There's a common but dangerous myth about Digital Marketing: that it's for Personal LInes only. I think it comes from the fact that the agency forces's "mega-competitors" - GEICO, Progressive Direct, Esurance - are focused on Personal Lines. (So people think "Internet = Personal Lines.") After all, Personal Lines is and always will be easier to sell directly on the web. It's a simpler policy.
But our research shows that business owners spend more time researching insurance on the internet than Personal Lines consumers. And the larger the policy, the more time they'll spend there.
No...you won't get the business consumer to "be your CSR" and fill out their own ACORD or other insurance forms on your website. That's not the point. What you want do is to get them engaged, educated and excited...and then get them to either call you or fill out a quote request form. In other words, your Digital Insurance Office can and should be the Perfect Lead Generation System, delivering a steady stream of high quality, PRE-SOLD leads who want to do business with you.
Just yesterday, this comment showed up on our Quantum Club Discussion Group:
This came in response to a question from a member about whether large commercial lines will come through the Agency Revolution:
"About 98% of what we do on our AR site is large commercial... Ie.. accounts over $75,000 in annual premiums.
We target accounts that generate over $100,000 in premium. Which is a lot easier that it sounds as when we sell a client, we get the benefits, comp, package, personal lines, life, 401k etc......
So an "account" to us is worth a lot more than it is to most other agencies... and there are a lot of accounts over $75,000 when you add it all in there..
What is left is personal lines, and misc small niches... our site does well in personal lines as well, just hard for personal lines to compete with the size of the commercial lines accounts we do.
We have a great sales system, service system, all that support our marketing systems.... with the AR site at the heart of it...
BTW... noteworthy we have closed some "mega" deals this year where the conversation (marketing) started on our website!!!" - Grant Davis
NOTE: niching in Commercial Lines gives you awesome Search Engine opportunities. So, the answer is clear: if you want pre-interested, pre-motivated and "pre-sold" prospects coming to your agency, Commercial Lines + savvy Digital Marketing were made for each other.