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Digg It - Easy Marketing Methods with Letters, Post Cards, Referrals and Testimonials
Easy Direct Marketing Methods for Insurance Agencies
This Month: Strategies for Letters, Post Cards, Newsletters, Testimonials, Referrals.
Selling insurance is tough: too many agents selling too few clients, and ouch - trying to show value when all you are selling is a piece of paper that no one really thinks he needs… until it’s too late. But you knew all that. Here’s how to get more business and keep the customers you have.
Send a “Thank you for your business” letter.
I’ll bet you ten bucks that I know the last piece of correspondence your customer received from you or your providers: it was a bill. Right? OK - 99 out of 100 of you pay up. Break this cycle of insurance bills with something refreshing. Send a bottle of champagne. Just kidding. Se
This Month: Strategies for Letters, Post Cards, Newsletters, Testimonials, Referrals.
Selling insurance is tough: too many agents selling too few clients, and ouch - trying to show value when all you are selling is a piece of paper that no one really thinks he needs… until it’s too late. But you knew all that. Here’s how to get more business and keep the customers you have.
Send a “Thank you for your business” letter.
I’ll bet you ten bucks that I know the last piece of correspondence your customer received from you or your providers: it was a bill. Right? OK - 99 out of 100 of you pay up. Break this cycle of insurance bills with something refreshing. Send a bottle of champagne. Just kidding. Se
According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product
nd
that bottle to me, Schramsberg/NAPA is just fine. To your clients and
prospects, send a couple of refreshing “Thank you” letters.
Spend the 74?
To keep customers happier and longer, twice a year send them a letter simply thanking them for being a customer. Let them know their business is appreciated. Paint a picture of your firm on high alert 24 hours a day: if they need you - you’ll be there. Let them know you appreciate their business and that you are eagerly waiting to serve them. Your customer retention rate will soar. Your customers will be happier; therefore, your customers will be your customers, longer. As for me, I’m still waiting for that bottle of Schramsberg.
Now I’m not talking about the pre-printed “Thank You” card you get from
Spend the 74?
To keep customers happier and longer, twice a year send them a letter simply thanking them for being a customer. Let them know their business is appreciated. Paint a picture of your firm on high alert 24 hours a day: if they need you - you’ll be there. Let them know you appreciate their business and that you are eagerly waiting to serve them. Your customer retention rate will soar. Your customers will be happier; therefore, your customers will be your customers, longer. As for me, I’m still waiting for that bottle of Schramsberg.
Now I’m not talking about the pre-printed “Thank You” card you get from
; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.
Examples of combination products may in
Examples of combination products may in
your accountant each Christmas. Ugh. That’s close to worthless
(don’t tell your accountant, I’ll start getting nasty letters). I’m talking about
a real, bonafide letter. Signed personally by you, or at least someone
who works with you who is willing to sign all those letters with your
name in a blue pen. Yes - twice a year. Cough it up: postage 74?. That’s
not much of a cost to retain a customer. Do you know what other
agencies call your best customers? Prospects. I personally think a letter
is the cheapest customer retention strategy you can use, and the most
effective. Hummmm... cheapest; most effective.
See, nice guy that I am, I started off this article with my best tip first. It’s all downhill from here. Or is it?
Don’t start a Newsletter.
See, nice guy that I am, I started off this article with my best tip first. It’s all downhill from here. Or is it?
Don’t start a Newsletter.
lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.
That’s right, don’t. You’ve got to be crazy to start a newsletter. 90%
of the ones I get are terrible: no direction, poor copy, lousy photos…
everyone’s dressed. Nothing like that Hooter’s newsletter I, er, a friend
of mine signed up for 2 years ago. What? What do you mean you don’t
think there’s continually fresh and interesting news from a restaurant
chain?
Most newsletters are written with no clear objectives, and some just ramble on in a dialog “about” and “by” the president… like someone cared about his babble on the new boat he just bought. In reality - where I virtually think we are - newsletters are just a lot of work. They may start out with some enthusiasm, but soon become the drudgery of month after month of hard work, eventually assig
Most newsletters are written with no clear objectives, and some just ramble on in a dialog “about” and “by” the president… like someone cared about his babble on the new boat he just bought. In reality - where I virtually think we are - newsletters are just a lot of work. They may start out with some enthusiasm, but soon become the drudgery of month after month of hard work, eventually assig
here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe
ned to someone as a thankless job
no one really wants to do. Without lively copy, great design, consistent
frequency and timely delivery, newsletters lose all effect of branding and
building customer loyalty.
Case in point: Q. The number one priority of a newsletter? A. It must be read. To be read it must be fascinating and interesting beyond belief. Remember, if it ain’t read, it ain’t working. See my article on newsletters elsewhere on this site. Or visit www.dobkin.com for this and other articles of marketing tips I’ve written.
Instead, create a series of post cards.
That’s right, slightly oversized 5-1/2” x 8-1/2” post cards print nicely 2-out of an 8-1/2” x 11” sheet. Spend some time on graphics and copy to make them really interesting and c
Case in point: Q. The number one priority of a newsletter? A. It must be read. To be read it must be fascinating and interesting beyond belief. Remember, if it ain’t read, it ain’t working. See my article on newsletters elsewhere on this site. Or visit www.dobkin.com for this and other articles of marketing tips I’ve written.
Instead, create a series of post cards.
That’s right, slightly oversized 5-1/2” x 8-1/2” post cards print nicely 2-out of an 8-1/2” x 11” sheet. Spend some time on graphics and copy to make them really interesting and c
d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.
Combination pro
Combination pro
lever. Since I just mentioned
“newsletter,” I know some readers are now hell-bent on creating a
newsletter, so you guys can title your post card “The World’s Tiniest
Newsletter.” Then design it like a tiny newsletter. Well, I hope that made
your day. Still stuck on newsletters? Call this number and complain:
610-642-683. If I really cared, I’d have given you the last number, which
is 2. It’s our fax machine. Or at least the fax machine of our competitor.
Post cards can look good printed simply in one or two colors… so they can be inexpensive to print. While I don’t mind one color printing, I do always prefer an upscale sheet of paper (like bright-white Cambric Linen). Don’t use glossy stock unless your post card is printed in 4 colors, as the pos
Post cards can look good printed simply in one or two colors… so they can be inexpensive to print. While I don’t mind one color printing, I do always prefer an upscale sheet of paper (like bright-white Cambric Linen). Don’t use glossy stock unless your post card is printed in 4 colors, as the pos
ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc
t office mail sorting rollers will leave black marks on it.
Mail post cards once a month to every 6 weeks for consistency, or to
maintain Top-of-Mind awareness.
Write about anything… as long as it’s interesting. The limitations of space ensure the brevity of copy; this generally will make sure the card remains interesting to a good degree.
Somewhere, somehow on the card, say “Call for a quick quote!” to encourage people to call. If the objective of the card is to generate a call and it doesn’t, it didn’t work, did it?. Supersize the phone number and follow it by a longish laundry list of all the types of insurance your firm offers (or that you can get for your customers). If it’s a long list - and it should be - set the list in small type - and pr
Write about anything… as long as it’s interesting. The limitations of space ensure the brevity of copy; this generally will make sure the card remains interesting to a good degree.
Somewhere, somehow on the card, say “Call for a quick quote!” to encourage people to call. If the objective of the card is to generate a call and it doesn’t, it didn’t work, did it?. Supersize the phone number and follow it by a longish laundry list of all the types of insurance your firm offers (or that you can get for your customers). If it’s a long list - and it should be - set the list in small type - and pr
easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi
int it on the lower portion of
the bottom of the card.
Here’s an example: Since you live in Nebraska, boat insurance probably isn’t your main livelihood, or flood insurance either, so most of your customers probably don’t know you can get these kinds of coverage for them along with their tractor insurance. By listing all the kinds of insurance policies you sell on this card, all your customers who own boats (both of them) will get the message that they can call you for a quote. Other customers and prospects will see what they need also - and call for quotes, too.
The list of services is not the main message in the card, but it lets clients know that you offer a full depth of different products, and they can get all their insurance quoted and pla
Here’s an example: Since you live in Nebraska, boat insurance probably isn’t your main livelihood, or flood insurance either, so most of your customers probably don’t know you can get these kinds of coverage for them along with their tractor insurance. By listing all the kinds of insurance policies you sell on this card, all your customers who own boats (both of them) will get the message that they can call you for a quote. Other customers and prospects will see what they need also - and call for quotes, too.
The list of services is not the main message in the card, but it lets clients know that you offer a full depth of different products, and they can get all their insurance quoted and pla
nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically
ced by a quick phone call to your
office. Remember, if you don’t get calls from your post cards, and thus
additional business - they didn’t work. Then let me guess: Your mailings
went into your “we tried direct mail and it didn’t work” file. How
unfortunate. Know who’s getting those phone calls if you’re not? Your
competitors. Their post cards went into their “Holy Cow! Look how much
money we made from this little post card mailing!” file.
Why are phone calls so important?All your business starts with a phone call.
Any time you can make the phone ring - especially for a quote, you have the opportunity to generate a sale, or perform a service for your customer. Either way, if you look at this more closely as an opportunity, you’ll find a phone co
Why are phone calls so important?All your business starts with a phone call.
Any time you can make the phone ring - especially for a quote, you have the opportunity to generate a sale, or perform a service for your customer. Either way, if you look at this more closely as an opportunity, you’ll find a phone co
and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ
nversation is a great way to increase a client’s
loyalty and endear them even more deeply to you and your company.
If you can get the phone to ring from a mailed piece, the piece is a total success, even if you didn’t get any business at that exact moment. Here’s why I say this: I’ve been in direct marketing for… OH MY GOD AM I THAT OLD ALREADY!. Anyhow, it’s tough to sell something from a sheet of paper, especially insurance, which is sometimes tough to sell anywhere, even in a stuck elevator for 12 hours with 6 doctors whose medical malpractice policies have an ex-date of tomorrow. Come to think of it, if you want a business decision from a doctor you’ll have to ask his office manager or his wife. Either way, a “yes” answer will take a month.
If you can get the phone to ring from a mailed piece, the piece is a total success, even if you didn’t get any business at that exact moment. Here’s why I say this: I’ve been in direct marketing for… OH MY GOD AM I THAT OLD ALREADY!. Anyhow, it’s tough to sell something from a sheet of paper, especially insurance, which is sometimes tough to sell anywhere, even in a stuck elevator for 12 hours with 6 doctors whose medical malpractice policies have an ex-date of tomorrow. Come to think of it, if you want a business decision from a doctor you’ll have to ask his office manager or his wife. Either way, a “yes” answer will take a month.
ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi
By trying to sell something directly from a sheet of paper, you get no
feedback, no buying signals. You can’t tell where the hot buttons of your
clients are. When do you back off? When do you press for a close? All
this may come subconsciously when you’re selling in person, but I
assure you a lot of thought has to go into a printed piece to get to these
specific areas with just the right timing, correct pace and selling
proposition to close a sale from a flyer that you sent in the mail.
Armed with the knowledge that it’s very difficult to sell anything off the page, don’t even think about trying to sell anything from your mail piece. The objective of 99% of the letters, mailers, post cards and brochures I create for clients don’t sell anything -- t
Armed with the knowledge that it’s very difficult to sell anything off the page, don’t even think about trying to sell anything from your mail piece. The objective of 99% of the letters, mailers, post cards and brochures I create for clients don’t sell anything -- t
ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.
Following aspects would a
Following aspects would a
he objective is simply
to generate a phone call. My client is the one that does all of the selling.
With your brochure, you do the selling when they call.
Face the further fact: create letters and mailers with the sole objective of making the phone ring. When the phone rings - the piece worked. Voila. Now we know it was successful. Then you sell the client.
For an article I’ve written on post cards, just drop me a letter requesting it: Jeff Dobkin, P.O. Box 100, Merion Station, PA 19066. No, an email won’t work. I’d like to make sure you really want it and an email won’t show me this - I don’t want to get 5,000 emails requesting stuff like the last time I offered something free on the Internet. Ugh.
OK, let’s get back to more tips about your post c
Face the further fact: create letters and mailers with the sole objective of making the phone ring. When the phone rings - the piece worked. Voila. Now we know it was successful. Then you sell the client.
For an article I’ve written on post cards, just drop me a letter requesting it: Jeff Dobkin, P.O. Box 100, Merion Station, PA 19066. No, an email won’t work. I’d like to make sure you really want it and an email won’t show me this - I don’t want to get 5,000 emails requesting stuff like the last time I offered something free on the Internet. Ugh.
OK, let’s get back to more tips about your post c
dd to the challenges in developing combination products:
Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
ard mailings.
Sending post cards every four to six weeks keeps your agency in “Top of
Mind” awareness of your clients.
When they need new policies, or a quote… when they have friends that need insurance services -- they’ll think of you. Whoa. When they have friends??? Can you say “referrals?”
Referrals and Testimonials
I don’t know about you, but I hate asking people for referrals. So here’s a way to get them, and how to use testimonials in your marketing. It’s even tough for me to write a personal letter asking for a referral without sounding like a bleeding heart solicitation piece I once wrote for the “Friends of Kaballah” association who needed money for guns, but… a post card can serve this function just right.
Let’s say someone refers a cl
When they need new policies, or a quote… when they have friends that need insurance services -- they’ll think of you. Whoa. When they have friends??? Can you say “referrals?”
Referrals and Testimonials
I don’t know about you, but I hate asking people for referrals. So here’s a way to get them, and how to use testimonials in your marketing. It’s even tough for me to write a personal letter asking for a referral without sounding like a bleeding heart solicitation piece I once wrote for the “Friends of Kaballah” association who needed money for guns, but… a post card can serve this function just right.
Let’s say someone refers a cl
cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
ient to you, from the post card you just
sent them with the copy on it saying, “Thanks for all your referrals! We
appreciate our customers and friends who refer clients to us for our fast
and friendly quotes. Don’t forget: we’re always ready to help anyone -
whether they are our client or not - with any of their insurance questions
or problems. Please let your friends and colleagues know to just give us
a call at 800-987-6543 - we are always happy to help.” You remember
that post card, don't you? So now what do you do?
Besides opening that nice bottle of champagne celebrating the new client you just got, and then sending me a nice bottle of champagne for that new client you just got - you know, the one you already forgot to send me from the… oh n
Besides opening that nice bottle of champagne celebrating the new client you just got, and then sending me a nice bottle of champagne for that new client you just got - you know, the one you already forgot to send me from the… oh n
tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
ever mind, you send the referring person a
thank you letter. No, a call is not the same. With a call, after you hang up
the phone you cease to exist. And don’t even think about sending them
that pre-printed accountant’s thank-you card we discussed earlier - it still
won’t work. You send them a hand typed letter thanking them. Right
from your own computer. Signed by you in blue ink. Same as before.
Here’s what we do around here when we get a referral. We send the referring party a nice letter, a really nice letter, and a Cross Pen, engraved with their name on it. Sure, we could have my company name engraved on it, but the only person that would think that’s great is… me. That pen goes inside their desk drawer. Big deal. But when we havetheir name
Here’s what we do around here when we get a referral. We send the referring party a nice letter, a really nice letter, and a Cross Pen, engraved with their name on it. Sure, we could have my company name engraved on it, but the only person that would think that’s great is… me. That pen goes inside their desk drawer. Big deal. But when we havetheir name
t?
As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
engraved on a pen - well, that pen goes in their shirt
pocket (man), in their pocketbook (woman), or on top of their desk
(neutered). And you just can’t buy that kind of “top-of-desk” real estate.
Or “top-of-mind” awareness.
Don’t worry, they’ll remember from whom they’ve received it - from the nice letter you sent them with the pen. You, umm, did send them a really nice letter with the pen, didn’t you?
Thanks, Jeffrey…
Thank you very much for your kind referral of me. I appreciate it.
I don’t take referrals lightly, or for granted. A referral means that you thought enough of my services to recommend me as a professional, and thought enough of me as a person to recommend me to a colleague.
I appreciate your trust - and assure you I will always act
Don’t worry, they’ll remember from whom they’ve received it - from the nice letter you sent them with the pen. You, umm, did send them a really nice letter with the pen, didn’t you?
Thanks, Jeffrey…
Thank you very much for your kind referral of me. I appreciate it.
I don’t take referrals lightly, or for granted. A referral means that you thought enough of my services to recommend me as a professional, and thought enough of me as a person to recommend me to a colleague.
I appreciate your trust - and assure you I will always act
ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.
Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
well within
the framework of fairness and good taste, and will strive at all times to
provide exceptional value.
Thank you again for the privilege of your referral, the opportunity to be of service to your associate, and your trust.
Kindest regards,
Jeffrey Dobkin
A call - or an email - is not the same. You see a “Thank you for your referral” letter is a touchy, feely thing - kind of like that cute little red haired secretary you had until your wife found out. Don’t feel too bad, my wife won’t let me go out on dates, either. What the letter really says is that you cared enough to sit down and type a personal letter, print it out, sign it, find an envelope and a stamp, and mail it. It was an effort.
Now they have a permanent record of your sincere
Thank you again for the privilege of your referral, the opportunity to be of service to your associate, and your trust.
Kindest regards,
Jeffrey Dobkin
A call - or an email - is not the same. You see a “Thank you for your referral” letter is a touchy, feely thing - kind of like that cute little red haired secretary you had until your wife found out. Don’t feel too bad, my wife won’t let me go out on dates, either. What the letter really says is that you cared enough to sit down and type a personal letter, print it out, sign it, find an envelope and a stamp, and mail it. It was an effort.
Now they have a permanent record of your sincere
y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products
thanks that can
sit on their desk for days, and if it’s anything like my desk it probably will.
I have letters from 1995 on my desk. But that’s in another article I was
going to write - about procrastination - but I keep putting it off.
So you’ve just sent a Cross Pen to a person who just referred a new client to you. What do they think? They think: how nice it was, and start looking around to see who else they can refer. Is a new client worth the $25 of an engraved Cross Pen. I think so.
Testimonials
Has anyone ever said anything nice about you or your firm? Oh. Don’t worry, it hasn’t happened to my firm yet either. But when anyone does say anything good about you, your firm, or your services, tell them that it’s very flattering to hear, and as
So you’ve just sent a Cross Pen to a person who just referred a new client to you. What do they think? They think: how nice it was, and start looking around to see who else they can refer. Is a new client worth the $25 of an engraved Cross Pen. I think so.
Testimonials
Has anyone ever said anything nice about you or your firm? Oh. Don’t worry, it hasn’t happened to my firm yet either. But when anyone does say anything good about you, your firm, or your services, tell them that it’s very flattering to hear, and as
.
As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
k them if they would mind if you use
that as a testimonial. Wait for their answer. After that awkward pause,
they’ll say sure. Then they’re committed. Then you make it more formal.
Youthen say, “Can I write down what you said and send it to you in a letter, have you look it over, and if it’s OK would you approve it. If not, just let me know - that’s OK, too.” Most people, seeing that it won’t be a lot of work for themselves, will say sure.
So you can now write down pretty much what they said - and you can take some liberties here, they won’t remember exactly what they said - send it to them in a well constructed letter and have them sign it. You’ll get a letter with a great testimonial (because you wrote it) that someone has signed-off on without
Youthen say, “Can I write down what you said and send it to you in a letter, have you look it over, and if it’s OK would you approve it. If not, just let me know - that’s OK, too.” Most people, seeing that it won’t be a lot of work for themselves, will say sure.
So you can now write down pretty much what they said - and you can take some liberties here, they won’t remember exactly what they said - send it to them in a well constructed letter and have them sign it. You’ll get a letter with a great testimonial (because you wrote it) that someone has signed-off on without
elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.
Companies that provide selfless information through particip
Companies that provide selfless information through particip
causing them to do any work. They’ll
be happy. You’ll be happy.
Also, here’s a big plus: your testimonial letter will be free of any spelling errors or typos that my own client’s letters always seem to have. You know, that’s why letters and articles I’ve written always have a few typos and spelling errors in them - so clients (and editors) won’t feel embarrassed that they’re the only ones who make those errors. And I’m a-stickin’ to that story. Anyhow, never trust a man who only has one spelling for any given word.
When pitching to a new client, tell them the difference between your agency and others is service, and bring out a really big book of recent testimonials. It’s probably the most convincing sales tactic you can use.
©2003 Jeffrey Dobkin
Also, here’s a big plus: your testimonial letter will be free of any spelling errors or typos that my own client’s letters always seem to have. You know, that’s why letters and articles I’ve written always have a few typos and spelling errors in them - so clients (and editors) won’t feel embarrassed that they’re the only ones who make those errors. And I’m a-stickin’ to that story. Anyhow, never trust a man who only has one spelling for any given word.
When pitching to a new client, tell them the difference between your agency and others is service, and bring out a really big book of recent testimonials. It’s probably the most convincing sales tactic you can use.
©2003 Jeffrey Dobkin
tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products
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