Staying on top of your clients is essential for a number of reasons. A customer expects their agent or agency to reach out from time to time with administrative issues updating contact info or reminders of due dates. Another reason to check in, one that customers don't always expect but certainly appreciate, is when an agent reaches out simply to check in. This is a more personal level of contact that begins to create a deeper client/agent relationship.

We've put together a quick list of reasons you can use for reaching out to your clients to help bolster the good work you're already doing with just a little extra on the personal side.

LET YOUR CLIENT KNOW YOU'RE SENDING THEM SOMETHING AND TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT.
Customers appreciate the heads up here. It lets them know that you're sending them something important and you don't want it to be overlooked. This ensures that the issues will be dealt with quickly and it tells the client that you're on top of their business.

WALK CLIENTS THROUGH A CLAIMS PROCESS
If a client files a claim whether it be from home damage or an auto accident, it should be customary to call and see if they're alright. Once that's been established, make sure your client knows exactly what is happening with their claim and what to expect next. This small step goes a long way in comforting your client and letting them feel that they're more than a business contact for you.

LET CLIENTS KNOW WHAT'S NEW
If you're making changes, big or small, in your agency, it's always nice to give clients a heads up. have some new staff joining? Shoot out an email introducing the new agent or new office staff to your clients. Making updates to your office? Let clients know that there will be construction during certain dates so they can plan their visits accordingly. Your clients will appreciate being kept in the know.

MAKE SURE CLIENTS ARE AWARE OF THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH YOUR AGENCY
Does your agency use 24/7 automation services that all of your clients are able to make use of? Do you have certain people on staff to help clients with extraordinary needs? Whatever it is that you boast makes your agency unique and better, make sure your clients are aware of it so that they can take advantage of the perks.

SEND UPDATED LISTS OF AVAILABLE PRODUCTS
You may have closed your client on one type of insurance but that doesn't mean that at some point down the road they won't need you for another type. Be sure that your clients know about everything that you offer in your agency. If they're already doing business with you and they know you have something else available, they're less likely to go to someone else.

These are a few great steps to help you reach out and make contact with new clients. Besides helping your agency stay on top of administrative details, they're also ways to show your clients that you're always available and always looking out for them. Clients who know that they can count on their agents all the time are happy clients.

This is a portion of a post that originally ran on Insurance.com. 

Thanksgiving Day is a time to celebrate with family and friends, a chance to carve out some quality time to eat, drink and be merry.

Unfortunately, it can also be a time of fires, slips and falls, or even food poisoning. If your feast goes foul, knowing what your home insurance covers will help.

Nobody ever expects their Thanksgiving celebration to result in a call to the fire department or a trip to the emergency room, but it does happen. And, unless you are adequately protected by homeowners insurance, Thanksgiving could end up costing much more than the price of a turkey and fixings.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common Thanksgiving and holiday party mishaps and review the role insurance plays in covering a cornucopia of calamities.

WHEN BUTTERBALLS BECOME FIREBALLS
Thanksgiving is always busy for firefighters. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires for which unattended cooking was the leading contributing factor. There are more than three times as many home cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day as on any other day of the year.

The U.S. Fire Administration statistics show an estimated 2,400 residential building fires on Thanksgiving Day every year between 2014 and 2016, the most recent study. These fires resulted in five deaths, 25 injuries and an astounding $19 million in property loss. The data shows that cooking is the leading cause of fires on Thanksgiving, with 76.5% of turkey day fires.

It turns out that cooks are responsible for a majority of home fires in the U.S. year-round. They account for almost half (49%) of all home fires nationwide, as well as 45% of home fire-related injuries. Unattended cooking (don't get distracted by family and friends) is the leading cause of home cooking fires and fire-related deaths.

Turkey fryer firesIf you are forgoing the oven this year and breaking out the turkey fryer, expect the danger to increase. According to the NFPA, deep fryer fires cause five deaths, 60 injuries, destroy 900 homes and cause over $15 million in property damage every year.

Here are a few tips if you are taking the plunge (into hot oil) and frying up a turkey this year:

• Always use a turkey fryer outdoors on a flat surface. Make sure it is away from structures, wooden decks, and covered patios. Never use a fryer in a garage.
• Have a fire extinguisher nearby and ready to use.
• Never leave the fryer unattended. Monitor the temperature of the oil with a thermometer to prevent the oil from overheating and catching fire.
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed to prevent a fire.
• Always keep children and pets away from the fryer to prevent tipping.

OVEN AND RANGE FIRES
While fryers are indeed a significant fire hazard, they are not the only thing causing Thanksgiving blazes. NFPA stats show that throughout the year (not just Thanksgiving specific), ranges accounted for 62% of home cooking fire incidents while ovens accounted for 16%.

Fires can quickly spread out of control, causing both injuries and damage to your home. You should always call in the professionals if you have a fire; over half (55%) of reported non-fatal home cooking fire injuries occurred when the victims tried to fight the fire themselves.

Does home insurance cover Thanksgiving fires?When it comes to homeowners insurance, the dwelling coverage of your homeowners insurance will step up to help cover the cost of repairing (or rebuilding if the fire really gets out of hand) your home.

When buying homeowners insurance, you should get enough dwelling coverage to match your home's full replacement cost. The cost to repair damage to your home or rebuild it completely at equal quality — at current prices – is the replacement cost.

Dwelling coverage not only protects your home, but it also extends to your garage, sheds and any other outbuildings on your property, so if you manage to burn down a detached garage with a turkey fryer, you should be covered.

Another component of your homeowners insurance may also be called into service if someone is injured on your property. Your liability coverage will help pay the medical bills if your turkey fire manages to injure a guest or neighbor. We will get into more about liability coverage soon but suffice it to say that carrying the proper amount of liability coverage is an absolute necessity.

For a very different type of insurance in 2020, Whole Foods is offering their Thanksgiving Turkey Protection Plan this year to help people out if they accidentally burn the turkey. If you purchased your bird from Whole Foods between November 11th and 22nd and have a cooking fail, they'll give you a $35 gift card to replace the turkey if you're within the first 1,000 customers to "file claim".

TOXIC TURKEY: I POISONED MY GUESTS. WHAT NOW?
As a Thanksgiving host, you carry liability risk if a guest is sent to the hospital due to your cooking.
"If a guest at your home contracts food poisoning, you can be held liable," says Christopher Earley with the Law Office of Christopher Earley.

There are no Thanksgiving-specific statistics on food poisoning. Still, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that foodborne diseases make one in six Americans, or nearly 48 million people, ill each year. These illnesses hospitalize more than 128,000 people and kill over 3,000.

According to the CDC, if any of these symptoms present themselves after downing your Thanksgiving meal, you may have food poisoning:

• Upset stomach
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Dehydration

DOES HOME INSURANCE COVER FOOD POISONING?
While most food poisoning cases resolve themselves after a day or two, in some cases, it can turn serious and if it does, your insurance should help out.

"Your homeowners general liability policy should protect you. This coverage will pay for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering associated with food poisoning. If there is a lawsuit filed, your carrier will cover the costs of the litigation and will also provide you with legal representation," says Earley.

It is important to note that liability coverage only covers those visiting your home, but not you or other household members.

The liability portion of your policy will cover a variety of issues, not just food poisoning. It will typically cover:

• Medical costs: This portion of your policy will cover medical costs for not only injuries such as food poisoning but also damage from slips, falls or other injuries that occur in your home. This includes outdoor areas such as icy sidewalks and driveways.
• Damage to neighbor's property: If you hit a baseball through a neighbor's window, back over their mailbox or destroy their landscaping, this portion of your policy will cover the damage, up to your policy limits.
• Legal fees: If the food poisoning turns serious or a fall results in a long hospital stay, you may end up on the wrong side of a lawsuit. Your homeowners policy will cover legal fees and any damages or settlements that come from the suit, up to your coverage limits.

A standard homeowner policy provides $100,000 in liability coverage, but you can up this figure and most industry experts recommend doing just that. "Personal liability insurance is incredibly affordable," says Travis Biggert, with HUB International. "We recommend base limits starting at $300,000 on your homeowners policy with a $1 million umbrella policy which will kick in when your personal liability limits are reached."

As an example, a home insurance rate analysis by Insurance.com shows that bumping up your liability limits from $100,000 to $300,000 costs just $18 more, on average, for a policy with $200,000 in dwelling coverage and a $1,000 deductible.

For a policy with $200,000 in dwelling coverage and a $1,000 deductible:

• $1,806; national yearly average home insurance with $100,000 in liability
• $1,824; national yearly average home insurance with $300,000 in liability

To get an idea of what your cost would be to increase dwelling and liability limits with various deductibles, use our average home insurance rates tool that shows premiums by ZIP code for 10 different coverage levels.

Another portion of your policy covering food poisoning is your medical payment coverage, which is similar to liability but has lower limits and pays out regardless of fault.

If you end up serving undercooked turkey and guests get a case of food poisoning, their medical expenses could be covered if you have medical payment coverage on your homeowners insurance policy. This coverage applies to the costs associated with injuries sustained by guests, regardless of who is at fault. This coverage might be applied toward medical expenses for those not living at the property and the limit varies by state and insurance company, but typically ranges between $1,000 and $5,000 per person.

Despite the fact that the CDC doesn't have exact stats on Thanksgiving poisonings, they do offer the following tips for safe food handling on turkey day:

• Safely thaw your turkey: Thaw turkeys in the refrigerator, in a sink of cold water that is changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave. Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter. If a turkey is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, it can end up in the temperature danger zone between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria can grow rapidly.
• Safely stuff your turkey: Cooking stuffing in a casserole dish makes it easy to ensure it is thoroughly cooked. If you put stuffing in the turkey, do so just before cooking. Use a food thermometer to make sure the stuffing's center reaches 165°F. Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached 165°F and may cause food poisoning. 
• Safely cook your turkey: Set the oven temperature to at least 325°F. Place the completely thawed turkey with the breast side up in a roasting pan that is 2 to 2-1/2 inches deep. Make sure the turkey has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F by inserting a food thermometer into the center of the stuffing and the thickest portions of the breast, thigh, and wing joint.
• Leftovers can be dangerous: Leftovers can be dangerous as well. It is the second most common bacterial cause of food poisoning. Get your leftovers in the fridge as soon as possible.

If your guests end up in the emergency room due to your holiday meal, your homeowners insurance should step up to help out. "Your homeowners general liability policy should protect you. This coverage will pay for medical bills, lost wages, as well as pain and suffering associated with the food poisoning.  If there is a lawsuit filed, your carrier will cover the costs of the litigation and will also provide you with legal representation," says Earley.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year for many. It is a time to enjoy good food, good friends and good fun. But it does not come without risks. It's not difficult to minimize your risk at Thanksgiving by merely taking a few precautions and familiarizing yourself with local laws. Do your research, be prepared, make sure you have adequate homeowners insurance, and finally, be responsible.

'Tis the season for sprucing up and standing out! We decorate our homes and scour the internet for the ugliest sweaters to celebrate the holidays, so why wouldn't we do our best to make our agency websites and social media accounts festive as well? Since more and more people are doing their shopping online, especially this year, getting your business prepared for the holidays is more important than ever.

There are a few easy ways to add some seasonal flair to your social posts, your emails and your website, and they'll no doubt put your customers in the holiday mood.

BRING ON THE FESTIVE AESTHETICS
Adding some holiday imagery to your website and social media is a quick, easy and cheap way to tell people you're ready to do holiday business with them. When a customer goes to your website and sees that it's been recently updated, they know that you're tuned in and available online to assist them. And the more often you update your site, the higher it will appear in the Google search ranking. This doesn't need to be a major undertaking. Simply snap a pic of your staff in some holiday garb and add some holiday clipart to your home page and you're ready to go.

HOLIDAY SPECIALS
Providing some special holiday offers and discounts is an excellent way to get attention this time of year. Not only are you showing customers that you're looking out for them by offering great deals, but it also creates an opportunity for you to promote yourself. Design posts around your limited-time holiday offers and be clear about what value you're bringing to the customer and how it sets you apart from your competition.

BE FULLY READY TO DO BUSINESS ONLINE
Statistics show that 80% of people do some research on the products they're going to buy AND where they're going to buy them this time of year. And since we're always on the go, this means people want to be able to shop online from their phones. Make sure you're business accepts all types of mobile payments so that the shopping experience is as quick and convenient as possible for your customers.

GIVE TO THOSE IN NEED
Choose a local charity that you believe in and host a holiday fundraiser to benefit it. Post details and links to the charity of your choice online and in your social media feeds so that customers know where they can help. Whether you're collecting coats for a local shelter or hosting a food drive for a local food pantry, you'll be raising awareness, getting customers involved and helping others in your community at a time of year when it's most needed.

HOST A HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY
Promoting your business with giveaways this time of year is a brilliant way to get some traffic to your site and social media because who DOESN'T want to rake in free stuff for themselves or to regift to someone they love. Don't feel like you have to break the bank, but you're giving away a big ticket item and raising some hype about it, people will keep coming back to your site to see if they've won.

If you're looking for some extra traffic to your site so that you can end your company's year on a high note, these are some easy and foolproof ways to get people to stop by and engage with you online. Keep it light, festive and cheery and you'll see a snowball effect (no pun intended) in no time!

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This post originally ran on Formstack.

Ah, customer service. It’s one of the biggest challenges for the insurance industry. After all, it takes just one bad experience to lose a customer forever: Six in 10 people will stop doing business with a company if the service they receive is unfriendly.

On the other hand…

If you provide exceptional experiences for your insurance customers, they’ll reward your agency with lasting loyalty:

• 54% of customers make purchasing decisions based on customer service, and 19% say it’s the most important factor when deciding which companies to use
• 73% of customers fall in love with a brand because of friendly customer service reps
• 80% are willing to pay more for a better experience

With so much at stake, it’s clear that customer service—not rock-bottom premiums—is the secret to reducing customer churn and unlocking loyalty. Here are four ways you can take your agency’s customer service game from OK to outstanding.

1. Keep friction to a minimum.
Have you heard of the customer service recovery paradox? According to this theory, customers often have more respect for a company after an issue has been resolved—and will hold the business in higher regard than they would if problems never occurred in the first place. Rather than merely maintaining customer satisfaction, you can elevate it to higher levels.

Best way to do that? Focus on reducing your agency’s customer effort score, or CES. This customer service metric tells you how much work a customer has to put in to have a problem addressed or get an answer to a question. The higher the score, the more work it takes…and the more likely customers are to become disloyal. High wait times, slow responses, and having to repeat information multiple times to different agents can all cause agitation.

By identifying opportunities to reduce friction—automating claims processing, streamlining policy management and more—you can make a noticeable difference in your customers’ experiences.

2. Provide easy self-service options.
When given the choice, today’s customers prefer self-service options over contacting customer service agents. Nine in 10 say they would rather use a knowledge base that meets their customer service needs.

That means an overwhelming percentage of customers are making frequent visits to websites and mobile apps when they need assistance. If you want to be sure you’re providing the most positive customer experiences possible at all times, these channels should be a top priority.

Regularly revisit your website and apps to make sure they’re not only easy to navigate, but also provide essential information about your agency and product offerings. The most successful insurance agencies provide plenty of self-service options, ranging from the ability to request quotes online to automated insurance proposals. Equally important is giving visitors multiple options for contacting customer service or getting answers to common questions: chatbots, live chat, and email options are considered standard by many customers.

3. Respond quickly to requests.
You can’t avoid every customer problem, but you can work to resolve them in a timely fashion. While instant responses aren’t always possible, the goal should be to resolve each issue on first contact with a customer. If a particular problem requires getting another person involved, brief that individual on the situation first, rather than making the customer repeat information.

It’s equally important to be upfront. By its very nature, insurance has a great deal of fine print. Explain policy and coverage details as thoroughly as possible to ensure your customers understand exactly what they’re getting. Customers don’t like feeling tricked, especially when it comes to protecting the things that matter most, and will value straightforward expertise from customer service experts.

4. Focus on every step of the customer’s journey.
For 96% of people, customer service will be the determining factor when someone’s deciding whether or not to stay with your insurance agency. And for customers who report the highest levels of customer service satisfaction, the benefits are even bigger: People in this segment are willing to spend 140% more than those who report the low satisfaction levels.
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In order for it to be great, customer service has to happen at more than just the beginning of a relationship. Think about what you can do to delight customers after they’ve signed an insurance contract and purchased a policy. It could be some helpful information related to lifestyles, recognition of special days like birthdays, or even a simple thank you on anniversary dates.

Whatever type of insurance you sell, and whoever you sell it to, the most important aspect of every agent-client relationship is trust. When you show your client that you have their best interests in mind when you're offering policies, they become witness to your integrity and they begin to see you as someone they can depend on when it comes to protecting their homes, their families and their assets. 

While building someone's trust seems like a daunting task, if you're an agent who is truly more interested in helping the client than making the sale, none of the following principles should be outside of your reach. Take a look at 4 of the core ways we go about earning our client's trust.

1. ONLY SELL WHAT'S NEEDED
Because insurance agents tend to get a bad rap, many clients may come to you on the defensive and with concerns about being oversold or being sold products that aren't right for them. By offering policies that truly fit the client's needs and that make sense for their situation, your client will see that you're not in the business to simply close a deal. If you're trying to make a quick sale by offering something the client doesn't need, you very likely won't be hearing from that client again.

2. KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
Your customers are coming to you because they have specific needs and they're going to look to you as the professional problem-solver who will offer them solutions to their needs. Making sure that you're educated on a complete range of coverage options will show the clients that you aren't a one trick pony, always pitching the same product to whoever walks in  your door. 

3. RESPECT YOUR CLIENT'S TIME
In the client-agent relationship, no one's time is more important than the other's. Showing your clients that you respect the time they spend with you creates a level playing field. If you have a meeting and you're running late, be sure to reach out and let the client know. If the client is waiting on a return call from you, make sure you make that call when you've said you would. If you leave a client waiting for you with no explanation, they're going to feel like your time doesn't matter to them.

4. COMMUNICATE AND BE PRESENT
Staying in touch with clients even when they aren't actively in need of your help is a great way to remind them that you're there for them for MORE than just a paycheck. Check in with your clients periodically even if it's to update them on changes within your office or to ask how everything is going for them and if they have any questions you can answer for them at that time. This lets the client know that you're reliable and you're going to be there when they do need your help eventually.

When you turn your client-agent relationship into something more than just periodic and cold business transactions, your client is more likely to become a lifelong one. It's also the best way to build referrals since your clients will likely send their friends and family along to you when they ask for a trustworthy insurance agent and this will keep your business growing for years to come.

Most successful insurance agents will tell you that the work you put in after you've made the sale is just as important as the sale itself. Since customer service essentially begins after the sale, this is when the agent-client relationship really begins to take shape. Continuing to look after your clients and make sure they're getting the attention they need and deserve is something you can never overlook if you want to KEEP your client, and the holidays are no exception.

As the season of giving rolls in, taking the time to send along even a small token of your thanks can mean a big deal to your clients. We've come up with a few simple but meaningful ways that you can reach out to your customers to express your appreciation this month.

SEND THANK YOU CARDS
People are used to getting holiday cards from family and friends this time of year, but a handwritten note from their insurance agent could be an unexpected surprise. Of course it would take you a very long time to sit down and pen lengthy personalized notes to each of your clients, but even a card with a couple of handwritten sentences can make a big impact. Try something short and sweet like, "I wanted to take a moment to thank you for doing business with me this year! Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season."

RECORD A THANK YOU VIDEO
If you or someone in your agency is tech-savvy, a short video to post on YouTube and send to your clients via email is a great way to show your thanks. Make it fun and show your personality. You don't need to send a video to each client, but a general thanks in the video with a personalized email is a sure way to brighten your client's day.

MAKE A QUICK PHONE CALL
Receiving a call from an insurance agent when there is no business to be done will be a very welcome surprise for your customers. Take a moment to say hello and ask how they're doing. Say you're just checking in to say thank you and wish them a happy holiday season. Your clients will appreciate the call and remember it when it's time to renew.

SEND GIFT CARDS
Sure, gift cards for each of your clients could get VERY expensive, but if you purchase several $5 gift cards for a cup of coffee or a hot cocoa and mail them out with a since thank you note and some sweet holiday wishes, your client will be thinking of you the next time they need a pick-me-up.

HOST A HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
Schedule a small event at your office and invite clients to pop in throughout the event for a glass of punch and some cookies. You could give out some company swag as gifts and maybe even have a staff member dress up as your favorite holiday character to pose for pictures with. The open invite makes it a nice, casual way for clients to stop by if it fits in with their busy schedules.

SAY IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
If you and your customer are connected via social media, that's a great way to give a quick shout out and thank your client for their business. It may not be as intimate as a handwritten note, but it'll still show your client that you were thinking of them and you wanted to show your thanks.

Whatever way you choose to reach out and recognize your clients this time of year, doing so in small ways will mean a great deal to many. Showing your clients that they're more to you than a number on a spreadsheet will keep them coming back to do business with you year after year.

This post originally ran on Medium.com.

It’s Friday 13th, and you know what that means: if you aren’t a party breaker, you won’t walk underneath a ladder and you will stay out of the way of any black cats. Since your potential clients are already in the mood, you may as well hop on the bandwagon and use this day to grab the attention of a wide audience and promote your brand, sales, and products or services. If you’re looking for ideas, these 13 marketing strategies will do the trick.

1. Remove the fear, embrace Friday the 13th
Hiding under the bed simply won’t cut it. Friday the 13th is a great day to craft unique and creative marketing campaign and scoop up as many extra sales. You don’t believe us? Marketwatch reports that Friday the 13th is traditionally a good day for the stock market, with stocks ticking upwards of 55.63%.

2. Make Friday the 13th an actual lucky day for your customers.
Consumers (always!) have a burning desire to jump on the exclusivity bandwagon and get their hands on something special before they miss out. Take advantage of that. It will help you to create a boost in engagement, increase the relationship with your target audience and reinforce brand presence. That said, it’s a good thing to come up with a variety of unique marketing ideas that will help you stand out from the crowd.

3. Engage your audience on social media in a fun and unusual way.
People pay extra attention during special days — think: visuals, blogs, promos or anything else which can come to your mind. You want these things to go as viral as possible and Friday the 13th-themed content will help you to spread the word immensely. Don’t just post… connect with your customers and follow the golden rule for any marketing campaign — don’t hard sell. Your audience knows you’re after sales, so use this special date focus on things that your audience needs and would find valuable enough.

4. Create SLASHING prices slogan and run sale or promo featuring the number 13.
Give your customers one reason for freaking out on Friday the 13th — your killer sales. How about giving 13% off their purchase? Or even choose 13 products to put on sale? Communicate it so that it resonates with Friday the 13th and gets your customers excited. Discounts and deals can be any business’ secret weapon. Why? Because people love saving money, and they love brands that make that possible.

5. Make a countdown to Friday the 13th and — launch a new product or service.
Teaser campaigns add an air of mystery to the product or service launch. And can you think of a better day for something like that? Make a countdown to Friday the 13th and build hype for your consumers anticipating the launch. This will maximize word-of-mouth credence for your brand and your products.

6. Have a donation day.
Make this day happy for someone and get creative with your offerings. Why not donate 13% of your total sales on Friday the 13th? Or $0.13 on every purchase made to a charity or a cause that fit your product/service. Create a large, and clickable donation button, and keep the form short and sweet.

7. Create a Friday the 13th playlist and share it with your audience.
Some people celebrate Friday the 13th by watching Jason Voorhees, the man behind the mask, while others hiding in their room just waiting for it to end. Why not entertain them with your playlist filled with songs from the movies, games, and tracks that fit the Friday-the-13th vibe. Be creative, let your followers in and create a unique bond that could improve engagement with your business.

8. There’s nothing spooky or unlucky about black cats so embrace a black cat photo contest.
Can you think of a single cat owner who doesn’t have piles of photos of their furry friend? Yup, people love taking pictures of their cats (and we can’t blame them!) but the only thing they love more is sharing those pictures with others. Oh, perfect timing! Create some super simple rules and invite your followers to enter your black cat photo contest. This can be a great way to get in front of new people that perhaps would not have heard of you — while engaging the existing ones.

9. Use horror icons and prepare a killer email campaign to make your audience laugh.
Friday the 13th is a fantastic opportunity to boost business and increase sales, and email marketing should be a key tool in your arsenal. Forget funny memes that are all over the internet anyway. Create an eye-catching newsletter featuring horror icons such as Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger and say things that match who you are.

10. Engage your staff in fun activity and post pics on social media.
If you’re already engaging with your followers and fans, bring some Friday the 13th mood into the mix (and if you’re not actively engaging — there’s no better time to start, right?). Connect with your audience on a more personal level and involve your entire staff in your social media marketing. Take a picture of that guy in the office who hates everything about Friday the 13th. Decorate your office and share photos of your entire team or place a ladder and photograph other people’s reactions. Not only will you have a great time but with one snap from a camera phone, your business could be all over social media — all that while giving people an insightful look into your brand and its culture.

11. Highlight specific products/services in Friday 13th themed collection.
All the big brands are already doing this (Back in 2015, Nike launched Friday The 13th-inspired sneakers called LeBron 13 or Baygon’s playful print campaign with Jason Voorhees that encourages consumers to face their worst fears.) By grouping related products or services into Friday 13th themed collections, you can create a process of discovery for your customers while showing that you have put in the time and effort into providing an enjoyable shopping experience for them.

12. Embrace the day and all the weird superstitious meanings and write a special blog featuring the number 13.
Yes, you should definitely ride that wave. Use anything related to fear, luck, superstition, etc. and write a blog that will convey the message your business sends throughout the year. For example, 13 Reasons why organic is better for your skin, 13 common outbound marketing superstitions, how much of a role does luck play in business, etc.

13. Create a landing page dedicated to Friday 13th on your website.
Your landing page call to action doesn’t have to be boring and all business-like. You can totally have fun with them. And Friday 13th themed landing pages are great for that because you can convert all those superstitious feelings into successful sales. A nice and creatively designed landing page template for announcing your special offers or discounts makes a good foundation for building lasting relationships with your customers all year long.
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Even though many people think Friday the 13th is cursed, you can see that there are numerous ways you can (and should) use on this day to market your brand, products or services. It’s a great opportunity for an agile brand to outshine the competition and catch some extra exposure — while having so much fun!

Client retention is and always has been a moving target, but with the face of the industry changing, mostly thanks to technology, there are new ways to create and foster long-term relationships in your agency. 

As agents, we do a lot to bring new customers into our agencies and so, when we do, there's a great deal of gratification that comes with it. But when you think about it, KEEPING those customers LOYAL to your agency year after year needs to be just as, if not, more important.  This is because it's much cheaper to keep a client than it is to continually have to go out and find new ones.

Here are a few basic strategies that you can use in your agency that should help keep your clients coming back to you to renew their policies year after year.

SAY IT WITH US - CUSTOMER SERVICE IS KING (OR QUEEN...WHICHEVER)
This is Business 101. Actually, this is Humanity 101. If your client has a pleasant experience doing business with you, there's a chance they'll come back to you again. But if your client has an outstanding experience doing business with you, they'll be back again and again, and there's even a chance you're going to get new business referrals through them.

Be genuine. Be easy to reach. Be receptive and be responsive. This means you're going to want to want to bulk up your agency with whatever you can to make the customer experience as seamless and positive as possible. Obviously you're always going to want to personalize your interactions with your customers, but when you aren't available to offer those things to your clients in person, chatbots and automation software are excellent ways to give your clients 24 hour attention. They allow customers to get in touch with you and they allow you to reach out to your customers while you're already busy at work, creating an overall service experience that clients are drawn to and that makes them feel that at ease.

REWARD YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS
From your local smoothie place to the largest chain department store, every time you check out at a cash register these days, there's a cashier asking you if you're part of their company's rewards program. This is because it's a tried and true, proven way to keep customers coming back. Incentivize your clients to stay with you by offering forgiveness benefits by keeping rates the same for minor claims. Offering special bundles for clients to mark anniversaries with your agency at renewal time. You can also team up with other local businesses and arrange for special collaborative discounts between your shared clients. There are tons of creative ways to reward clients in your area if you're dedicated to keeping them and you're willing to think outside the box.

HAVE MORE TO OFFER
A great way to create customer loyalty is to give your clients everything they want in one agency. By offering a variety of products and policies to your client base, you're giving them more than one reason to stay with you. Holding multiple policies with your agency gives your clients a number of different benefits. They're able to renew all of the policies at one time. They're also able to make changes to policies, like address or name changes all at once instead of having to contact multiple carriers. This also gives your clients one point of contact for questions and concerns about their policies if need be.

There are certainly a lot of different  things you can do in your agency to retain your customers but we think if you're starting out, these are 3 areas to focus on right out of the gate. If you find yourself trying to do too much to keep clients around, you may spread yourself too thin and jeopardize customer loyalty. In short, make sure your customer service is on point, you're rewarding them in meaningful ways and that you always have a variety of things to offer, and you're sure to have a long list of loyal customers in the future.