Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (Full Version)

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Debby -> Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/16/2004 17:29:48)

Hi all,

We run an independent life insurance brokerage, and I'm working on a new section of our web site, called "Life Insurance Quote," which we're setting aside to try providing consumer awareness and education material. (Yes, we're still in business to make money, but smarter consumers means everyone wins. [;)])

May I ask you for your feedback on two issues:

(1) Do the logo and color scheme work for you? (Doesn't have to knock your socks off... just looking for it to work. I'll work on sock-knocking, later. [8D])

(2) Does the site come across as intended, meaning geared to consumer awareness services? Or does it smack too much of commercialism? (It's hard for me to get out of sales mode. [8|])

EDIT: Thanks to all the feedback you've been giving me! [:)]
My most recent revision is here... http://www.life-insurance-quote.cc/index-TEST-ver03.shtml



jaybee -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/17/2004 1:48:04)

I didn't read the content just concentrated on the what the impression of the page was.......

1. My socks are still firmly on. [:D]
2. LIFE INSURANCE QUOTE.............. Good Lord, they're trying to get me to sign up before I've even had any info.

Logo is too pale. It's not so much of a logo as a small background.
Colour scheme is OK. Needs something else to raise it though.
I would sort out the logo then take out all the occurrences of Life Insurance Quote in the header bars. Make the title consumer information or something along those lines. Then case studies, prequal etc.

The quote form is a prequal anyway and should either come off the prequal page or at least be after the prequal blurb.

Does that help?

Get sock knocking! [sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif]



Debby -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/18/2004 7:24:52)

Thanks for the feedback. Criticism is always the most educational for me... thanks! I've noted your comments on logo and color scheme. I was sort of kidding about the sock-knocking (I hope you knew that). I probably couldn't knock a sock off a skinny-ankled centipede. [;)]

But the most educational part of your message was how you misunderstood the prequalification process. I now realize our web site needs major improvement in communication. Please allow me to provide more background.

You see, the "quote form" is not the prequalification process. Rather, the form is the consumer's request for us to initiate the prequalification process. The prequalification process consists of these general steps:

(1) My husband (Steve is a licensed broker) contacts the candidate and obtains a detailed history, including: medical issues, lifestyle issues (such as hazardous hobbies or occupation), and so on. The initial request includes only broad indications of various issues, while prequalification requires great detail.

(2) Steve prepares a portfolio of the candidate, to be later presented to selected underwriters.

(3) Steve presents the profile to the underwriters, and heavily advocates on behalf of the candidate. This advocacy process can take weeks or months.

(4) The underwriters respond with a prequalified rate. This prequalified rate is a promise to the consumer that a formal application will result in the same rate (unless there are "surprises," such as a medical exam exposes extra medical issues, for example, which happens on occassion).

(5) The candidate is free to submit a formal application for the prequalified rate... or just walk away.

We're unaware of any other brokerage that operates in this manner, making it very unique in the industry. The prequalification method is extremely consumer-awareness oriented, meaning Steve educates the consumer to avoid the common mistake of allowing brokers to "willy-nilly" submit formal applications (which damages the consumer's application history). Which brings me to the next point... our prequalification process is consumer-safe, in that even a rating or declination doesn't impact the consumer's application history (because the underwriter's promise is obtained without a formal application).

We teach consumers not to allow their brokers to submit formal applications without a prequalified rate from the underwriter, first. Everybody wins... it's an extraordinary process that protects and educates the consumer, in ways that are "unheard of" in the life insurance industry.

Now, I've got to clearly communicate all this to our web visitors! I've got a lot of work ahead of me. [8|]



jaybee -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/18/2004 7:48:48)

Right. So now tell them what you told me. Simple [:D]



LoriL1212 -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/18/2004 14:11:21)

Sorry, but I don't even see a "logo"...

I see subtle text, but I would not call that a logo...

For me, it is bland... I think you need some other color to make it jump.

And defintatly a "LOGO"... that is unless you do not have a business name, then just spruce up what you have making it more readable, and make all words go across the top (just a thought) instead of in a line of three...

Move the start of your text down some.... they are too close to the "logo".

So "I" would go in this order.

1. LOGO TEXT IN A LINE ACROSS THE TOP
2. LARGEST LIFE INSURANCE QUOTE TEXT (the blue one)
3. CONSUMER AWARENESS EDUCATION (centered under the above)
4. TEXT LINKS (centered in the page)
5. CONTENT (move License Info, Logo thing on bottom, and newsletter up and to the left of the content); Have text and headers flow down the page, all headers centered.
6. TEXT LINKS (repeat at bottom)
7. COPY AT BOTTOM (current box around it removed)

I would also not use the background image on the table.



Debby -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/29/2004 14:17:49)

quote:

ORIGINAL: jaybeeRight. So now tell them what you told me. Simple [:D]

lol, okay, I revised the copy, to make things even more straightforward. Whatcha think?



quote:

ORIGINAL: LoriL1212
Sorry, but I don't even see a "logo"...
I see subtle text, but I would not call that a logo...
For me, it is bland... I think you need some other color to make it jump.

Thanks, yup, I changed the "logo," too. No more bland text. You can see it here: http://www.life-insurance-quote.cc/
We're not satisfied with it, though, and I'll keep working on it.

I removed the extra text that was along the side of the "logo". And I resized all the text on the page, including making headers a bit smaller, although I did keep things left-justified. I'm still working on the top stuff, so I haven't changed the footer yet... but I will.

Plus I added a colorful background to the header. You can see my latest TEST version, here: http://www.life-insurance-quote.cc/index-TEST.shtml I know the logo gets lost, and I'm thinking of filling it with white? Am I headed in the right direction with this new design?

It's so great to get constructive feedback from objective and knowledgeable people. Thanks again for all your help!



Peppergal -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/29/2004 14:24:44)

Hmm...I don't know. I dont' think the picture you've chosen fits the site.

I'd go for something with blue in it - perhaps birds (or an eagle maybe?) flying in the sky (indicating strength, independence, and freedom that comes from being properly insured...or a tide smashing on a rock at the beach - the rock of course representing the solid foundation of insurance...)

This picture makes me think of gardening. LOL



Debby -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/29/2004 14:34:25)

lol, [:)] I was thinking of strong, solid, stone walls that stand the test of time. I was also thinking of "you're not just another brick in the wall," meaning that every person deserves the individual attention of getting prequalified. (Unlike how most brokers just throw everything against the wall and sees what sticks.)



Peppergal -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/29/2004 14:43:12)

Ah, good point...but to me those rocks kind of look...tumbly or something.

I think you're on the right track - it's just that the picture really didn't do anything for me, but that's just one opinion...wait and see what others think. :-)



Giomanach -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/30/2004 7:53:06)

Hi Debby

Sorry, but for me, the site is just too bland, not enough going on. I'll see if I can knock up a template later after work. There just isn't enough going on. It may take me a while to get it done, purely b'cos of client work.

I'll keep the color scheme, I just don't think it would attract very many users - a general lack of things happening on the page. For Insurance, you want to entise the consumer, pull them in with a nice pretty site, that looks ever so professional at the same time.

Oh, and the answer to questions:-

1. Logo, where??????

2. To much live a commercial site. Let me see if I can tone that down, and knock up the insurance bit.

Right, where's me scribblin' stick..........[:D][8D]

Dan



Debby -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/30/2004 12:22:55)

Thanks, Dan! [:)] I'm looking forward to seeing your suggested template. I really appreciate all the time that everybody's putting into their feedback.



Giomanach -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/30/2004 17:10:29)

It's nothing special

http://www.giomanach.com/client/outfront/debinsurequote.gif

it's at 800x600. No content, just for show. No company name, couldn't find one[:)] If you want it, lemme know, I'll cut n code and send to you

Dan



jaybee -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (4/30/2004 17:44:06)

Debby, that content is much better. I now understand what you're trying to "sell" me.

Only one small thing. You are repeating yourself at the top of the page........
----------------------------------------------------------
Life Insurance Quote Resources

Life insurance quote resources—especially for people who have trouble finding coverage—practical tools and information, meant to enhance the consumer's understanding of the life insurance quote industry.
------------------------------------------------------------------

I would get rid of the second LIQR and go straight into "especially for...................

Nice layout Dan.

No, having had another think, I'd go straight into "Practical tools and information.......
Gets right to the point of the site.



Debby -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (5/2/2004 8:59:52)

Thanks for that template image, Dan. [:)] You gave me a new idea for my header graphic. The corporate-looking people in your graphic make me realize that my web site is more geared toward people in their comfortable homes, where they're in the role of home consumer. So I think the sleek corporate look might be off-putting? What do you think about a soft, faded collage background composed of "financial tools," such as a calculator, accounting charts, pencil, cup of coffee, and so on? This would match our intention of providing "practical tools and information, enhancing consumer understanding."

I just ordered Paint shop Pro 8, and I hope that will allow me to make a collage of this type. Meanwhile, I made my current graphic very faded and soft, so it can serve as a "filler" for now.

I like how your page fills more horizontal space, so I expanded my margins to the edges and I changed the background to all white... giving a more open feeling, I hope. I also liked Lori's idea of moving the footer information into a left-hand column, so I did that too. (Thanks Lori! [:)])

Jaybee, thanks for your suggested revision (deleting the redundancies). Text duly revised. And I moved the H1 text into the header area... so every page's H1 text will display in the header. I hope that works for our visitors.

Here's my latest revision... http://www.life-insurance-quote.cc/index-TEST-ver03.shtml

How am I doing? Is the site looking less commercial and more "consumer awareness"? Thanks again for all the constructive criticism! [:)]



Peppergal -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (5/2/2004 9:17:50)

I LOVE your new layout. Looks professional and friendly. Good job!



Giomanach -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (5/2/2004 11:46:24)

Your new layout is better, but, I still find it bland[&:][8D]. Needs more in the way of graphics

Dan



gorilla -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (5/2/2004 12:07:59)

To an extent it is somewhat bland I agree with dan to that extent but in this case I think you need to be careful not to spice it up too much.

Indeed I'd use your frontpage template as the template for the entire site.

your main text should be in a sansserif font btw makes for easier screen reading.

Nice work - add a tad more visual interest if you must but be careful about you've got a good visual "tone" make one or two small changes and post back perhaps?



Debby -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (5/3/2004 12:09:14)

Professional and friendly... just what I'm after! Thanks! [:)]

Okay, I've made the header text sans serif (Arial Black). And I've made the header graphic more faded and more "blue" that draws upon the blue blocks on the page, tying together the whole page I hope. But I still consider this graphic to be filler, until I come up with the collage of "financial tools" mentioned above.

Current revision... http://www.life-insurance-quote.cc/index-TEST-ver03.shtml

I've been thinking about what graphic touch to add. Maybe a photo of a person, with a transparent background, accompanied by a snippet of consumer comment, with the text wrapped next to the person. This might be a nice touch on every page? Maybe even different people and different snippets?



ellipisces -> RE: Consumer Awareness Site... your feedback, please? (5/3/2004 22:21:05)

I would use this:

quote:

Life Insurance Quote Resources
Practical tools and information, enhancing the consumer's understanding of the life insurance quote industry.

to fill up that huge expanse of blue next to the logo. That may necessitate moving the menu down somewhere near the dark blue bar, or you may consider setting the menu off using color or buttons...

In some way, the logo needs to either: State the name of the company, or clarify the letters (is it GB,O3, OB, etc...), maybe put the company name in the background???

<edit>oops, I guess I missed the new look link in the prev post. Looks Great! still alittle unclear as to what the two characters are in the logo [:D]



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