Learn the 5 most common reasons insurance salespeople pull their hair out over social media marketing and sales.
In the days before computers, cell phones, and constant connectedness, insurance salespeople went door-to-door, pitching policies and hoping someone would buy their product. A lot has changed since then, including our ideas around lead generation.
Salespeople of all types, including insurance salespeople, are working every angle possible to generate new leads – in person and virtually. That’s a smart move, too. According to Statista, social media reaches at least 69% of the North American market. That’s more than 227 million social media users!
With numbers like this, it’s not hard to understand why sales professionals take to social media channels to promote sales and brand awareness. Unfortunately, the constant input we get from social media can contribute to burnout at times. Whether you’re on the fence about trying social media sales or you’re in it, knowing what trips people up can be helpful.
5 Reasons insurance salespeople struggle with social media (and what to do about it)
1. Social media can make it hard to focus on the real goal
Social media outreach is one of many tested prospecting techniques. Savvy agents can engage customers and fill their sales funnel. Nonetheless, shifting goals are a common stumbling point for the average insurance salesperson.
Likes, clicks, and comments are all great and prove that your audience is engaging with you. But engagement does not necessarily equate to a sale, and the role of an insurance salesperson is to sell. However, it’s easy to lose sight of that goal when you prioritize social media engagement.
Is the goal to sell or get the most likes or shares?
2. Social media metrics are not the same as insurance sales metrics
Along with goals shifting from sales to likes, that engagement can also skew our numbers. Sure, high engagement numbers on social media are great. It means your content is interesting or click-worthy in some way.
But you still need to look at metrics like how much time and energy goes into social media to achieve each sale. There is something to be said for thinking long-term and recognizing that social media can help build relationships. Still, don’t mistake engagement for sales.
3. It’s challenging to continually create engaging content
There’s a reason many companies outsource social media management. It can be time-consuming and difficult, especially if the expected result is quality content and presence.
Creating content that captivates and drives a call-to-action click isn’t easy. As an insurance salesperson, you may be able to create a blog post or two and a compelling video about auto insurance.
However, there comes a point of diminishing returns where people stop showing interest. Doubling up your efforts may seem like an obvious solution — except you have other responsibilities. Other responsibilities bring us to the next pain point plaguing insurance salespeople.
4. Social media isn’t just one platform
An estimated 200 million businesses use Facebook, but that’s not the only social media platform out there. And each one has its own audience and style. Along with those businesses, Semrush points out that Facebook has more than 2.7 billion monthly active users. TikTok, which is well known for short videos, has 732 million active daily users. You’ll find 538 million people on Snapchat, 396 million people on Twitter, and 250 million on LinkedIn.
Managing one social media account is already tricky. Managing two, three, or more might not be sustainable, at least for one insurance salesperson. Diversifying your time and capital only makes sense if you’ve got another person managing another account or two.
5. Social media is ever-changing
Social media marketing is both a science and art — either way, it’s a lot to keep up with. The demands and behavior of online users are constantly changing. As a result, social media marketing is almost like trying to hit a moving target, especially with a product like insurance.
Few scripts or cold messenger calls can guarantee leads and sales. So it’s no wonder social media marketing grazes the line between rewarding and frustrating.
Social media marketing isn’t for everybody. Should you throw in the towel? The answer is a resounding no. It’s worth finding a channel you like and sticking to it. But you can’t rely on social media alone to bring in new business.
This is why there are other ways to generate leads and prospects that can fill your funnel. We at HBW Leads can help you create a network of leads and prospects that can open up more sales for you.
Get in touch with us now for quality leads you can get in one place.