that’s on your site.  If someone has no idea what pet insurance is or what it does, answer the question by again providing a link back to your site that has the answer they seek.  Without trying to go for a sale, provide them with your contact details as well so that they can ask you further questions if need be.

Get the Scoop on your Competition

The insurance industry is a fairly competitive one, which, if you’re already in the “biz”, you know full well.  You may be surprised by just how much of your competition is already on Twitter and making connections.

You can use this to your advantage.

When you find a competitor on Twitter, “follow” them.  See what they post about.  See who they follow, and who follows them.  See what people post in response to their posts.  This will present you with the ideal opportunity to offer your help to anyone who’s seeking help before your competition is able to.

You can also start to “follow” whoever is following your competition as well to keep tabs on their conversations.  If anything insurance-related comes up, try to beat out your competition by answering their query first.  Many customers are not brand loyalists, especially when it comes to insurance, so whoever is the most helpful or who answers the fastest is often the most likely to “win” the customer, regardless of which insurance agency they’re following on Twitter or not.

Talk to Followers about Their Interests

The point of social media is to be a bit more “human” on the World Wide Web.  When you open up your company’s Twitter account, resist the temptation for your Twitter account to be strictly all about you.  Offer up helpful and appropriate tips and suggestions on a wide range of things when followers mention them.  Ask your followers how they’re doing and what their plans for the day, week, month or year are.  Connect with them on a human level rather than a business-only level and you’re sure to win them over.

Key Takeaways:

Twitter is a great way to not only help and connect with current and potential customers, but it’s a great way to check out your competition.  Be helpful, be personable, and don’t forget to try and lead people back to your site.

Need Help?

If you’re an insurance agency looking to generate more leads from social media, contact us today to schedule your free marketing analysis.