Making Your Marketing Itself Valuable

[Beach Broker]

I'm always trying to get my marketing message out to prospects, get it read, and write new policies but it seems like there are more and more advertisements, commercials, emails, and etc. every time I blink my eye.

We live in an overcrowded and over communicated society. I'm sure the average person is bombarded by hundreds, if not, thousands of advertising messages every day.

So my question is: How does one grab the attention of a prospect? It's tough today with all the cell phones, emails, and electronic devices that buzz us and distract us from focusing on any one thing more than five minutes.

One answer I have is, since people are hit up with so many messages trying to sell them things, it is important you appear valuable right from the minute your prospect hears or reads a message from you…or you will be quickly discarded.

In the case of direct mail, if you send them a FedEx package or a personal letter, it has the appearance of being valuable, and a much better chance of being opened and read.

Anything else that has the appearance of “junk mail” just trying to sell them something, is quickly discarded. The key is not to be that direct piece thrown into the garbage.

Now, after they open your direct mail letter, whether or not they call you or go to your websites (basically take some sort of action) depends on the layout of the letter and the message.

Getting it in their hands and opened is the first priority though.

Any other suggestions or ideas are much appreciated.

Best,

Beach

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

If you're local...mention it...and mention it again.

If you emailed a quote...don't just mention the email, but indicate how helpful and useful the email will be...and how you would like them to pick out some plans for you to review.




Spell check was used in this post.

 

[Mark]

Hmm, I like the idea if it was cheap. But the cost to fedex every prospect would be out of this world.

 

[Charpress]

Hmm, I like the idea if it was cheap. But the cost to fedex every prospect would be out of this world.

How about the douches who send you bulk mail disguised to look like an express package --complete with eagle on the cover.

Those are an automatic discard for me. Also the ones disguised to look like a letter from Social Security or IRS. There is a well-known seminar mailing company that actually touts these two methods. Nothing like establishing fraud as your M.O. from the get-go.

The idea of this thread is well taken. I was talking to a marketing guy today and he tells me that my marketing materials are still too complicated. And I thought I had whittled things down to the super simple region. He was right, though. His take is that the human mind cannot process more than two things at once without some degree of disconnect. You have to hit them immediately with the WHIFFY (what's in it for you) and not talk about what they are going to learn. According to him, people don't really want to learn, although they will not admit it.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

You have about five seconds by phone and about 1.5 seconds if it is mailed...to get someone's attention.

 

[1manshow]

One of my producers had good success a few years ago with a resume mailer,went out in the big manila type envelope with a cover letter applying for the position, blah, blah included her resume and testimonials as references,etc. as if she were applying to be your agent.

 

[padthaiforlunch]

Nothing like establishing fraud as your M.O. from the get-go.

Definitely par for course from some of these marketing companies.

 

[xosephchu]

Direct mail is among the insurance prospecting methods with lowest closing ratio in generating leads. However, it can bring much better results if it is targeted at existing policyholders.

 

[Mark]

I can't remember who, but someone on the forum once talked about putting a piece of candy in each mailing and how it really did the trick and got people to open it up and see what was inside. Might be worth trying

 

[Beach Broker]

Hmm, I like the idea if it was cheap. But the cost to fedex every prospect would be out of this world.

It all has to do with targeting your mailing. After you've tested a small batch, refined it, and know what percent respond, you'll know if it makes sense to do a larger mailing.

But it's all about the return on investment, lifetime value of the client, whether or not you're breaking even on the mailing and whether or not you're willing to lose money on the front end.

If your average client sticks around for several years and their lifetime value is several thousand dollars, how much would you be willing to spend in order to acquire that client?

Beach
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I can't remember who, but someone on the forum once talked about putting a piece of candy in each mailing and how it really did the trick and got people to open it up and see what was inside. Might be worth trying

Any grabber that adds some bulk to the package has increased response in our situation.

Beach
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Direct mail is among the insurance prospecting methods with lowest closing ratio in generating leads. However, it can bring much better results if it is targeted at existing policyholders.

We built our agency on the back of direct mail - we have now recently added more tricks to the bag with internet marketing, lead capture forms, video marketing, email marketing, articles, free reports and such, but it all started with the emotional direct response letters sent via mail.

Now if your ads look anything like this:

Then I can see why they have had the lowest close ratio in generating leads.