Branding fails in insurance when it is reduced to chasing trends instead of building trust, Heath W. Shearon (pictured), host of the Insurance Town Podcast, said. “It goes back to what you do when nobody’s looking,” he said, stressing that too many people post only their “highlight reels” rather than the unfiltered moments that show who they really are.
The polished family photo hides the reality, he said. “Four or five minutes before they post that, it’s like they’re fighting and arguing, ‘sit down and smile and stand up straight.’” Those unvarnished moments, he argued, are where real connection starts.
“People that only chase the trends to get followers on TikTok or LinkedIn, that’s not truly who you are,” Shearon said. “Post truly what it is about you.” That authenticity, he added, should carry into client interactions – acknowledging strengths, owning weaknesses, and leaning into both. For him, branding “is no longer just about color schemes and fancy taglines. I think it goes deeper into who you are as a person or your company.”
In specialist or niche markets, Shearon said credibility is built through expertise, not slogans. It’s not enough to say you serve truckers, farmers, or hospitality operators – you have to know their world.
He recalled how he built an HVAC niche early in his career when a prospect brushed him off. “I was like, ‘Hey, can I just go with you on your job today and just watch what you do?’” He ended up hauling tools, watching duct work get installed, and learning the trade from the inside. “I never had an agent do that for me,” the client told him. That one day in the field became the basis for a loyal niche that lasted for years because the expertise was earned, not assumed.
Expertise alone, he warned, is not enough without being personable. “People do business with people they know, like, and trust,” he said. Brokers need to merge their personal brand with their professional niche, but in ways that matter to clients. Simply listing hobbies is not enough.
With most independent brokers offering the same market access, differentiation comes from clarity on “what makes you stand out as a brand… your own commercial brand and personal brand.”
Many brokers, Shearon said, still lead with carrier logos, product names, and price promises – missing what clients actually value. “At the end of the day, the insurance policy is just a piece of paper until they need it,” he said. Clients care more about whether they can reach their broker when something goes wrong, and whether the broker adds value beyond claims. That value could be as simple as a mid-year check-in, adjusting payroll estimates to avoid audits, or proactively tailoring coverage for a busy season.
Shearon believes agents overlook opportunities by focusing too much on content volume and brand aesthetics. “Maybe instead of leaning so far into social, maybe go back to sending postcards,” he said.
An advocate for combining digital and in-person outreach – cold calls, coffee meetings, and purposeful drop-ins. “Not just show up with some cookies and say, ‘Hey, here’s a plate of cookies,’” he said. “Show how you can bring some value.”
Technology, in his view, should enhance – not replace – human interaction. “AI won’t replace you, but those that are using AI might replace you.” The best approach is balance: keep efficiency gains from automation, but bring back personal touches that clients still expect.
Shearon also sees storytelling as an underused branding tool - sharing real-life client scenarios to demonstrate problem-solving instead of pushing generic content.
