Will the internet destroy the insurance agency distribution model? No. Are consumers and insurance companies looking to cut out the middleman? Yes. Will Your Agency Survive? It's Up To You.

Across the nation, the most dynamic agents have recognized a paradigm shift in consumer behavior over the years and have adjusted; many others continue to execute promotional strategies that are becoming less and less effective. Fortunately for them and you, I have laid down the basics of marketing your insurance agency today in this article.

I spent fourteen years as a marketing rep for a national insurance company. With my high-level view, I identified trends within the marketplace that many agents simply could not or chose not to observe. The news is both good and bad. The fundamental makeup of a successful marketing plan has not changed but implementation has.

Coverages, Underwriting Guidelines, Pricing, Consumer Demand,
Competition, Claims, Technology, Advertising, Leadership.

These elements of our business exist in a constant state of flux and to spend time in the industry is to learn to embrace change. One of the smartest agents I ever knew told me “insurance is like a pendulum, whenever things are unfavorable they always swing back”. This may have held true over the past hundred years, but today’s consumer has changed, and they will not swing back. It is up to you.

Insurance is a very interesting consumer product. For most Americans it is one of the largest expenditures in the family budget. Insurance can mean the difference between living on the street and being a millionaire. I have seen insurance be the sole determinant between life and death. All these consequences and no one ever wants to talk or think about it! That is why you and your agency can survive. The key to building your business is being the agency people contact that one time a year (or less) they are willing to think about insurance. The question is how...

I know agents spending six figures a year to show their picture on shopping carts, bus stop benches, billboards, newspapers, etc. Their aim is to bombard the minds of consumers 24/7 so when any individual thinks about shopping for insurance, they’ll call. This is a great way to sell by branding yourself – if you can afford a hundred thousand dollars a year to do so. The majority of agents cannot afford to spend like this but see others doing so and think it will be their path to their success. This is a HUGE mistake!

If you were competing with Coke to sell a new soda would you attempt to brand your product so it became the first thing people thought of when they wanted a drink? Would you spend money trying to convince people they are thirsty? You could try and you would fail. I would go to the place where people buy soda after they already know they are thirsty and have decided to buy a drink – the supermarket. I would plaster the beverage section with ads and pay the store to place my soda right at the top of the shelf. Let Coke spend their money convincing people to shop for a refreshing drink; spend your time and money putting your product in their hands when they shop.

You’re probably thinking, “I don’t sell soda, I sell insurance!” It does not matter, the theory still holds. I don't care how nice your smile is, you will never be able to out-brand geckos, cavemen, and good neighbors with your smiling mug on the side of a city bus. You can, however, advertise in the place people go when they shop for insurance. That place is the internet and you can own it; you must if you want to stay in business!

The first step to blasting your online insurance presence is to sign up for Insurance Splash. Your agency will be listed on ten popular insurance related websites. InsuranceSplash has three powerful benefits:

	BENEFIT #1 - Hot Leads - Shoppers from your region visiting our websites will come across your agency information and call you while doing their own research. All our sites are designed to draw customers in with valuable information and drive them to find a local agent to complete their shopping.
	BENEFIT #2 - Search Results - Links from quality sites is the number one determinant for good search rankings. Don't believe me? Google does: "webmasters can improve the rank of their sites by increasing the number of high-quality sites that link to their pages". source
	BENEFIT #3 - Web Presence - The internet has become the business validation that the yellow pages once were. Prospective customers and existing ones want to see your name fill the search results when they google it. That is how you prove your agency is respected and established within the local and online community.

Insurance Splash is the easiest and cheapest way to blast your online presence - it costs less than mailing 100 postcards! We believe in the value your agency provides and we want to help you grow. If you sign up now, you can get a lifetime membership!!!

Your advertising partner today and tomorrow, Jay VanDamme jay@insurancesplash.com Insurance Splash Project Director