Direct Mail

budfox7 · 09-16-2009, 10:44 AM

Annuities leads are know to come out of Direct Mail and seminars. What companies offer the best Direct Mail campaign for the best price per drop/piece? Also are they any FMO's that offer Agents direct mail campaign's. Or are there any agents do the direct mail themselves , printing, licking, stamping sending !? Look forward to the responses.

Thanks,

jmhopkins40 · 09-18-2009, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by budfox7

Annuities leads are know to come out of Direct Mail and seminars. What companies offer the best Direct Mail campaign for the best price per drop/piece? Also are they any FMO's that offer Agents direct mail campaign's. Or are there any agents do the direct mail themselves , printing, licking, stamping sending !? Look forward to the responses.

Thanks,

several do. contact me and i can discuss it with you

lacy_amy · 09-27-2009, 02:14 PM

Are there any agents out there having success with using direct mail? If so can you please share your experiences. Your ROI figures would be good to hear if you are willing to share. What product are you selling? Where is a good place to buy lists?

djs · 09-27-2009, 02:40 PM

What market do you sell to? It would help keep the answers pertinent.

Also, there are a lot of direct mail discussions on the forum. Do a few searches.

Dan

cwittusen · 10-06-2009, 04:21 PM

I'm also interested in finding a good, solid direct mail company as well; could you please share that information? I'm unable to send you a direct message because I don't have 10 post's on this forum yet.

Regards,
Chris

Alston · 10-06-2009, 10:50 PM

Vistaprint is great for direct mail postcards.

You can upload a list or buy one from them. You can upload a design or use one of their templates. You give them a credit card number. They print and mail.

No licking involved unless you decide to lick your keyboard.

cwittusen · 10-07-2009, 01:26 AM

I have checked out Vista Print and its hard to get a specific mailing list together that stated, x-age, x-income, x-net value. Unless I'm missing something.

Got any good tips on how to build the list of criteria's?

/Chris

padthaiforlunch · 10-07-2009, 01:41 PM

Direct Mail -- DIY Postcards for $0.35 Each

Markingriffin · 10-07-2009, 02:22 PM

Main Street Power Mail Check these guys out...

HarryRenard · 10-07-2009, 02:28 PM

Ive used Kramer Direct for several years and have always been happy with them, they have a few different pcs to choose from.
BHC Marketing has lead programs based on production, No reduction in commissions. YOU write enough they will send out DM for you and i presonally think its a good pce my last return rate was 2.3% which is preety good for annuity leads.

cwittusen · 10-08-2009, 05:13 AM

Harry:
Thank you for that tip, by the way, do you customize your mailer or do you use theirs?

I'm interested in doing mailers for annuity lunch seminars because I think that is probably the best; I'm new in this field so I got a bit to learn.

Regards,
Chris

Alston · 10-08-2009, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by cwittusen

I have checked out Vista Print and its hard to get a specific mailing list together that stated, x-age, x-income, x-net value. Unless I'm missing something.

Got any good tips on how to build the list of criteria's?

/Chris

I've never used them as the source for the mailing list except when I need to "top off" a list.

You have to be aware of VistaPrint's break points. If you have a list of 9,500 you might pay more than if you had a list of 10,000. In that case, it may make sense to buy 500 names from VistaPrint to "top off" your list.

I mainly mail to people who have visited my website. I use the "address correction requested" endorsement and update my list when I get the returns from the post office.

You can't buy a list that is a good as the one you can build yourself. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't buy a list. I just means that you should mail to your prospects first.

I do a good amount of both email and snail mail drip marketing. We are constantly making sales to people who have visited our website a year or even 4 years ago.

cwittusen · 10-10-2009, 04:18 AM

Alston:
Thank you for your reply, good to learn from people that has already tried things out, no sense in reinventing the wheel.

/Chris

njagent1975 · 10-10-2009, 07:12 AM

I think direct mail is generally not all that effective for annuities. i use senior insurance leads (Senior Insurance Leads) for all my mailers. i like that they let you customize the list and i basically they give you everything (list, printing, postage and even a toll-free number with a trackable web interface) for a reasonable fee.

I pay $.37 per (because i have my own 800 number) for an 8x6 perforated card and get them to send me the list so i can follow up on the mailing.

cwittusen · 10-11-2009, 01:16 AM

Njagent1975:
How has the senior insurance leads worked out for you? Is their leads worth the cost?

Regards,
Chris

njagent1975 · 10-12-2009, 09:59 AM

Cwittusen:

Senior Insurance Leads worked out pretty well for Medicare marketing with over 2% reply rate. Final Expense mailer worked ok, but it wasn't spectacular. I didn't try their annuity mailer.

Hope it helps.

Steve

saltimbango · 10-27-2009, 04:49 PM

What about seminars??? do they worK????
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Whats the min order for Senior Ins Leads??

carroll · 10-31-2009, 09:21 AM

I just did a direct mailer (i'm a new agent) for medicare supplements. I'm finding out that several other agents also did a direct mailer to the same location....It seams the first one to the home wins! I'm not having much luck with mine...ive tried calling to set an appointment and i've tried just going up and knocking on the doors....after 3 days i'm o-3 in selling. I do know that it is a numbers game but $400 for 20 leads isn't going to work in my plans much longer unless i start selling something real soon!

Frank Stastny · 10-31-2009, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by saltimbango

what about seminars??? do they worK????

I have done a lot of seminars at senior centers and churches with only moderate success. What has been a lot more successful is to have a client invite several of her friends over for a meeting at her house. By several I mean two or three.

Several of my clients belong to card clubs and have invited me to meet with them when they are coming to my clients house. I make it a strictly informational meeting as opposed to a "sales presentation". I always offer to bring the snacks. I make it more of question and answer session.

The new Standardized Med Supp plans are going to be a perfect opportunity to hold small group meetings to explain the changes that are being made. Start talking to your clients now about helping them and their friends better understand the new options that will be available to them.
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Originally Posted by carroll

I just did a direct mailer (i'm a new agent) for medicare supplements. I'm finding out that several other agents also did a direct mailer to the same location....It seams the first one to the home wins! I'm not having much luck with mine...ive tried calling to set an appointment and i've tried just going up and knocking on the doors....after 3 days i'm o-3 in selling. I do know that it is a numbers game but $400 for 20 leads isn't going to work in my plans much longer unless i start selling something real soon!

You are always going to struggle if you are only relying on direct mail leads to sell Med Supps. I stopped using them years ago. Almost everyone I have contacted who sent the card in either claimed they didn't send it in or had no recollection of having sent it in, even when I was at their door and showed them the card with their signature on it.

If they don't remember sending it in or deny sending it in even after they see it then the name on that card is no different than that same name you would get off of a list. No matter how you look at it, it is still a "cold call".

Calling a name on a list will cost you less than ten cents, calling a name on a card will cost you $20 or more. Those $20 dollar phone calls will eat you alive.

You can be very successful calling from a list if you have an excellent phone presentation.

VaDwayne · 10-31-2009, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by Frank Stastny

I have done a lot of seminars at senior centers and churches with only moderate success. What has been a lot more successful is to have a client invite several of her friends over for a meeting at her house. By several I mean two or three.

Several of my clients belong to card clubs and have invited me to meet with them when they are coming to my clients house. I make it a strictly informational meeting as opposed to a "sales presentation". I always offer to bring the snacks. I make it more of question and answer session.

The new Standardized Med Supp plans are going to be a perfect opportunity to hold small group meetings to explain the changes that are being made. Start talking to your clients now about helping them and their friends better understand the new options that will be available to them.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You are always going to struggle if you are only relying on direct mail leads to sell Med Supps. I stopped using them years ago. Almost everyone I have contacted who sent the card in either claimed they didn't send it in or had no recollection of having sent it in, even when I was at their door and showed them the card with their signature on it.

If they don't remember sending it in or deny sending it in even after they see it then the name on that card is no different than that same name you would get off of a list. No matter how you look at it, it is still a "cold call".

Calling a name on a list will cost you less than ten cents, calling a name on a card will cost you $20 or more. Those $20 dollar phone calls will eat you alive.

You can be very successful calling from a list if you have an excellent phone presentation.

Well said!!!