It's often said that you're only as good as your list. In other words, the biggest asset that you have as an insurance agent is your list of clients, referral sources, and prospects. Any agent who has been successful in the insurance business will tell you the importance of regularly touching base with your contacts.
Easier said than done, perhaps. Reaching out beyond your open case list may seem like a job for Hercules, not a mere mortal like you. The time, the energy, and, man, oh man, the expense. Well, refresh your coffee and take a look at the four ideas below. Should you be adding one, two, or all four, to your marketing efforts over the next year? They all work, and they will all help you get the most out of your list, with a relatively low impact on your wallet.
Idea #1: Make birthday phone calls
For years, insurance agents have been told to send birthday cards to clients, and that's still good advice. However, I believe a phone call is more powerful, for two reasons: It's more personal, and it gives the client a chance to ask questions, make referrals, etc. Make the calls first thing in the morning. It will start their day off right, and they will tell people all day long that they received a call from you. One last piece of advice: Make it the only purpose of the call to wish them a happy birthday. Do not bring up anything work-related.
Cost: $0
Idea #2: Send monthly electronic newsletters and greeting cards
The Internet's biggest gift to small-business owners such as insurance agents is the ability to cost-effectively send out email communications. If you like writing and are a good communicator, a homegrown newsletter can't be beat for impact. The best frequency for newsletters is once a month. However, it takes a good amount of time and discipline to produce your own newsletter. That's why many agents take advantage of the professional writing, beautiful design, and turnkey ease-of-use that a professional newsletter company offers.
If you're doing a newsletter yourself, make sure a second set of eyes reads your newsletter before it goes out. Trust me, there are mistakes in it. A second set of eyes won't guarantee perfection, but it should help you find anything glaring. Professional editors/proofreaders can be hired for about 3 cents per word.
Some of the same Web-based companies that offer electronic newsletter delivery also offer electronic greeting cards. Think beyond birthdays, and you can easily plan a year's worth of communications. Another alternative is to use free electronic greeting card companies found on the Internet. A word of caution: Many emails that look like greeting card delivery links bring the client to a page containing viruses, so many people won't click on those links. Make sure that your card is in the body of the email and doesn't require a click-through.
Most important to keep in mind is that you can't wage an electronic communication campaign if you don't have emails for your clients, prospects, and existing and potential referral sources. But don't let that sour you on email campaigns forever.
Before another day passes, vow to yourself that you will collect an email from every contact you meet. It's simple: Say something like, "Could I get your email address so that I can send you a newsletter once a month? It's easy to unsubscribe at the bottom of any issue." Using exactly these words, I have never had anyone say "no" when I ask them for their email. Start now, and soon you will have a few dozen email addresses, then hundreds. Start your email newsletter/greeting card campaign now; the contacts will start paying off right away, and your list will catch up with your program soon enough.
Cost: Less than $100 per month
Idea #3: Hold a yearly client appreciation movie night
Movie theaters love the revenue that a private event can bring. Choose a movie that matches the tastes of your practice. This means (usually) no horror films or animated films. Uplifting, feel-good films or Best Picture Oscar-winners are usually good choices. You will greet attendees and introduce the film at the beginning. It should be short and sweet -- "thank you for your business." Be sure to negotiate ahead of time a flat rate for soda and popcorn for all.
Cost: Less than $1,000 per year
Idea #4: Sponsor a float in the local holiday parade
A float in a parade is one of the best ways to get lots of attention for your business. Some ideas:
- Rent costumes with a theme from a costume shop, and vary your theme each year.
- Team up with a local DJ or band, which can play from a flatbed truck. Both of your companies can have signage, and you can split the cost.
- Rent a vintage car with magnetic signage. Hire some people to walk along your float with buckets of candy that they can hand out to children.
No matter what kind of float you sponsor, make sure that your company's name can't be missed -- along with the URL of your Web site. Make sure the Web address is easy to remember. If it's not, buy a second URL and have the new one pointed to your existing Web site. Place signage at the front, back, and on both sides of the float.
Cost: Less than $1,000 per year
Staying in touch doesn't have to be expensive. It just takes your commitment and the time involved in putting the activities on the calendar. What have you done in the last year to stay in touch with clients and make them feel appreciated? If the answer is "not enough," that can easily be fixed.
Marilee Driscoll is a professional speaker and consultant, the author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Long-Term Care Planning," and a principal in FollowUpSystems LLC. She can be reached at 508-830-9975 or through .
