Educating the Client, Newsletter

[AgencyEquity]

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!

Good questions. A majority of my responses are replies to various insurance agency issues and have nothing to do with business development. I truly enjoy resonding to Agency issues where I have over 20 years experience. However one thing I will never do is promote my business while I tell others that they should not promote their business. We live in a great country we celebrate free markets and welcome the promotiong of commerce, certainly not look down on those who do it. I hope you are out there promoting your business and doing so successfuly, it's what makes America great!

RBA: "A newsletter is about maintaining the business. Any new business is just a bonus!"

Well stated, a newletter helps with retention and gets the conversation started things like E&O Insurance as well as rounding out accounts. It works very well within your own client base, not so much prospects unless they are warm prospects.

 

[Bertolinoins]

I have an email newsletter that goes out monthly to 6000 clients and prospects. 82% are opened and I get 9-15 emails regarding some sort of policy change or quote request. It has some insurance info but mostly it has funny YouTube videos and feel good stories that are linked so that customers view everything through my website.

I like Frank's personal touch but I simply cannot do it at that volume. I would like to see his Anniversay letter. I do hand written birthday and Thanksgiving cards, with me being thankful for them as customers.

 

[bill3173]

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.

Yes, there are a lot of things that agents are encouraged to do that will make them feel better, but the effectiveness is questionable.

Email blasts are effective for bringing in new clients, if you send them out in sufficient numbers, but these constant emails from people that you've done business with are absolutely annoying unless you're getting a "free kitten" or something.

I had a local realtor cold call me from a list, shortly after I purchased some rental property. Next he puts me on constant contact, and follows up with phone calls every month. I unsubscribed his email, and quit answering the phone. It was so annoying, I'll never do business with him. I guess if I'd actually bought from him, I'd have to higher someone just to read his letters and take his calls.

 

[CaNewAgent]

I haven't had time to visit this post. I appreciate the comments. Good information was provided. We want to send a newsletter to the existing client as a way to help them understand how insurance works and why they should have appropriate coverages in place.

We want to use this as means of promoting ourselves as their insurance consultant rather than an insurance seller. We want to cross sell additional policies and run into problems because our only contact with many of these people is when we initially sell them an auto policy.

We plan to use snail mail and personally sign each letter.

Thanks for the info.

 

[bobwise23]

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!

Sales this is genuine and a very unique concept. I have heard good things about this stuff.

 

[RJWeiss]

Is there a service anyone can recommend that can print and deliver the client newsletter?

Don't have the capacity right now to print and ship the newsletters in house.

Thanks!

 

[1manshow]

[email protected] is the email I use when getting bids on my newsletter printing. They've turned out the best quality and lowest price for the last year. They also farm out the mailing to a mail house who is very reasonable. I upload the file, my excel of client list and they handle everything.

 

[RJWeiss]

I'll contact them. Thanks for the recommendation.