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Know Your Competition

7/20/2017

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Know Your Competition


Mark Sanborn, a best-selling author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur said, “If you aren’t a little different than your competition, you’re in trouble.”  

Do you know your competition?

Is your agency located in an area with other independent insurance agencies?  If the answer is yes, do you think you are different than the other insurance agencies?  Can you honestly say you provide your customers a better customer service experience?  Better products and services?

Keeping up with your competition is a great way to grow your business.  Identify the markets that aren’t being met by your competition.  Then consider offering products and services they don’t.

  • Google Search your competitors
  • Google “insurance agency” to see other agencies in your vicinity
  • Make a list of your competitors
  • Visit their insurance agency website
  • Make a list of the products and services they offer
    • Identify what you have that they don’t
  • Ask your marketing representatives about other agencies in the vicinity
  • Set up a Google Alert for the competitor’s agency name
  • Follow your competitors on social media
  • Ask your customers and walk-ins
  • Attend trade shows
  • Ask your customers why they chose you over the competition

Compile a spreadsheet and note your products and services vs. your competitor’s products and services.  What do you offer that they don’t?  Find your differences and market those.  “We sell boat insurance!”.  Compare your operating hours.  Are you and open Saturdays and they aren’t?  “OPEN Saturdays!”  Compare the number of companies you represent.  “We’ll find the best coverage for your insurance needs.  We represent 12 top rated insurance carriers.”

Attend trade shows to find more markets and products.  Companies and carriers want your business.  The more you offer, the more you’ll stand out compared to your competition.  In addition, you’ll network with other agents, carrier marketing representatives and insurance association representatives to learn about things that are working for them and their agencies.

Here’s a basic example of a tracking spreadsheet.  Add to this and find areas where you stand out.  Market to your potential customers and promote what makes your independent insurance agency shine compared to your competition.
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Is Your Agency Customer Friendly?

7/12/2017

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Is Your Agency Customer Friendly?

Is your office easy to find?  Is your office tidy and inviting?

Here are some things your independent insurance agency can do to make your office more customer friendly:


  • Make it easy to find your insurance agency’s address, phone numbers and locations on your agency’s website
  • Have visibly clear signage on your storefront
  • Clean parking lot and storefront
  • Politely greet visitors as they arrive
  • Offer your visitors bottled water or coffee
  • Have a clean and comfortable waiting area
  • Play music or have a television in the waiting area
  • Have recent magazines in your waiting area
  • Have insurance brochures in your waiting area
  • Keep your restrooms clean and fresh
  • Have accessible restrooms that are clearly marked
  • Have good lighting and replace burned out light bulbs

You see your office almost everyday.  Get an outside opinion on things you can do to spruce up your agency.  Ask your spouse or a friend to tell you what they think of your office.  

There are other things you can do to keep your office looking ship shape. Ask your employees keep a clean and tidy desk.  You want to make a good impression on your customers so they will feel welcomed.  If they feel good about coming into your agency, they will come back to see you when they need additional products and services that you offer.

Do you do anything special at your office that may benefit other insurance agents?  Maybe you offer snacks or you have a cooler with sodas and waters for your clients. Do you offer free Wi-Fi?  Do you update your furniture as it gets worn and outdated?  Do you subscribe to sports related magazines for sports fans?   Do you have some cool artwork on your walls?  

We’d love to hear about some things you do that makes visiting your insurance agency a pleasant experience.  Please tell us in the comments section below.

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Optimize Landing Pages for Lead Generation

7/6/2017

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Optimize Landing Pages for Lead Generation
 
A landing page is defined as a web page a visitor arrives at after clicking on a link.  Typically you arrive at a landing page after clicking on a link on a website home page.  Let’s say your insurance agency website has a button to “Get A Quote” or “Get An Instant Auto Quote”.  When a visitor clicks the link, they are taken to a landing page.  
 
A landing page should be designed using the KISS method. The acronym KISS stands for “Keep It Simple, Stupid”.  The principle was designed by the U.S. Navy in 1960.  It states that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than complicated.  The goal is simplicity and unnecessary complexity should be avoided.
 
15 Things to consider when designing your landing page:
 
  1. Make it easy to navigate  
  2. Make your call to action clear (Why should they give your their information)
  3. Identify the benefits of your offer
  4. Use appealing images that make sense to your offer
  5. Use bullet points
  6. Leave white space (KISS) - you don’t want a cluttered page
  7. The form should be above the fold
  8. Use a CAPTCHA to avoid spammers
  9. Include a privacy policy
  10. Include your phone number at the top of the page
  11. Use customer testimonials
  12. Make form fields mandatory (First name, last name, email, phone number)
  13. Use keywords phrases for the product you are offering
  14. Use a personal touch and avoid generic content
  15. Include a personal thank you message when the form has been submitted
 
Once you have built your landing page and your campaign is live, be sure to track your campaign.  Is it successful?  If your campaign needs improvement, consider making changes to your landing page and test other versions.​

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    Author

    Vikki Thomas has been working in the insurance industry since 1995.  Vikki has worked for several carriers in customer service, quality assurance, underwriting, product management and marketing.  Vikki has worked at AccuAgency since 2008.

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