Establishing an “Offline” Connection with Clients

September 8, 2021 | Brand Development, Lead Generation

A lot of things are done online nowadays, especially when it comes to communication. Whether it be video chats or direct messages, it’s becoming a more and more common way of speaking with one another. Online sources for communication are great in instances where it’s necessary. This was best exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic when it was safer to be in touch with each other online rather than in person.

However, when communicating online is simply a preference instead of a necessity, it can take away some of the sentimental value you would have when speaking with someone in person or “offline.”

Establishing offline connections with your clients is extremely important in the insurance industry, especially if clients don’t use the Internet often. Utilizing both online and offline connections will also allow you to reach a wider audience.

Why It’s Important To Continue Connecting Offline

We live in an era in which rapidly advancing technology forces us to adapt to change constantly. But just like you have to adapt to change, you also need to understand that some people don’t want to and won’t do it if they don’t need to. This means you’ll have clients who prefer their communication to be outside the Internet, which is valid. This is your clients’ and leads’ way of keeping things manageable, protecting their safety, and getting to know you on a deeper level.

Not to mention, there can be times when the intent behind your messages can get lost when you communicate online, especially over direct messages or text messages. You want to be on the same page as your client regarding the coverage they want, their payment options, and risk levels. When you sit with your client in person, you can hear the tone in your client’s voice and any facial expressions they may have.

This will allow you to discuss any discomfort or questions your client may have, which they would much rather discuss face-to-face instead of over the phone.

Finally, establishing an offline connection is a quicker way to gain your client’s trust and will serve you better if you communicate online. Your clients will be more likely to speak with you online or over the phone because they already trust you and understand your honest intentions if another pandemic or natural disaster occurs.

How To Connect Offline

It’s easy to think of how you can connect with your clients online, and this is because you’re used to doing so. So, how can you connect with them offline? Let’s go over some of how you can do this:

Host An Event

This is a great way to establish an offline connection with your clients, all while showing appreciation for them. You can host an event at your home, a private venue, or your favorite restaurant — whatever is most conducive to the number of people you invite. Hosting an event is an excellent opportunity to get to know your clients beyond their insurance needs. Or, if they have any questions they still want to address, you have the availability to discuss any of their concerns in person, which will ultimately result in you earning their trust.

BONUS TIP: If many of your clients have families, ensure you invite other household members to events, too. Whether it be their children or extended family members, it shows that you’re interested in getting to know the entire family, which could work well for giving you some more clients in the future. This is because you’re getting to know and establish trust with other people, so they won’t want to consider finding a new agent when it comes time for them to choose one.

Meet Your Clients For Coffee or Lunch

Hosting an event is fun, but it’s not something you can do more than a handful of times per year. It also limits your ability to have in-depth, one-on-one conversations with your clients, and it may not be the best time to talk about insurance policies. Extending an invite to them for either coffee or lunch will allow you to meet in a publicly neutral place to discuss insurance. It also shows that you’re willing to put in the effort to meet with your clients outside of your office, which is something they will appreciate from you.

Send Them Things In The Mail

Many people enjoy little surprises, and receiving things in the mail is no exception. Suppose you can send little things to your clients to brighten their day. What you send in the mail could include handwritten notes, “hope you’re well” cards, flowers, free swag, gift cards, and more. This shows your clients that you are thinking of them, making them feel more special and appreciated, resulting in better business for you.

BONUS TIP: In addition to the notes or flowers you send, include an appointment card that will either remind them of an upcoming and existing appointment or encourage them to set up an appointment with you. You want to let them know you enjoy seeing them, making them more inclined to see you.

Set Up In-Person Appointment Times

If you mainly give online-only options for meetings with your clients, then you’re limiting yourself to the offline connections you can establish. Incorporate more appointments that require your clients to sit down with you if you can. You want to develop a long-lasting connection with your clients, and it’s harder to do that when most of your business relationships happen within the realms of the Internet.

BONUS TIP: Your clients want to know that you remember topics discussed from your last meeting. And, although it’s difficult to remember every conversation you’ve had with every one of your clients, you can still prove to your clients that you retained the information by going the extra mile and keeping notes on hand for everything you talked about.

Attend Conferences

The point of conferences is to allow you to network with clients and other insurance agents while learning about new tools and trends in the insurance industry. These are significant social events for insurance agents who want to increase their brand awareness and for potential clients who wish to keep the conversations light-hearted but still about business topics. Because of that, conferences are also great places to form partnerships and meet new clients with whom you could create a business relationship, which will allow you to re-start the cycle of establishing an offline connection. You’ll want to attend these conferences with an end goal: to hold yourself accountable. These end goals could range from gaining a new client to forming a business relationship with a small network of other insurance agents.

Summary

Understanding why and how to connect with your audience offline is a significant value every agent must remember. You want this connection to occur because you want to establish trust with your clients and work with those who prefer to keep business-related matters offline. You can establish an offline connection with your clients by hosting an event, meeting them for coffee or lunch, sending them things in the mail, setting up in-person appointment times, and attending conferences.

For more tips and tricks on building a relationship with your clients and building upon your brand, visit Lead Concepts’ blogs today. Lead Concepts specializes in lead generation in the insurance industry through direct mail. Additionally, our leads are qualified, competitively priced, and exclusive to you. To get started with us today, visit our website or call us at 214-949-1869 and speak with our lead experts.