Comments on: IIABA ACT Future Issues Conference – Interactivity

By: Rick Viall

Rick Viall — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:57:35 +0000

Also, we started advertising on Facebook. I’ve spent about $15 and picked up my first opportunity after three weeks. The demographic power is amazing. My ad only appears on the screen if you are married, over 35, college educated and live within 10 miles of the town where my business is located.

By: Rick Viall

Rick Viall — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:53:10 +0000

The answer to my problem ended up being an intern. He interviewed everyone i the office, looked up URLs and generally relayed information to the web guy that actually did the work. It is still not artistic but we got functional.

By: burgen

burgen — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:17:35 +0000

Every time i come here I am not dissapointed, nice post

By: Rick Viall

Rick Viall — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:21:59 +0000

My own experience is I cannot acheive a dialogue with a company to rev up my web site. Either they do not follow through or I get a huge homework assignment that is impossible to complete with business activity the way it is. I am hip deep in Web 2.0 telling my story on face book and pulling in articles I write and my agency web site.

By: Duke Williams

Duke Williams — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:57:38 +0000

I wonder what the 27% difference between agents who have web sites and agents who use the web for marketing and attracting business means. How could you have a web site that was not meant to attract business? What would that website be for?

I can accept that they might be pretty poor websites that are not effective. They might even seem to be abandoned. Still, they have to be doing something.

By: Jeff Yates

Jeff Yates — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:38:11 +0000

Mike, you did an excellent job at the conference. There is great interest by technology leading agents in harnessing Web 2.0 tools to build their online brand, and they are looking to ACT's Web 2.0 WG to help them as to how to do it.

A few clarifications on the data you cited. 82% of the independent agencies have agency management systems. It is only in the smallest category of agencies ($150,000 or less in revenue) where the percentage is 50%. The percentage rises rapidly as agents get larger, because the agency management system is the backbone of a fully electronic agency adding significant efficiency and electronic connectivity options with their trading partners (such as Real Time and data download).

Another clarification. 29% of the agencies currently do not see the Web site as a very important (a 6 or 7 on a 7 point scale) tool for marketing the agency and attracting prospects. They probably conclude this because they are not getting a lot of prospects from their Web site because consumers cannot find them. This points to the opportunity we have to help agencies use search more effectively and employ Web 2.0 tools (such as blogs) to improve their search engine positioning. The one great thing about independent agents however as small businesses is that they can adapt rapidly when they see the business payback from taking a particular action.

Mike, thanks again for all of your insights during the meeting.

Jeff Yates, ACT Executive Director

By: Rick Morgan

Rick Morgan — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:11:47 +0000

Mike, great summary and review of the conference. Thank you for your participation your contribution was very much appreciated.

By: Pat Alexander

Pat Alexander — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 11:42:34 +0000

Mike,

This is a great post about the ACT meeting. I always leave with a list of new ideas and on a bit of a technology overload. I benefit most from the ideas that I can apply to my work with independent agencies. Thanks for changing the description on the "Two attendees Tweeting" to mature from old. Old is a state of mind and while I am a boomer, my state of mind is certainly not old. Great to meet you.