Learning from the Best: 3 Small Business Marketing Strategies Learned from Insurance All-Stars

Progressive, Geico, All State, and State Farm-they’re names that even my 6-year-old nephew can recognize. In fact, everyone who has access to a television set or a radio has seen or heard at least one of the many advertisements that flood the media. But while you may not have the same funds to get prime time TV spots like these national insurance companies do, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use some of their simple techniques to ensure that your small business sees the same amount of success.

That said, to evaluate the common threads that all these insurance businesses share and to learn how you can apply them to your own marketing campaign(s), continue reading below.

Get a Mascot, Spokesperson

One of the easiest ways to strengthen branding is to get a spokesperson or create a “mascot” that can help consumers identify your business. While the more popular choice is to personify an animated object or animal like “Martin”-the British green gecko from Geico-you can also make your mascot a live-action person.

Just take a look at the success of Progressive’s quirky sales associate mascot “Flo”-although she’s a fictional character, she’s managed to acquire more than 4 million fans on her Facebook fan page. Consumers like Flo and are more willing to see promotions for car and business insurance on their timeline if it comes from straight from her (as opposed to coming “directly” from Progressive). Thus establishing a mascot can most likely help you when it comes to social media marketing as well.

Incorporate Humor

There’s one thing that all of the major insurance brands have in common and that’s humor. While Geico traditionally started the funny train with its iconic commercials that center around the gecko and guest starting mascots such as the cavemen series, Maxwell the Pig, and a stack of money, other insurance companies have now attempted to add a comedic edge to their commercials as well. Even All State, which prides itself for attracting more of a “mature” audience with its leading spokesperson Dennis Haysbert, has recently jumped on the funny bandwagon as well.

Humor can go a long way, but just make sure you’re business has a strong tagline otherwise the humor can distract audience from the message you’re trying to get across, which leads us to our last and final tip-

Have a Strong Slogan

Aflac has the top two points down solid-ads are funny and everyone recognizes the quaking duck. But there’s one major problem: sometimes it can be hard to grasp what the business is selling, which is extended, supplemental medical insurance. And that’s why Aflac didn’t make our list. But there is something that you can learn from Aflac’s mistake and that’s the importance of having a strong slogan.

Geico, with its “15 minutes can save you 15% or more on car insurance” and the recently released “Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is there” are prime examples of what you should be doing with your slogan. They’re punchy, memorable, and give your audience a good idea of what products or services you sell.

About the Author: Carol Wilson prides herself in knowing the latest info on the top business insurance companies to share with her readers. She also enjoys writing about other business-related topics such as entrepreneurship, small businesses, and social media marketing. She encourages your feedback at wilson.carol24@gmail.com