Important Points of Contacts with Existing Clients

[Emery Park]

Hey everyone, fairly new life agent hear just about completing my first year in the business. I was able to write 7 policies my first year (was working it part time) and am now piecing together a plan to keep in contact with my clients.

I'm wondering what are good points of contact? I've read sending birthday cards/letters is one. A letter for annual review is another. What are some other events or reasons to make contact with existing clients? Perhaps an occasional informative newsletter?

What have you found to be an effective communication with your clients for all you seasoned producers out there?

Thanks!

 

[Kenek]

I would focus on writing at least ten new cases every month. Seven in one year? You're gonna starve at that rate.

As to contacting, touch your clients at least three times (four is better) every year. B-day cards, Christmas cards, annual review, if the client is married send an anniversary congrats card to him (at his place of work) at least one week prior to his anniversary, you can send refrigerator magnets that hold your business card and that also include your sports teams' schedule, etc. It ain't rocket science.

 

[lhkorn99]

Hey everyone, fairly new life agent hear just about completing my first year in the business. I was able to write 7 policies my first year (was working it part time) and am now piecing together a plan to keep in contact with my clients.

I'm wondering what are good points of contact? I've read sending birthday cards/letters is one. A letter for annual review is another. What are some other events or reasons to make contact with existing clients? Perhaps an occasional informative newsletter?

What have you found to be an effective communication with your clients for all you seasoned producers out there?

Thanks!

You might want to check out www.E-relationship.com

 

[NYC Adam]

Mail a letter? Christmas cards? You need to call people. Every time you speak to a client or prospect your objective should be to get an appointment. Only time you don't should maybe be birthdays and holidays if you are close with them. "I promised when we met I would reach out every six months", or "every quarter" and "we would meet at least once a year for annual review". "your insurance program should be properly managed like any other long term financial tool, and for that, we need to review. Also call for age changes - very important. How are you going to ask for/get referrals, a christmas card!?!!

 

[Brantley]

Sending birthday cards, christmas cards, annual review letters are all just fine to do. None of those alone will do much in terms of solidifying the relationship you have with your clients.

Send them an article that relates to their hobby, passion, something their kids are into, and/or something that relates to an issue you've discussed with them. Do this just because it's the right thing to do and this will strengthen your relationships.

Why do we all expect our clients to give us something every time we talk to them? Is that how relationships work in the real world?

Always make sure to pick up the phone to give them a call and chat, this is a great way to build a relationship. Whatever you do, don't expect to get an appointment with them every time you talk to them...people don't expect that or want that. Just be real, actually care and show an interest in your clients. You can also shoot them an occasional email to do that same sort of thing.


Oh yeah...do great work for them, shock them with all you provide without them having to ask for it. This how you build real relationships with your clients.

Do all these things and you will build lasting relationships with clients, they'll see that you're different and the referrals will come as a result in due time.

 

[Emery Park]

Thanks everyone. Great stuff here.
Nycadam, what are "name changes"?

Brantley, i totally agree. You said do great work and shock them. How do you achieve this personally. What are your ways of over delivering value?

Thanks again y'all!

 

[WinoBlues]

You have gotten some great advise.

I call as many as I can. If your book is still new it is easy. As it gets larger it gets tougher. I used to do BD cards but there are just to many now. policy anniversary is when I contact most of them. Some companies send clients status on term. When I get my copy I will write a note on it and mail it to them, two touches for the price of one. Same with UL annual reports.

I am always mining for new business. Beneficiary updates gets me a lot of referrals. I wrote 4 deals yesterday. One was a rewrite of a policy I wrote 5 years ago from a referral of another referral. Probably 6-7 policies in that thread. The other three were a referral from the guys ex wife who was a referral from her brother. I wrote his daughter last week. Probably 10-12 cases in that thread. And he referred me to co workers who had bought from the same AIL guy.

Almost all of these people already had bought insurance from somebody before. They just never heard from them again.

 

[NYC Adam]

Thanks everyone. Great stuff here.
Nycadam, what are "name changes"?

Brantley, i totally agree. You said do great work and shock them. How do you achieve this personally. What are your ways of over delivering value?

Thanks again y'all!

Not name changes, age changes - with some products you are aged a year older on your half birthday - so if someone's bday is 1/1, for some products withs one firms the become a year older on june 1st. A good time to call is May 1st to let them know that in a month rates will go up...

 

[Emery Park]

You have gotten some great advise.

I call as many as I can. If your book is still new it is easy. As it gets larger it gets tougher. I used to do BD cards but there are just to many now. policy anniversary is when I contact most of them. Some companies send clients status on term. When I get my copy I will write a note on it and mail it to them, two touches for the price of one. Same with UL annual reports.

I am always mining for new business. Beneficiary updates gets me a lot of referrals. I wrote 4 deals yesterday. One was a rewrite of a policy I wrote 5 years ago from a referral of another referral. Probably 6-7 policies in that thread. The other three were a referral from the guys ex wife who was a referral from her brother. I wrote his daughter last week. Probably 10-12 cases in that thread. And he referred me to co workers who had bought from the same AIL guy.

Almost all of these people already had bought insurance from somebody before. They just never heard from them again.

Hey Wino, many thanks for your valuable input. What exactly is "status on term?" And what is it that you're mailing out?

I dream about the referral threads you generate. What would you say is your main component that is behind your success in receiving referrals?

Thanks again Wino!

Thanks again Wino!
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Mail a letter? Christmas cards? You need to call people. Every time you speak to a client or prospect your objective should be to get an appointment. Only time you don't should maybe be birthdays and holidays if you are close with them. "I promised when we met I would reach out every six months", or "every quarter" and "we would meet at least once a year for annual review". "your insurance program should be properly managed like any other long term financial tool, and for that, we need to review. Also call for age changes - very important. How are you going to ask for/get referrals, a christmas card!?!!

Thanks NYC, age changes is a great time to call. Much appreciated man.

 

[CMS]

Any life changing event would be a good time to contact client such as age change, new house, births, death, marriage,divorce, job promotion, job loss, retiring, and T-65 just to name a few.