Product News

New! Side-By-Side Proposals In BrokerOffice

Now when you create a proposal in BrokerOffice and select 2 or 3 plans, they’re conveniently displayed side-by-side for you and your prospect.

• Walking prospects through your online proposal is easier than ever:
• •Prospects can quickly compare plans - no more scrolling
• •All plans are viewed equally - no plan gets favored over another because it’s “on top”.
• •Deliver side-by-side proposals in the effective and popular quote engine format your customers love!  

Login to BrokerOffice now and try it out! For full instructions Click Here!

Use Landing Pages With Offline Campaigns

By now, you’ve probably heard about landing pages . These are the web pages people responding to your ads are directed to.

You know that you’ll get better results from your online campaigns by directing people to a targeted and relevant page – instead of just dumping them onto your homepage and hoping they figure out how to take the next step.

But landing pages don’t have to be limited to your online campaigns. You can use a targeted landing page for your offline campaigns, too. This includes print advertisements, outdoor advertising, radio ads, and local TV spots.

Why invest the time to make a separate page for all your different marketing campaigns? Here are two reasons that are pretty hard to argue with.

Landing Pages Convert Better

Including your website address – or URL - in your print and other offline campaigns is a good first step when you jump into online marketing. But there’s one big problem with sending people to your website’s homepage: you aren’t really giving them what they want.

Think about it: your homepage has to be a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Some people will want to know what lines you sell. Others will want to know which carriers you quote. Still more will want to know how long you’ve been in business. Your homepage has to help all these people quickly get to the information they want.

On a landing page, you focus on one offer. Running an ad that offers a free, no-obligation health benefits consultation? That’s what the landing page should be about. That’s what the people who responded to your ad are interested in. If you make it easy for them, you’ll see better results.

No matter what advertising medium you’re using, your landing page has to do at least two things: tell people more about your offer, and make it obvious how they can take advantage of it.

And when you do that, you’ll get more prospects lining up for your offer .

If you use a content management tool, setting up and customizing pages is easy. With the ease of “point, click, and type,” you can have a landing page up in no time.

Landing Pages Help You Improve Your Advertising

When you decide to run an advertisement, how do you decide what it should say? Rely on intuition? Let the ad manager at the local paper write it for you? Use the same ad as last time?

By using a landing page, you can easily measure the results of your ads – and you’ll know quickly if you have a stinker on your hands.

This isn’t a new idea. Direct marketers – the ones who send you “junk” mail and run informercials – have been doing it for 80 years. Those magazine ads that ask you to call a toll-free number and “mention promo code 84XT5″? Or commercials that invite you to “send check or money order to Department DSC650″? That’s ad testing in action. With those promo and department codes, direct marketers get hard numbers about which ads got people to take action.

Landing pages work the same way. When you create a landing page and include its address in one ad only , you’ll know how well that ad did. Just look at the number of hits that page got, and you’ll have a measure of your ad’s success.

You can try variations on the ads that worked, to find out what elements (different headline? different offer?) can make them even better . And you can scrap the ads that aren’t pulling their weight.

To learn more about landing page design, have a look at:

11 Ways to Improve Landing Pages at Digital Web Magazine

For more about testing advertising, check out:

A/B Split Testing at Marketing Experiments

- Jeremiah Desmarais, Norvax
Questions or comments? Email him at jdesmarais@norvax.com

Ask The Expert

How Can I Organize My Online Quote Results?

Q: My firm represents several individual health carriers, and a single quote request can generate hundreds of quotes! How can I help my online prospects organize and understand all the different options? – Neil Lineberger, Benefit Partners, Inc.

A: Online quoting tools are great for instantly showing your website visitors rates and plan benefits. But displaying too much information at once can be overwhelming – especially when you represent several different carriers.

Fortunately, there are a couple quick steps you can take to keep things more manageable.

Nobody needs to see 200 options when they’re looking of a health insurance plan. Find out which plans are most popular. Which plans or companies are most of your prospects looking for? Which plans do most of them end up buying?

If you have a good sense of the plans that are most popular with your clients, you can add filters so only those plans are displayed in your Norvax quote engine.

Now when customers get instant quotes on your site they see a controlled list of plans – 10, 15, 20. how many you display is up to you.

You can learn how to filter out plans on your quote engine with these instructions.*

If none of the plans work out for a particular customer, you can still go into the system yourself and quote them on of your other 200 or so plans and shoot it out in an email.

Also, if you’re creating more detailed proposals using the BrokerOffice tool, you can now display up to 3 plans side-by-side. This makes it easier for consumers to decide on and apply for a plan.

*Note: We recommend you “exclude” the plans you don’t want to display, rather than singling out only those you want to “include”. By excluding plans, your quote engine will automatically display plan updates. This way you won’t have to add new plans manually every time they’re updated.

- Jeremiah Desmarais, Norvax
Questions or comments? Email him at jdesmarais@norvax.com

Ask a question
Have a question you would like answered by our experts in a future newsletter? Email your questions to experts@norvax.com

Agent Interview: Anthony Agoglia And Tony Taylor

Norvax recently sat down with Anthony Agoglia of California’s Self Employed Insurance Group and Tony Taylor of Georgia-based Healthcare Marketing Incorporated to discuss technology, expanding your agency, and how and why you should partner with tech-savvy companies.

Norvax: Can you tell me a little bit about your agencies?

Anthony Agoglia: Self Employed Insurance Group are innovators and on the cutting-edge of online technology. We’re doing 100% online sales, basically from coast to coast. I sit at my desk in California and I sell in 9 different states. I’m going up to 12 different states across the country and can close in 4 or 5 different states in one day. There is no time wasted traveling from appointment to appointment, after completing a sale in Nevada , we can be pitching in Ohio , Alabama or wherever in seconds!

Tony Taylor: We’ve been in business for 31 years. We specialize in recruiting agents to sell health insurance to the self employed market and small group. Five years ago I was only licensed in two states, Georgia and Florida . Now I’m licensed in several different states and I have agents all the way out in the state of Washington down to south Florida .

Norvax: How are you currently using technology?

AA: We use web conferencing technology in an online sales system. AHCP has been huge supporters of what we’re doing. AHCP along with Peter Nauert and Mike Tendler are doing a 110% job in getting us quality products that we can custom build. That’s pretty much the key to what we’re doing. Not only are we using online technology, where I can get a client in front of their computer and on the phone at the same time to do a web conference, but we’re doing custom-built plans where the client picks the parts they want and leaves off the rest.

TT: We’re in the process of adding technology more and more every year. We’re just now doing electronic submission on applications online, and just got our own website a month ago. It’s already recruited agents for us.

Norvax: How is technology helping you grow your profits and expand your agencies?

AA: The aspect of being able to fully explain a program to a client and show it to them in writing – as opposed to being just a phone guy – gives them participation and ownership of their plan; it has doubled my business. It’s going gangbusters because people fully understand it; and they have a place to go back to and refer to it on my www.myinsurancenow.com website. It’s not like I walked out the door with all my materials. It’s all right there online for them 24/7. We’re taking a lot of the question marks out for the clients and even agents, and we love online tracking provided by our carriers and AHCP.

TT: Before when an agent would either call or write in and want some information on our products, we would have to mail them out a package. Of course that’s expensive to get a priority package to them. Now we simply can tell them to go online, or email them on how to go online and get contracted with us. It’s really cut down not only on the time but the administrative cost as well.

Since coming to work with Peter with America ’s Health Care Plans we’ve hired over 100 agents in about 4 months. It’s all because of this online platform and being able to go online and get contracted through American Select. Before it would have taken us two years to recruit that many agents, through the big paper process and the mercy of the US Postal service.

When I’m looking to partner with a company, I look at the rates, the commissions, and the electronic platform. Within that platform you want access to your commissions, your claims, from your policyholders to your pending cases, all through one website. We have that with America Health Care Plan.

Norvax: Anthony, you’re licensed in multiple states. Has purchasing internet leads played an important role in expanding?

AA: Absolutely! I use ProspectZone leads in conjunction with our own lead generating system (Lead Central) that SEIG put together. The bottom line is, and it’s true for any industry whether it’s insurance or not, that people who shop online buy online. It’s a proven fact at this point. So when I can get an internet lead, it gives me a lot of advantages. Number one, I know someone’s shopping online so they’re going to have a higher probability of buying online. Number two, I order leads by the state, instead of the zip code, because online I can be anywhere at any time. To anybody that has a computer I can sell insurance, which is the name of the game. And when you buy online leads, you already know they have one. And lastly, I can be presenting to a client in a matter of minutes from their initial inquiry, instead of days waiting to get to their home.

Selling online lets me be at my desk all day, not only to sell, but also to service existing clients with speed, as opposed to being stuck in a car for most of my day. My clients know that I usually get back to them within an hour, if not minutes, and that leads to client satisfaction and lots of referrals.

Norvax: You are both partnered with America’s Health Care Plans. They’re taking big steps to embrace technology. Why is that important?

AA: I think it’s important because the insurance industry needs to keep up with the technology of the times, and we need to do business in the same manner the clients desire to do business. And online is the way people are moving, more and more, to do all types of personal and business transactions. Mike Owens and AHCP recognized the importance of this early on and are not only keeping up with the times, but keeping us a step ahead.

TT: AHCP has the most simple technology for a new agent to come on board and submit his business right online. By the time he writes his first case, he can email the underwriter, he can monitor the progress of his business, his commissions. It’s a complete turn-key operation that is just a perfect franchise for an agent to get into the business. We’re just so excited about being with them it’s unbelievable. It’s like stepping up 20 years into the future compared to what we were doing in the past.

AA: AHCP has made enormous time and money investments, especially Peter Nauert and his whole group, to get online sales up and running when there were a lot of people, not that long ago, saying it couldn’t be done. Most agents and administrators were saying that people will never buy online and they need to “see an agent”, they need to have someone “at the kitchen table”. We’re proving them flat out, dead wrong. It’s definitely a different dynamic. Agents who want to do business online need to reset their thinking in how they’re selling insurance. But if they can make that switch over in their mind, change the style of what they do, and we help them with our online sales system, a whole world opens up that is growing every day.

Creating A Client Survey That’s Worth Your Time. And How To Get People To Respond

Client surveys are a time-tested, cost-effective marketing strategy. and one you shouldn’t be passing up. This little follow-up mailing covers a lot of marketing ground in one shot. Let’s dig a little deeper to see just how valuable surveys can be for your agency.

Surveys Help Build Retention Off The Bat

That first week after closing the deal is the perfect time to get in front of your new clients. You’re still fresh in their mind and they’re more likely to open AND read a letter from you (especially if it’s hand addressed).

Open up the survey with a personal note thanking them for their business. Make it clear that you look forward to being their trusted insurance professional, not just someone who sold them a policy.

This feel-good moment reinforces that YOU are their insurance agent, and are available throughout the life of their policy – and when they need additional insurance coverage.

Put Your Sales Process Under The Magnifying Glass

If your agency is like 99.99% of businesses, some part of your sales process (and the client’s buying process) isn’t working as well as it should be. It’s hard for you to figure that out from the inside, so you should always look for ways to get real client intelligence on what it’s like to buy from you.

Ask your clients about how easy and convenient the process was. What could be improved? Were all their questions answered before they bought the policy? Was there any service they expected, but didn’t receive?

You might be surprised by what you learn. Changing something as simple as your outgoing voicemail message can really improve satisfaction. That can go a long way toward building lifelong clients, and getting those all-important referrals.

Testimonial Generator

Don’t miss this easy opportunity to collect a valuable testimonial for your other marketing pieces. On your survey form, ask new clients what they liked best about the experience.

Make sure you also ask them for permission to use the testimonial on the form. Don’t be shy about it – people who have just come off of a positive buying experience are happy to provide you with a few kind words. And people are often flattered that you want to share their opinion with others.

Ask For Referrals

This is also a great time to ask for referrals. Right now, your client is feeling good about the help you gave them, and hasn’t run into any snags with their new plan.

Keep it simple, with something like:

You might not get a ton of referrals for your future marketing campaigns this way, but every one pays for the cost of a couple dozen survey mailings. Plus, you’ll plant the seed in your clients’ heads so your name pops up if someone asks them to recommend an agent.

Set Expectations

Let your clients know how and when they’ll be hearing from you. Do you send out a monthly email or paper newsletter? Tell them to keep their eyes peeled for it.

Will you be in touch when it’s time to renew their policy? Let them know you’ll help them when the time comes.

Getting Those Surveys Back

You’ll get more valuable surveys back by sweetening the deal a little. Why not offer them a free gift card to their favorite coffee shop? It doesn’t have to be much, but that little “reward” can encourage them get that survey back out to the mailbox.

You may also want to think about sending an email survey , instead of the traditional mailing. It’s quick and there are no envelopes to lick shut.

Some email survey companies you can check out are:

Survey Monkey
www.surveymonkey.com

Speed Survey
www.speedsurvey.com

QuestionPro
www.questionpro.com

- Scott Sullivan, Norvax
Questions or comments? Email him at ssullivan@norvax.com

Revamping Your “About Us” Page For Better Conversions

The About Us page might be the most misunderstood and neglected page on your website.

About Us pages are usually put up at the last minute. Very often, they don’t exist for any reason other than “Well, we’ve got to have one.” And precious few business people give serious thought to the visitors who will actually be reading about them.

But believe me, people do read that page. For many online shoppers, it’s not just your products, your prices, or your service. it’s also your story that motivates them to click that opt-in button.

People navigate to that page to learn something about you – and if you miss the mark, you’re losing out on an opportunity to move prospects further down your sales process.

So what do visitors really want when they click on About Us. and how can you deliver it to them?

Um, Who Are You?

I’m always shocked when I find an About Us page that goes on and on about the company and never mentions the people behind it.

Sure, it’s nice to know how long the agency has been in business. but who do you feel like calling: ABC Insurance Group Incorporated or Joan Smith, licensed insurance agent?

People want to put a face on your company. At the bare minimum highlight a few of the key people your prospects are likely to interact with. And a photo that shows your friendly, smiling faces is great for warming up hesitant prospects.

And while you’re showing off who you are, you should also spell out what makes you different from all the other agents out there. Put it in a bulleted list or say it in a few snappy sentences, but don’t let prospects leave this page without learning why you are the only agent they should work with.

Why Should I Trust You ?

A prospect who wanders onto your About Us page is looking for a little reassurance. They want to know you’re someone they can trust doing business with.

This is a good place to show your industry memberships, awards or community honors. Add the logos when you can (like to the Better Business Bureau) to borrow from their built-in credibility. Got testimonials? Put up your best one and then link out to a separate testimonial page.

What Can You Do For Me ?

Your About Us page is also a good place to reinforce the value you offer your prospects. Sure, the page is “about” you. but deep down, your prospects are more interested in how you’re going to help them .

You can say something like:

Help Prospects Take The Next Step

Now that your page has answered your visitors’ most burning questions, escort them to the next step in the process. Most About Us pages drop the ball here, leading info-sniffing prospects smack into a dead end.

Do you want your prospect to fill out your online form, or call you?

Spell out what you want them to do in a no-nonsense way:

Don’t Be Boring

If there’s one thing most About Us pages have in common, it’s how boring they are. So don’t be afraid to loosen up a little. Sure, you should remain professional – but showing a little of your personal side can really win over prospects.

I’ll show you what I mean. Go to the About Us page of any giant company. 9 times out of 10 the language is so dry it makes your eyes cross.

I don’t want to name any names, but check out this example from a well-known bank:

See what I mean? Those facts and figures might be nice if I’m looking to invest some money in their stock. But what if I want to open a checking account? They don’t give me a compelling reason to take my business to them.

Use everyday language and make it easier for prospects to understand what you offer them and why they should trust you:

There are lots of ways to make your About Us page more engaging, exciting, and useful to your prospects. Give yours a tune up and turn that “dead end” webpage into a crucial step in your sales process.
- Jeremiah Desmarais, Norvax
Questions or comments? Email him at jdesmarais@norvax.com