The Social Proof Theory, popularized by psychologist Robert Cialdini, maintains that a person who does not know what the proper behavior for a certain situation is, will look to other people to imitate what they are doing and to provide guidance for his actions.
People like to do what other people are doing! They like to purchase proven products, hire experts, and make as few decisions as possible. Therefore testimonials and reviews allow us to gather up all the proof in one place and use it in our marketing.
In “old-school” marketing, testimonials were mostly used in direct mail pieces. You’d put a testimonial on a postcard or in a flyer. This is still a great idea, but there are MANY more ways you can make them work for you in the age of technology and social media.
One of the most important are your online review channels. Online reviews are now the ultimate way to capture testimonials. Your agency’s Google reviews, Facebook reviews, and even Yelp and Yellow Pages all lead people to deciding whether or not they should call you.
If they see negative reviews, they’ll choose someone else. If they see no reviews, they’ll be un-impressed. But if they see strong reviews? You automatically move to the top of the list.
And let’s face it. Online reviews aren’t always fair to insurance agents! People complain about rates. They may love you, but hate that their rate went up. And your options here are limited.
That’s why it is SO important to be actively increasing your testimonials and online reviews on a daily basis.
What’s the easiest way to do this? ASK! People love helping out after a great experience, but they have to be reminded. (Our service, Agency Feedback makes this automated and easy. You can gather tons of 5 star reviews in a short period of time. Learn more here.)
How Do Reviews and Testimonials Help Your Insurance Agency?
- Higher organic Google rankings
- More inbound phone calls
- Higher trust and credibility with cold prospects
- Faster conversions
What Do You DO With Them Once You Get Them?
Obviously reviews posted on your Google and Facebook page are working just by being there. But what can you do for a little extra mileage?
Share On Social – Each time you receive a new 4 or 5 star review, share it on your agency Facebook page! People will see this social proof and build trust with your agency faster. (Agency Feedback does this automatically.)
Make Graphics – Take a nice testimonial and create a graphic with it! Use a site like Canva to create a free social media graphic. Type in the text and use on all your social media sites.
Take Photos & Share – Have a happy client in the office? Ask if you can take a picture and share online. Get a chalkboard or whiteboard that they can pose with that shows how much they saved!
Include In Flyers – Copy testimonials and put them on the flyers you send out. For more credibility, take a screenshot of a review on Google or Facebook, since these look more legitimate.
Include In Quotes – Same thing as above. Include a sheet of testimonials and reviews with each new quote you mail out.
Stream On Website – If you have your own website, put ALL of your 4 and 5 star reviews and written testimonials on it! The more the better! (Agency Feedback offers a custom widget that will allow you to stream your reviews automatically too!)
In the world today, people don’t always know who to trust. By building an agency culture based on great service and reviews, you’ll quickly stand out in your area. But you have to be consistent with it! One review every 6 months won’t make a difference. Create a plan to ask for reviews from every new client and consider using an inexpensive tool like Agency Feedback to make it even easier! Learn how we can help!
