Anyone Done Any Good with Seminars with Postcard Invitations?

[ShawnBrooks]

Ok thanks to all who replied to my post, I got alot of good information and I really appreciate your time!

 

[Sales71]

Ok thanks to all who replied to my post, I got alot of good information and I really appreciate your time!

You might also want to talk to your annuity wholesaler they can cost share on an annuity for you or pay some of the cost since you will use there product to offer the annuity. Prudential is a good partner for that.

Just an Idea

 

[timsip]

My experience seems to be the opposite of this. If we have 30 people in the room (avg 17-18 buying units...4-6 singles w/ 12-13 couples), the goal is normally 50/50/80. 9 appts w 5 shows and close 4 for something. These are tax, annuity and retirement seminars with registered reps so maybe the numbers are different due to the content.

Either way, consistency is key. I have seen a number of "one and done" seminars that crash and burn. They need to be part of your marketing plan. They also need to be repeated w/ frequency and most importantly, the process and follow up is everything.

The differences could very well be based on content. When I was doing seminars (thinking of kicking them up again) I was presenting on Med Supps, FE, LTC and annuities. I am considering changing that to show fewer products in each seminar, but that is for another thread.
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Would it be correct to infer that the sales from your seminars are small? I'm just curious because I've never sold annuities in a seminar, but usually my annuity clients are putting a good bit of money into them.

What kind of $$ are you talking about with the seminar client?

When I was doing seminars, annuities weren't the focus. We mostly sold Med Supps through the seminar, but threw out information on annuities during the seminar so when we met with the senior, we had that there in the event we came across someone with that need. When I did close annuities, they ranged from $10K with one guy to $350K with another and pretty much all other levels in between. I probably averaged about $75K with my annuity sales, but they were much fewer in number compared to Med Supps and FE.

 

[LauderdaleBAUS]

I am 29, put on my first seminar this year. Designed my own postcard mailers on vista and got 1500 of them. My clientele is school teachers about to retire, so I sent them to all teachers in dade county about to retire. unfortunately about 500 of the mailers got ruined in my office somehow by spilled beverages. i sent out 1000 of them, had 8 people show up to my seminar. hosted it at a nice hotel in downtown miami it was a great setup and only costed me about $200 for room rental. had a great view of the city in a new hotel. postcards ran me around 300. the biggest expense is the stamps. 48 cents x how many ever you send can add up. they say your first seminar is a learning experience and it was. next time i will send out at least 3000 invites to try to get 20 people. I also used an rsvp service where the people called and rsvp'd by 1800 number. they also had the option to rsvp online.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

...unfortunately about 500 of the mailers got ruined in my office somehow by spilled beverages.

Wow, this takes "oops" to a whole new level...

 

[ShawnBrooks]

I posted this thread in January when I was checking out a new FMO and their seminar system, I was unsure whether it would work, unsure whether mailing 10,000 invitations was going overboard, etc. THANK YOU to all who responded to this thread with your thoughts, I figured I would provide you all an update.
WELL......here is what happened:

* mailed 10,000 mailers, got 1.75% response
* did 6 dinner seminars at upscale restaurant
in February and March. All nights were PACKED....30 people per night, had to turn people away literally. Still have 20 people on a waitlist for my next round of seminars this month.
*set alot of appointments, kept about
80% of those, total of 23 appointments kept.
*have made 11 annuity sales so far, some big,
some small, total premium of $591,000 in
ONE MONTH. (I wrote $700,000 in all of
2012.)
*total seminar cost: $7,400
*total commissions earned: $35,000
*NET PROFIT: $27,600
**I still have pending appointments with
7 seminar guests that have had to reschedule, should write more business with them.
**At policy delivery appointments clients are bringing out more accounts for me to look at and referring me to family/friends.

Comments from attendees:
"I've been to seminars before, this is BY FAR the SIMPLEST, EASIEST to understand and you made it FUN!"


SO.....I guess seminars still work!
BUT...it has to be the RIGHT seminar,
simple, easy to understand. No laptop
slide presentations, no fancy workbooks.
Too many complicated presentations out there.
I came across this one and IT WORKS!


Shawn Brooks

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Mike Kaselnak has a method that packs the house with seniors, and uses an educational gaming format that teaches and entertains while building trust. I am not sure if it's his "see the whites of their eyes" program or not. His blog is interesting, but I like that idea as opposed to doing a seminar with food.
I would rather do an educational series at the local library or community college.

 

[timsip]

I am 29, put on my first seminar this year. Designed my own postcard mailers on vista and got 1500 of them. My clientele is school teachers about to retire, so I sent them to all teachers in dade county about to retire. unfortunately about 500 of the mailers got ruined in my office somehow by spilled beverages. i sent out 1000 of them, had 8 people show up to my seminar. hosted it at a nice hotel in downtown miami it was a great setup and only costed me about $200 for room rental. had a great view of the city in a new hotel. postcards ran me around 300. the biggest expense is the stamps. 48 cents x how many ever you send can add up. they say your first seminar is a learning experience and it was. next time i will send out at least 3000 invites to try to get 20 people. I also used an rsvp service where the people called and rsvp'd by 1800 number. they also had the option to rsvp online.

Did you call any of the 1000 that got your mailer to ask them to attend? When I was doing seminars, this usually added at least another show. It also gives you the opportunity to ask them to bring friends/neighbors etc. as well as to offer to schedule appointments for those that did not want to or could not attend your seminar. You can't get people to let you in if you don't ask!

 

[agent m]

I stand corrected on my original post. Way to go Shawn!

 

[Tandem62]

Do your research because that market has gotten old , say alot of agents. But, if you want to do it, it does involve buying lots of dinners for people.