Self-reported attribution
Also called: how did you hear about us, source self-reporting
Self-reported attribution is asking a prospect or client directly how they heard about the agency, and recording the answer as the lead source.
It catches what tracking misses: word of mouth, a seminar, a radio spot, a referral from a neighbor. The answer is most reliable when agents ask it the same way on every call and the CRM won't let them skip the field.
Comparing self-reported sources with tracked ones shows where the agency's tracking has gaps.
Referrals and offline marketing often drive more business than anyone can prove. Asking is the cheapest way to find out.
"Agents ask every caller 'how did you hear about us?', and the CRM won't save the call without an answer."
Should insurance agents ask 'how did you hear about us?'
Yes. Self-reported answers capture referrals, events and word of mouth that tracking links miss. Ask it the same way on every call and make the field required.