Copycat copy

I've spent a lot of time on a lot of insurance websites lately. I'm left wondering a lot of things, one of which is;

Where did this copy first come from?

a. Is it the insurance agencies looking at other sites and then bringing it back to theirs?

b. Is there a database of these sentences that web people go to

c. Are we, as insurance agents, so bland and boring that this has become the norm"

"Not all insurance agents are the same! Choosing the right one can make a big difference in price, service, and value." Correct

"Not all insurance agents are the same! Choosing the right one can make a big difference in price, service, and value." Correct

"With other agencies, you get one company that sells one brand of insurance. With an independent insurance agency like ____ Corp. you get choices." Sort of, but not really. There are far less one company shops today than when I started 17 years ago. Truthfully, there are fewer over the last 5 years. But, "choices" is tricky since the choices are as dependant on your personal characteristics as the agency's company choices.

"Why? Because independent insurance agencies, like ______ Corp., represent a number of different insurance companies and can compare coverage and prices to find the best possible value for your individual circumstances." See that line above YOUR CHARACTERISTICS actually determine how many companies I actually have for you

"As independent agents, we are members of the _____community, and we’re committed to doing business face-to-face and being your advocate in times of need." I appreciate you being committed to face to face, I really do. But, at some point, specifically for several years now, I wonder how relevant that is. YES, it absolutely has value but how much? Does the value to the customer outpace the financial returns?

10 Reasons Why You Should Work With Us

Here are a few reasons why ____ Corp. should be your first and last stop when looking for insurance.

1. We are real, live members of the ___community. Great, but look around. Most communities do not value a small business. Sure, you pay taxes, maybe you own a building, you donate money, great. But, the value of this isn't what it was. *Yes, there are plenty of acceptions but there always will be and even those aren't as impactful as they were.
2. We work for you when you have a claim. Great. But from the start or as needed? How do you overcome the nonsense that goes with claims
3. We are not beholden to any one company. This means you don’t have to change agencies as your insurance and service needs change. YES! but similar to above there are limits and I haven't found or seen the model that successfully uses all available options.
4. We are your consultants, working with you as you determine your needs. Not really, but yes, sort of. I've yet to figure out that "need" part of the equation. Why? Because most of us have the same needs and the true customized needs are tough to accommodate with our insurance carrier partners.
5. We are value-hunters who look after your pocketbook in finding the best combination of price, coverage, and service. Similar to above, but not really. The best currently available to us is more likely. Perfection is a myth and most carriers do not consistently cover all fronts; price, coverage, and service, let alone do them all well.
6. We offer one-stop shopping for a full range of products, including home, renters, auto, business, and retirement plans. One-stop shopping, maybe. But are you doing both personal and commercial insurance really well? Retirement plans? How do those fit? Again, do you have a custom strategy, does it involve specialists?
7. We can periodically review your coverage to keep up with your changing insurance needs. Great. But I need to learn more about changing insurance needs. Because they do, but is this getting beyond the basics of inflation increases?
8. We are committed to customer satisfaction, it’s the key to our livelihood. I'm not sure that it is the key. Maybe a key. But, on the other hand, if this is a truly honest statement "satisfied," is where it is at. Nothing crazy, not 5-star reviews, just three.
9. We treat you like a person, not a number. Great, but there are a lot of companies treating people somewhere in the middle doing really well. What if treating me like a number actually provides a better experience?
10. We are licensed professionals with strong customer and community ties I'm sure there is some value here but I would wager you, like me, are rarely if ever, asked about licensing. And those community ties, sadly, are less relevant.

All of this to simply say, we all need to try harder. Copying and pasting works but not really.