Professionals within the Insurance sector are realising that having a strong personal brand can help in more ways than one. Here's how to build yours.
Working in the insurance sector, the importance of a strong personal brand cannot be underestimated. As one of the UK’s most productive industries, adding more than £40bn a year to the economy and drawing in business from all around the world, the competition to secure the best business is fierce.
However, individuals within the insurance sector are finally starting to realise just how important having a strong online and offline presence is if you want to make a name for yourself. A recent survey revealed that 77% of people would only speak to a sales representative once they’ve done independent research on them, whilst 53% of people have eliminated a company entirely from their final decision, based on information they have (or haven’t) found online. Indeed, taking the time to build up your personal brand can help you sell yourself before you even come face-to-face with a new customer.
In an industry where building strong customer relationships is key to attracting and retaining business, having that edge is vital. Here’s how to get ahead and develop a personal brand that really stands out.
Stay relevant
If you want to remain uppermost in peoples’ minds, then it’s crucial that you stay relevant within the industry. What we mean by this is: don’t get left out of the conversation. Do your research and take the time to share thought pieces on new developments within the marketplace - and even write articles yourself, on themes that you think are of importance to the industry. By keeping an eye on the pulse of the market, you can help strengthen your reputation as someone who always stays on top of the latest developments.
Invest in your networks
Nothing is more important to an insurer or broker than the strength of their contact list, so take the time to maintain the relationships that you’ve built over your career and actively seek out and build new ones. By going to networking events and connecting with colleagues, customers and associates using your online profile, you’ll be able to build a database of useful contacts.
Don’t hold back when it comes to commenting and liking their posts either: be engaged, be engaging, talk to others and take the time to do favours, or to connect mutual acquaintances. They’ll appreciate it, and you’ll grow your reputation as an influential, helpful person to know.
Start writing
Show off the depth of the knowledge that you’ve accumulated over your years in the industry as well as the attention to detail required to negotiate complex insurance policies during the day by putting pen to paper. It’s a great way to get your voice heard and build a reputation that’s completely separate to your day job.
Start by writing articles for your insurance organisation’s website blog, then build up your repertoire from there. Set up your own blog, or write and publish articles on LinkedIn which you can then share. People will see you as a thought leader, delivering insightful comments on the industry to customers and colleagues alike, and you will likely establish many new relationships from it as a result.
Make an appearance
In a recent interview with Insurance Business, Sarah Pang, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at CNA, said that ‘you become known by your actions, it’s not just what you have on LinkedIn, it’s what your actions are’.
If you want to boost your brand, there’s no better way to do it than by making the effort to attend industry networking events, client gatherings and charity events. It’s a fantastic way to build contacts, find out who your rivals are and create business connections. At the same time, it’s also a great opportunity to boost your profile, particularly if you manage to get involved in the organisation and delivery of these events. The Chartered Insurance Institute also holds many local events that you can get involved in, from GDPR to Investment Conferences, mixing with professionals from different circles to yours. In an industry where building strong relationships is key to a successful career, making the effort to attend events in person can go a long way to establishing your brand among your peers.
Within the workplace, you can take this further by volunteering for in-house leadership groups, teams or other social activities. Not only will this help you polish your CV, but it will bring you to the attention of leadership and the rest of the company.
Polish your LinkedIn profile
Your LinkedIn profile is the gateway through which many new customers will find out who you are, and will form their first impressions of you. Bear this in mind and take the time to polish and update your profiles. Include your job history, experience and an up-to-date photograph and take care not mix your personal and private lives by posting anything that might influence their opinion of you.
In business, image is everything, so make sure you know how to influence yours.
Take control of your personal branding with IDEX Consulting
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