ABACUS Exposed Oct 2024

October 2024

Issue

35

Introduction

Welcome to the latest Issue of ABACUS Exposed Welcome to the latest edition of ABACUS Exposed.

In our Exposed mailers we endeavour to keep you informed and present up-to-date news on the latest developments, industry insights, and the tools available to support you in delivering the best service to your clients.

In this special edition of our newsletter, which is a more concise version of our usual ABACUS Exposed, we’ve focused on delivering key insights tailored to your needs. Inside, you’ll find practical advice on Effective Local Marketing Strategies for Your Insurance Business, designed to help you grow your client base. We’ve also included a News Round Up, highlighting the latest developments in the property insurance sector to keep you informed.

This edition also brings an exciting feature in our “Meet the Team” series. I’d like to personally thank Billy Roy, our Assistant Manager of the Existing Business Team, for sharing his story and offering a behind-the-scenes look at his role. Billy’s commitment to providing top-notch service is just one example of the hard work and dedication you can expect from the entire ABACUS team.

As always, we are here to support you. Thank you for your continued trust in ABACUS, and I look forward to hearing your feedback on this issue.

Richard Burgess CEO e: richardb@sabacus.co.uk m: 07725 365447

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News round up Property matters in the UK are often in the headlines. Whether you are a homeowner or a landlord, it helps to stay abreast of the news and keep one step ahead of those changes that may affect your current – or planned – investments.

Read on for our news round-up where we look over some of those headlines...

What HMO landlords should know about licensing and planning If you’re the landlord of a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) you might want to take a look at a piece in Landlord Today about licensing and planning. It serves as a useful reminder that an HMO is no ordinary let property but comes with a unique set of controls and regulations – some of them seemingly quite opaque: a case in point is the application of Article 4 restrictions that remove the otherwise automatic right of the owner of a small property to convert it into an HMO; councils are often using those restrictions when determining whether or not to grant an HMO licence – planning regulations are used to support or deny licence applications; if you held an HMO licence before Article 4 restrictions were introduced, this should be sufficient proof of your “lawful use” of the property under the planning regulations; yet councils have been seen to do everything in their powers to deny such certificates of lawful use – precisely to control any upsurge in HMOs in Article 4 areas; before applying for an HMO licence, therefore, landlords are encouraged to keep meticulously detailed records – such as rent receipts and tenancy agreements – on the prior use of the property; and if necessary, appropriate professionals should be engaged in negotiating the application with the local council.

Renters Rights Bill: what’s the impact for landlords and tenants?

The government has promised to see through some of the legislative changes designed to improve the lot of tenants in the private rented sector, explained the online listings website Zoopla.

The current Renters Rights Bill: aims to protect and improve the rights of tenants; t he main way it proposes to do that is through an improvement in the quality of the rented accommodation; b ut the Bill also recognises that the longer-term solution to the crisis in the supply of affordable rented accommodation is through an increase in supply; and t he government is anxious to avoid any sense of a threat to those landlords who have made buying to let their principal business.

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10 quickest markets for home-sellers How long would it take to sell your home? That is, from the time you first advertise it for sale, to finding someone to buy it, and putting up the “sold subject to contract” notice? The online listings website Rightmove has some answers: homes in the UK currently take an average of 60 days to secure that “sold subject to contract” status; that’s 18 days faster than at the beginning of this year but 5 days slower than this time last year (as at July 2024); in some parts of the UK, homes are selling even more quickly than the 60 day average – in nine areas of Scotland, for instance, houses can sell as fast as between just 13 to 18 days; utside of Scotland, there are also hotspots in England o where homes can be sold faster than the average 60 days – in parts of the northeast, northwest, West Midlands, and southwest, for example, houses have been selling as quickly as 18 to 25 days.

Key new property laws The King’s speech at the opening of Parliament in July revealed the priorities of the new government for housing, the Buy Association has said.

Probably the major takeaway from the announcement of the government’s intentions is the target to build more homes of different types of tenure – including homes for rent – along with the infrastructure necessary to support those new communities.

A new Planning and Infrastructure Bill will spearhead the housebuilding drive.

The King’s speech also included a promise to reform leasehold legislation – not only to improve the immediate lot of leaseholders but also with a longer-term view to abolishing leasehold as a form of residential tenure.

A proposed Renters Rights Bill will replace the previous government’s Renters Reform Bill – promising an earlier abolition of so-called “no-fault” evictions.

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Effective local marketing strategies for your insurance business If you want to attract local customers, then employing effective, targeted, marketing techniques can help. Here are some of these strategies to help you grow your local customer base.

Local SEO: Your website Local SEO (search engine optimisation) is a crucial component of local marketing. By targeting specific keywords – e.g., if you are based in Liverpool, then terms like “home insurance Liverpool” - means you face less competition compared to broader keywords like “home insurance”.

Harnessing the power of social media Social media is a powerful tool for local marketing, offering brand recognition and valuable SEO links. Focus on building a local following by joining conversations and groups related to your area. Discuss local events and topics to engage your community.

This approach also attracts more targeted traffic since people searching for geographic keywords are looking for specific services in their area.

Creating locally relevant content By providing interesting, locally relevant information, you position yourself as a resource and can grow a loyal local following. Talk about community news, local events, and issues that matter to your audience. Engage with followers by asking questions and responding to comments.

Creating a Google My Business Page One effective tactic is to create a Google My Business page. A well-optimised listing can appear high in search results, often above standard organic listings. Ensure your profile is complete with accurate contact details, detailed descriptions, photos, and as much information as possible.

Leveraging PPC advertising PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising allows you to target local keywords in search engines. Incorporate local keywords in your ads so that they immediately resonate with local searchers. Direct these ads to a dedicated landing page that also uses the local keyword, rather than your homepage, to increase conversion rates.

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Cont...

Engaging with the community through sponsorships Sponsoring community events is an excellent way to boost brand recognition and build trust within the community. Sponsorships, especially for charities and respected organisations, positively impact your brand image. Local people will associate your name with good causes, and you may receive local press coverage, which is great for public relations.

Conclusion

Don’t forget traditional advertising methods!

Advertising in local newspapers, community newsletters, and community websites can significantly increase your brand recognition in your area. Flyers and leaflets are also effective traditional techniques to reach local customers.

Don’t overlook these methods, as they can be particularly effective when targeting specific geographic areas.

FAQs

Combining online and offline strategies Integrating traditional and digital marketing provides comprehensive cover. For instance, you can use online ads to direct traffic to a local event you are sponsoring.

This combination ensures you reach a wider audience and reinforce your brand presence.

Measuring the success of your local marketing efforts Tracking local SEO and PPC performance To measure the success of your local SEO and PPC efforts, use tools like Google Analytics and Google Ads. These tools help you monitor traffic, analyse conversion rates, and adjust your strategies accordingly. Look for trends in your data to understand what’s working and what needs improvement.

Evaluating social media engagement Social media platforms offer insights into engagement metrics. Track likes, shares, comments, and follower growth to gauge your social media impact. Use this data to refine your content and better engage with your audience.

Assessing community sponsorship ROI To evaluate the effectiveness of your community sponsorships, consider both direct and indirect benefits.

Track any immediate increase in enquiries or sales following an event. Additionally, consider the long-term impact on brand recognition and community goodwill.

Local marketing is essential for insurance businesses looking to attract customers in their area. By leveraging local SEO, PPC, social media, community sponsorships, and traditional advertising methods, you can effectively reach and engage your target audience. Remember to measure your efforts and adapt your strategies based on what works best for your business.

What is the most effective local marketing strategy for insurance businesses?

An effective strategy typically involves a combination of local SEO, PPC advertising, social media engagement, and community sponsorships. This integrated approach maximises your reach.

How can I optimise my Google My Business page for better visibility?

Ensure your Google My Business page is complete with accurate contact details, detailed descriptions, highquality photos, and customer reviews. Regularly update your profile with new information and engage with customer reviews.

What types of local events should I consider sponsoring?

Consider sponsoring events that align with your brand values and attract your target audience. Community festivals, charity events, and local sports tournaments are excellent options to enhance your brand presence.

Are traditional advertising methods still relevant for local marketing?

Yes, traditional methods like local newspapers, newsletters, and flyers can be very effective when targeting specific geographic areas. They work well when combined with digital strategies to provide comprehensive coverage.

How can I measure the success of my local marketing campaigns?

Use tools like Google Analytics for tracking online efforts and monitor social media engagement metrics. For offline efforts, track any immediate increase in enquiries or sales and assess long-term benefits to brand recognition and community goodwill.

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Meet the Team Billy Roy EBT Assistant Manager 1. Hi ABACUS team member! Can you please introduce yourself and tell us what your job title is?

Hello, my name is Billy Roy and I am one of the Existing Business Team Assistant Managers.

2. What does your role within the ABACUS team entail?

My role involves a mix of tasks and is different every day. It can involve issuing renewals, requesting for additional information in order for insurers to consider renewal and to actioning MTA or even reissuing new business documents with amendments. As the Assistant Manager I assist staff with internal referrals and complex broker queries. I also help plan the Team’s workload for the day and week to ensure we meet out targets.

3. What do you like about working at ABACUS, and what do you think ABACUS does the best?

The whole company really does feel like one big family, one of the best things about ABACUS is the service we provide to our brokers.

4. What are the values that drive you?

Honesty and integrity, along with hard work.

5. What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

My favourite hobby has to be either running or mountain biking 6. Who inspires you?

I have a lot of people I take inspiration from which include my family, my mum in particular and also the people I work with and seeing the dedication they have too.

7. What is something you are proud of?

I recently ran a 50-mile race and finished in 10 Hours and 38 minutes 8. What is your most-used productivity hack?

Would have to be a list! Having tasks to do written down helps me evaluating the tasks and to prioritise.

9. What three items would you take with you to a deserted island?

Most likely my running trainers, a crate of cherry Lucozade and laptop so I can issue renewals!

Agency & Marketing Are Here To Help!

Our Agency & Marketing team are here to help you with all Agency queries!

If you would like to discuss your ABACUS agency over many of the video platforms, or via the telephone, Robin & Jecelda are available to speak to you on 01702 606 312, or email us at agency@sabacus.co.uk.

We look forward to hearing from you!

10. Tell us about a memorable moment with ABACUS. Most Christmas eves down the pub. They are always such a good laugh, just a shame I can rarely remember them…

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Contact Information Accounts

Claims

New Business Team

Agency & Marketing

Existing Business

Portfolios

Tel: 01702 606 320 Email: accounts@sabacus.co.uk

Tel: 01702 606 312 Email: agency@sabacus.co.uk

Tel: 01702 606 311 Email: claims@sabacus.co.uk

Tel: 01702 606 306 Email: existingbusiness@sabacus.co.uk

Tel: 01702 606 304 Email: newbusiness@sabacus.co.uk

Tel: 01702 880802 Email: portfolios@sabacus.co.uk

The information contained above is not intended as legal or broking advice. Specific advice should always be sought on individual requirements and it is always necessary to read the contractual documentation for full details of the product and cover provided.

This newsletter is managed by ABACUS, the content including all views and expressions are those of ABACUS. ABACUS is one of a range of products marketed and distributed by BLINK Intermediary Solutions. ABACUS is provided by Alan Blunden & Co Limited, Baxter Building, 80 Baxter Avenue, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS2 6HZ. Alan Blunden & Co Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Full details of FCA authorisations can be found at www.fsa.gov.uk/register Produced by iamyourdesigner - 07969 663 847 | 2961

ABACUS

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