- Thread starter
- #11
chasejordan1
Guru
- 489
So if you copy a normal DM card and the only difference is a phone number vs mail in. Well another difference is the card would be bigger and prettier.
DM with phone number as call to action
- Thread starter chasejordan1
- Start date
- 2,045
Think you'd get 2 out of thousand to call in? Give it a shot...
- 7,012
The cost would be significantly cheaper without the reply postage built in.
As previously mentioned, people call AARP and CP because they know and TRUST the brand. My guess is all those calls are answered by a live person vs voice mail. And . . . they will send info in the mail, not a representative to the home.
This is probably a waste of money for an independent FE agent but I could be wrong.
This is probably a waste of money for an independent FE agent but I could be wrong.
JimmyCrappedCorn
Guru
- 282
No it wouldn't. If you are lucky to get 10 or 20 responses on a 1000 person mail drop you are talking about less then $10 dollars in return postage. The cost is all in the initial postage to send out the 1000 cards. The printing of the cards and return postage and cost of the mailing list are almost insignificant.
- 15,041
An agent's business model is completely different from a carrier's with a call center. Trying to replicate it is not likely to succeed.
Several points to keep in mind. One, the carrier "has top contract". Since they aren't paying out commissions to NMOs, agents and everyone in between, they keep all that money to use on the call center employees and marketing. Also, since they are employees and working inbound calls, the call center employees are almost certainly making substantially less per policy, and less as a whole, than agents. There is no risk and they are getting benefits, so much lower comp.
This frees up a lot of money for marketing which may or may not be successful. What would make a successful mailer for AARP, Colonial Penn and the like could easily be a complete waste of money for an agent.
Several points to keep in mind. One, the carrier "has top contract". Since they aren't paying out commissions to NMOs, agents and everyone in between, they keep all that money to use on the call center employees and marketing. Also, since they are employees and working inbound calls, the call center employees are almost certainly making substantially less per policy, and less as a whole, than agents. There is no risk and they are getting benefits, so much lower comp.
This frees up a lot of money for marketing which may or may not be successful. What would make a successful mailer for AARP, Colonial Penn and the like could easily be a complete waste of money for an agent.
Yep. It costs millions to play their game.
- Thread starter
- #18
chasejordan1
Guru
- 489
I really don't think that is how DM works, when you mail 1000 for $480 it doesn't matter how many come back the cost is still $480. I could be wrong but I thought all the cards had pre-paid postage.
- 7,012
Yeah I thought the big cost for Direct Mail is the fact that we have to pay for return postage on ALL of the cards, whether they send it back or not.
Still that's pretty cheap. That's .$45-.$48 cents a card. That's less than normal postage on outgoing mail. And they have to print and mail the card. Must get some bulk discount.
Your first issue is thinking a nice glossy card will work better. People fill out FE dm cards because they most likely think it's official or something free from the govt.
I do medicare DM and I want my card to look as basic as possible. Basic = higher returns.
And no you can't blast "AARP UHC" on your DM.
I do medicare DM and I want my card to look as basic as possible. Basic = higher returns.
And no you can't blast "AARP UHC" on your DM.
