I am curious to see how everyone is going about marketing their business. Ideas for marketing in the best ways possible is how we all grow our agencies, business, relationships, etc. I wanted to start a post where everyone would be able to see different marketing plans, ideas, methods, etc. so they can come up with new creative ideas on their own to market their agency. Input from everybody is priceless information for everyone to use on this forum. So lets see what you are doing and how it is working for you. Simply list the methods you use and how many leads they generate for you....
I myself use these a month:
Direct mail: send out about 1200 produces about 30 leads
Business Cards: Pass out at least 5 perday to random people and produces about 10-15 leads a month
Flyers: I post these at local coffee shops, bulletins, etc. this generates about 10 leads from 10 different locations
Referrals: I get in touch with other professionals who would need my service for their clients. I strive to have 3-5 new partners a month. Generates about 10 leads.
Special Offers: I come up with special offers to give to my current clients from all different lines of insurance that I offer. I do pretty good from this. Usually generates about 6-10 sales a month.
These are some of what I do. Lets see what you do and maybe we can help everyone become better marketers which obviously lands sales and helps all of us grow!
I started off doing door hangers a few years back. I do mostly direct mail now. I usually do about 2,000 direct mail pieces for personal lines. Sometimes I still do the door hangers, but more or less for the exercise before heading off to the office. I think having a steady plan of attack produces steady results.
Now that I'm looking to grow my business without as much of a demand product, I'm doing:
-10 Business Walk-Ins each day to introduce myself
-40 Dials to schedule a 5 Minute Intro
-Email drip marketing a growing list of small business owners who give me permission to stay in touch
-Getting Introductions from current clients
-Cross-Selling Current Clients
-Min. of two networking events per month (before or after regular business hours)
Too early to get a feel for how the numbers will shake out. My goal is to get to a level where I can consistently get 20 introductions per week from my current clients. That will help simply everything and I can focus on calling introductions and checking back with my drip marketing list every six months (my goal is to eventually get it to 1,000 names of people who have met my face-to-face and know what I offer).
I generate all my own leads through telemarketing I do myself. I have tried everything else. Telemarketing Med Supps, all I sell now, is the best, easiest way that gives me the greatest ROI. I haven't purchased "leads" in about eight years.
The vast majority of new clients come from my prospects database. I would say, although I have never kept track because it isn't that important to me, 25% to30% of my new clients come from referrals. The balance are either generated on the first phone call or follow up calls when their current company has a premium increase.
When their current company has a premium increase it is like having a license to steal.
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When their current company has a premium increase it is like having a license to steal.
I do the same thing in the IFP market, I named it my Prospect Pond. When I'm telemarketing and someone says I have "BC/BS" but not interested in looking at options now, it's "that's fine, thanks for your time." I put it into an excel spreadsheet with their name, number, business, and carrier and I'll give them a call a few days after they get their rate increase letter next March. All the carriers in my market raise everyone's rates at the same time, no 12 month rate locks.
I do the same thing in the IFP market, I named it my Prospect Pond. When I'm telemarketing and someone says I have "BC/BS" but not interested in looking at options now, it's "that's fine, thanks for your time." I put it into an excel spreadsheet with their name, number, business, and carrier and I'll give them a call a few days after they get their rate increase letter next March. All the carriers in my market raise everyone's rates at the same time, no 12 month rate locks.
Works like a charm doesn't it. I use to use Excell. (Couldn't resist.)
Now that I'm looking to grow my business without as much of a demand product, I'm doing:
-10 Business Walk-Ins each day to introduce myself
-40 Dials to schedule a 5 Minute Intro
-Email drip marketing a growing list of small business owners who give me permission to stay in touch
-Getting Introductions from current clients
-Cross-Selling Current Clients
-Min. of two networking events per month (before or after regular business hours)
Too early to get a feel for how the numbers will shake out. My goal is to get to a level where I can consistently get 20 introductions per week from my current clients. That will help simply everything and I can focus on calling introductions and checking back with my drip marketing list every six months (my goal is to eventually get it to 1,000 names of people who have met my face-to-face and know what I offer).
I sell all lines of insurance. Life, Health, Annuity, P&C. Mostly P&C, Life, Annuity. The direct mailers focus on P&C lines. Mainly Home and Auto insurance. I design my own advertising so I know exactly what I want my marketing piece to do. As for the life insurance this kinda crosses paths with developing relationships with other professionals whos clients need my service. My main contacts of professionals consist of Mortgage brokers. The reason why this works out so well is #1 they need home insurance NOW. This is an easy sell. Actually no selling is involved at all. They contact me when they need to close and I just write the app for them. #2 the life goes well with this too because you can offer the client mortgage protection with a return of premium option. They love this because they protect their families, home, mortgage, and they can get all their money back when the mortgage is done...taken nothing happens to them. I also reward my brokers with freebies and things when they refer me business. As for the annuity stuff, I direct mail a very targeted list. CD holders are fantastic. I market annuities as an alternative to their CD's that can provide them tax advantages and other benefits. I even post flyers around local places that I know seniors go to around my area. The business cards I hand out to everyone who I open my mouth to. You will definitly get some surprise calls. Its almost unbelievable what those little guys can do. I also have an entire referral program for my clients. They love it. And I reward them everytime they help me out. So its a win/win. I also visit business owners for commercial insurance. This takes a little while to open them up but when they do it becomes rewarding. My mentality is to keep my face, my business, my offers, everything in front of some one at all times. If it is slow in the office, I take my myself a bunch of flyers or whatever I think will work and I go hand them, post them, leave them, give them, etc. I also work later than most agents too. This actually has landed a couple sales for me just because I am open 2 hours later than usual. Its little creative ways that aren't in the norm that grab peoples attention. I have several other ways that I market as well. I have learned over the past year and a half that we as insurance professionals can always help somebody. But it is how we are able to SHOW that we can help. That is the marketing aspect. Become a professional marketer and an insurance professional. The money will automatically follow ultimately bringing success to the table.
These are all great ideas, and as someone who is new to insurance, I truly value all of your ideas. I was wondering, what about buying internet leads? Do any of you buy them, or have bought them in the past? If so, what are/were your results?
These are all great ideas, and as someone who is new to insurance, I truly value all of your ideas. I was wondering, what about buying internet leads? Do any of you buy them, or have bought them in the past? If so, what are/were your results?
I have bought internet leads in the past. They really turn out to be no different then any other lead. The worst part about it is you immediately are competing against 6-8 other agents in your area because the companies sell the same lead to more than just 1 agent. Watch out for the "exclusive" leads that they sell too. There is no true exclusive lead. Might be the only lead sold to you by that particular company, but the lead is also submitting to other sites which are not exclusive. In my honest opinion, the investment is not worth the return. It will keep you busy, but most likey drive you crazy at the same time. Come up with a marketing plan which causes the prospect to call you instead of you calling them first.
Yes, that would be great to have some of your prospects call you. 99% of all of my business comes from cold calling. My question is what do these mailers look like? Can a captive agent us these malings without home office approval? The nice thing is that I am pretty good on the phone and I can fill my day up that way but like I said a having a few warm leads now and then would be nice!
Last edited by pvellenga : 07-12-2009 at 12:21 PM.
I'm surprised no one is mentioning networking in Mom forums, etc. Also, commenting blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn....there are so many free ways to develop relationships that result in sales on the web.
Is this the "MILF" market I've been hearing so much about?
That's the best thing about the net, everyone can be a MILF
I forgot to mention guest blogging. I think that is something more agents need to do--give free information to a blog with a large readership and I bet you'll get some business.
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Marketing Ideas 101
(Couldn't resist.) 
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