With more competition and less opportunity for face-to-face contact with customers, how can you stay top of mind and shore up your retention numbers?

Depending on the type of insurance product you're marketing, your customer acquisition cost (CAC) varies from an estimated low of $24 for disability insurance to a high of $550 for health insurance, according to analysis by Focus Digital.

To calculate your agency's CAC, divide the total amount spent on marketing by the number of new customers you've acquired. However, even without an exact CAC, you already know that keeping an existing client is far more cost-effective than chasing down a new one.

So, here are eight steps to retain more clients and keep costs down:

1) Know your starting point. It's tough to measure results if you don't know your current retention levels. Review your records and look for patterns. Some questions to ask that will help you discover those patterns include:

• How many clients do you have?
• How long have you serviced each one?
• Who are your longest-standing clients? What industries are they in and what policies do they carry?
• How many customers have you lost in the last two years and why did they leave?

If you don't know why you aren't retaining customers, start asking and keep track of the reasons. This is the best way to pinpoint issues you need to work on—whether it's claims handling, pricing perceptions, personnel issues or other factors.

2) Emphasize risk management. Let customers know you're not just there to sell coverage; you're also a great resource for helping them avoid claims.

Share safety tips and provide resources for developing a strong risk management plan. When you take a proactive approach, it may help your customer lower claim frequency, minimize claim severity and decrease premiums over the long-term, which are all great ways to build a partnership.

And don't forget to share any positive trends. Too many insureds only hear from their agent when there's a price increase or a claim. Highlighting wins and sharing good news will increase customer satisfaction levels.

3) Reach out. Offer an annual, personalized review of your customer's insurance program. Conduct the review in person when possible. You should also periodically check in to make sure there are no new factors that might impact coverage, such as property upgrades, new purchases or life events.

To make this process manageable, develop a routine schedule. Some agents find it best to set aside a full day each month for this outreach, while others like to start their day with a few check-ins before work gets too hectic. The key is formalizing a schedule so it's appropriately prioritized.

4) Create a genuine connection. Get to know the specifics of a customer's life. How many kids do they have and how old are they? If you know someone's son is about to turn 16, you can check in before that birthday to make sure the family understands their auto policy. They might want to up their coverage or perhaps they're adding a car.

And what about that business owner who also loves fishing? Did they buy a new boat? Knowing a customer's interests gives you more opportunities to cross-sell and position yourself as a go-to resource.

Even if you have a conversation that has nothing to do with insurance, the connections you build have value. Not only will it make your workday more enjoyable but people are more likely to stay with an agent they feel knows them personally and values their partnership. And they're more likely to refer friends and associates who could be equally good clients.

5) Leverage the expertise of others. You don't need to create every message from scratch. Share relevant resources from other experts as you find them. If your client is a family with a teen driver, why not share Driving Tips for Teens, a webpage from the Traffic Safety Team, or another local organization?

Did you see a helpful article about trends, new risks or specific lines of business that you specialize in? Simply share it on your social media accounts or forward it to key customers via email with a short note.

6) Humanize your content. Online communication is arguably more convenient, but it can make it harder to build relationships. Don't be afraid to be authentic and relatable in your online posts and emails. Share real stories about recent claims—with the insured's permission—or the reasons you joined the insurance industry. Keep your tone conversational and friendly so your personality comes through. People prefer to work with people they like.

7) Meet customers where they are. Not every customer uses Facebook or LinkedIn. Some avoid social media at any cost. That means you may need to use more than one digital platform or amplify your message via email or old-school methods like direct mail.

Your website is your storefront. Make the site easy to use and focus on the visibility of frequently used customer tools, such as contact information or claim-filing buttons. It is also important to make your site mobile friendly.

Also, reply to emails quickly. It's fine to send an automated message to let the customer know their email was received but follow it with a personal email within a promised timeframe as well.

8) Thank customers for their business—and ask for referrals. Let your customers know you appreciate and value their business. Some agencies give customers a small token of appreciation during the holidays or at renewal times. However, that isn't as important as a genuine statement of gratitude.

Don't be shy about asking for referrals, either. If you decide to develop a formal referral program, offer an incentive that motivates customer participation, create a referral link or code to make it quick and easy, and track results so you can adjust the program as needed. Happy customers will be proud to refer others to you.

Peter van Aartrijk is executive vice president of Aartrijk. This article was originally published on the Trusted Choice® blog.