State Auto Digital Agent

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of SA Today . TCI Insurance is an example of an agency doing the right things to build an online presence that is simply an extension of who they are as a team. TCI’s approach is to focus on quality— of the content, people, and interactions— rather than checking social media off a list. Founded in 1985, TCI Insurance is headquartered in West Fargo, N.D., with two branch locations and nearly 20 staff members. The agency has been working for over a year to activate an online presence, including an email newsletter, blog, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We talked with Steve Huber , vice president and sales manager, and Stephanie Blair , marketing/sales, to learn how they’re making social media work for TCI. Blair came to the agency with a P&C and financial advisor background. Her interest in social media led to the opportunity to make that part of her role at the agency. Today, managing the agency’s online presence is ...

We now see regular examples of people turning to social media during times of disaster and other emergencies. Why is social media being used in this way, and what does this mean for the insurance industry? The Red Cross surveyed people who said they used social media in an emergency situation. Here’s what they found: 76% contacted friends and family who were affected by the disaster 24% let their family and friends know they were okay 37% used information on social media to buy supplies or find shelter 44% asked their friends on social media to contact responders for help 80% Expect emergency response agencies to monitor and respond to social media These responses indicate that people tend to use the easiest, most accessible means possible when they need to communicate with loved ones and take basics steps for survival. When a disaster happens, first responders, and aid organizations need to get important messages to the people impacted, and so do insuranc...

If you feel like you haven’t heard much about YouTube anymore, it may be because the original video-sharing network is so pervasive that it now needs no introduction. YouTube reaches more U.S. adults ages 18-34 than any cable network. The good news is that your agency can take advantage of YouTube in a number of ways, and not all of them require an extensive video budget.  8 Ways to Use YouTube Create a “Company Channel” on YouTube for your agency. Upload your logo to brand as your agency. On this channel, you can: Post videos you create (both professionally created and short video messages you create with your smartphone). Collect lists of videos you think will be valuable to your clients. These are called Playlists, and they can include videos posted to YouTube that you didn’t create but you want your clients to see. You can create a Playlist for a topic, such as Identity Theft or Workplace Safety. Respond to comments people post on your videos, even just to say “than...

The Watkins Insurance Group team has always held a high regard for being involved in the community. The team has embraced the agency’s tagline, “We’re here to help,” both when providing service to insurance customers and in the local areas surrounding their seven branch locations. This service-oriented culture naturally led Watkins to use social media to expand its engagement in the community, beginning with a Facebook page in 2011.  “We use social for promoting our agency’s volunteer efforts, but we also promote other organizations in our community helping people,” according to Hanna Ogle, personal lines manager and director of agency automation. “Even if we’re not involved in it, we’re sharing it to help. We’re living up to our tagline.” An IIABA Best Practices Agency in 2013, the Watkins team is a leading example of putting social media to use in an agency. Their success is partly due to their unique approach that they call “ShareWatkins” - a modern take on a long trad...