Tweet and remain relevant
We are in the middle of the Fourth Industrial Revolution where technology is advancing at such a rapid rate that it is redefining our existence.
According to a report by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC), no business, including insurance, is immune from today’s rapid and relentless shifts in technology and client’s expectations.
In order to remain relevant and present in the lives of current and potential clients, it is vital that brokers actively use social media and keep abreast of technological changes in the industry.
Virtual meeting place
Zimkhitha Saungweme, Digital Executive at PPS, said that it is important for brokers to meet their clients on the social sphere and to accommodate their communication preferences.
“This is extremely important for client satisfaction because brokers who communicate with clients through preferred channels are seen to be more relevant and progressive. Twitter is a phenomenal communication and information tool, which, if used correctly, can add enormous value to every broker’s business,” said Saungweme.
We all know that technology is a great tool to share information, find prospects and build relationships. When used to monitor clients’ life events, it presents great opportunities for brokers to engage with clients in a way that builds lasting and trusting relationships.
Communication convenience
Communication channels should always be based on what is convenient for the client. Brokers who want to attract new clients and retain existing clients must provide convenience when it comes to communicating.
Personalisation is a key aspect that clients are looking for today. Using social media facilitates this and allows the client to interact with the broker on their terms.
Saungweme added that it is also crucial that brokers share content that is relevant to their audience on Twitter, rather than solely using the platform to push products. By providing relevant content and fostering an appropriate connection and engagement with clients, brokers can build up a strong social media presence and following.
Clients looking for a peace of mind want assurance that their broker is knowledgeable in their field. Social media, Twitter in particular, creates an opportunity for brokers to position themselves as thought leaders in their respective fields.
Twitter dangers
There are, however, some dangers that brokers might face when they use Twitter. Some examples would include:
• Making wrong and inappropriate statements. Over the past few years, we have witnessed a number of cases where individuals or companies suffered significant reputational damages due to inappropriate statements on Twitter; and
• Breaching of client’s privacy. This can happen through inappropriate sharing of client’s personal information on Twitter and other social media platforms.
What should I tweet about?
Pieter Teessen, Managing Director, Teessen Consulting added to this by saying that with so many tweets going around, it can be an overwhelming task to decide who to follow.
Start with local news channels and industry publications. Staying on top of the economic climate and legislation changes is a good source of relevant information that you can relay to your followers:
• Be selective, you do not need to tweet blow for blow. Too many tweets can be seen as spamming and will result in your followers to unfollow you;
• Use hashtags to encourage participation and form conversations of likeminded people. Keep these keywords to a minimum, more than two hashtags in your tweets will lose the objective of the conversation;
• Create Twitter lists and group your followers into these lists. This will allow you to tweet to a target audience, keeping information relevant to that group; and
• Include a link to a relevant website or attach a photo or a link to a video to help to enhance your brand.
Is there any value for the broker or adviser in using Twitter? I think Twitter offers a platform of huge opportunity for any business to add value to their product offering and marketing strategy.
