Insurance marketers have two pretty big hurdles to overcome when appealing to consumers.
Insurance is not a particularly interesting subject to the average person, and
Insurance can be challenging to understand.
In short, learning about insurance options can look a lot like a middle school algebra class in terms of engagement. So how do successful insurance agencies make information that’s considered boring and difficult compelling? They show consumers why insurance is important in a way that makes it more understandable: through stories.
Let’s take a look at a few examples of marketing efforts that have used story-telling to make insurance more relatable.
Prudential’s marketing series Chapter Two tells the stories of real people using their retirement to follow their lifelong dreams. There’s no overt attempt to sell Prudential’s retirement income products, but the inspiring stories of people pursuing their passions is enough to make anyone want to learn more about variable annuities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei3mFm0HpWE
UnitedHealthcare produced a series of commercials demonstrating the many ways that ordinary people find their way into the health care system. From a mom demonstrating her smooth basketball skills to a couple practicing their dance moves, they remind us that medical crises can happen when we least expect them without being scary. We can all imagine ourselves doing something silly that lands us in the hospital.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9YiTIYO-2A
Maybe you’re seeing a theme here. You don’t have to tell extravagant, heart-rending stories to move people. You just need them to understand why they need you. The best way to make that clear is through stories that consumers can identify with. You want them to say, “Oh gosh. That could be me for sure.”
Don’t have the budget for a full-scale commercial? Storytelling can happen in one frame. Take a look at this print ad for LifeDirect. Any DIYer who’s ever been on a ladder will be able to relate to the story implied by the ad and instantly recognize the importance of health coverage.
And Mutual Community Health Insurance keeps it light with this ad. No words are necessary. In just one picture, the agency tells a story all too familiar to parents.
The stories that sell insurance don’t have to be epic. Most of us don’t live epic lives with epic perils. We don’t face dragons or even large armies. Rather, we fall off of ladders and trip over tricycles. We kink our backs dancing and dream about our retirement plans.
To tell a story that makes insurance interesting and understandable, you only need to look to the stories of everyday people. They’re the ones buying your products, after all.
What stories come to mind when you think about insurance needs?
