The Power of Trusted Choice®

Overview: Why to Co-Brand Your Agency

Goals

• An understanding of ‘brand’• An understanding of Trusted Choice ®

• Know where to find resources

Why is branding important to

independent agents?

Why is Branding Important?

Our competition is already branding independent agents — as irrelevant, unnecessary, expensive and lazy.

Why is Branding important?

• Between 2004 and 2007, independent agents lost 4.3% personal lines market share to direct writers

• Each 1% of lost market share equals about $2 billion in premium and $200 million in agency commission

• GEICO alone is planning to spend $1 BILLION this year on its brand

• Independent agents make up just under 28,000 retail locations nationally

Why is Branding Important?

Why is Brand important?•Helps consumers edit choices•People will pay more for a name brand (think Ritz Carlton and Godiva chocolates)•Attracts good employees and partners•Enables you to expand product and services•Helps you survive difficulty (hard market, agency merger, etc.)•Builds loyalty and referrals•You’re already being branded—by the competition•It’s smart management

Why is Branding Important?Why should your agency brand?

WPP, a leading advertising agency, conducted a global, in-depth study of brands. They found:

• Consumers feel 3 times closer to their laundry detergent than their household insurance provider

• 62% said choosing the right insurance brand was one of their most important decision, but insurance has the least brand connection with consumers

In Fall 1999, IIABA hired Addison, a market research company, to conduct extensive market research:

• In-depth interviews — insurance companies, state association leaders, agents and brokers

• Conducted qualitative and quantitative research

Why is Branding Important?

We/Addison asked consumers what they want from insurance agents

•Choice of Companies• Customization of Coverages• Advocacy Support• 24/7 Customer Service• Professionalism

Why is Branding Important?

Consumers want choice, customization and advocacy….but they don’t know that independent agents offer those features.

Only 1 in 5 consumers correctly recognized the old Big “I” logo — compared to 70% for State Farm.

A National Branding Initiative

Solution?

•Trusted Choice® is a national consumer branding initiative•Created by IIABA for member agents•Includes member agencies and supporting companies•Features a comprehensive national-local branding strategy based on significant consumer research•Aggressively positions independent agents as the source for choice, customization and advocacy for consumers

A National Branding Initiative

Trusted Choice® is an ingredient brand

•Not meant to replace your agency identity, but to enhance it•It’s like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval•To co-brand:

• Add the logo to your agency materials • Live the Pledge of Performance• Promote your agency as a Trusted Choice® agency

A Trusted Choice® Future

With all of us working together, Trusted Choice® will become the preferred brand for insurance buyers because it:

•Is based on significant consumer research.

•Is a comprehensive branding program.

•Has significant agent and company support.

•Is more than a new logo – the logo signifies that your agency embodies the Pledge of Performance

A National Branding Initiative

The Pledge of Performance•The heart of any brand—good or bad—is the customer’s experience

– A poor customer experience will eclipse even the slickest ad campaign

– A repeatedly positive experience will make those customers your fans for life, regardless of your media efforts (or lack thereof)

•It is for those very reasons that the Trusted Choice® branding program includes a Pledge of Performance•It is vital for all Trusted Choice® agencies to fully adopt the principles laid out in the Pledge of Performance

Agent Benefits

How is my agency going to benefit by co-branding

with Trusted Choice®?

Agent Benefit - #1

Licensed use of theconsumer tested Logo& Pledge of Performance.

The pledge reflects the qualities that consumers told us they want from their insurance provider, which is why it resonates with them

Trusted Choice® Logo variations….

Blue only (horizontal, vertical, taglines)

Black only (horizontal, vertical, taglines)

2 Color (horizontal, vertical, taglines)

National advertising exposure combined with state association promotion.

•On air 2 weeks per month•Extensive online/Facebook presence

– national and state Facebook pages

Agent Benefit - #2

Agent Benefit - #3

Access to professionally produced advertising materials

Tag-able Billboard, Print, Television & Radio Ads

Agency Locator

Presence on the agency locator at www.trustedchoice.com

Agent Benefit - #4

Extensive library of consumer content

– Consumer oriented articles for agents to use in their local marketing area

– Include how-to articles (Prepare your Home for Winter) and customer interest articles (Pool Safety, Flood Insurance) and guides (Graduate’s Guide to Insurance, Auto Insurance guide)

– Can include in newsletters, on their website, Facebook page or as part of a mailing

Agent Benefit - #5

Customizable press release templates

– Help agency garner positive FREE local press coverage and raise local consumer awareness of their Trusted Choice® agencies.

– Position agency as the authority and source for insurance information with the local media.

– Access a variety of templates dealing with common insurance issues, as well as seasonal and holiday appropriate ones

• They have been vetted with an expert so there is no E&O exposure

Agent Benefit - #6

Syndicated content feed•Automatic update of consumer website content

Agent Benefit - #7

Content Automatically Updated

The backing of more than 60 leading independent insurance carriers…and counting

•Our company partners have made a financial commitment to Trusted Choice® as a way of demonstrating their commitment to the independent agency system, and their confidence in their agents' unparalleled value.•Trusted Choice® company participants realize that using a unified voice for advertising and promoting independent agents and brokers is what is best for everyone.

Agent Benefit - #8

Marketing Reimbursement Program

•Trusted Choice® will reimburse up to $250 incurred in 2011 to cover the initial setup fee for a Trusted Choice® agency website or enhancements to current agency website•Trusted Choice® will reimburse agencies 50% of the cost of branding promotional items up to a maximum reimbursement $500 incurred in 2011 ($250 if the agency website is not yet co-branded)

Agent Benefit - #9

As a participating agency in Trusted Choice®, you get:

1.Consumer-tested logo & Pledge of Performance2.National advertising exposure3.Advertising materials4.Agency locator on www.trustedchoice.com5.Extensive library of consumer content6.Customizable press release templates7.Syndicated content feed8.Backing of more than 60 leading insurance carriers9.Marketing Reimbursement Program

Agent Benefits - Recap

Know where the tools are

The Agent Web sitewww.TrustedChoice.com/agents

•You and your staff will go here for resources and tools•Get the Trusted Choice® logos on this site

•Log in using your email address and national ID

Know where the tools are

The Agent Web sitewww.TrustedChoice.com/agents

Home page:

•How to update your agent profile•MRP guidelines•RSS feed information (automatic website update of consumer news once a month)

Know where the tools are

Mouse over the Logos/Pledge tab atwww.TrustedChoice.com/agents for:

•Trusted Choice ® logos—Versions for print, web, EPS and embroidery—2 color, B&W, horizontal, vertical, taglines, no tag•Logo guidelines•Pledge of Performance

Know where the tools are

The Trusted Choice Facebook pagehttp://www.facebook.com/TrustedChoice

• Become a fan of the Trusted Choice® and IIABCal Facebook page.

• Cut and paste postings from the Trusted Choice® Facebook page to your agency webpage.

Integrating Trusted Choice®

You are urged to get involved by:

Fully integrating Trusted Choice® into the firm’s culture, operations, workflow and marketingUsing the Pledge of Performance to educate consumers and prospects – it helps close salesBeing visible in the community with the Trusted Choice® logo—on advertising, signage, business cards and letterheadLeveraging the logo and Pledge of Performance on the websiteUsing the tag-able ads for local print, radio and TV campaigns (information available at www.TrustedChoice.com/agents)Running local print, TV or radio ads that are timed with nationwide Trusted Choice® advertising flights. Check www.TrustedChoice.com/agents for dates of upcoming ad flightsMaking sure information is updated at the Agency Locator on www.TrustedChoice.com because all leads from national advertising and public relations campaigns are driving consumers there

Integrating Trusted Choice®

Live the Brand Guide & Timeline

•Available online at www.trustedchoice.com/agents, mouse over the ‘Branding Basics’ tab until the dropdown menu is revealed, click on ‘Branding Articles’ in the dropdown; under the ‘Live the Brand’ headline, click on the ‘Live the Brand guide’

• Guide contains a step by step timeline for 12 months of easy brand implementation

The Trusted Choice® brand movement is the best opportunity the independent

agency system has to significantly change consumer perception and to

increase market share.

For questions or additional assistance, Contact:

IIABCal Member Services At 800-772-8998

TrustedChoice@iiabcal.org