This month, We Are Savvy celebrates eight years in business – eight years of helping insurance, not-for-profits and services brands find their voice, connect with their audiences, and grow with purpose. Along the way, we’ve learned a few things about marketing and business! Whether you’re a broker, insurer or NFP leader, these insights can help you sharpen your marketing focus.
1. When Things Are Quiet, You Need to Be Loud
Every business has quieter seasons – renewal cycles, funding waits, or market lulls. But silence is never a strategy. The best time to market is when others go quiet.
“In our experience, during quieter times, brokers who maintained their presence through social media and client newsletters saw stronger retention and referrals when activity picked up again,” says Caroline Healy, CEO, We Are Savvy. “The same applies to NFPs between campaigns. Those who stayed visible through storytelling and community engagement found it easier to reignite donor interest later.”
2. Your Network Is Your Best Source of Growth
Marketing is often about who you know, not just what you sell. In the insurance world, partnerships and referral networks still drive the strongest leads. We’ve seen broker networks thrive by simply engaging more with their referral partners, whether through sharing thought leadership content, inviting them to webinars, or co-hosting client sessions.
It’s a similar story in other service businesses. Strategic collaborations and cross-promotion with aligned organisations amplify your reach far beyond what your budget may allow.
3. Focus on Your Expertise and Niche
“You can’t be everything to everyone. The most successful brands know exactly who they serve and why.” says Caroline.
For insurance brokers, that might mean focusing on a particular industry — say, leisure, construction or life sciences — and becoming the go-to expert. For NFPs, it might mean being known for a single, powerful cause.
4. Consistency Beats Creativity
A beautiful campaign means nothing if it happens once and disappears. Consistency — showing up regularly with relevant, professional content — builds momentum and reputation.
“For me, consistency in content, whether it’s for insurance or non-profits, is about building trust and connection through regular, relevant communication across all channels. It’s more effective than any single brilliant piece.”
5. Strategy Before Tactics
Caroline comments “Strategy must always lead. We often get caught up in the latest tools or fads. Without a clear plan – knowing your audiences, what you want to achieve and so on, no fad will work.”
Focus on strategy first so you spend money and resources on activity, content or ads that align with your audiences and goals. This will ensure that your marketing delivers.
6. Marketing Is a Long Game
Results rarely appear overnight (unless you have an unlimited budget!). Campaigns, brand perception, SEO, reputation and so on,all take time to build.
We find that our insurance clients who invested steadily in marketing (rather than in sporadic bursts) see consistent inbound leads and stronger client loyalty.
7. Storytelling Builds Connection
“Facts tell; stories sell. Whether you’re explaining complex cover options or inspiring donors, storytelling turns information into emotion. And emotion drives purchase” continues Caroline.
Brokers and Underwriting Agencies who share real-life risk scenarios and claims outcomes build far more engagement than one posting only policy details. Likewise, NFPs that share the personal impact of their work, not just statistics, build deeper relationships and donations.
8. Celebrate Your Wins and Your People
In most sectors, humility runs deep but celebration is powerful marketing. Share your client successes, your employee milestones, and your community impact. When a broker helps a business recover from a loss, that’s a story worth telling. When an NFP achieves a goal, that’s proof of trust and effectiveness, that’s a story worth telling. Showcasing wins inspires confidence in your audience and pride in your team.
Eight years on, these lessons remind us that marketing isn’t just about selling — it’s about connecting, educating, and building trust over time. While having a visible, focused and consistent brand is the foundation for growth.
Chat to us today via hello@wearesavvy.com.au to find out how we can help you build sustainable marketing for your insurance business.