Email marketing continues to be the most effective channel to reach people, even with the growth of social channels. But that doesn’t mean being successful with email marketing is easy. There are two key strategies all businesses – including Insurance Providers- need to implement in order to be successful: building and scaling an email opt-in list and developing and executing relevant and value driven email communications. 

The Value of an Opted-In Email List

An opted-in email list is where your customers and prospects subscribe to the type of content they want to receive from you, including newsletters, critical bulletins, product alerts or general sales information. The value of this opt-in is that it’s a clear indication of interest in your brand.  By providing you with permission to email them, your customers and prospects have also indicated they are expecting something to land in their inbox. This will reduce the risk of your emails being identified as SPAM or blacklisted and serves to protect your brand reputation. Providing the option to select the type content also enables you to share content that is relevant and of interest to your different audiences, driving greater engagement and content consumption.  

Strategies for Building and Growing an Opt-in Database

Email remains the most reliable way of connecting with prospects and customers and supporting your sales process. Your email list is a prerequisite for business growth. Let’s take a look at some strategies for building one.

Get Email Addresses the Old-fashioned Way

One way to get contact information is at events: conferences, seminars, workshops, and more. For insurance providers, there are multitudes of industry networking options where emails can be obtained. 

CSR and support team members are also a great resource. Create a script for them to be used when they are on the phone with customers, to check if the email address is on record and opt them in to receiving content. 

Make Signup Easy

Think of where your customers visit you, both digitally and offline such as your website and social media. Provide options to sign up for your newsletter or marketing emails. Ask for only the required information: their email address and perhaps first name or company name. Communicating the value of this content will help increase interest and your success at capturing opt-ed in emails.

Engaging and Driving Value Through Email

Even if your customers have opted-in for your email, that’s not a guarantee that they will engage with it. Content – including your subject line, images, personalization and valuable information and insight –  is what captures the attention of readers. Tailor content to your audience, whether you are welcoming a new broker or advising about new Cyber risks. It helps to reduce unsubscribe rates, increase content consumption and drive incremental value.  

Some actionable tips for capturing the attention of customers and prospects include:

  • Let recipients know what to expect and when they will receive emails
  • Share different types of content including blogs, alerts, white papers, webinars and podcasts
  • Stick to a cadence so your content is expected
  • Use Incentives to attract potential subscribers to opt in
  • Personalize messages and make them relevant to the individual
  • Optimize email content for mobile viewing
  • Use short and straightforward forms for opt-in information or customer satisfaction surveys
  • Personalize email signatures

Conclusion

Email will continue to be a great tool for business growth. A well targeted opt in list is essential for Insurance providers to take advantage of this engagement tool. Investing in strategies that ensure your list is continually growing and which enable you to deliver relevant content are essential for ensuring success and driving growth. 

Get started with your email marketing automation today, contact us to learn more about email marketing, opt-in lists and automating insurance marketing.