Branding in insurance isn’t about chasing the latest TikTok trend or pumping out glossy LinkedIn posts – it’s about building trust, says US-based broker and podcaster Heath W. Shearon.
“It goes back to what you do when nobody’s looking,” Shearon told Insurance Business. Too often, he said, brokers put out only their “highlight reels” – the curated family photo, the polished office shot – while the messy, unfiltered reality is hidden. “Four or five minutes before they post that picture, they’ve probably been wrangling the kids and arguing about who should smile,” he said. “That’s real. That’s where the connection starts.”
For Shearon, authenticity isn’t about perfect branding. It’s about showing up honestly – both online and with clients. That means acknowledging your strengths, owning your weak spots, and letting both shape your reputation. “Branding isn’t just colour schemes and taglines anymore,” he said. “It’s who you are as a broker, and who your business really is.”
In specialist markets, credibility doesn’t come from buzzwords – it comes from understanding your client’s world.
Shearon recalled how, early in his career, he tried to break into the aircon and heating space. A prospect brushed him off until he asked if he could tag along for a day’s work. He ended up hauling tools, watching ductwork go in, and learning firsthand. “No agent had ever done that before,” the client told him. That one day built a lasting book of business – because his expertise was earned, not assumed.
For Australian brokers, the lesson is the same: if you want to serve farmers, tradies, transport operators, or café owners, you need to see their challenges up close. A day in the paddock or behind the wheel can teach you more than a dozen carrier brochures.
But expertise alone isn’t enough. “People do business with people they know, like and trust,” Shearon said.
Independent brokers in Australia often have access to similar markets. Differentiation comes from the blend of personal and professional brand – how you connect with clients in ways that matter. Listing hobbies on LinkedIn won’t cut it; what matters is whether clients believe you’ll pick up the phone when something goes wrong.
At the end of the day, Shearon said, “The policy is just a piece of paper until they need it.” Clients care less about a carrier’s logo and more about whether their broker is proactive: checking payroll mid-year to avoid audits, tailoring cover for a busy season, or simply calling to check in.
For all the noise around social media, Shearon thinks many brokers miss opportunities by overlooking traditional touchpoints. “Maybe instead of leaning so far into social, try sending postcards again,” he said.
His advice: mix digital with face-to-face. A coffee meeting, a purposeful drop-in, even a phone call can cut through more than another Instagram story. But make the interaction meaningful – don’t just drop off cupcakes, bring insights or solutions that add value.
Technology, he added, should enhance rather than replace relationships. “AI won’t replace you, but those using AI might,” he warned. Use automation for efficiency, but never at the cost of genuine human connection.
Finally, he believes brokers should embrace storytelling: sharing real client scenarios – the flood claim that was resolved quickly, the tradie who avoided an audit – rather than recycling generic marketing content. That’s the kind of branding that sticks.
