Is a cartoon gecko or a comedian in a white dress and bright red lipstick really the best our industry can do for spokespeople? Does it drive you nuts - as it does me - that some of our biggest companies have cheapened and commoditized the product and service we offer to families, businesses and communities? Why don't doctors and lawyers advertise with cheesy cartoon characters? I suppose if they believed they were selling a commodity - where price is all that matters - they would. But, unless you're ONLY selling on price...and if you're NOT selling genuine protection...then this doesn't matter. But you know the direction this industry will take if price is all that matters. Carriers and economic forces will keep squeezing the "middle man." But that "middle man" does (and MUST) add value to the delivery chain.
I, for one, am GRATEFUL for the value that insurance agents have brought to my family. I can think of numerous instances where someone in my family was hurt...and then "patched back together" because of the value the AGENT brought to the relationship.
We've created a series of advertising assets designed to promote the Unique Value you bring to the people in communities across the country. We're offering a copy of this for free as a way of communicating this message to the public. You're welcome to use this freely. (It's already been viewed by tens of thousands of consumers...so it seems to be quickly going VIRAL.) Agents have been posting it in their Facebook, Twitter, websites, making print versions and mailing it. We've identified 12 ways to use it. Again, we're not charging. We just want to get the message out there.
You can download a copy of it (and the 12 ways to use it) from my blog here:
http://www.agencyrevolution.com/blog/entryid/890/why-i-believe-in-insurance-agents
And, yes, that's my picture and that's my story. I'd appreciate any feedback you have.
Thank you - to all insurance agents - for what you do.
Michael Jans
