Sun Tzu's military treatise, The Art of War, suggested a progressive hierarchy of conflict strategies. The much studied writing on statecraft and military
planning suggests the very last option for battle is the full frontal assault. Attacking your opponent head-on means a lot of casualties for both sides,
and if a victory can be extracted by avoiding losses (particularly your losses), then an alternate strategy should be employed.
In particular, it is always a good idea to avoid direct confrontation with a larger and better equipped opponent; say, for instance, GEICO. GEICO's pervasive and scattershot advertising campaigns2 hint at a take all comers approach; that is, they will write auto insurance for pretty much anybody. Saving money and ease of switching are also integral messages in their campaigns. An independent agent promoting the same value proposition is taking a large, formidable opponent on in a full frontal assault.
Saving money, convenience and time-savings resonate with all consumers and should be part of an agency brand message. Agencies should also shore up their ability to meet customer expectation with 24/7 availability starting with their web site services, and if need be, expanding from there. But agency messages to the market place also need to include traditional, independent agency strengths that exploit GEICO's (and other online marketers') vulnerabilities. Here are two ways to do just that.
Testimonials – What Went Missing in My GEICO Policy
Sure, you can get a quote, online, in 15 minutes or less. Sure, it's so easy a cave man can do it. But the needs of most consumers, their lifestyles and what they have at risk have evolved past replacing a trusty club that has been gnawed to a spindle by a Sabre-Toothed Tiger. What insurance agents know, and GEICO's massive advertising budget obscures, is that what is most important is making sure the right things are protected the right way. And maybe not even a cave man could go it alone and get it right.
The agency testimonials we see most often are the 'I saved a bunch of money', or the 'you have been great to work with' variety (the same as GEICO uses). Those are important but what is missing – and agents tell us this happens all the time – is the 'I got my own insurance online…I had no idea what coverage I did not have'. There is a vulnerability to be exploited there, not only by including appropriate testimonials, but also by making sure the 'protecting the right things the right way' part of your value proposition, is heard loud in clear in all your communications to customers and to your market.
GEICO Admits the Value of the 'Middleman'
In many areas of the country, GECIO actually recruits what they pejoratively refer to as 'middlemen' in their advertising. Consider this excerpt, advertising for agent positions, from the careers section of their web site:
"Geico Field Representatives are independent contractors exclusively writing business for Geico… (as a Geico Field Representative) you are the local sales and service representative for GEICO "3
Need we say more? GEICO's hiring of local contractors to act as middlemen belies their advertising to the contrary. They know consumers prefer to have a local advisor help them with their insurance needs. Of course, GEICO's local advisors represent only one company and do not have the flexibility of selecting the right combination of company, product and coverage options to fit individual budgets and risk profiles. Another vulnerability easily exploited by most independent insurance agencies. Viva! The Middleman!
1. GEICO® is a registered trademark of GEICO an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
2. Slate, http://www.slate.com/id/2123285/ 07.25.2005
3. http://www.iiaba.net/IAMag/NewsViews/062305.html 06.23.2005
We have said this before here and in other places: your insurance agency web site is a business tool and should be constructed (and evaluated) on the basis of business results.
Tools are meant to be used, and not just collect dust on a shelf; so you also need to consider the most appropriate ways for
your independent agency to employ your online tools. Too often though, we let costs and project timelines spiral out of control because we become distracted by the visual possibilities for agency web sites.
Web site aesthetics should accomplish three things: the design and layout of your web site should make you look professional; your agency web site should be consistent and supportive of other marketing collateral and your agency branding; and your site design should help visitors get what they want quickly and easily.
We have all been conditioned by You Tube and are tempted to succumb to the allure of directing our first movie with videos or Flash animation on our agency web site. But You Tube is You Tube, television is television and your agency web site is a business tool. Even GEICO recognizes that and refrains from employing videos or a lot of animation.
Here are a few other web sites that get a lot of use and avoid the use of distracting or slow loading animation or design:
These companies have budgets plenty large enough to do just about whatever they want with their web sites. But they have not been distracted by the pursuit of Wow! Cool! They have very specific objectives and they employ their web sites in the achievement of those bottom line sales and cost-management goals. You should do the same with your agency web site.
GEICO recently added mobile web pages to their range of access and convenience options.
(See: http://geico.com/about/mobile.htm). Independent insurance agencies need to get ahead of the competition,
instead of just playing catch-up; and this is one area where agencies with sites hosted by Confluency were able to do just that.
posted by cfluent at 4:20 PM
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