Menu

Community visibility

Professional Insurance Agents Western Alliance

Your agency has influence

With so many choices in the insurance marketplace, a positive reputation is critical to any independent agency’s success. Giving back locally speaks volumes because, like you, your policyholders care about the communities in which they live and work. And they want to know how you’re contributing to the greater good.

But it’s important to be sincere about your efforts. Don’t show up to a single volunteer event, post a few pictures to social media and expect the referrals to roll in. When you put in the work to understand an issue and consistently gather volunteers and donations, combining action with outreach becomes much more authentic.

Claudia McClain talks about how small businesses can inspire each other, and the community, to get more involved.
Despite often doing the most in their communities, independent agencies don't tell anyone. Shifting from a mindset of "bragging" to "storytelling" makes it easier to share and invite people to join your cause.

Capturing and creating content

Sometimes it’s not good enough to tell people; you must show them. But you don’t have to be a professional photographer or video editing master to make good content that elevates the cause while expressing your agency’s personality.

More tips

  • Designate someone to be the photographer This ensures you get the photos you need. They don’t need a professional-level camera — virtually any smartphone will do. Just be sure they take a variety of candid and posed shots in both landscape and vertical orientations, so you have plenty of different options to use.
  • Create a photo op For projects that don’t have a hands-on activity, work with a local print shop to create an oversized check to present to the nonprofit. It makes for a great photo to go with your story.
  • Get participation waivers and image releases Prior to using images on social media or in other materials, make sure you have consent from the people in the images. When kids are shown, you’ll need to get their parent’s approval.

Where do you share?

Where you share your charitable content depends on the channels your agency uses. Those might include email, direct mail, social media or paid media, and each requires a different approach. Here are some tips for spreading the word.

Advice from agents

You don’t need to create new marketing channels or spend thousands – using existing channels is the most effective way to get started.

Meghan Pembroke describes some easy ways to get started promoting a cause and how to leverage what you already have.
Danielle Shearer talks about some easy ways to get started communicating about your agency giving, and why it's important.

An important part of sharing your efforts is inviting others to join the cause. This expands the circle and allows even more great things to happen. And who better to share it with than your current clients?

Once they see your enthusiasm and the results of the good work you’re doing, many will likely want to join in, so give them the chance to be part of the team too.

< PREVIOUS: Get started
NEXT: Include your clients >