Educating the Client, Newsletter

[CaNewAgent]

I often hear people say they try to educate their clients on the benefits of insurance and how it protects their assets. I think a good way to do this is to create a newsletter. Maybe cover one subject every two months. It might warm them up to a cross sell call and appointment.

Does anyone do this and if so, how successful has it been?

Thanks

Bill

 

[AgencyEquity]

Bill, the best place for an agency to create their Newsletter is by going to http://www.insurancenewsletters.com - yes my firm does own this, so it is certainly a self promotion, nevertheless my staff does a terrific job from helping an agency do either an email or print newsletters. We have an article library of over 2500 articles for you because we feel you should be focused on selling. However you can write your own articles, but better yet I recommend is editing an existing article so you customize it towards your own agency.

 

[Frank Stastny]

I often hear people say they try to educate their clients on the benefits of insurance and how it protects their assets. I think a good way to do this is to create a newsletter. Maybe cover one subject every two months. It might warm them up to a cross sell call and appointment.

Does anyone do this and if so, how successful has it been?

Thanks

Bill

If you want them to read it and place a great deal of importance on what you are sharing with them send it snail mail.

Just because technology allows us to do something that requires no time or work on the agents behalf does not mean it is the best way to do it and get the results you are looking for. All you get are the "EASY ONES".

I'm sure there are wonderful arguments why I don't know what I'm talking about the many agents who will say that is a waste of time. Knock yourself out guys and tell me how I am "behind the times".

All of my newsletters, birthday letters, anniversary letters, etc are all sent snail mail and each one is personally signed by me. Building a book of business that stays on the books is that nasty four letter word. WORK.

 

[xrac]

If you want them to read it and place a great deal of importance on what you are sharing with them send it snail mail.

Just because technology allows us to do something that requires no time or work on the agents behalf does not mean it is the best way to do it and get the results you are looking for. All you get are the "EASY ONES".

I'm sure there are wonderful arguments why I don't know what I'm talking about the many agents who will say that is a waste of time. Knock yourself out guys and tell me how I am "behind the times".

All of my newsletters, birthday letters, anniversary letters, etc are all sent snail mail and each one is personally signed by me. Building a book of business that stays on the books is that nasty four letter word. WORK.

Frank, how often do you send a newsletter?

 

[Guest]

I do a newsletter every two weeks, or so I try.

I've got about five years worth of them on my website (please don't "steal" them without permission.)

Writing a newsletter comes easy to me because I'm a fairly good (and fast) writer.

For those who are not, a service is not a bad idea, but I find that even agents who are not wordsmiths can usually put together a simple article each month... lots of resources to draw ideas from... and you can always reprint or modify a press-release (many to be found on the insurance news sites.)

I send a plain-text email with a link to the current newsletter (on my web site.)

Here is what I've learned from newsletters... two simple "truths."

1. The purpose of the newsletter is NOT to teach anyone anything or give them any news. It's nice if it does, but the purpose is to get your name out in front of them for a couple of seconds. No one is going to call you because they remember any of the fascinating content in your newsletters. They will call you because they know who you are.

2. The vast majority of those who get your newsletter (who are not clients) will never call you. You will never sell them a thing. What WILL happen is you will get referrals from them. You will get a call from someone and when you ask how they came to hear about you they will say "Well, I asked my friend Phil about [fill in] insurance and he said "I don't really know for sure but I get this newsletter every few weeks from this guy so you might start with him."

Newsletters are just another marketing tool, like cold-calling, networking, snail-mailers, and advertising. No single marketing method is a silver-bullet, but taken together they all help to build a book.

Of course, YMMV.

Al
You can find me here on this website.

 

[Frank Stastny]

Frank, how often do you send a newsletter?

I send a "newsletter" to current clients around the first of the year that doesn't even have the word "insurance" mentioned in it. It's what Jacqueline and I have been up to. One year she got a new puppy and at the top was a pic of her holding her puppy. (My senior clients love stuff like that.)

I send an occasional one periodically throughout the year that does have insurance information in it. I don't send them twice a month or even once a month. After a while people get bored with hearing insurance crap and they ignore them. I only send them when it is important to them.

I send birthday letters, not cards. My State Farm sends me a "card" and I know they come from corporate, not from him. I trash them.

My anniversary letter has done more to increase my persistency than anything else I have ever done.

All the "old fashion", "old school" way, snail mail. I do so because I want them to know that I care for them as a person. E-mail is a wonderful thing, what do you do when you receive "spam" on a regular basis. Does anyone think that their clients or prospects are any different than they are?????????

Sending out "spam" definitely makes the agent feel better and as though they are doing something "important" but how does the client or prospect perceive it especially when they receive that stuff every two or four weeks.? I can tell you, SPAM.

 

[Guest]

Bill, the best place for an agency to create their Newsletter is by going to http://www.insurancenewsletters.com - yes my firm does own this, so it is certainly a self promotion, nevertheless my staff does a terrific job from helping an agency do either an email or print newsletters. We have an article library of over 2500 articles for you because we feel you should be focused on selling. However you can write your own articles, but better yet I recommend is editing an existing article so you customize it towards your own agency.

Have you ever done anything besides self promotion?


Very rarely will a newsletter get you business, a newsletter will keep your business. Clients want to see your name, and lets them know you havent forgotten about them, A newsletter is about maintaining the business. Any new business is just a bonus!

 

[Sales71]

I find birthday cards very effective to show the client you care.

I did this birthday card that had the year the client was born...the cost of gas, price of milk, cost of house and who are the famous people who share the same year. People loved that card!

 

[xrac]

I send a "newsletter" to current clients around the first of the year that doesn't even have the word "insurance" mentioned in it. It's what Jacqueline and I have been up to. One year she got a new puppy and at the top was a pic of her holding her puppy. (My senior clients love stuff like that.)

I send an occasional one periodically throughout the year that does have insurance information in it. I don't send them twice a month or even once a month. After a while people get bored with hearing insurance crap and they ignore them. I only send them when it is important to them.

I send birthday letters, not cards. My State Farm sends me a "card" and I know they come from corporate, not from him. I trash them.

My anniversary letter has done more to increase my persistency than anything else I have ever done.

All the "old fashion", "old school" way, snail mail. I do so because I want them to know that I care for them as a person. E-mail is a wonderful thing, what do you do when you receive "spam" on a regular basis. Does anyone think that their clients or prospects are any different than they are?????????

Sending out "spam" definitely makes the agent feel better and as though they are doing something "important" but how does the client or prospect perceive it especially when they receive that stuff every two or four weeks.? I can tell you, SPAM.

Thanks! I like that.

 

[jamesshiver]

We use the Loose Change newsletter from Newkirk Publications as a way to stay connected with clients and soft contacts every other month. They offer a hardcopy and/or web-based version for very reasonable rates.