079: Using Events to Build Relationships with Gary Williamson and Rachael Light - Kingsbridge Insurance Brokers

Are you concerned about achieving ROI for your business when you attend events? Are you unsure how to maximise the marketing and interpersonal potential of exhibitions and conferences?

In this episode, we’re thrilled to be speaking with new guest Rachael Light, and returning guest Gary Williamson, the Specialty Lines Director and Managing Director of Kingsbridge Insurance Brokers, respectively. Following their fantastic approach to this year’s BIBA conference, Rachael and Gary discuss how to use broker events as a platform to spread your business’ message, in conversation with Boston Tullis’ Sarah Myerscough.

Quote of the Episode

“The insurance broker job isn't just to sell an insurance product anymore. What else can we do? How can we change what we offer, or find partners that can supplement that to really fix issues, rather than just seeing our sole goal as providing an insurance product?”

In the episode, Rachael notes that it’s easy to go into a corporate event with a purely transactional agenda in mind, with the aim of ensuring a return on your marketing investment. However, she suggests that taking an active interest in what your potential clients and prospective partners are finding difficulties with is perhaps of even greater importance. The role of the insurance broker has shed its former, traditional definition; it requires active listening which can subsequently be applied to the offerings of the business. As such, simply having a presence at these events is hugely beneficial to your brand, granting you a focalised insight into the problems faced by various sectors within the industry.

 

Key Takeaways

Kingsbridge made a big splash at this year’s BIBA conference, with a hearse positioned outside the event in order to spread the message about its new funeral director’s product. They became the talk of the town, immediately spreading the message about their business before attendees had even walked through the door. This exemplifies how important events such as BIBA can provide a key platform for creating buzz around your new products and schemes, enabling you to spread the message about your offerings on a vast scale.

Essential to generating this buzz is the personal element of these events, which is also key to ensuring that your business is remembered after the event. Having a presence at an event is only 50% of the job, the other half involves maintaining the momentum afterwards. In light of this, at this year’s Recruitment Agency Expo in October, Boston Tullis Sarah Myerscough will be joining Kingsbridge and interviewing attendees about what they’re hoping for from the event, the problems they are facing, in order both to generate a breadth of information, and to create some unique, personal marketing.

 

Best Moments/Key Quotes

“I think at these expos and events and conferences, without probably even consciously being aware of it, you have an agenda. And it's really hard not to filter what's coming back at you through the agenda. It takes a lot of practising and it [involves] being wide open to it, sponging up the information.”

“’How do we get ROI for it? How do we get something back from what we're putting in?’ Ultimately, some of these are quick wins, and some of them are a little bit slower, where you're building relationships. We know that from the insurance sector, that's what this industry is all about. I think these kinds of shows, being out and about, building a presence, building a brand in sectors is a long-term win for us as well.”

“Really building relationships with not just with the end customer, but you know, the different trade bodies, or different groups out there in the sectors that we operate in, to really understand… what are the problems around the corner? What's the next challenge? What are the next issues that those guys are going to face in that industry, to make sure that any products that we launch in that space, or products that we already have in that space, can evolve, to suit the needs of where those industries are going?”

 

Resources

Kingsbridge Insurance Brokers – https://www.kibl.co.uk/ 

 

About the Guest

Gary Williamson is the Managing Director of Kingsbridge Insurance Brokers. He has worked in various sales and operational roles at various broking firms, with over 25 years’ experience in the industry.

Gary’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-williamson-7107082b/ 

Rachael Light is the Specialty Lines Director at Kingsbridge Insurance Brokers, and its responsible for its new schemes division. Rachael previously worked for SEIB Insurance Brokers as a Commercial Manager.

Rachael’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-light-dip-cii-71a9969a/ 

 

About the Host

Sarah Myerscough is the Sales and Marketing Director of Boston Tullis Group. The founder of The Insurance Brokers Podcast, she brings a wealth of marketing experience and a fresh perspective on marketing in the insurance sector. Boston Tullis works with insurance brokers to offer solutions to business development ceilings, particularly in the rapidly developing fields of video marketing and thought leadership.

Website: https://bostontullis.co.uk/ 

Evaluation Link: https://s.bostontullis.co.uk/s/podcastevaluation 

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