Like banking, medicine, and law, the insurance industry tends to be fairly conservative. There’s nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but with more wholesale insurance brokerages and other insurance companies getting into social media, it can sometimes lead to some off-tone messaging. Trying to maintain a formal, all-business tone doesn’t always work well in social media.
We’re not advocating being unprofessional or inappropriate in your social media messaging—but being able to relax and adopt a more casual tone while still maintaining professionalism can do many companies and organizations—including those in the insurance industry—a world of good. Here are a few reasons to consider it.
Because some social media platforms call for it. If you want to be all business, all the time, LinkedIn is probably your best bet. If your company has a Facebook profile, however, this may not be the best strategy. That’s because Facebook is a much more casual platform—people use it to connect with friends and family, and aren’t necessarily thinking “networking” while they’re using it. If your company web page only posts on business-related topics, it may come off as oddly stilted and formal.
Because your business is built on relationships. Wholesale brokerages thrive when they have strong relationships with agents and markets. Attracting new customers may often be a matter of showcasing your expertise in front of the right people, but showcasing your company’s personality can also do a lot to attract new business. Showing that you have non-work interests in common, a fun working environment, and a sense of humor or appealing corporate personality can set you apart from the majority of competitors in this space.
Because it works. Depending on the platform you’re on, fun, relaxed posts—pictures of your employees enjoying themselves at a company picnic, for example, or having fun on the job—are more shareable and clickable than more business-related content.
If your company is using social media, adopting a single corporate tone may not be the best strategy. If you can be casual, relaxed, and tastefully funny on the more informal social media platforms while maintaining a more professional tone on platforms like LinkedIn, you’ll likely be able to develop content that gets more shares, likes, and attention on those platforms. Companies that can adapt their tone to the platform often have an easier time building an audience on social media sites.
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