Special Section sponsored by TMPAA

Target Programs

Providing search function access to the insurance industry’s leading program administrators

Target Programs has done it again...another year of connecting retail agents with program administrators. This successful history started back in 2005 when the Target Markets Program Administrators Association (TMPAA) came to the realization that it needed an efficient method to promote the programs of its member agencies to the retail agent community. Today the Target Programs Web site (www.targetprograms.com) assists more than 50,000 agents each year by providing details and access to over 500 coverages from program specialists.

Ray Scotto, TMPAA executive director explains, “The goal of Target Programs is to connect retail agents with our program administrators, and it has been very successful at doing just that.” Every program administrator/MGA featured has a mini Web site—or Outlet Center—briefly describing the niche programs they write. The Outlet Centers are designed to provide a snapshot of information and to encourage agents to make contact directly with the administrator to obtain more information.

Kate Boyle, Target Programs marketing coordinator, says, “Our site is very good at introducing members and their specialty programs. Target Programs is not designed to get involved in any of the business transacted between the retail agent and the program administrator. We’re there just to make sure the two parties meet.”

Today, Target Programs features over 60 program administrators. When association members are interested in being featured on the Target Programs site, Boyle works with them to get their Outlet Centers set up, and ensures their programs are being promoted as effectively as possible. Boyle adds, “When we’re designing an Outlet Center we try to think like agents. What coverage information do they want to see? Which keywords are they likely to use when searching? And most important, how can they get in touch with our members? My job is to give each client as much of the spotlight as possible. This year we’ve added a few enhancements that are driving more agents to our members’ Outlet Centers.

“Target Programs’ concentration on customer service is job one,” states Boyle. “Other sites offer similar services, but we work very hard to make sure our clients get more attention. Our philosophy is pretty simple: more customer service than other Web portal search engines, while maintaining the lowest costs in the industry.”

It is this attention to detail that has allowed program administrators like Karen Trudel, COO at GMI Insurance Services, to succeed. Trudel comments, “The Target Programs Web site has given me access to agents who are looking for coverage. Even if the agency’s specific risk does not fit our program, I am able to call and tell them what we have to offer. The bottom line—I have written business through the leads I get from the Target Programs Web site.”

A few years ago, Target Programs began Monday morning product distribution emails. These brief product announcements inform the database of agents about one of our members and their featured program(s). With a sizeable following of agents requesting these Monday blasts, and a large group of members wanting to be featured, this very popular program needed to be expanded. This past spring, a Friday morning distribution, “TGIF Markets,” was developed. “Fridays are traditionally not a good day to deliver blast emails,” says Boyle, “but we’ve been pleasantly surprised with the response.”

C.T. Kelly of CIC Insurance Brokers, LLC, comments on his agency’s experience with these weekly communications. “We have sent several email blasts to the Target Programs list and had the best return from them over any other list or advertising.”

In addition to the Monday and Friday blasts, Target Programs also sends a weekly newsletter to a large database of agents. Each member agency is featured exclusively one time a year. Many association members also take advantage of individual electronic ad development and distribution.

Target Programs’ attention to the retail agent is clearly evident, even in a soft market. In 2008, the site has seen a large increase in the number of agents that have asked to be contacted via our weekly program updates. These are agents who see the value of working with a program administrator and want to continue to be informed about our members’ programs. Richard Marburg, chief operating officer of Insurance Innovators, Inc., summarizes his experience with the site. “For a program administrator, the Target Programs Web site gives us the capabilities to present our products to retail agents on a national level and generate opportunities we may not have found elsewhere.” H

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Retail agents who are interested in receiving program market updates, or who wish to explore the Target Programs database should visit www.TargetPrograms.com.

Program administrators/MGA’s interested in learning more about TMPAA and listing their programs on the Web site can contact us at www.targetmkts.com.