| Here are web site options for insurance brokers/distributors who
either need their first web site or want to gain more "control" over how their current site is
managed. The key assumption here is that having a web presence is no longer an option, its a
requirement, in that a certain market segment (i.e. Agents) will want to learn about your firm online,
and perhaps complete forms online, as compared to over the phone or by hand. Furthermore, your staff
can be more productive simply by having certain materials available to prospects and others in your
network.
We have identified four categories of websites, based on
complexity to develop and maintain.
- Simple informational site - no changes or updates expected. Just needs to look good.
- Active informational site - the site is used to communicate with
prospects and staff. Documents are kept there, downloaded as needed, forms can be completed. Is
typically coordinated with an e-mail campaign.
- Active informational site with controlled access -
same as above and has a secure area where account/password is required to enter.
- Targeted marketing for web site - here the site is designed and
optimized for reaching prospects via the web. In addition to being an active
informational site, special effort is taken to ensure rankings in search engines, along with regular
e-mail campaigns and other promotional tasks.
Simple Site - easier than you think
We will assume here that you
have already decided on a domain name, now want a low cost, informational site. Most hosting companies offer a tool to quickly develop a site that looks
professional, so don't limit yourself to one hosting option.
The obvious benefits are low
cost ($15 - $20/month plus set-up charge) and the ease of getting started. Think of this
option as adding a new piece of marketing collateral. Sites like
www.sitemonster.net provide templates and allow for easy
entry of text for describing your company.
The downside? Forms,
ability to upload documents, and having a framework in place that can help manage the site.
Active Informational Site
How many times does an agent or partner need a form
or application faxed now? Someone asks for the latest details on a new policy and you either put
it in
the mail or make some effort to get it to them. A web site is an economical and efficient way to
communicate, especially today when computers are pervasive, the "fear of the net" is diminishing. (How many used cars do you think eBay will be selling in
three years?). We use the term "Active" to describe a site that is changing, has current and relevant
content, thus having viewers coming to the site on a regular basis. These sites require
maintenance and options for doing this are discussed below.
The hosting costs are similar as
a simple site, as described above. We recommend you host on a Windows2000 server that has
FrontPage 2002 extensions. You should expect to get as many email accounts as needed at no extra
cost. Templates are available to ensure a high quality appearance for the site without having to
hire a graphic artist.
Active Informational Site with Controlled
Access
These sites have all the
advantages of above, plus a controlled access area where a login is required. Other
functionally, beyond forms and document delivery is possible. For example, search capabilities
for a large number of newsletters or a large medical dictionary, located on the site may be included.
Typically, these additions are implemented as active server pages (ASP).
A database is typically used to
manage the users who can enter the site. For a small number of users (i.e. 500) MS Access should
work fine. For larger applications, SQL Server is an alternative. Again, relevant content
is the key to these sites; having reasons for viewers to return is critical.
The hosting costs may be
slightly more for having the database. Again, we recommend hosting on Windows2000 with FrontPage
2002 extensions.
Targeted Marketing Sites
These sites are designed as part
of an internet marketing strategy to get business, either B2B (i.e. distributor to agent) or B2C
(Agent to consumer). In additional to quality content, a promotion plan that includes email
campaigns, search engine optimization and other clever tactics is necessary. In some cases a
site might be focused on one product line, so several sites may be needed to cover all products.
Like informational sites, content is king, with additional efforts needed to promote getting to the
site, as well as making it easy to complete an application.
Working with
CRMPublications
CRM Publications
choose FrontPage because it offers the best balance of capability with simplicity. We also recommend
FrontPage-templates and tools that reduce development time. We can work to transition a site to your
staff, or we can maintain and update your site as needed.
The challenge with an active site is
Who will
maintain it and do the changes I will need? Put simply, you have two options: 1) someone on staff or
2) contract with a webmaster. We suggest keeping the following in mind.
-
The simpler the site - the easier (or faster) to
make changes
-
The simpler the site - the easier for
you to
someday do yourself
-
The simpler the site - the easier to find someone
else if needed
The point is that the best web tools, come with a cost, and in many instances a "lock in" to an
individual or firm such that your site becomes "stale" simply because changes are to difficult to do,
to expensive, or just not easy to accomplish.
Our approach - keep it simple so the site remains current and of value to
your prospects and customers.
CRMPublications can develop
Active Sites based on content from an existing site or will work your staff to create necessary
content. We typically suggest 2 - 3 templates, you decide which one. The site is developed
and tested before being loaded to your URL. Development costs are estimated up front, half paid
when the project starts, 25% when the site is functional and the last payment when live on your URL.
We will also propose a
maintenance agreement based on our experience during the development process. We can help
transition the site to someone on your site to maintain, or we can perform maintenance for you.
Please
email us if you would
like to learn more.
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