Is your website building relationships? 

Two questions every independent agent must answer about its website:Why would anyone come back?  How does it help customer make better decisions, informed decisions? 

Bank officials are responding to these same questions these days.  So are some insurance carriers. They are adding decision-making tools: charts, graphs, calculators, financial standards information, comparisons, what-if situations, and more. 

The whole idea is to build relationships by giving the customer information about practical ways to improve their financial programs.  The premise is that the more the consumer knows about options, the more in control he/she will feel about the financial institution they are associated with. 

We have long said that insurance agents who see themselves as educators and providers of information---important aspects of their role as service providers---will be big winners.  They will retain more customers.  They will be able to make upgrade and round out sales easier.  They will get more referrals.  They will have a strong shield against E&O claims. They will have a positioning differential and a value-added benefit that helps them win in competitive situations. 

To keep this conversation going, and for specific ideas, call us at 508-245-2876 or e-mail me: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Oh, and cruise through our website to see if we are walking the talk! 

What are you doing in the community? Flaunt it! 

One of the new business advantages that you have as an independent agent is personal visibility in your marketplace and your agency’s support of community events.  Little League sponsorships, charitable organization contributions,  memberships in Lions and Rotary, and the Chamber of Commerce are common ways to show your agency's community support.  These all contribute to building a reservoir of good will and---indirectly or directly---new policyholder accounts. 

Owning an event

Make it easy for customers to find “more information” on your Web site 

We encourage our clients to create special landing page addresses and insert them in their ads, direct mail and product sales brochures. This strategy makes easier for customers and prospects to get the information they are interested in DIRECTLY; no need to find it by clicking through from your Home Page.  Special landing pages ares a proven way to increase inquiries for quotes and sales appointments. 

Add a single “more information” pay-off page to your existing Web site or maybe a microsite within your Web site, i.e. 3-4 pages.  Include the major benefits of the product or service you are featuring in your marketing support materials along with a sign-in box for quotes.  

Sign-in Tips  

. If you set up a 3-4 page microsite, ask for quote responses on EVERY PAGE.   

. Always include a “put me on your newsletter list” option  

. Respond IMMEDIATELY to all inquiries with a “Thank You.” e-mail.  

. If your quote process requires collection of additional information, call  or e-mail to obtain that information ASAP.  

Q. Can I create a landing page address without adding a page to my existing Web site? 

A. Yes. In fact, you have landing page addresses “built-into” your site.  As an example, try this landing page located on our Web site:  

www.mcmarcom.com/images/samplers/PLNews.jpg 

Comment:  For “more information” call-to-action in a direct mail piece or an ad, we would create a special landing page with a simpler address such as www.marcom.com/newsletter. 

Turn your car into a billboard 

This one takes some moxie and a flair for showmanship. 

Create a sales message and wrap it or paint it on a vehicle. Voila! Mobile advertising. 

Everywhere the car goes, you go. Your name will become a household word especially if you market in a town of 60,000 or under population. 

Tips  

. Park your mobile billboard in high visibility areas and leave it for a few hours. 

. Park it at event areas that attract a big crowd. 

. Hire someone to drive it around town in high traffic areas for a few hours each week---hire a good driver, of course! 

. Make sure your phone number and Web address are highly visible. 

RESULTS:  You’ll one-up your competition with high name recognition and positive word-of-mouth advertising (the best kind).  

LOW-GEAR:  If you don’t have the moxie or dollars to do a complete wrap or paint job, consider a back-up: your agency name with phone, Web address, and slogan on the front doors and on the rear of the vehicle.  

Fidelity and Prudential on same wave-length 

Two giant investment firms who are promoting financial planning and retirement income programs in their television and print ad campaigns are saying the same thing to the same audiences. 

Both are featuring “Find your way to financial security with us” and both are using pathway visuals.  The two campaigns are virtually interchangeable. Not cool if you’re either of the advertising agencies involved in producing the campaigns or if you’re the advertising director for either company.   

In an interview that we saw recently, a top executive at Fidelity took public credit for coming up with the pathway theme and the TV visual concept (moving line that leads the way for the happy-to-be-shown-the-way investor) for his organization’s version. 

The collision of themes is bound to create blurred brand awareness for both organizations.  Which one will blink first, and make a campaign change? 

“Measure twice and cut once.” 

This advice makes sense in sales planning as well as carpentry!