A QUESTION I commonly pose to workshop audiences is, "What's your brand?" Answers vary. Attendees may name an agency, company or spokesperson (live or animated). I rarely receive the answer I'm seeking. I keep hoping an entire audience will jump up and shout, "I am my brand!" After all, they are the unique aspects of their marketing efforts.
From my childhood, I remember monthly visits from our family's insurance agent. While my parents might have been influenced by the "company brand," their loyalty was always to Elmer, our insurance man. His visits were anticipated. Dinner was early, so the table could be cleared and the house straightened before Elmer arrived. If he had other calls to make, my parents would serve him coffee and dessert. If our home was his last call of the night, he and my dad would hoist a beer. The evening's conversation seldom centered on insurance matters.
Elmer was our family adviser. If my parents were looking for a new appliance, they would ask him about which model to buy and where to buy it. They also consulted with him about other major purchases or potential service providers, ranging from landscapers to interior decorators. Since Elmer knew so many people, he was the expert in all such matters.
As my siblings and I grew up and began our lives outside of the family home, it was a foregone conclusion that Elmer would take care of our insurance needs. After all, he was virtually a member of the family.
Before you write Elmer off as a historical footnote, think about the relationships he established. His clients were friends first, customers second. He cared about us and showed that care with his time and expertise. The challenge for producers today is to create that type of relationship in a digital world and imprint themselves--their individual "brand"--in the minds of their clients and prospects.
What I'm going to suggest may not be viewed favorably by agency owners and company management. While I don't mean to discount the importance of an agency's or company's brand, I believe producers should be allowed to "brand" themselves, as well.
Many successful performers are labeled "prima donnas." I call them superstars. They break the mold and create their own identity. In the auto industry, a superstar can literally become a dealership within a dealership. People buy from the superstar under the umbrella of the dealership. Similarly, the most successful real-estate agents and stockbrokers become unique operations within the confines of their brokerages. Some become so successful that they negotiate higher commissions to offset the overhead they create to support their efforts.
Some agency owners would relish the opportunity to have such superstars among their staff--others rebel at the thought. Those who are of the "not at my agency" mentality may not want to read further.
Build a personal Web site
Most agencies maintain a section of their Web sites where they list employees, along with their phone numbers or extensions, and e-mail addresses. Enlightened agencies couple that information with pictures of the employees and a background paragraph or two. They realize clients like to see the people with whom they interact and know something about them. Some agencies even allow their staff to have individual pages within the Web site to create a more personal touch.
If you are a producer who hopes to become a superstar, however, you should create and maintain your own Web site. It can become your personal "branding" iron. Working with agency management, you should link your site to the agency site for online quotations, claims, billing assistance and other features. Likewise, the agency should link your name on its site to your site. In some cases your "site" might actually be a segment of the agency site. Personally, however, I think you should have your own site, linked to the agency's, to allow for maximum personal "branding."
Web site content
Here is some information you should have on your personal Web site.
1. Full contact information. List your cell phone, e-mail address, agency telephone number with extension (or direct-line number) and agency mailing address.
2. Your own FAQs page. List the most common questions clients and prospects ask you, and then provide the answers to them.
3. Personal background. Along with your history, certifications and expertise in the insurance industry, list the schools you attended and the organizations in which you hold membership. People look for points of commonality in establishing relationships with others.
4. Hobbies and interests. Do you play golf, work on classic cars, enjoy fishing and hunting, knit or make ceramics? Share who you are and what you enjoy. Post pictures.
5. Family. Show off your spouse, children and grandchildren--even your pets.
6. Events calendar. Publicize activities and events for local community groups.
7. Testimonials. Ask clients why they do business with you, and post the testimonials on your Web site.
8. Articles. Post informative articles that would benefit your clients--and they don't always have to be insurance-related.
9. Cross marketing. Let clients know all the various coverages and products you can provide. With each coverage, include an explanation in your own words, so they can understand its importance.
10. Links to sites of friends and clients. With permission, link your Web site to those of your friends and clients that your thinkwould be beneficial to others.
Beyond the basics, be creative. There are literally hundreds of things you can do with your site.
oWere you at the scene of a fire? Post pictures with a story about helping clients in time of need and explaining how claims are handled.
oDid you attend a community fundraiser? Take a picture and post it on your site.
oDid one of your clients do something newsworthy or exciting--expand a business, hire someone, launch a new product? Get the details (and maybe a picture) and post it on your site (again, with permission). You could ask clients to add you to their distribution list for press releases. You could then post them on your site; also, they will keep you abreast of changes that could affect your clients' insurance.
oStart a blog. Promote discussion on various topics among your clients.
oDevelop a Web-based newsletter. Send e-mails to your contact list advising them of the newsletter and providing a link to it. Make sure the content is of interest to them.
oIf you write personal lines, develop a section that would be pertinent to people moving into your area. As newcomers, what do they need to know? Think of it as your personal "Welcome Wagon."
oHave a sign-in page that captures e-mail and other contact information.
oUse a Web scan service to count visitors, identify who clicks on what, and determine which pages generate the greatest interest. This feedback will enable you to make your site more useful and interesting to visitors.
Uniqueness breeds differentiation
Insurance is very much a commodity. Unique packages or programs are soon "cloned" by competitors. There's not much new and exciting. Build upon aspects of your personality, history, expertise and commitment to create a competitive advantage. No one is just like you. That's your differentiating factor. Seize this advantage and use technology to brand and market yourself.
Jack Burke is the president of Sound Marketing Inc., editor of ProgramBusinessNews, host/producer of Audio Insurance Outlook and author of Creating Customer Connections and Relationship Aspect Marketing. Jack also serves as a presenter/faculty member of the Marketing & Sales James K. Ruble Seminars. He can be reached at (800) 451-8273, at jack@soundmarketing.com or by visiting www.soundmarketing.com. For more information on Ruble Seminars or the Dynamics of Selling program, call (800) 633-2165 or visit www.TheNationalAlliance.com.
From my childhood, I remember monthly visits from our family's insurance agent. While my parents might have been influenced by the "company brand," their loyalty was always to Elmer, our insurance man. His visits were anticipated. Dinner was early, so the table could be cleared and the house straightened before Elmer arrived. If he had other calls to make, my parents would serve him coffee and dessert. If our home was his last call of the night, he and my dad would hoist a beer. The evening's conversation seldom centered on insurance matters.
Elmer was our family adviser. If my parents were looking for a new appliance, they would ask him about which model to buy and where to buy it. They also consulted with him about other major purchases or potential service providers, ranging from landscapers to interior decorators. Since Elmer knew so many people, he was the expert in all such matters.
As my siblings and I grew up and began our lives outside of the family home, it was a foregone conclusion that Elmer would take care of our insurance needs. After all, he was virtually a member of the family.
Before you write Elmer off as a historical footnote, think about the relationships he established. His clients were friends first, customers second. He cared about us and showed that care with his time and expertise. The challenge for producers today is to create that type of relationship in a digital world and imprint themselves--their individual "brand"--in the minds of their clients and prospects.
What I'm going to suggest may not be viewed favorably by agency owners and company management. While I don't mean to discount the importance of an agency's or company's brand, I believe producers should be allowed to "brand" themselves, as well.
Many successful performers are labeled "prima donnas." I call them superstars. They break the mold and create their own identity. In the auto industry, a superstar can literally become a dealership within a dealership. People buy from the superstar under the umbrella of the dealership. Similarly, the most successful real-estate agents and stockbrokers become unique operations within the confines of their brokerages. Some become so successful that they negotiate higher commissions to offset the overhead they create to support their efforts.
Some agency owners would relish the opportunity to have such superstars among their staff--others rebel at the thought. Those who are of the "not at my agency" mentality may not want to read further.
Build a personal Web site
Most agencies maintain a section of their Web sites where they list employees, along with their phone numbers or extensions, and e-mail addresses. Enlightened agencies couple that information with pictures of the employees and a background paragraph or two. They realize clients like to see the people with whom they interact and know something about them. Some agencies even allow their staff to have individual pages within the Web site to create a more personal touch.
If you are a producer who hopes to become a superstar, however, you should create and maintain your own Web site. It can become your personal "branding" iron. Working with agency management, you should link your site to the agency site for online quotations, claims, billing assistance and other features. Likewise, the agency should link your name on its site to your site. In some cases your "site" might actually be a segment of the agency site. Personally, however, I think you should have your own site, linked to the agency's, to allow for maximum personal "branding."
Web site content
Here is some information you should have on your personal Web site.
1. Full contact information. List your cell phone, e-mail address, agency telephone number with extension (or direct-line number) and agency mailing address.
2. Your own FAQs page. List the most common questions clients and prospects ask you, and then provide the answers to them.
3. Personal background. Along with your history, certifications and expertise in the insurance industry, list the schools you attended and the organizations in which you hold membership. People look for points of commonality in establishing relationships with others.
4. Hobbies and interests. Do you play golf, work on classic cars, enjoy fishing and hunting, knit or make ceramics? Share who you are and what you enjoy. Post pictures.
5. Family. Show off your spouse, children and grandchildren--even your pets.
6. Events calendar. Publicize activities and events for local community groups.
7. Testimonials. Ask clients why they do business with you, and post the testimonials on your Web site.
8. Articles. Post informative articles that would benefit your clients--and they don't always have to be insurance-related.
9. Cross marketing. Let clients know all the various coverages and products you can provide. With each coverage, include an explanation in your own words, so they can understand its importance.
10. Links to sites of friends and clients. With permission, link your Web site to those of your friends and clients that your thinkwould be beneficial to others.
Beyond the basics, be creative. There are literally hundreds of things you can do with your site.
oWere you at the scene of a fire? Post pictures with a story about helping clients in time of need and explaining how claims are handled.
oDid you attend a community fundraiser? Take a picture and post it on your site.
oDid one of your clients do something newsworthy or exciting--expand a business, hire someone, launch a new product? Get the details (and maybe a picture) and post it on your site (again, with permission). You could ask clients to add you to their distribution list for press releases. You could then post them on your site; also, they will keep you abreast of changes that could affect your clients' insurance.
oStart a blog. Promote discussion on various topics among your clients.
oDevelop a Web-based newsletter. Send e-mails to your contact list advising them of the newsletter and providing a link to it. Make sure the content is of interest to them.
oIf you write personal lines, develop a section that would be pertinent to people moving into your area. As newcomers, what do they need to know? Think of it as your personal "Welcome Wagon."
oHave a sign-in page that captures e-mail and other contact information.
oUse a Web scan service to count visitors, identify who clicks on what, and determine which pages generate the greatest interest. This feedback will enable you to make your site more useful and interesting to visitors.
Uniqueness breeds differentiation
Insurance is very much a commodity. Unique packages or programs are soon "cloned" by competitors. There's not much new and exciting. Build upon aspects of your personality, history, expertise and commitment to create a competitive advantage. No one is just like you. That's your differentiating factor. Seize this advantage and use technology to brand and market yourself.
Jack Burke is the president of Sound Marketing Inc., editor of ProgramBusinessNews, host/producer of Audio Insurance Outlook and author of Creating Customer Connections and Relationship Aspect Marketing. Jack also serves as a presenter/faculty member of the Marketing & Sales James K. Ruble Seminars. He can be reached at (800) 451-8273, at jack@soundmarketing.com or by visiting www.soundmarketing.com. For more information on Ruble Seminars or the Dynamics of Selling program, call (800) 633-2165 or visit www.TheNationalAlliance.com.
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