Insurance CMOs, These 3 Initiatives Should Be at the Top of Your List to Achieve Growth

In short:

• Insurance CMOs face increasing competition with direct-to-consumer (DTC) carriers.
• Demands for a multichannel experience and changing consumer values present additional hurdles to strategic growth.
• CMOs must prioritize 3 initiatives to meet and surpass expectations: optimize search, harmonize buyer journeys and adapt to customer needs.

The “business as usual” days are long gone in the insurance and financial services industry — insurance agents often find themselves flat-footed against direct-to-consumer (DTC) competition better positioned to connect with a digital-first, self-serve consumer base. 

Gartner research shows that digital marketing leaders in the insurance and financial services sector are focused on driving business growth and, in particular, customer acquisition. Forty-three percent of digital marketing leaders cite “drive increased sales among identified leads” as a top objective, which underscores the importance of growth and the challenge of converting leads into sales. 

Download now: The Top CMO Priorities, Trends and Strategic Actions for 2022

Here are 3 key marketing initiatives to increase the rate at which you’re finding quality leads and converting them into sales: 

No. 1: Optimize search

Search, which people use to learn about insurance, get a quote and find an agent, is a key battleground for insurance carriers. Inform your search tactics with changing consumer behaviors and optimize local search marketing efforts to increase agent lead generation. 

Recommendations: 

• Invest in generic “Get a Quote” ads for nonbranded keywords, and create product and service content to boost your organic search visibility. 
• Focus branded keywords on finding an agent. Build an organic and paid search strategy for insurance agents through localized content and engage customers in rating and reviews.

No. 2: Harmonize buyer journeys 

With customers using a combination of people and technology across their interactions with insurance providers, it’s critical to harmonize buyer journeys within and across marketing to deliver a positive, multichannel experience. Evaluate and streamline insurance agent digital footprints to simplify key purchase journeys. 

Recommendations:

• Revisit your personas and journeys for agents and customers. Streamline the digital footprint for agents, and fix broken handoffs within and across distribution channels.
• Optimize digital purchase pathways. For example, ensure your conversion methods like “Get a Quote” or “Find an Agent” deliver against the expected outcome and are on par with other third-party digital experiences.

No. 3: Adapt to evolving customer mindsets 

Life-stage progression is changing. People aren’t getting married, having kids or buying houses at the same ages they used to — if they are doing these things at all. According to Gartner’s Consumer Brand Engagement and Sentiment Survey, a surprising 21% of consumers simply don’t want life insurance, while another 15% believe alternatives can help them better accomplish the same financial goals. Gen Z and Millennials are also digitally savvy with a utility-oriented mindset toward products and services. A new approach to marketing messaging is necessary to differentiate insurance providers and place your brand top of mind among consumers.

Recommendations:

• Craft messaging that directly acknowledges your demographic’s norms. Emphasize key product attributes like security, simplicity and thrift to sync up with a new generation’s values.
• Meet consumer expectations for more personalized insurance. Offer tailored help and use existing data to rightsize the amount of personalization incorporated into marketing efforts.