What expectations do you have when running a marketing campaign?
I expect to have a higher return. I stopped doing them. People are so overwhelmed with advertising that it all becomes a blur to them. I think the first place they go is to their computer. I place search engine advertising. It’s just the direction that I’ve gone and the people I tend to attract are the e-commerce people versus seniors who may go to the paper. It’s a certain type person that goes online and that’s the type of person I want to insure.

How do you provide proposals for customers?
Through Quotit only.

What led you to look for other ways to market and sell insurance?
Traditional stuff wasn’t working.

How has Quotit helped your agency?
I have a custom site with Quotit and Quotit helped me design it to reach my target audience. I’ve had Quotit since about ’04. I tried a couple of others, but Quotit is kind of like the Mercedes – the technology is better. It has better quoting engines. If you’re going to be online, you have to have the right online service. If you can’t apply online and do all the transactions electronically, then you’re not really online.

What impact has been made by taking your business online and creating your agency’s website?
I’m still here. We’re still retaining our existing base and adding new clients.

What percentage of your business now comes from online?
100 percent

Can you go over how your agency manages visitors that go through your site?
Each day, I get the leads from Quotit, and then we call them and input them into a database and follow-up with them 3 or 4 times. If we don’t get a response, we consider it a dead lead.

What is the biggest value added by offering online proposals to customers?
It’s quick and it’s cheap in terms of no mailing costs. I can talk to people on the phone and they can have it (a quote) within a minute or less, as opposed to going to the post office and mailing it.

What is the biggest factor that has made your agency more effective since working with Quotit?
The customization. They will customize any part of your Web site that you wish them to do. I’ve gone through 5-6 revisions. I’m always adding to my Web site and building it out. If your Web site doesn’t grow and evolve, it becomes stale.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I’m married with three kids – 12, 7, and 4. My kids are all involved in sports, and I officiate college and high school football. I’ve been doing it 19 years.

Where do you see your agency in the next 5 years?
I’m going to be expanding out into property and casualty lines. I’m not sure what Mr. Obama has in mind, so I don’t want to be sitting back and reacting. Something’s going change.

In your opinion, will online technology play a role in your agency’s success in the future?
Always.