Giving Hard-to-Reach Small Groups the Premium Treatment

In the insurance world, “coverage” usually refers to medical benefits. But for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, the challenge was about a different kind of coverage: ensuring their marketing message wasn’t missing the hard-working entrepreneurs in their own backyard. With small business owners often assuming group plans were out of reach, we helped the insurer rewrite the policy on engagement—proving that great benefits aren’t just for the big players.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) has always been the go-to name for individuals and big corporations, but they noticed a specific group of people who felt left out of the conversation: the small business owners running shops with just a handful of employees.

In Kansas, these entrepreneurs often assumed that high-quality health plans were out of their league—too expensive to afford and too complicated to figure out without a dedicated HR department. They felt ignored by the industry. BCBSKS wanted to change that perception, but they needed help connecting with these busy, multitasking owners who simply didn’t have time for a complicated sales pitch.

We knew that small business owners are some of the hardest-working people out there. They don’t have time to decipher complex insurance jargon or jump through hoops. Our strategy was to make their lives easier by “surrounding” them with a message that was simple, local, and helpful.

We moved away from a one-size-fits-all approach and built a strategy that met them exactly where they were:

• Tangible Invites: We used targeted direct mail to put physical, easy-to-read offers right on their desks.
• Digital Reminders: Through Smart Zones display advertising, we kept BCBSKS top-of-mind while owners browsed the web.
• Helpful Resources: We boosted SEO and content so that when owners went looking for answers, they found valuable advice, not just sales pitches.
• Frictionless Forms: We built landing pages that respected their time, making it incredibly simple to request a quote or get more info.
• Local Charm: The creative didn’t feel corporate; it felt like Kansas. We used localization to show that BCBSKS is a neighbor who understands their specific needs.

The best part of this campaign wasn’t just the launch—it was the longevity. By constantly listening to the data and tweaking our creative every quarter to keep it fresh, we turned this program into a reliable engine for growth.

The numbers speak for themselves:

• Dominating Traffic: Over four years, our campaigns generated nearly 50% of all web traffic for the BCBSKS Small Group section.
• Serious Interest: We didn’t just get clicks; we got action. In 2018, our key landing pages saw conversion rates (CVR) hit 24% and 7.41% — numbers that are almost unheard of in this industry.
• Happy Sales Teams: Most importantly, the digital buzz turned into real conversations. The steady stream of qualified leads helped the insurer’s small group sales team consistently hit their targets.