Annuity Marketing

[policy doctor]

(Do you think people will actually come?)

"If you build it, they will come". Go see the movie, "Fields of Dreams" with Kevin Costner.

 

[Newby]

What type of cost would you anticipate for an annuity seminar? Do you think people will actually come?

You need to spend about $1,500 on a mailing and $10 to $15 each for dinner. You will need high quality handouts (pocket folders, business cards, litature etc.)

Yes. Many people will reply to and attend seminars that will not reply to any other form of advertising. I used to not believe it. But I have proven to myself that it is a very good way to reach many people.

 

[joshril]

So on a 5000 person mailing, in your opinion, how many people will I get in my seminar? I am thinking about discussing reducing taxes in the seminar if I decide to go that route.

 

[Newby]

So on a 5000 person mailing, in your opinion, how many people will I get in my seminar? I am thinking about discussing reducing taxes in the seminar if I decide to go that route.

I don't know the response from a bought list. I mail much lower number of invites to a "house" list. I only mail 500 invitations to people between age 50 to 70 who have had the funeral of a family member with our funeral home within the last 5-years.

Out of that 500 between 15 to 30 will attend. Another 10 to 15 will request the info but can't make the seminar.

But with a cold list you will need to mail a lot more invitations.

If you are selling annuities, you could approach a local funeral home about doing a joint seminar. They could present funeral preplanning and you could present annuities. They fill the room, you buy the meals. Just a thought.

 

[somarco]

Out of that 500 between 15 to 30 will attend.

3% - 6% return is outstanding.

Of course you are mailing to a "warm" list which makes all the difference in the world.

 

[joshril]

I don't know the response from a bought list. I mail much lower number of invites to a "house" list. I only mail 500 invitations to people between age 50 to 70 who have had the funeral of a family member with our funeral home within the last 5-years.

Out of that 500 between 15 to 30 will attend. Another 10 to 15 will request the info but can't make the seminar.

But with a cold list you will need to mail a lot more invitations.

If you are selling annuities, you could approach a local funeral home about doing a joint seminar. They could present funeral preplanning and you could present annuities. They fill the room, you buy the meals. Just a thought.

With you being in the funeral business would you find this type of arrangement sufficient if an insurance professional approached you?

 

[indaville]

I am averaging around 1.6% response rate for my seminar mailings. When you factor the cost of mailings, materials, and food each seminar I run averages about $2,000 in cost.

Matt

 

[Mr. Bill]

Indaville, are you mailing to a warm list or what? That just sounds like a really cheap price everything included, and a huge response rate! Do tell.

 

[indaville]

Indaville, are you mailing to a warm list or what? That just sounds like a really cheap price everything included, and a huge response rate! Do tell.

For each mailing we do we have three programs. So each mailing is usually around $3k-4k, then another $800-1,200 for dinner, plus some money for materials and I have an average of $2,000 per program in cost. We average around 6,000 pieces per mailing. The response rate is high due to us using popular restaurants and a nice invitation.

Matt

 

[Mr. Bill]

So How About Them Plate LIckers? When the people call in, do you do a pre-screening to assess where they're coming from? I haven't done seminars in quite a while but am getting ready to ramp it up. I've heard from some folks that they really try to pre-screen before hand. Any ideas?