Ubiquitous URL: Make sure your URL is on every piece of paper your agency distributes. It rates mention any time you list your physical address, phone number, and FAX. Every invoice, letter, business card, brochure, memo, and agency form should include your URL.
General mailings: When you put your site on-line or make significant improvements, consider postcards, letter mailings, or invoice stuffers to let people know about the site and how they can use it to their advantage.
Specific mailings: If you have a particular expertise, a new product or service, or in-depth educational content on your site, consider doing mailings to specific groups that would profit from the information.
Producer/CSR reinforcement: Each time your producers or CSRs talk to, sell, or service your customers, they should mention the site and relate its usefulness to the matter at hand. For instance, if the site has a provision for requesting an insurance ID card and that's what the insured has just called about, the CSR should tell insured they can serve themselves through the site. If the agency produces follow-up confirmations, these too should point out the Web path to achieving the same purpose.
E-mail reinforcement: E-mail presents wonderful opportunities to market your Web site because you can imbed links in the e-mail the customer can use to go directly to the part of the site relevant to the message in the e-mail. For instance, if the insured inquires about how a particular kind of coverage works and you've addressed it on your Web site, an e-mail with a link could open the customer's eyes to the value of the site.
Yellow pages ad: When you do your annual review of your yellow pages ad, make certain the new version will contain your URL. Describe the kinds of services you offer on-line. Then prospects checking the pages are likely to call you, as a progressive agency, rather than your competitor who ignores the on-line channel.
Vinyl car ads: While not for everybody, wrapping one or more agency autos in your logo, slogan, and URL, can bring visitors to your site -- provided the URL is easy to remember. If yours isn't, consider getting a second or third that is memorable and have all link to your site.
Radio and cable TV: No one can remember telephone numbers they hear on the radio or see on TV, but they can remember well-constructed URLs. Radio and TV advertising may actually be more successful linked to a great Web site than if merely linked to a physical agency location.
Press coverage: If you begin to offer online customer service, make sure the local press knows. They may be willing to do an article. Do a press release. Follow up with the business editor. Write letters to the business editor commenting on a technology article and describe how you've implemented a solution.
Sponsorships: Take advantage of local sports, cultural, and community events to put your URL in front of people. Have it appear in flyers, on banners, uniforms, and in event advertising.
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