AGENCY PROMOTIONS
YOUR STORY IS WORTH TELLING
HOW INDEPENDENT AGENTS CAN WIN LOCAL MEDIA COVERAGE by Valerie Gardner, KAIA
Imagine this scenario: A major hailstorm hits a Kansas community, and the local TV station is looking for an insurance expert to interview on the evening news. Who do they call? For most independent agents, the answer is“ someone else”— not because they lack the expertise, but because they haven’ t yet made themselves known to local media.
That’ s about to change.
KAIA members now have access to a free, comprehensive PR Toolkit developed by Trusted Choice and the Big " I "— a 50-page resource guide designed specifically to help independent agents earn local media coverage, build community credibility, and grow their agency’ s reputation as the trusted local expert.
WHY PR MATTERS FOR IND. AGENTS
In an era of online insurance comparison tools and direct-to-consumer carriers, independent agents’ greatest competitive advantage is their local relationships and expertise. Public relations is one of the most powerful— and most underused— ways to make that advantage visible.
Unlike advertising, earned media carries third-party credibility. When a local newspaper quotes you as an insurance expert, or when a TV station features your agency after a weather event, that coverage builds trust in a way that a paid ad simply cannot replicate. " Earned media is one of the most trusted sources of information," notes the Trusted Choice PR resource hub. " And your community wants to hear from you."
WHAT ' S IN THE TOOLKIT
The 2026 PR Toolkit for Independent Agents covers eight core areas:
• PR 101— understanding the difference between PR, marketing, and advertising, and how earned, owned, and paid media work together.
• Identifying Newsworthy Stories— how to spot the angles that local reporters actually care about, from storm season tips to rising premium trends.
• How to Write a Press Release— a step-by-step
18 KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER