Leaving your business card.

I believe that California agents do it because it is state law. I don't because it is not required.

It is just one more thing to add clutter to your card. You put too much info on a "billboard" and then it has to be so small that people have to strain to read it.

The most valuable part of a printed ad is the "white space". People need to be able to see at a glance the message you are trying to convey. They aren't going to take the time to sit and study it.

I have never had a client or prospect ask me for my number.
 
I have my proof sitting on my desktop - and I was literally just going to send it to the printer - until I saw this -

I am searching my SDOI but can't find anything. I think it's probably better TO than NOT to...just in case - good old CYA.
 
I believe that California agents do it because it is state law.

It IS required in CA... on biz cards, stationery, email... ANY client communications. I doubt you would get fined for a single omission, but if the DOI saw repeated transgressions, I'll bet you would get a letter from them.... although I don't have personal knowledge of this happening.

Al
http://www.insurancesolutions123.com
 
I am putting it on. Just in case - since I can't find anything on the website, and obviously can't call on Sunday. Thanks folks!
 
Al, Nice looking card. Neat, clean and not cluttered whit a bunch of crap.

Thanks, but not my doing. My graphic art gal designed it. I just gave her the text. You really think old left-brain Al could design this? Yeah right! I wish!

Cenla, One of the first questions I'm asked by a prospect is whether or not I have a toll-free number. Even if they have unlimited long distance, they still want my toll-free number.

I use ringcentral.com for a toll-free number. Nice service. If someone calls toll-free it tries my office phone. If no one picks up it goes to voice mail. It then sends me a .wav file via email a few seconds after caller hangs up and I can listen to it on my Mac. Very cool. No dialing in to get messages. Cost is $15 a month for service. John P. recommended these folks and I do to.

Oh, and BTW I think I've only had one call in the last 2 months on the toll-free number... but John said to get one... so I did!

What I also got from AT&T (our local phone service) is the "busy call-forward" feature for $3.75 a month. If I'm on the phone and you call you are automatically sent to my ringcentral number. Ringcentral trys to send you back to me but it sees line is busy and goes to voice mail. This all happens in a few seconds... seemless.

OK, so why didn't I get the full-bore message service from AT&T? Simple. On a business line it cost $18 a month. You don't get a toll-free number with it. Their web interface is crap (only works with IE 6.0) and it is a PITA to set up. Finally, you can't turn the messaging system off... there is no way to press some keys (like *99) and kill it for a while. It is alwasy on... and I don't want it always on. Ringcentral has ten tons of other whistles and bells (like different voice messages for different times of the day, etc.) It's very, very user friendly... and good service. I called them at 11 PM the other night when I could not log in and they answered right away (told me to clear a cookie and restart browser.)

Of course I also have an answering machine in my office for when I'm out and my assistant is not there.

"Al, you have an ASSISTANT? Wow."

"Yeah, it's called Wife 1.0."

-Al
www.insurancesolutions123.com
 
I have mine with MCI. It also includes voice mail and if I'm on the phone it picks up the call and the caller can leave a message.

Where I live SW Bell couldn't even give me call notes. The neighbors tell me that they just stopped using a string and a can a few years ago. (We have only lived here for two years.) I have to use a satellite internet connection. Very slow but better than dial-up.

I will have to call ring central. I have a dedicated line for my toll-free number. I pay $60 some dollars a month for the phone and $.06 per minute for calls. My bill for that line plus the calls runs about $120.00 per month.

Ring central sounds like a better deal.
 
I have mine with MCI. It also includes voice mail and if I'm on the phone it picks up the call and the caller can leave a message.

Where I live SW Bell couldn't even give me call notes. The neighbors tell me that they just stopped using a string and a can a few years ago. (We have only lived here for two years.) I have to use a satellite internet connection. Very slow but better than dial-up.

I will have to call ring central. I have a dedicated line for my toll-free number. I pay $60 some dollars a month for the phone and $.06 per minute for calls. My bill for that line plus the calls runs about $120.00 per month.

Ring central sounds like a better deal.

Ringcentral is awesome. Their fax software is very good as well.
 
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