Integrated marketing is a strategic execution of all an agency’s marketing activities, online and offline, in a way that is consistent across all customer contacts. Doing so will create more value than when those activities are performed separately. For instance, including a website or blog URL in offline marketing messages will improve prospect’s experience while they are conducting online research.  Too often insurance agencies overlook in-agency promotion by not including their website address on offline marketing materials, therefore inhibiting a prospect’s effort to learn more about the agency via the internet.  Agencies should include their website or blog URL on voicemail, business cards, front door, email signatures, print and broadcast advertisements, on-hold messages, and letterhead.  Conversely, offline marketing initiatives should be included online, such as promoting and displaying community reach efforts on the website and social networking sites.  This increases exposure for the events. 

This multifaceted approach will increase an agency’s return on their marketing dollar by reinforcing and enhancing each advertising platform.

Learn how to:

» Develop an Online Storefront
» How to be Search Engine Friendly
» Get Online Referrals
» The Role of Social Media
» Converting Visitors to Leads
»  Monitor Results

Download here

WHY do agents use online video?

To interact with their customers and prospects.  Videos have a visual component that can make a personal and emotional connection that can easily be lost in a textual environment. Unlike the traditional sales pitch, online video is available anytime, 24/7.  It also gives a website the “WOW” factor to keep your visitors on your site longer.

 Here are a few examples of our website customers using videos:

To Introduce the Agency All About Insurance in Fort Worth, TX uses video on the home page of their website as a way to introduce and explain their agency’s philosophy.
Display Customer Testimonials Chris Beeler from Beeler Insurance posted a testimony from a customer who experienced great claim’s service after a house fire on Christmas eve.
Sales Greg Marcyniuk of Heritage Insurance posted a video on his blog that explains how his agency can help customers save on their insurance and still get great service.
Education/Training We use videos to demonstrate to our customers how easily they can edit content, add images and videos, create links and so on with the website dashboard in Insurance Website Builder.  Agents use videos to educate customers on coverages and policy options.
Personalizing the Agency Empower Insurance Group gets online visitors to laugh by showing their employees demonstrate How To Get Their Turkey On!

Learn more about incorporating videos into your marketing plan

Initially, I shied away from offering the new policy forms. I spent an enormous amount of time and money educating my employees on underwriting and procedural changes with the carriers we wrote, the last thing I wanted to do was to add more to my workload, let alone increase my exposure for errors and omissions claims. Yet, as time went on and I started seeing more and more new forms being approved by TDI, I realized this wasn’t just a fad and I needed to take my head out of the sand.  

The next thing I could only hope for is that there was consistency in the policy language from company to company.  I soon learned, I had no such luck.   After reading over several of the new policy forms, I found the coverage from company to company (MGA to MGA) differed significantly.  Even coverage from MGAs writing on the same County Mutual paper adopted different endorsements to the policy, therefore, even in that case I couldn’t be assured there was a consistency between policies.  What I did find though, was two common areas of coverage that insurance companies addressed.

Non-Owned Automobiles

The most common change I saw in several of the new forms was the restriction or exclusion of coverage for non-owned autos (newly aquired / replacement autos and rental cars).  On the most part, the carriers I wrote for that filed their on auto policy, they reduced the days of coverage for physical damage from 30 days down to 10 or 14 days.  However, I saw just a few of the carriers excluded coverage all together.  Unless the vehicle was listed on the declarations page, physical damage coverage did not apply – period.  Therefore, that meant if the insured purchased a new car on the weekend – he’d better leave it parked at the dealership until the endorsement can be done.

Permissive Use Drivers

The next major deviation from the Texas Standard Auto Policy was how coverage applied to permissive- use drivers.  In my days as a marketing representative, I heard many agents tell me “limited policies” just meant coverage didn’t apply to any driver that was not specifically listed on the policy.  Unfortunately, that is simply not the case.  How coverage applies to permissive-use drivers differs quite extensively from one company to the next. 

The Texas Standard Auto Policy covers all household residents, unless specifically excluded (thus the reason those pesky underwriters always want signed 515As).  Coverage also extends to occasional drivers that have been given permission by the insured to drive the vehicle.

Unfortunately, any agent that has sold a few auto insurance policies in their time, quickly learns there are a large number of parents out there that conveniently forget they have driving-age teenagers living at home with keys to the car.  There is also the spouse on occasion that has had one too many tickets, accidents, or DUIs that the insured swears will never drive the vehicle.  Based on the Texas Standard Auto Policy, when the undisclosed driver takes the car out and wrecks it, the insurance company still has to pay, even though the insurance company was not permitted to collect the adequate premium needed to cover the risk.   To address this common occurrence in an attempt to keep premium/loss costs under control, many Texas insurance companies filed language to curb their exposure to undisclosed drivers.  However, how the coverage applies (or doesn’t apply) to these permissive-use drivers is quite different from company to company. 

Companies that took the conservative approach essentially wrote their language to cover:

·        Named Insured and drivers listed on the application;
·        Occasional Non-Resident drivers; and
·        Drivers listed on the application

Other examples of policy language include:

Example 1:

·        Named Insured and drivers listed on the application;
·        Permissive-use driver for up to 24 hours (consecutive or cumulative) and only minimum liability limits for those that drive the vehicle 24 hours or less

Example 2:

·        Named Insured and drivers listed on the application
·        Liability coverage extends to the Named Insured, Listed Household residents with no coverage for Unlicensed drivers or Unlisted household residents; and
·        Physical Damage – NO coverage for ANY driver that is not listed on policy

On a good note though, I soon realized with the significant differences in policy language, Texas auto insurance agents were now permitted to sell on more than just price.   To accomplish this, the communication between the company and the agent – and the agent and the consumer – must be clear and concise. 

With that said, do not be afraid to ask your marketing representative for a copy of their auto policy and all applicable endorsements.  Read the language yourself, ask questions, and make sure you and your staff are fluent with the policy coverages you sell.  If you are currently appointed with Affirmative Insurance, I highly recommend attending Keith Moon’s (VP of Business Development for Affirmative) continuing education class “Auto Policies – What’s the Difference?”  Keith does a tremendous job outlining the coverage differences from several common carriers in Texas.

Another common misconception among insurance agents only “non-standard” auto insurance companies customized their auto policy and limited coverage.  I assure you, that is not the case.  After SB14 was enacted, it didn’t seem to take long for most Texas auto insurance companies to adopt new language. 

I know I would be naive if I thought every agent in Texas would always sell the best coverage for the best price, not just sell the best price regardless of the coverage. With different policy forms being filed though, customized auto policy forms present a great opportunity for the professionals in the Texas auto insurance industry to set themselves apart from the rest. A professional takes the time to familiarize themselves with the products they sell and educate the consumer on the options available.  While these customized forms do take more time to learn, more time to explain, the benefits for the consumer in price savings and the company is reduced loss costs can outweigh the inconveniences.

Insurance agents are using Twitter as a tool to broadcast the agency’s latest news, interact with customers, find potential customers, learn what the public is saying about their agency, and follow their competition.  Author, Bill Tancer of Hitwise, recently published an article in Time Magazine citing “While it is easy to dismiss Twitter as a kid’s online chat tool; its real demographics reaches into the business world”.
 
What Are Some Best Practices/Tips for Using Twitter?

• Post your picture or logo.

It’s no secret with insurance being an intangible product, what we often find is we are selling ourselves. Add that personal touch by posting your picture.
 
• Don’t be a Tweeterbox. A Tweeterboxer is someone that posts too many messages, in other words, talks too much. It’s a surefire way to get your followers to leave.
 
• Keep your Twitter profile “real” by promoting local community events, other articles your customers may find of interest, and even short stories about yourself and your staff.

• Don’t sell. Offer content of value to your followers to keep them following.
 
     For example, answer common questions your agency receives, such as:
     • Why is my house insured for more than it’s worth? (Replacement Cost)
     • Is there a grace period on auto insurance?
     • What is non-owners insurance?
     • Does my policy cover anyone that drives my car?
 
The intent is to drive traffic to your website, where the user has the opportunity to learn more about your agency.  To accomplish this, post the question on your Twitter profile with a link to answer posted in a blog on your website.

 
What is a Blog?
 
Short for “Web Log”, a blog is a shared online journal that is frequently updated for the general public’s viewing.  The Insurance Website Builder has a built-in blog option.  The blog system allows you to place unlimited logs on your site.  Furthermore, readers have the ability to link your blog to any number of social networking sites automatically through our easy Bookmark widget.  Others linking to your site increases your search engine rankings.
 
 
Free Helpful Twitter Tools
 
With the restraint of only 140 characters, often times including a lengthy website link to a blog can present a problem.  There are several free sites that create a shortened link that will redirect  to your site.  
 
www.tinyurl.com 
 
We used tinyurl.com to shorten a link to an article we posted about employee theft.  The link to the article was 98 characters long – http://www.insurancetechnologiescorp.com/blog/role_of_automation_in_preventing_employee_theft.aspx. 

We visited www.tinyurl.com and created an alias www.tinyurl.com/EmployeeTheft.  The benefit of tinyurl.com (other than being free) is you can often times dictate what the alias link will be; in this case, we were able to choose “EmployeeTheft”.  However, tinyurl.com does not provide any tracking mechanisms.  
 
www.inek.net
 
Inek.net will also create a shorter alias for a lengthy link. While with this free service you are not able to dictate the alias’ name, you can measure the number of clicks that site receives.  Every good marketing plan includes a measurement tool.

AUSTIN, TEXAS (Press Release) March 16, 2010 – AIAT has a long standing reputation of standing for the independent insurance agent since 1993.  Our association has a commitment to provide independent agents a forum for open discussion, formulate educational programs, and provide legislative representation.  As a demonstration of that commitment, we have launched a completely redesigned, interactive website at www.aiat.org. 

The new design was specifically devoted to provide a more comprehensive source of insurance information and services for prospects and our current membership.  In-depth information for the insurance industry professional can be obtained through the useful articles, events section, and a news center posted on the site.  The site features a modern look and streamlined site navigation. 

The site is provided and hosted by Insurance Technologies Corporation through their Insurance Website Builder.  Insurance Website Builder, the premier insurance agency website, was designed specifically for insurance agents to have a fully interactive, lead generating online presence.  We want to extend our thanks to ITC for their continued commitment to our association and the independent agent.

AIAT aims to provide a social network for independent agents, carriers, and vendors to meet and explore avenues to make our industry better.  Visit our site at www.aiat.org for more information.

Just as you receive credibility when someone refers business to your agency, your website receives credibility with the search engines when an external website refers to it. Backlinks improve your rankings on search engines and also entice visitors to come to your website.

5 Tips to Get Free Referrals (backlinks) to Your WebsiteThere are several forums online where consumers post their insurance-related questions. These forums offer a great opportunity for insurance agents to get online exposure by posting answers to their questions. More importantly though, many of these forums allow you to include a link back to your website in the signature line included with your answer. A great example of such a forum is ampminsure.org.

Forum Posting

Article Marketing
Submitting short insurance-related articles to sites, such as Ezine Articles, is another very effective way to get quality backlinks. To join EZine is free, however, they do uphold strict guidelines that prevent people from spamming their sites with sales ads. Keep the article informative and educational to show that you are an expert in your field. For example, write a short article on why it is important to carry renters insurance or outline the criteria involved in determining a rate for auto insurance. When submitting the article, be sure to include your link as part of your signature.

Social Networking Sites
Including an informative blog on your website meets another demand of search engines by keeping your website full of fresh and relevant content.  Insurance related blog posts will be chalked full of keywords that your prospects search for when looking for insurance. To get the maximum benefit of your website blog posts, use social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn to refer your followers back to your blog.  Social media sites are a great way to develop a loyal following as well as get quality backlinks.

Industry Association Backlinks
Industry associations are typically a great place to network and share ideas with other colleagues. Contact your industry association and ask if they accept short articles or blog posts from members.  Again, always be sure to include your website address in your signature.

Company Backlinks
Company backlinks is probably the easiest to obtain. Most companies include a “Find an Agent” section on their website. Check these sections and make sure they are listing your website next to your agency name.

How to Track Your Website’s Backlinks (and your competitors!)
 
There are several free backlink checking websites, such as https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com or http://www.domain-pop.com. These free tools give you the ability to see firsthand if your project to achieve more backlinks is working. They also offer a great competitor analysis tool to see who is linking to your competitors’ sites. Visit your competitor’s backlinks to see if you can obtain a listing with those sites as well.

First, Google “crawls” the world wide web and accumulates information about websites and their content.  The program Google uses to accomplish this task is referred to as Googelbot.  Googlebot uses an algorithmic process to determine which sites to crawl, and how many pages to read from each site.  Next Google compiles a massive index of all the words and locations of the sites it crawled.

When a Google user enters a query, Google returns a result they feel is most relevant.  The results that are displayed are referred to as Snippets.  In general, Google reserves the right to display what they feel is best for their users.  However, you have a great deal of control about what is displayed about your agency on Google.

Title
The first line of the Snippet is the title.  The title displayed comes from the title of your webpage.  We have found many websites where the designer will overlook this very important step when designing websites for their customers.  WebPages not titled will appear in search results with the title as “Untitled” or “Home Page” which does not encourage the consumer to click and learn more.  Whereas a title listing your agency name and a slogan or short concise description of what your agency offers would encourage the consumer.

Description
The description listed by Google typically comes from one of three places.

• Open Directory – If for some reason, when Google attempts to “crawl” a site and they are unable to read it, Google will then sometimes rely on the Open Directory Project, which is listed at www.dmoz.org 
• Within the Page – Sometimes, Google pulls the description from within the page.  Google determines what part of the page it will use so the description gives some context as to what the page contains.
• Meta Description Tag – the most preferred method and where you have the most control of what description is displayed is the Meta Description Tag which is included in the code of your website.  By including a Meta Description Tag, you have the ability to dictate what is displayed about your site.

Descriptive URLs
The last component displayed is the link to your website or the page on your website that meets the searchers’ query.  Providing a descriptive URL is another key aspect to converting a searcher.  For instance, a URL such as www.sampleinsurancewebsite.com/page.php?id=5134, doesn’t tell the searcher they have landed in the right spot, whereas a URL such as http://www.sampleinsurancewebsite.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx will.

Insurance Website Builder
Every website we design, we include a descriptive title, on-target description, and all of the URLS quickly identify to the searcher what they contain.  In addition, through our admin console, our users can update their titles and descriptions at any time and is easy as using any word processor.

According to a survey released by comScore, between 2006 and 2008 there was a 20 percent increase in policyholders that chose to service their policies online. The primary reason for this rapid growth can be attributed to generational differences.  Generation Xers are becoming more confident and comfortable with doing business online while the Gen Y population expects the ability to digitally communicate with those they do business with.  With Gen Yers now reaching their mid-twenties, their population in the insurance consumer base is ever increasing.  Therefore, the demand to provide online customer service based options is becoming higher. 

An interactive website, one where the consumer has the ability to submit and request information specific to them, can improve the customer’s experience with your agency.  These features give your customers the ability to communicate with your agency 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. Providing online options for customer service is a great opportunity to differentiate your agency from your competitor. In addition, online requests do not carry the expectation of immediate handling as a phone call does, therefore, processing the requests can be streamlined, which in turn, decreases support time and costs.