Agent of Change: Wyandotte Man Uses Facebook to Sell Insurance and to Give Away Pizza

Nick Bader grew up in Wyandotte, graduated from , coached football in town and was coached as a youth growing up in the city.

He has a lot of friends in town, but even those people who never met him can get to know him, thanks to a picture on the front window of his office on the corner of Elm and Biddle Avenue.

The picture is on the front of the business he has overseen as president since 2005.

But the picture isn’t about vanity. Rather, it’s about keeping people updated about how much money Bader has saved customers this year.

So far, the total is well more than $10,000.

That’s just since the beginning of 2011.

“That’s how much money we’ve been able to put back in people’s pockets,” Bader said. “To me, it’s like a game. I want to see how aggressive I can get with these (insurance) companies and how much money we can save people.”

Lademan has seen a lot of changes in a very short period of time.  A longtime occupant of the One Heritage Building in Southgate, Bader moved the company to Wyandotte late in 2010. He opened a second office on Grosse Ile last month.

The company offers a full range of insurance coverage, including home, life and car insurance. The company also offers some nontraditional insurance protection, such as recreational vehicle coverage, boat and watercraft coverage, flood insurance and, especially appropriate for the Downriver area, classic car insurance.

“A lot of people have put a lot of blood, sweat, tears and busted knuckles into restoring these cars, and there are special policies available to protect them,” Bader said.

Aside from just selling insurance and saving customers as much money as possible, Bader feels it’s also important to educate people about insurance. He also is committed not just in expanding his businesses, but doing so in a way he is comfortable with.

“You know, I sell insurance and I hate paying my own premiums, so I understand how people feel,” said Bader, who took over the business from family members after making a career change and getting his necessary licensing.  “I looked at my own insurance and I realized the policy my agent had sold me was junk. I told my wife right there that I never want to be that type of agent.

“I don’t know any rich agents and I don’t know any poor agents, but I lead a good life because I do the best I can for my customers,” Bader said. “When I put money back in people's pockets, it ends up back in the economy because they put it back in their households. The insurance companies don’t need the money. They make enough.”

And if Bader’s approach to his customers seems different from many insurance salesmen, his approach to expanding his business is different, too. He doesn’t put his name on pens or T-shirts or billboards. Not even travel mugs. What he does use–a lot–is the Internet, especially Facebook. Those who contact Lademen Insurance through its Facebook page can, in fact, get an insurance quote within minutes without ever navigating away from Facebook.

“I’m on the Internet and Facebook eight to 10 hours a day,” Bader said. “It’s such an important tool, and it’s a wonderful way to stay in touch with people.”

Through a current promotion, those who request an insurance quote through the company's Facebook page will receive a free pizza.

For more information, call Bader at 734-284-7500, visit his website or find him on Facebook.