September 2009
Featured Story:
Is Your Website Making Prospects DISTRUST You?
Four Simple Trust-Building Logos For Your Agent Website
One of the most popular sessions in the Norvax University Sales and Marketing Success conferences has been “Must Have” Website Elements to Increase Lead Generation. During that lively, info-packed workshop, presenter Rey Villar discusses three-dozen proven elements that help agent websites turn more visitors into leads.
He then spends the last half of the session dissecting agent websites submitted for review by conference attendees. In this preview to the next Norvax University conference in Los Angeles, he discusses one of those lead-converting elements that too many agent websites lack: trust logos.
A common complaint that many agents have about their website is that they never get any leads from them. Worse yet, I hear countless stories of agents and brokers spending more than $10,000 on a fancy-looking website — but get nothing back.
Here’s the sad truth: the vast majority of web designers out there know almost nothing about marketing and selling. Why would you expect them to know how to create a website that markets your products and helps you generate business… especially in a competitive market?
Many web designers can make incredibly beautiful websites, especially if they have an art background. But unless they understand commerce or marketing, all those beautiful and amazing websites are big wastes of money for agents and brokers.
They fail as commercial websites because they fail to balance form with function. They concentrate on beautiful design, but sacrifice proven elements that help generate leads, prospects and paying customers.
One of those elements is trust logos.
Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, the right trust logos convey a strong trust-building message.
Trust logos are graphics representing organizations and businesses. These companies and associations literally spend millions of dollars each year building their brand. When you use their brand logos correctly, your website is able to reap the fruits of their labor.
Here are four types of trust logos that you should try to incorporate into every page of your website — especially the home page.
Security Logos
Consumers have flocked to the Internet to shop for everything from shoes to mortgage loans. Although we’ve embraced the convenience of the web, we’ve also begun to understand the potential pitfalls.
If you’re not careful, it’s too easy for your personal information to fall into the wrong hands. Soon you may be one of the millions of Americans who have seen their credit destroyed by identity thieves.
You can use that fear to your advantage by obtaining a security logo from companies such as Verisign or TrustE.
In order to use one of these widely recognized logos, your company and website must undergo an inspection that validates your existence, website security and privacy policy.
When a visitor sees a respected security logo on your site, they’ll know that you’re a legitimate agency.
Achievement Logos
Have you won awards or recognition for your professionalism, volunteer work or philanthropy?
Don’t be shy. Let the world know why you’re good at what you do — and why they should trust you.
You may have noticed that top companies are now putting their recognition awards on almost every marketing material they issue. Consider this: Few people knew who J.D. Power was 10 years ago. Even today, most people still don’t have a full idea.
But hundreds of companies proudly proclaim their J.D. Power award… or their rankings on Road & Track or Consumer Reports.
Whether it’s a top producer award from your carrier or a plaque for your donation to Habitat for Humanity, let your potential customers know more about your work.
Association Logos
Don’t forget your association logos. Most professional and trade associations have a code of ethics that members must follow.
Consumers, especially those who are in similar associations themselves, will appreciate seeing your industry-membership logos.
For example, if you’re a member of the local chamber of commerce or your regional Association of Health Underwriters (AHU), don’t hesitate to put your member badge on your website. But even club logos, such as the Kiwanis or Lions Club, can be helpful — especially if your organization has a good reputation.
For many online businesses, however, the association logo of choice is the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Similar to the security logos, the BBB will require potential registrants to prove they exist and are legitimate. If you want your business website registered with the BB, you must agree to follow their code of conduct and cooperate in addressing complaints filed against you with the BBB.
Carrier Logos
Even if you decide not to use trust logos or brag about your achievements or associations, you must include carrier logos.
In fact, carrier logos do more than any other type of trust logos to give your website legitimacy.
The fact is that most visitors who come to your website don’t know you. Some may have heard about you or seen a local advertisement. But they don’t really know you, your products and your reliability.
But they do know your major carriers. As mentioned earlier, your major carriers spend millions of dollars each year in brand development and marketing. They hire whole staffs and advertising agencies to make sure that people will recognize their brand name — and company logo.
When a website visitor sees a major carrier logo on your website, they know that you’re representing an established insurance provider. When you put that carrier logo on your website, you’re essentially putting their marketing departments and advertising agencies to work for you.
Click It
Finally, make sure that your graphics are linked to the proper page or website. When a potential client clicks on one of those logos, it should take them to a page that verifies your claim.
Your security logo should take you to your dedicated page on Verisign, TrustE or whatever security verifier you use. Your achievement logo should go to the organization web page that describes your award or to a press release announcing your recognition.
However, you’ll probably want to handle your carrier logos differently. Instead of sending them to the carrier website, let the link take your website visitor to a page inside your own website that talks about that specific carrier… and the programs from that carrier that you offer.
Making your trust logos “clickable” adds another layer of trust for your website. And remember that each trust element will help bring down prospect suspicions while building trust in you — both of which will help you create and close more leads.
See why hundreds of agents are raving about the Norvax University experience — the only conference designed to give agents the insurance training they need to become top producers. To learn how you can learn advanced sales and web marketing skills at a Norvax University conference, visit http://university.norvax.com or follow the Norvax University Los Angeles ad in the sidebar.
