Co-Create...Or Die Tryin'
So, the Insurance Journal is selling its new publication, Insurance Journal's Top 100 Property-Casualty Agencies for 2006. They're selling it for $35. They should be selling it for $0.
Now, I'm not some crazy writer person who doesn't understand that companies need to make money. I don't write for free (though I've been known to barter) and I certainly don't expect InsureMe to start giving away insurance leads because it's the nice thing to do.
But we do a lot of stuff for a lot of people we don't do direct business with. We've put together two informational resource centers (one for agents, one for consumers) and three blogs: one for agents, one for consumers and one for affiliates. And there's absolutely no guarantee that the people who use these free resources will decide to partner with InsureMe.
And we're cool with that.
Because being giving and forthright with people is one of the many ways we show love to our industry and demonstrate that we're a great organization to work with. But I digress.
So IJ wants $35 for this publication that ranks independent agencies based on their 2005 volume. And they don't want you to share it with anyone. Rooted in industry's truly old-school frame of mind, this publication is "not for multiple distribution." Talk about taking two steps forward and one step back.
If the insurance industry is going to turn a new page, it will need to recognize the value in sharing information and co-creating with others—maybe even with competitors. (See Laura's latest post and our Tips for Agents category for more on this.)
Take the Web Marketing Association, for instance. They sponsor an annual Web Award competition and after the winners have been announced, the WMA publishes a list of the winners and their respective web URLs on the WMA site for everyone to see. They understand that learning from each other and gleaning best practices is what it's all about.
And that's why, on premise alone, organizations like the WMA get it right...and today, the Insurance Journal is getting it wrong.
[Bonus reading]:
Spark: Be More Innovative Through Co-Creation by John Winsor (Amazon)
John Winsor's blog
Comments
They'll only gross $70 because one person will buy the book and scan every page into a website that's freely available to everyone, and that one guy who doesn't use the internet will buy the other one.
Posted by: Peter | July 20, 2006 03:06 PM
Don't be surprised, most insurance companies are a little behind in the more cutting-edge marketing techniques!
Posted by: Evan | July 21, 2006 03:38 AM
Thank goodness the insurance industry is starting to catch up, but as far as the "old way of thinking", it's still around and probably will be for a while. I think the internet has had a profound impact on this, (and the whole world for that matter) but it's a slow changing environment, especially considering why insurance even started in the first place, thanks to Lloyds. Arr, say the pirates!
Posted by: April | July 21, 2006 02:51 PM