Community Based Marketing

[InfinityLeads]

I'm a pretty new agent (7 months).

Everyone tells me that I need to develop referral partners in other industries that have senior clients. (P&C agents, senior housing, churches, community centers etc.) I'm trying to develop a process for cultivating these relationships, and seem to be a little stuck. I would love to hear about what you have found that works to develop these relationships.

• Do you start with a letter, phone call, drop in?
• Do have any print pieces you send/leave?
• What is your pitch? What is your offer?
• Where have found to be most productive?

Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!

You have to give to get. I'd suggest starting by finding how you can help 1 potential referral partner. Present that idea. Follow through.

Rinse.wash.repeat

 

[Hopes]

This is all great information! Networking has never been my strong suit but this is just the what I needed to see. I stopped by my local COC today and picked up the application. It sounds like they have some great meetups too.

I like Matthews suggestions about just getting in and then letting others get to know me.

I like kgmom's suggestion of "thank you" cards. (Based on a previous post of hers, I'm already sending "thank you" and "birthday" cards).

I like Todd's suggestion about Alignable which I'm a member of but have not been using. That needs to change.

 

[SoCalFMO]

Todd, thanks for the heads up. I just signed up. Never heard of this before, but see that several of my contacts are already on there.

What’s your approach with networking on here? Exchange a few messages on the site and then invite out to coffee?

I did as well... There is some great information in this thread.

 

[kgmom219]

Coming back to this, because this year, I switched things up a bit. Previously, a few of the annuity companies paid for seminars, where they discussed Social Security and the financial planner had me there for Medicare. The annuity companies aren't doing these anymore (I could never figure out how they were breaking even on them to begin with.) So I went to a few of my favorite financial planners and said that I would be willing to chip in $300 for a seminar, if they did all the work. Get the place, invite people, projectors, etc. They all jumped at it. I've got 4 scheduled between now and July 15. If I sell one policy per seminar, I break even. Typically, I sell 100% of people who show up (that are eligible), so I figure I'll make some money.

Also, I am in the middle of my roadshow, where I go to large financial planning offices, bring lunch in and do a "State of Health Insurance" presentation to the advisors AND support staff. The support staff is key, they are the ones who answer the phone.

 

[goillini52]

Coming back to this, because this year, I switched things up a bit. Previously, a few of the annuity companies paid for seminars, where they discussed Social Security and the financial planner had me there for Medicare. The annuity companies aren't doing these anymore (I could never figure out how they were breaking even on them to begin with.) So I went to a few of my favorite financial planners and said that I would be willing to chip in $300 for a seminar, if they did all the work. Get the place, invite people, projectors, etc. They all jumped at it. I've got 4 scheduled between now and July 15. If I sell one policy per seminar, I break even. Typically, I sell 100% of people who show up (that are eligible), so I figure I'll make some money.

Also, I am in the middle of my roadshow, where I go to large financial planning offices, bring lunch in and do a "State of Health Insurance" presentation to the advisors AND support staff. The support staff is key, they are the ones who answer the phone.

You are the Queen of Networking!

 

[Hopes]

Coming back to this, because this year, I switched things up a bit. Previously, a few of the annuity companies paid for seminars, where they discussed Social Security and the financial planner had me there for Medicare. The annuity companies aren't doing these anymore (I could never figure out how they were breaking even on them to begin with.) So I went to a few of my favorite financial planners and said that I would be willing to chip in $300 for a seminar, if they did all the work. Get the place, invite people, projectors, etc. They all jumped at it. I've got 4 scheduled between now and July 15. If I sell one policy per seminar, I break even. Typically, I sell 100% of people who show up (that are eligible), so I figure I'll make some money.

Also, I am in the middle of my roadshow, where I go to large financial planning offices, bring lunch in and do a "State of Health Insurance" presentation to the advisors AND support staff. The support staff is key, they are the ones who answer the phone.

What kind of information are you talking about in the "state..." presentations? Do you typically have an appt. or drop in?

 

[Hopes]

I'm doing education seminars but few people if any show up. I did one Tuesday on MSP and Extra Help that was minimally advertised in a local paper and it was a big dud. I saw one current client and two people who were not Medicare eligible.

 

[kgmom219]

What kind of information are you talking about in the "state..." presentations? Do you typically have an appt. or drop in?

They are scheduled lunches in their offices. We do Individual, Medicare and Small Group. So its a roundup of whats really going on, not just the 30 seconds of TV sound bites. Then they ask questions.

What it REALLY is?

A free lunch, 15 minutes of crap they don't care about and a reminder that I'm brilliant, take fabulous care of their clients and they need to keep sending me people.

 

[kgmom219]

I'm doing education seminars but few people if any show up. I did one Tuesday on MSP and Extra Help that was minimally advertised in a local paper and it was a big dud. I saw one current client and two people who were not Medicare eligible.

The FPs are going to invite their clients. It will still only be 15 people, max. Age 60+. And that's fine. It's 2 hours, a canned presentation and $300. And let's face it, I'm not that busy right now anyway.

 

[Hopes]

They are scheduled lunches in their offices. We do Individual, Medicare and Small Group. So its a roundup of whats really going on, not just the 30 seconds of TV sound bites. Then they ask questions.

What it REALLY is?

A free lunch, 15 minutes of crap they don't care about and a reminder that I'm brilliant, take fabulous care of their clients and they need to keep sending me people.

This is something I would love to do. I just need to work on getting my foot in the door and figure out what to say.

I'm still learning what is interesting and captivating to different groups. Each time I speak to a group, I'd like to say something that makes at least one person go home and talk about it.

The FPs are going to invite their clients. It will still only be 15 people, max. Age 60+. And that's fine. It's 2 hours, a canned presentation and $300. And let's face it, I'm not that busy right now anyway.

How long is your presentation during these? I'm assuming it's not two hours.

Are you presenting supplements during these or a mix of MA? I realize there's always the random IEPs, SEPs, and Chronics but I'm thinking that 100% doesn't consist of many, if any, of these.