Are You A Real Business?

I was visiting with one of our members recently about the progress they were making in building their agency.  They were doing something interesting with their office space I thought I’d share with you and also their web presence.  What got my attention though was that an insurance prospect said to them “you’re a real business”!

Why would someone looking for insurance make a comment like that?

Could it be that there are a lot of insurance agents who simply aren’t doing business in a 21^st century way?  I think so.

You see, when this prospect went to look for insurance they did a Google search.  They didn’t look in the phone book or yellow pages (can you believe anyone still advertises there?), read a billboard ad or receive any direct mail. They went online to find a local agent.  

Apparently this prospect ended up on the Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma website.  IIAO and the national parent the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America have been doing a lot of work to promote independent agencies' online capabilities in the last two years.  Apparently, it has a payoff.

When the prospect was on the IIAO site they clicked for a local member who could help them (you are a member of IIAO right?).  Now, here’s the interesting part:

They clicked around on several agencies, rejecting all of them until they came to our member!

Why?

Because our member has a website!  And it’s an actual multipage, useful website where the prospect could find enough information to decide to do business with them. 

Do you have a useful website?  Are you linked to OAA, Insurancedeals4U and the IIAO?  Are you doing SEO?  If not, you’re not a real business.  That’s not my opinion that is the opinion of the customer you don’t have!

So, get a useful website if you don’t have one!  Our Vice President of Agency Development Kelly McLemore has several reduced cost options for OAA members.  Contact her for help if you want to start or improve your web presence.

Next time, the other useful idea I learned from this member…