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From time to time I post on forums on the web, here’s some comments that have gone back and forth. Some of them are stupid, some are good. Of course my writing is what you should pay the most attention to

Here goes:

Another thing you might consider is creating leads through actual direct marketing.

The great thing about getting leads through direct marketing (ie effective direct mail, joint venture mailings, endorsed mailings, cross selling other agents books, yp’s and magazine ads) is that your positioning is much better.

The phone is inherently a poor positioning device. In this biz, good positioning changes the entire sale because now instead of being a peon begging for business, you’re a trusted advisor. It all begins with WHO they PERCEIVE TO INITIATE THE CONTACT.

The phone stinks because instantly people know you contacted them. But using effective marketing, it makes THEM contact you. They request info from you, and now, even though you initiated the first contact, their perception is that THEY are initiating the contact.

Much easier to close the deal that way.

Beach Broker
Insurance Marketing Maverick

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Reply:

Much of what you say is true, but unfortunately, most agents do not have the budjet to actively pursue a complete direct mail campaign. With a 2% return at best, you would have to do many mailings and on a consistant basis to really receive the desired effects you speak of.The rule is a potential customer must see your ad 7 times to have it sink in and intiate contact with you. Direct mail and print advertising can be very effective… it is tried and true… if not, our Sunday newspapers and mailboxes would not be chock full of ads from every known business to man. This being said, most agents who go the direct mail or ad route do not maintain the campaign long enough to have the desired effect they are hoping for.

So, I agree with most of what you said in your post (very good first post by the way for once) except for “the phone stinks”… Not true! Yeah marketing by phone has gotten a black eye in the past due to abuse, and mainly abuse toward seniors, but the phone is here to stay in marketing. Heres a better idea… how about using a scrubbed list for your target clients (if consumer, not necessary if business), do your direct mail campaign, and then follow up with a phone call.

Best of both worlds and much more effective. If anyone needs an effective list, my company can supply you with any list you desire, or simply do a google search. Make sure you deal with a trustworthy list broker… it’s ok to use “raw” data in a predictive dialer for B2B but not if you are using the list for direct mail as well. Quality matters.

Cheers

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My Reply:

Okay Okay, so maybe the phone doesn’t “Stink”. I totally agree that a combo punch with mail, phone, email and any other media possible is the BEST and MOST SURE way of making money.This is the beauty of building a list of interested prospects, which is really what advertising should be designed to do. Get people to contact you, close the ones you can, and then keep nurturing the rest until they buy.

I’ll reply to two previous posts here;

First about the fact that people need to see something 7 times before responding, and secondly some samples of how to position yourself effectively.

I have to admit, I’ve used autodialers, I’ve used telemarketers, I’ve used magazines, mailers, etc. Probably just like all of you.

I’ve personally experienced (and seen many other agents go through this as well) that getting people to initiate contact with you does not take 7 repetitions if it’s done correctly.

Most advertising sucks, that’s why it doesn’t work…and thats why it might take 7 times to get people to respond. But bad advertising might take 20 times or more to get a response. So the problem is poorly done advertising.

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How do you get people to contact you? Through good advertising.

The best and most effective way is direct mail. Unfortunately it can be pricey, but of course it’s all about ROI, not upfront costs.

I’ve done mailers before that return 17 to 1 FIRST YEAR commission (this particular product was a P&C product). I kept running that promotion for years.

The best way to create proper positioning is through expertise. Think general practice doctor vs. heart surgeon. The heart surgeon makes 4 times as much, probably works fewer hours, and NEVER even gets asked about his prices.

Of course, he’s the expert, no one will question him on that, and he’s got a list a mile long of patients.

One way to create expertise by authoring consumer advisories, and offering them in your marketing, or even on your auto dialers, that’s how to get people to contact you the FIRST time they see you, not after try #7.

Beach Broker
Insurance Marketing Maverick

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Another reply

This is something of a basic marketing error. Being seen as an expert in a commodity product isn’t the same as an expert in a highly skilled product (i.e., heart surgeon). Heart surgeons aren’t asked price simply because the answer would cause another heart attack! In reality, you usually don’t have a choice about the procedure, and insurance is covering it (or you do ask price).Now, you can definitely do things like offer a free report, and have people call you to get it. This has been discussed several times on here. It does work, but you compete against a lot of others doing the same thing.

You can offer a free something, if your state allows it. Most do if you provide it based on getting a quote, not making a purchase.

But to this day, I’ve never seen a heart surgeon offer a free report entitled “12 ways to survive after your triple bypass”, or “5 free lottery tickets with heart transplant quote”.

Dan

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BB:

Positioning is a marketing mistake?Hmm, I’d be careful about making that statement…
Positioning is the MOST important thing you can do.

Sure the doctor is a simplistic example. It does take a little brain power to position yourself as an expert in a commodity business.

That’s why so few people do it.

The free report is probably the weakest of all positioning tools, because it’s so easy to create.

If you are serious about it you’ll create several free resources for your prospects.

Video is one of the best ways to do this online, it has more entertainment value and perceived value.

The best positioning tool is a book. You can self publish a book in no time flat. Just record yourself talking about the subject for a hour or two, get it transcribed, and then have it printed.

Now you’re an author and that’s expert status instantly.

Regarding the remark about doctors pricing… again this is an EXAMPLE. Just because it’s harder to do in a commodity business, doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.

Like I said, it does take some effort, and most agents won’t take the time to do it. But that makes it all the more profitable for the ones that do!

Beach Broker