Insurance Agent Forum

[Winter]

Anyone try doing their own direct mail with reply card/envelope for FE versus buying leads. If so, what were/are the results?

Thanks.

Winter

[AgentBartlett]

I have looked into it. Here's what I've found so far. Printing for 3.5"x8.5" cards is about .10/pc. The list is .06 postage is the big unknown for me so far. somewhere between .17 and .2

I am waiting for a guy that I used for printing of mailers in another business to get back from Alaska. He was at .05 for 8.5x11 two color with trifold and perforated return mail card. I think he will be alot better than the quote I got. He'll be back in 2-3weeks. He prints from his house and we used to mail 20k pieces one week and 40k the next. I know that business has stopped mailing so he could probably use the business. I'm sure glad that the returns in this business are better than they were in that business. 20k sent out to get 8-15 back. We learned to be goooood closers, though!

[myinsurebiz]

Best way is to develop your own mini valpac and pass the expense along to those advertisers.

You get me 1 diabetic supply company, 1 power wheel company, 2 retirement home / assisted living facilities and 8 restaurants @ $499 a piece for 5k mailers direct to targeted homes with fresh data and your card stock mailer will be free.

Ads are 3.6" x 8.5" 2 color one sided. They can get 2 sided for $699.

Ads are mailed in a printed envelope.

We will also call the same data and set appointments for you @ $40 each or just generate and qualify a lead for $25 if you wish.

We just did a mailer for FE and Annuities. The FE produced a 2% return or 100 leads and we make them put a stamp on the card/ The annuity ad only brought in 1.7%. We didn't pay a dime for the leads since we piggy backed. I sold the annuity leads for $50 each.

It works.

Now we're putting together a TV ad for Final Expense. We'll run it in a market and Co-op the expense and the leads. Anyone with a group of reps in a mid market ( 400k people or less ) - get with me.

Winter - just use the system above to do it yourself.

Tom

[Winter]

Originally Posted by myinsurebiz

Best way is to develop your own mini valpac and pass the expense along to those advertisers.

You get me 1 diabetic supply company, 1 power wheel company, 2 retirement home / assisted living facilities and 8 restaurants @ $499 a piece for 5k mailers direct to targeted homes with fresh data and your card stock mailer will be free.

Ads are 3.6" x 8.5" 2 color one sided. They can get 2 sided for $699.

Ads are mailed in a printed envelope.

We will also call the same data and set appointments for you @ $40 each or just generate and qualify a lead for $25 if you wish.

We just did a mailer for FE and Annuities. The FE produced a 2% return or 100 leads and we make them put a stamp on the card/ The annuity ad only brought in 1.7%. We didn't pay a dime for the leads since we piggy backed. I sold the annuity leads for $50 each.

It works.

Now we're putting together a TV ad for Final Expense. We'll run it in a market and Co-op the expense and the leads. Anyone with a group of reps in a mid market ( 400k people or less ) - get with me.

Winter - just use the system above to do it yourself.

Tom

Thanks for the info. I will give this some thought.

Winter

[DanBran]

That coop mailer ideas sounds great.

[myinsurebiz]

An envelope with less than 3oz's and 1/4 thick will only cost .26 cents to mail if sorted correctly.

The co-op idea does work. We do it for our own leads.

Perhaps down the road we'll make a mill or two off it - but, it's a lot of work for the first run.

It's all about the data. The fresher and more filtered data - the better. I think our key element is the ability to also call the data list in addition to the mailer being read.

We have the ability to audio blast the data - letting them know the envelope is going to arrive by Friday - be looking for it. Also - post mailing - we can call the data list to squeeze additional leads or appointments from a list already paid for.

Co-Op does work.

We are putting one together to mail to businesses - offering IFP's, Small Group, HRA's, Workers Compensation, etc - plus in the envelope will be advertisers such as - meeting planners, travel, local dining / entertainment, business supplies, auto's, signage, printing, etc - really any products a business may need - then we piggy back our insurance mailers / flyers at no cost. I'll let you know how it works after we do one - but, we're still working on the worksite / IFP products to market.

Tom