Personal Branding in the Insurance Industry

[Josh Zepess]

I'm curious to know how prevalent personal branding is in the insurance industry. I never considered it while I was in the industry, as I was so sold on wearing my platform's brand - just like everyone else!

 

[Life Hawk]

My brand is me. I'm an indy and I am "Life Hawk." My clients know me as John, or the "insurance guy".

Not complicated.

 

[DHK]

My explanation of services and a DBA/FNS filed with the state for my license. I don't have a professionally designed logo. One day I'll get everything with better graphics, but not today.

 

[LostDollar]

Caveat, not an agent.

Seems to me like every agent that works off referrals has created a personal brand.

 

[Travis Price]

Personal branding is the only thing I do.

I don't have a fancy company name. It's just me. My website address is my name. My logo is my name in cursive font.

When I send mailers, I don't mention any companies. It's about what I can do for them. When I send a thank you letter I send them a branded gift than I get rave reviews about from people.

My name
What I do and where
My phone number

If you do this right, that's all you need.

 

[Real_AMG]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I know of no IMO/FMO’s that have any kind of meaningful brand in the country. Our clients have never heard of Amerilife, integrity, etc. for the most part. You have the brand of the carriers and the brand of the individual agent, which is usually local.

 

[shonceman]

I'm curious to know how prevalent personal branding is in the insurance industry. I never considered it while I was in the industry, as I was so sold on wearing my platform's brand - just like everyone else!

The first two questions in your survey are identical. You’re missing the question: “I use a personal brand, but have not worked with a consultant.” I would’ve picked that one.

 

[marindependent]

I'm curious to know how prevalent personal branding is in the insurance industry.

At the agent level or at the agency level?

 

[LostDollar]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I know of no IMO/FMO’s that have any kind of meaningful brand in the country. Our clients have never heard of Amerilife, integrity, etc. for the most part. You have the brand of the carriers and the brand of the individual agent, which is usually local.

Caveat, not an agent. And my comment relates to senior market only.

But.... Where, or to whom, should the senior market FMO branding be significant? If FMO's make their living on overrides from insurance agents, it seems to me the place their branding should be meaningful would be among insurance agents. I see some of the FMO's working very diligently at branding efforts in that potential customer group.

For starters I see one FMO taking a pass at the informational video route on this site to engage agent's attention.

I think Integrity acquisitions may be forcing some FMO's to compete more strongly with others. I think Integrity acquiring a lot of FMO's and then giving them the same sales tools to provide their agents is forcing the Integrity FMO's to work on more creative and agent focused support ideas to differentiate themselves. I can think of two or three FMO's in particular where I can see that being played out in a combination of email newsletters from the FMO and activities on the site.

 

[LostDollar]

At the agent level or at the agency level?

Caveat, not an agent.

For a small agency with limited staff and only one or two licensed agents does it really make a difference?

Thinking of an agent I've bought life insurance from; he is an agent with an agency. His envelope labels have a (very) nice little agency logo and nameline, but it is his personality, interest in his customers and his efforts on their behalf that brand his agency. The agency identifications would not do squat if he was not behind them.

I think of a senior market agent in california who posts here. His posts indicate he has an agency with at least three agents and several support staff, but I would suspect that in his smaller town environment it's him and his brother that are the branding (even when people call in or come by knowing they may be more likely to speak to one of the CSR's than one of the brothers) and no amount of effort or dollars would significantly change that.

I don't know, but in a larger city maybe one could make a case that an agency name with a letter beginning early in the alphabet would be more important than branding because it would put you towards the top of yellow page listings. (Or maybe that is no longer a relevant concern.)