FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Audrey Wittenburg: (703) 729-7701 / awittenburg@icmg.org
Charles Wasilewski: (908) 647-2216 / charles@Aartrijk.com
Social Networking Means Business,
But In-Person Contact Still Counts, ICMG Survey Says
ASHBURN, VA (May 23, 2011) - Nine of 10 insurance marketing and sales executives say social networking is useful for business, but they still rely on Web searches and personal contact with peers to check references on people with whom they might do business, according to an Inter-Company Marketing Group (ICMG) industry survey.
ICMG's social networking survey of nearly 150 insurance executives shows that 90 percent called social networking (using technology tools such as LinkedIn, Twitter and/or Facebook) somewhat important, important, or critically important. However, the industry survey taken in March 2011 also found that the most common ways to research a peer or a company are search engines and contacting a colleague who may know the person or company.
Insurance executives are highly mobile: Smartphones and laptops/notebooks are used by more insurance professionals - and more frequently - than desktop computers. The survey found that eight of 10 industry executives are going online on a daily basis using a smartphone.
"The compelling social networking revolution has been much discussed and studied," noted David Burke, vice president, agent services, of Universal American Corp. and ICMG president. "This survey provides a glimpse into how social networking tools are actually being used day-to-day in the insurance industry for business alliances. Technology is adding opportunities for contact, but person-to-person communication is still vitally important."
A summary of the ICMG insurance social networking survey results is available on the ICMG industry survey page (http://bit.ly/ICMGSocialNetworkingReport2011) or by contacting ICMG at info@icmg.org or (703) 729-7701.
About ICMG: Inter-Company Marketing Group (www.icmg.org) is the premier non-profit association that fosters strategic alliances among insurance and financial services companies, providing targeted networking opportunities, sharing of knowledge and experience, and resources for successful inter-company alliances. Among ICMG's members are marketing and business development decision-makers with insurance carriers, reinsurers, distributors, third-party administrators, and other related companies in the insurance industry. Follow ICMG on Twitter (@ICMG) and find Inter-Company Marketing Group on LinkedIn.
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