Which Business Address To Use

[jmrsjmrs]

I'm at odds as to my business address...any suggestions?

I am a captive agent working for an agency located in a large city about 60 miles from where I most frequently do business. I placed an ad in a publication that goes out to seniors, and have not had any response (19,000 circulation, popular publication with many points of distribution). I suspect that the out of town business address may be the reason. (The ad slick came directly from the insurer, customized with my name, business address and my 800 number. It was a nice looking ad, good benefits list, etc.)

Obviously, I do not want to use my home address for local ads. Would a P.O. Box be just as bad as an out of town address? I fear it may seem too "fly by night".

Has anyone else encountered this situation? Thoughts, anyone?

 

[Mr. Bill]

What is the need for a business address in this ad? Could you just put your web address?

 

[xrac]

I am not certain as to why you do not want to use your home address. I started up a none insurance business from my home and grew it to almost $500,000 gross revenue before I moved to an office. I don't see a problem with using your home address. If you don't want mail coming to your home you could using your home address in the ad with a P.O. Box. The mail then should get routed to the P.O. Box. However, I don't think the address you use will matter much. I doubt if anyone will mail anything to you. You could probably make up an address or use a friends office address. I don't think those kind of ads rate a very high response.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

(The ad slick came directly from the insurer, customized with my name, business address and my 800 number. It was a nice looking ad, good benefits list, etc.)

I think you are missing the point.

It's not about your address, or benefits list. It's not about a "nice looking ad". It's about the totally ineffective marketing pieces (as confirmed by your lack of response) that come from insurance companies.

It's not your fault, they just don't get it. They think people are drawn to their "size", and "financial strength".

Didn't you recently post about how they want you to prospect for LTC insurance by cold calling?

What makes you think their print advertising would be any more effective?

 

[jmrsjmrs]

It's a bit puzzling to me that people some people on the forum feel the need to be insulting. Seems to me that a group of professionals can work together and help one another in a respectful way. Yah, we all have days when we feel "irritable"...maybe a day when we should just have that margarita and keep quiet.

My thought was that using a home address might make the business appear to be a one pony show. Maybe I'm wrong to assume that clients might seem more secure buying from a larger agency. Maybe my own personal bias?

The ad, I thought, was very well done. I ran it by a few trusted friends, and they had the same opinion. I guess you win some and you lose some. I've heard it said that you have to run the same add for a few months before you get much response. Anyone have experience with that?

So those of you that may want to add an opinion...do you think an ad needs an address?

And in regards to the cold calling, I'm just looking for some other avenues and alternatives until I can build a referral base. I don't think there's any way around it completely, but i don't want to rely on it totally. I've been reading posts from agents who buy leads. Pros and cons.

Any helpful feedback?

 

[Newby]

You said you placed an ad in a publication. I take that to mean an ad in a magazine of some sort with no reply card. I would think that is going to get you a very LOW response rate and the ones who do would call your toll free number or go to your web address if it is in the ad.

If you expect responses, you need to do direct mailings with reply cards. Make it easy for them to request info. A free gift (calculator, book, information report, etc) will increase responses. A web site helps also and a toll-free phone number helps.

With each ad you want to give them as many ways to respond as possible and make it very easy for them. Repetition is also a key.

I've seen very few insurance company ads that look effective for generating leads.

That's my opinion anyway. Everything's debatable
and I'm not Ron Popeil by any means.

 

[xrac]

It's a bit puzzling to me that people some people on the forum feel the need to be insulting. Seems to me that a group of professionals can work together and help one another in a respectful way. Yah, we all have days when we feel "irritable"...maybe a day when we should just have that margarita and keep quiet.

My thought was that using a home address might make the business appear to be a one pony show. Maybe I'm wrong to assume that clients might seem more secure buying from a larger agency. Maybe my own personal bias?

The ad, I thought, was very well done. I ran it by a few trusted friends, and they had the same opinion. I guess you win some and you lose some. I've heard it said that you have to run the same add for a few months before you get much response. Anyone have experience with that?

So those of you that may want to add an opinion...do you think an ad needs an address?

And in regards to the cold calling, I'm just looking for some other avenues and alternatives until I can build a referral base. I don't think there's any way around it completely, but i don't want to rely on it totally. I've been reading posts from agents who buy leads. Pros and cons.

Any helpful feedback?

Here are my thoughts. I don't think Moonlight's last post wasn't particularly insulting at least compared to what I have seen him capable of or compared to the stuff that has has been posted for me here and elsewhere. For insulting try Topgunproducers.com. I think Moonlight has a valid point. There are at least two issues with insurance company advertisement:

1)Print advertisement for insurance and financial products is not a very good medium. That is the type of ad that has to be ran consistently over a long period of time to generate response. 2)Due to compliance issues the ads put together by insurance companies often lack the punch needed to draw response. Print copy can be written that will find the pain. The problem is it won't pass the compliance people at most insurance companies. Compliance people have never sold in their life, they always err to the side of caution, and they want things created in house.

As far as an address is concerned I think you need a local address or phone number because it says you are local. Whether it is a home address or not I do not think matters in the least and I say that having experienced the same thoughts you are thinking but having found them to be incorrect. My home address didn't hinder me.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Some seek affirmation.

Some seek results...

 

[jmrsjmrs]

Thanks, Newby and xrac. Good feedback. Have either of you used direct mail w/ reply cards? I can see your point about making it easy to respond to the ad.

If you have used direct mail, can you tell me a little bit about:

What type of insurance product did you advertised for?
Did you use a mailing house, or do it yourself?
What would you say is a minimum number of pieces to make it worth the effort?
What kind of budget did you have for the mailing?
Did you offer an incentive? What was it?
Anything else I should consider? Good company to use?

 

[jmrsjmrs]

Mr.Bill,

Thanks for the PM. I tried to send a response, but found that I have to have 20+ posts to use the PM feature. Anyway, good advice.