New Strategic Energy Via Re-Focused Value Story

Project / Media: Initial project was a monthly direct mail campaign targeting owners of established, successful insurance agencies. Scope expanded to creation of sales literature, formal sales presentation, and trade publication advertising.

Current Value Story: Heavily fact-based, built around the average ROI of 550% realized by member agencies, about $50,000 in plus revenue annually. 

Corbin Insight: Although the ROI story was valid, it was being presented to highly successful, highly independent agency owners who didn’t need the money and worried actively about giving up any part of their independence, a common outcome with many competitive networks.

Revised Value Story Focus: The insurance industry is in dramatic change, trending toward “giantism” that views individual independents as less-and-less important. Resulting impact includes lower commissions, sometimes cancellation of contract.

The revised value story had three main elements:

- Assurance of no loss of independence 

- Ability to operate confidently in the present, competing with the giants.

- Ability to plan confidently for the future, whether desire to continue as an independent or to be acquired at top dollar by a larger company. 

Note that these appeals are primarily emotional, replacing a value story that was 100% fact-based. The results included a record growth year. 

Within 18 months, ISU had moved from $2 billion to over $3 billion in aggregate premiums.

     SEE ISU President's TESTIMONIAL >>