Please Rate My Approach!!!

[jjd5989]

Hello all! First off thank you for taking a look. I've really only been at the P&C (focusing on WC) game for about a month now and would really love some feedback.

My agency has carved out a niche of working with contractors and this has given us a number of endorsements with different associations. These endorsements not only give us more credibility but can also potentially give members of the associations some pretty good discounts. So I've put together a brochure with an introduction letter, the association endorsement letter along with info about the association and finally a published article describing us and what we do.

So my approach has been as follows: I select various contractors in a specific area, find their WC expiration dates, ex mods and who their carriers are. With that info, I tweak the introduction letter to the specific business and owner, put together the package and go knock on their door. My script(told usually to the secretary) typically sounds like this:

"Good morning! My name is _____ and I'm coming by on behalf of XXX association and XXX insurance and I wanted to drop off some information for Mr. Oxbig(owner/RMO) regarding our exclusive endorsement and WC program that could potentially save contractors, such as yourself, substantially on your premiums. So if Mr. Oxbig could take a look and let me know if he/she has any questions or comments or if they'd like to schedule a meeting to discuss the program in further detail we'd be more than happy to do so. Also we'd love to discuss how we handle contractor claims a little differently than agencies typically do!"

I then ask for the persons name, shake their hand, formally introduce myself, thank them for their time and wish them a good day. I've visited 11 business (over about a week and a half) with this approach. People up front seem pretty receptive so far but if there's one thing I know, this isn't going to be easy!

Thanks again for your feedback!!

 

[DHK]

I'm always "coming out to introduce myself". That is always the purpose of my call/stopping by.

So, if I was working with your program, I'd say something like:

"This is DHK with XYZ Insurance. The reason I'm calling (stopping by) is to introduce myself and the kind of work I do. Right now, we have an amazing program that is saving many employers a lot of money on their workman's comp. When would be a good time for me to share some quick details and find out if it would be a fit for you?"

The goal is to pique curiosity and schedule a meeting. That's it. There is no other goal or objective... so don't give them one. No one is going to read your literature and call you with interest.

Keep it simple and don't confuse people with your message.

 

[jjd5989]

Thank you for the advice!

I definitely see where you are coming but I'm only hesitant with that approach because 90% of the time I'm giving my introduction to a secretary. If I'm talking to an owner or any decision maker then I'll probably go with that but if I say that to someone delivering the message it might run the risk of sounding pushy. Consequentially if I piss off whomever that is my chances go right out the window. Or at least that's my thinking.

As for the literature, I agree with you! The idea is really to use it as a Trojan Horse to show credibility and differentiate myself from the competition. Also helps that my contact info is in there.

I could be wrong(I am very green) but just a few of my thoughts.

 

[xrac]

Hello all! First off thank you for taking a look. I've really only been at the P&C (focusing on WC) game for about a month now and would really love some feedback.

My agency has carved out a niche of working with contractors and this has given us a number of endorsements with different associations. These endorsements not only give us more credibility but can also potentially give members of the associations some pretty good discounts. So I've put together a brochure with an introduction letter, the association endorsement letter along with info about the association and finally a published article describing us and what we do.

So my approach has been as follows: I select various contractors in a specific area, find their WC expiration dates, ex mods and who their carriers are. With that info, I tweak the introduction letter to the specific business and owner, put together the package and go knock on their door. My script(told usually to the secretary) typically sounds like this:

"Good morning! My name is _____ and I'm coming by on behalf of XXX association and XXX insurance and I wanted to drop off some information for Mr. Oxbig(owner/RMO) regarding our exclusive endorsement and WC program that could potentially save contractors, such as yourself, substantially on your premiums. So if Mr. Oxbig could take a look and let me know if he/she has any questions or comments or if they'd like to schedule a meeting to discuss the program in further detail we'd be more than happy to do so. Also we'd love to discuss how we handle contractor claims a little differently than agencies typically do!"

I then ask for the persons name, shake their hand, formally introduce myself, thank them for their time and wish them a good day. I've visited 11 business (over about a week and a half) with this approach. People up front seem pretty receptive so far but if there's one thing I know, this isn't going to be easy!

Thanks again for your feedback!!

When you go into the business it should be for one of two purposes to speak to Mr. Big and/or to find out who Mr. Big is and how to contact him. Are you asking to speak to Mr. Big? Are you asking for the opportunity to quote their coverage? You are going to a lot of work to simply be dropping off literature. The USPS will do that for you alot cheaper and you can follow up with a phone call asking for an appointment? A lot of what you are doing sounds to me like avoidance behaviour.

 

[jjd5989]

Yeah I can see how it sounds like avoidance behavior. When I visit the business I already know who the owner is, when their WC expires and what their ex mod's are. I do ask for the owner however I've yet to find one willing to chat with me(I did stumble into meeting one. Basically said his wife handles that and it was a long shot due to the relationship with the broker). Typically I'm told they're in a meeting or are unavailable and that's when I go into my script.

It is a lot of work and ,to me,that is the point. What I'm going for is being more memorable, actually seeing that I look and sound professional and to develop somewhat of a relationship with the secretary or whomever I dropped of the info to. Getting a letter in the mail just doesn't seem as personal to me. I've tried cold calling as well but I find someone's more likely to give me an out right no on the phone as opposed to showing up in person.

Again thanks for the feedback, set me straight if you think my approach is off!

edited for grammer

 

[Franz Kafka]

I've visited 11 business (over about a week and a half) with this approach. People up front seem pretty receptive so far but if there's one thing I know, this isn't going to be easy!

Thanks again for your feedback!!

In my honest opinion, it's way too early for you to focus on a niche. Canvassing is like cold calling in that success rate depends on volume. I don't know how big a ticket these WC deals are but driving out just to walk into one business doesn't seem practical. The objective of canvassing is to hit as many businesses as possible in the shorted amount of time possible. Walk in, introduce yourself, ask for an appointment and keep moving on.

Face to face approach depends 90% on how you look and talk and 10% on what you're offering. It's like saying "Hey look at me. If you like what you see, let's meet".

 

[Full Throttle]

Yeah I can see how it sounds like avoidance behavior. When I visit the business I already know who the owner is, when their WC expires and what their ex mod's are. I do ask for the owner however I've yet to find one willing to chat with me(I did stumble into meeting one. Basically said his wife handles that and it was a long shot due to the relationship with the broker). Typically I'm told they're in a meeting or are unavailable and that's when I go into my script.

It is a lot of work and ,to me,that is the point. What I'm going for is being more memorable, actually seeing that I look and sound professional and to develop somewhat of a relationship with the secretary or whomever I dropped of the info to. Getting a letter in the mail just doesn't seem as personal to me. I've tried cold calling as well but I find someone's more likely to give me an out right no on the phone as opposed to showing up in person.

Again thanks for the feedback, set me straight if you think my approach is off!

edited for grammer

As Franz said, unless you are doing big tickets on these, it will be tough. If you can make your year by getting less than 10 of these per year, maybe the approach works. If not, it's about volume of contacts. Also, volume of contacts matters.

 

[jjd5989]

Yeah I definitely need to increase my volume. The reason I'm going the niche route is because that's what my higher ups want me to push. Plus I was in the asphalt paving business for six years before I started this crusade. I have some contacts from that previous experience but I'm looking to refine myself a bit before I put the full court press on them. As for the program, it is pretty sweet if they qualify (not too strict) and we already have really legit local companies signed up for it(great for name dropping).

I have to be honest though. Without the endorsement and program, I'd be more gun shy about going to just any random business. It's just something I have to get over and mentally I'm preparing myself. The good news is that I feel confident about my appearance and and how I approach and talk to people.

Thanks guys! Great stuff!

 

[xrac]

If you go and call on a company you should also cold walk any buisness that are near that location. Say the business on each side and across the street.

 

[Franz Kafka]

I have to be honest though. Without the endorsement and program, I'd be more gun shy about going to just any random business. It's just something I have to get over and mentally I'm preparing myself. The good news is that I feel confident about my appearance and and how I approach and talk to people.

Most of us including myself have been where you are now. People would say things like "Wow, that sounds like a great program!" "That's a pretty nice discount!" "Really? That's for free?" and disappear. So liking something and buying it are two different things.

Producers typically go through 3 different stages and they are - 1. Focusing on products, 2. Focusing on pains and desires and 3. Focusing on non-verbal commands whereby they willingly obey you. I'm still working on second stage and learning about the third.