Pierre Bourdeau—Director P&C Insurance Marketing
In our last Marketing Minute, we discussed the importance of creating brand awareness for your brokerage and how a campaign can help your business progress toward the acquisition stage of gaining new customers.
This edition explores the steps involved in creating a successful brand awareness campaign.
The Who
The first step of any campaign is determining your target audience. Look at your existing customer base—people who already know and identify with your brand. Determine what they have in common and consider this segment the target in your campaign.
Conduct market research to learn more about your targeted audience—where they shop, what’s important to them, and what their insurance needs are. There are several online resources available to help you with this step.
The What
One of the most important aspects of your campaign is your messaging. It should be clear, concise, and to the point. There are better places to talk about the products you sell and the savings you can offer, or to ask people to get a quote or book an appointment. Instead, an awareness message should introduce your brokerage and make them believe in who you are. It should show that you can provide what they need, so they’ll remember you when the time comes to review their insurance needs.
The Where
Look back at your market research to see where your ideal customers shop and for insights into their lifestyles. Are your targeted customers sports fans? Consider sponsoring a local team or advertising in your local newspaper’s sports section. Glued to social media? Try creating paid ads to appear on their favourite platforms—remember that Instagram and Tik Tok reach a younger demographic than Facebook. DIYers? Reach out to a local hardware store to explore a partnership. Depending on the demographic you want to target, there are many opportunities to showcase your brand—think creatively!
The When
People shop for insurance throughout the year, so your brand needs to be top of mind when the moment comes for your target customer to seek advice. It’s likely not feasible to have your brand campaign running year-round, so how do you ensure you’re in front of your ideal audience at that opportune moment?
Depending on your target market and what products you want to focus on, seasonal peaks and valleys occur during the year. If you’re targeting snowbirds, there’s no point in running your campaign during the winter when they’re down south. Instead, put your campaign front and centre when they return in April or May. If you’re selling travel insurance, consider targeting those seeking the sun in October or November.
The How
Your brand campaign can be relatively inexpensive as long as your message remains consistent and offers the right impression of your brand. For example, your campaign could involve the following:
- A referral program. Contact your existing customers and ask them to refer a friend or family member in exchange for a small token.
- A social media contest. Set up a game on a social platform to test insurance knowledge, offering a reward for a perfect score. Present the prize with a postcard showing your website, phone number, and a call to action to contact your brokerage for a free quote and insurance policy review.
- Sponsor a local event that aligns with your brand. Choose to support a sports team, charity, or community event. Ensure your team members attend to meet and greet existing and potential customers. If you sponsor a draw for the event, include some literature about your brokerage and services with the prize.
Gifts and prizes don’t need to be high in value – just meaningful. The trick here is that even though the winner or participants may not need insurance today, they’ll remember the experience you gave them when looking for advice.
No matter what you do to spread awareness of your brand or where or when you run your campaign, always stay authentic to your values and proposition. This, after all, is what people will remember you for.