Book Preview for "Selling Insurance on the Internet" - by Gary Savelli

Preview   (excerpt from book introduction):

   Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be able to tell people that I made $75,000 my first year actively selling insurance on the Internet. And it looks like the coming year will be even better.

   Through our Web site, our small four-person, San Francisco-based family agency currently is selling an average of 50 or more policies and bonds per month. This past month was a record month, with close to 100 new policies sold via the Internet. We get 20 to 50 quote requests daily and, of course, referrals from customers we have sold at our Web site. Money is waiting to be made on the Internet. If other insurance agents tell you otherwise, it's usually because they have tried and failed. (Or, perhaps they're afraid to try.)

    Insurance brokers, marketing representatives, insurance companies, agency managers, and Web site designers ask me how I sell insurance on the Web.... because they can't! I made a lot of mistakes during the first couple of years - but I also did a lot of things right. I believe there are millions of people in this country who want to buy insurance over the Internet, like they do airline tickets, software, merchandise, and other items. But, for a variety of reasons, insurance agencies small and large just aren't doing what it takes to be successful at it.

    This book is for any agency or company interested in selling insurance on the Internet, but the emphasis is on the smaller agent or broker who wants to be successful on the Internet with a very modest investment. Other than some minor, initial, startup costs, we're talking about having a full sales-oriented Web site for an investment of less than $50 per month. Currently, it takes about $40 per month to keep our agency's Web site running, and it generates commission income of $5,000 to $15,000 per month! Recently, I have added pages and features which add a little bit more to our monthly expenses to boost our production, but the average broker or agent can make substantial sales at a monthly cost of less than $50 per month.

    I have not found any other agency (or insurance company for that matter) that is selling insurance on the Internet like we are. That may change over time, but I am ready to share many of my secrets with you if you're willing to work hard to get a piece of what could be - and I believe will be - a multi-billion dollar pie. It will take some time, effort, patience and perseverance, but any agent willing to learn how to open up this great avenue of earning power can do it.

    One skeptical agent said to me recently, "I can't compete with XYZ Company on the Internet - they're probably writing thousands of policies a day." He wanted me to agree with him, but I wouldn't. I feel the Internet is one of the very few places where a little guy can compete with a big company (and win!). So I told the agent, "Let's assume they are writing their thousands of policies a day. So what? Would you be happy with five policies a day?" Of course he would: Five policies a day would be a thrill for any independent agent. The bottom line is, what difference does it make what anyone else is doing, as long as you do what you are doing right and, you bring more business in on a steady basis?

    Folks, the Internet is a big pie. Are you selling five new pieces of business every day without spending anything extra in advertising? Without knocking on doors? Without buying a huge Yellow Pages ad? Without hiring more sales people? I am. I'm happy with my little piece of the pie. I'm not offering you a "get-rich-quick scheme." I am offering you the chance to add a steady flow of customers to your business every day. If you are a realistic and diligent businessperson you can make money at it. If you are willing to work hard to get your Web site started and running efficiently, the Internet will work for you.   

I have found that one great thing the Internet does is remove certain barriers:

• First of all, it removes the barrier of distance. I'm selling most of my policies to people outside my vicinity, people I never would have reached without the Internet. We are in San Francisco, yet I now have customers in San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and just about everywhere in my state. The Internet allows customers to find you through a new and dynamic means, formerly unknown to insurance agents and brokers. In the past you may have had an ad in the Yellow Pages, but so did hundreds of others, many with many bigger and better ads. Potential customers were those with access to your city's Yellow Pages. No more. The barrier of distance is now removed.

• Second, the Internet helps remove the barrier of Inhibition. Some shopping inhibitions the consumer can overcome online are:
  1. Language limitations. Perhaps the customer doesn't speak or understand English well. She may not feel comfortable calling you by phone. That would be a customer you would never see, but, via e-mail and by perusing your Web site, she can get information without feeling intimidated or embarrassed.
  2. Fear. Many times, people are afraid to pick up a phone and call a strange new insurance agent. The Internet lets them be "anonymous" while gathering information.
  3. Ignorance. People may not want to call because they don't understand how insurance works, or they're worried you'll be one of those high-pressure sales people who will prey on their lack of knowledge.
  4. Loss of Control. The Internet lets people interact with you and still feel a sense of confidence and control. If they don't like your service or price, they just move on without having to talk to you or excuse their way out of your office.

   I should add that my Internet customers don't stay strangers to me for long. I have developed some very special friendships and relationships with my Internet customers over the past two years. Whether we are talking about the latest San Francisco 49er news, or the weather "up here" or "down there," computer news, etc., I have come to appreciate nearly every customer with whom I have done business. You can do it too.

    For those of you who are well informed about the World Wide Web and how it works, I hope this book does not insult your intelligence. Remember, I am writing it with the assumption that the reader knows what computers are and how they work (in other words, they have a computer and access to the Internet), but that they know little or nothing about how to build, manage, and market their insurance Web site.

    Even if you know virtually nothing about the Internet, after you finish reading this, I feel you will have enough knowledge to start a site or that you will have learned where to find the people and services that can help you start selling policies via the Internet within a few months. Don't worry! If you get stuck, I have listed additional resources available to you beyond the contents of this book. There you will find the assistance and support you need to both build and manage a Web site at a very low cost. Our agent Web site at: Insurance-Web-Sales.com can always provide instant online help. This site has answers, links, advice, and other services that offer much of the information you need to make money selling insurance on the Internet. If we cannot solve your problems, we can get you in contact with others who can.

    So let's get started SELLING INSURANCE ON THE INTERNET!