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T H U R S D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 2 7 , 2 0 0 7
Trusted Choice | Big "I" Professional Liability | Big "I" Umbrella Market | Big "I" Advantage | Industry News |
TRUSTED CHOICE®
Drop-in Article: The Importance of Brand Identity
Promote Trusted Choice® to your members through marketing piece.
The following is a drop-in article states can use in their publications to promote Trusted Choice®. The article examines the importance of an agency’s brand identity and explains how an agency can turn a good brand identity into loyal customers. The article can run under the byline of your state’s Trusted Choice® chairman, president or state national director. This drop-in article is an excellent way to keep the brand program in front of members --- both current and prospective. For more information, contact Jenner Gohr at 800-221-7917; jenner.gohr@iiaba.net.
Drop-in Article:
The Importance of Brand Identity
Gaining a consumer’s trust and loyalty has never been more challenging than it is today. It used to be that there were fewer brands to choose from, fewer outlets selling those brands and far fewer competitors. The key now is to understand and stick to your brand identity. You need to consistently communicate your brand identity to your customers and potential customers, which requires a serious commitment.
Your brand identity is the outward expression of what your brand stands for --- your promise to your customers and the benefits it provides them that is unique from other brands. This is the critical element to defining and differentiating your brand to develop a loyal following of customer advocates.
The big question you’re probably wondering is how to develop this brand identity? Well wonder no more. If you’re a member of Trusted Choice®, you have one. As an independent agent and a member of Trusted Choice® you offer a very unique service to your customers. You can offer them a choice of insurance companies, customized policies and the support they need with any claims. By signing the Trusted Choice® Pledge of Performance you are also guaranteeing them a higher standard of customer service.
However, don’t rely on advertising to be the primary, if not the only, communicator of your brand identity. Make sure your brand identity is clearly communicated over all consumer touch points: Web site, newsletters, press releases, promotional/marketing efforts, advertising and personal interactions with staff.
If you need assistance implementing the Trusted Choice® message into your daily interactions with consumers, don’t look any further than the Trusted Choice® Web site, www.TrustedChoice.com. On the site you will find press release templates, pre-produced advertisements (print, TV, radio and billboard), articles for newsletters, easy ways to explain the importance of the brand to your staff and much more. These tools can help you communicate your agency’s brand identity to your customers.
There is no question as to the value of a strong and differentiated brand identity. It is the key to unlocking a future of loyal customers, loyal consumers, and a healthy, growing business.
(Adapted from “Branding at the Core” by Karen Strauss.)
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BIG “I” PROFESSIONAL LIABILITYSM
Need Help Promoting FFIC’s E&O Program?
New E&O program marketing materials now available.
Have you just started using the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Agents E&O product or are you getting ready to start a marketing campaign? The national office can help. Fireman’s Fund has provided glossy coverage highlight sheets spotlighting FFIC’s 25 years of experience providing insurance agents E&O coverage and FFIC’s partnership with the Big “I.” Additionally, the highlight sheet emphasizes the program’s attributes such as defense costs outside the limits of liability. FFIC has also provided folders with Fireman’s Funds logo, which can be complimented with a Big “I” Professional Liability sticker to further stress our partnership with FFIC. These materials are an excellent way to solicit new members or inform current members of the availability of an alternative market. If you are interested in Fireman’s Fund marketing material, contact Pam Andrews at pam.andrews@iiaba.net.
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BIG “I” PROFESSIONAL LIABILITYSM
The Importance of Being Earnest...With Jupiter Entries
Keeping active directory IDs up to date is essential.
The active directory ID field in Jupiter --- who needs it? We all do! This field allows us to properly identify records in active directory, thereby helping us to supply your association with valid and up to date prospect lists. And the opportunities for future applications with this data are limitless. Think of the possibility your association could have in delivering a content-specific newsletter to its insureds. This is why proper entry of this field in Jupiter is critical. Please take the extra minute and look up your applicant’s active directory ID number. Do not enter dummy ID numbers such as all zeros or all nines as this skews the data and causes agencies to show on the prospect list that are actually your insureds. If you have any questions regarding the active directory ID number or Jupiter, contact Pam Andrews at pam.andrews@iiaba.net.
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BIG “I” UMBRELLA MARKET
Rhode Island Rocks RLI
State leads in percent increase of RLI personal umbrella sales.
Congratulations to the Rhode Island association for leading the country in the percent increase in RLI personal umbrella sales. Rhode Island has generated an 87% increase in issued new business. Through August, the association has issued 187 applications and it has 187 members --- that’s one application per agency. How did they do it?
“We just followed the plan national sent out to all the states in January,” says Membership Services Coordinator Melissa Mooradian. Rhode Island consistently published RLI articles from SMAC in its state newsletter, did direct mailing to members, used the “What’s a PUP?” insert as part of education mailings and distributed the monthly e-blasts received from Scott Combs at RLI. As a result, April Shrewsbury, who processes Rhode Island RLI business, has seen a steady stream of submissions. (Shrewsbury is a Big “I” employee who processes business for 12 state associations).
Rhode Island has also gotten a little bit “out of the box” with marketing. Borrowing a page from the Georgia association’s marketing playbook shared by Aubie Knight at last spring’s IPC conference, they posted RLI Personal Umbrella posters everywhere in the Rhode Island training room where CE classes are taught. When members go into the bathroom, what do they see? The RLI “Got PUP?” Personal Umbrella poster. Also in the training room is a wall mount where brochures and highlights sheets are placed for various for profit products, including RLI.
By doing those simple things with discipline on a regular basis, the association has been able to increase sales of the RLI stand alone personal umbrella in a soft market. While Rhode Island leads the pack, several other states have also been able to increase their new business production. Here is a list of states that have a positive variance in new business RLI applications throughout the year up to August. Remember it's not too late to dust off the marketing plan and start implementing it. Or easier yet, click here to take a look at the plan and then go to SMAC to download what you need.
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BIG “I” ADVANTAGESM
Marketing Tip of the Week: Programs and Services Checklist
Make member benefits easy to read.
Most state association Web sites provide links to the various products and services offered to their members. Many of these sites have separate pages for the various types of programs, each of which goes into detail about the benefits of the specific market.
To impress your members even further with the plethora of offerings, try listing all your member benefits in one condensed format. The Missouri Association of Insurance Agents has done just that by summarizing the programs in an easy to read, bulleted page located on its Web site. Categories include insurance for agency and clients, non-insurance products, educational opportunities, special events, agency marketing and information. Click here to see the list.
“This is an effective tool to use when soliciting new members and to remind current members of the programs available to them,” says Lindsay Schmidt, MAIA marketing manager. “It reinforces the value of their membership and all that we do for them.”
Other uses of the checklist are include in a prospective member kit, use at a convention in a registration packet or at the association trade booth, or se as a mailer to prospective members. For more information, contact Schmidt at 800-617-3658; lschmidt@moagent.org.
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