Insurance Agency Marketing – Top 5 Tips in 200 Words or Less – Tip #5
Tip #5: Measure and Refine
The final tip is by far the most simplistic, but also very important. As you work through the process of defining your profile, crafting your value proposition, identifying interested prospects and reaching out to them (as outlined in tips 1-4 below), you must measure the success of each step. Is your profile accurate? Is your pitch effective? Are your email messages deliverable and attracting the right prospects? Are your phone calls generating in-profile activity? Determine what works and what does not – then refine your approach and repeat the steps. There are no shortcuts in marketing, but these 5 tips will provide a guide to move you along in the process.
- Tip #1: Clearly Define Your Target Prospect Profile
- Tip#2: Create Your Unique Value Proposition
- Tip #3: Leverage Email Marketing for Air Cover
- Tip #4: Pick Up the Phone
Originally Posted on July 23, 2013 by John Scranton
Read MoreInsurance Agency Marketing – Top 5 Tips in 200 Words or Less – Tip #4
Tip #4: Pick Up the Phone
Insurance producers are faced with constant demands for their time and attention. Agency meetings, client service, renewals, new business quotes and proposals, carrier relationships and more. Prospecting and outbound sales activity can easily be pushed down the TTD list, or even off the list. Over time, this creates a problem as the sales funnel dries up. The simple solution is to pick up the phone.
The most efficient path for quality activity is direct conversations with interested, in-profile decision makers. When producers are able to squeeze a few of these calls in to their schedule, results will improve. When they cannot find time, these opportunities should be passed to a professional appointment setter. The only way to miss the boat is by not picking up the phone.
We discussed how to define your in-profile target prospects in Tip #1 – so how do we define the level of interest that warrants a warm call? Here is a quick list of 8 opportunities that you should capitalize on when they are in-profile:
- Blog Subscribers
- Email Marketing Campaign Click Throughs
- Email Marketing Campaign Opens
- Newsletter Subscirbers
- Web Seminar Attendees
- Web Seminar Registrants
- Website Contact Requests
- Website Visitors
Originally Posted on July 3, 2013 by John Scranton
Read MoreInsurance Agency Marketing – Top 5 Tips in 200 Words or Less – Tip #3
Tip #3: Leverage Email Marketing for Air Cover
Now that you have identified your ideal prospect profile and crafted your message of value (Tips 1 & 2 respectively), it is time to begin reaching out to your target market. A tremendously effective way to do this quickly is an email marketing campaign. A quality email campaign will provide air cover for your tactical sales operations – keeping you in front of your prospect, or at least in their inbox, while you are out selling. When sending an email for our clients, we leverage over 100 best practices to optimize deliverability and effectiveness – here are a few you should implement today:
- Do Not Sell Insurance – An email campaign asking prospects if they would like a quote from your very competitive markets will not generate opportunities, it will generate SPAM complaints.
- Segment Campaign by Vertical (or Horizontal) – Different industries have different needs and different challenges. Provide content specific to the industry vertical (or horizontal segment) that you are targeting.
- Minimize Use of Images & Graphics – As a rule of thumb, the greater the use of images and graphics, the greater likelihood a message will be caught in a corporate email filter.
Check back soon for Tip #4.
Originally Posted on June 26, 2013 by John Scranton
Read MoreTrucking Appointment Setting Metrics & Case Study
Please review these trucking appointment setting metrics and case study:
- 1 to 5 Power Units – 26.1 New Prospect Appointments/month
- 3 to 25 Power Units – 19.8 New Prospect Appointments/month
- 5 to 75 Power Units – 11.8 New Prospect Appointments/month
Case Study: Southeastern US Based Trucking Agency
- 180 Hours of Calls
- 101 Appointments
- 1.9 Hours/Appt
These appointments are agency exclusive, in-profile/target market, and expecting to discuss trucking insurance. Start building your pipeline today and ensure great results in 2018.
Contact us at (518) 222-6392 for a 15 minute trucking lead gen discussion – and learn how other agencies are succeeding with this proven lead generation solution.
Read MoreInsurance Agency Marketing – Top 5 Tips in 200 Words or Less – Tip #2
Tip#2: Create Your Unique Value Proposition
This sounds simple, but you would be shocked by the number of agency principals that struggle to explain what their business does and why it is unique and valuable. This includes executives from large agencies.
Lets begin by reviewing what does not work: we provide great service, all the competitive markets, and have been in business since 1938. Although commendable, this is not unique. It is the story of 100’s of agencies across the country. Even worse is an obtuse and unclear message, like “we manage the cost of risk.”
Here are a few examples of a value proposition that works as fuel for an insurance agency marketing campaign:
- We only insure trucking companies and have for over 80 years.
- We provide employee benefit solutions and proprietary market analysis tools to companies with 250 to 5000 employees.
- We are a virtual agency with minimal overhead, creating deeper investments in talented service and safety personnel.
The reason these value propositions work is that they are different, clear and direct. In the first two examples, the agencies have also followed Tip #1 (focusing on a clearly defined target prospect profile).
Originally Posted on June 11, 2013 by John Scranton
Read MoreQ1 Trucking Insurance Lead Gen Results: 11.8 to 26.1 Appointments Per Month
Check out our new trucking insurance agency lead gen results for Q1:
- 1 to 5 Power Units – 26.1 New Prospect Appointments/month
- 3 to 25 Power Units – 19.8 New Prospect Appointments/month
- 5 to 75 Power Units – 11.8 New Prospect Appointments/month
These appointments are exclusive to your agency, within your target market, and expecting to discuss trucking insurance with your producers. Start building your pipeline today and ensure great results in 2018.
Contact us at (518) 222-6392 for a 15 minute trucking lead gen discussion – and learn how other agencies are succeeding with this proven lead generation solution.
Read MoreInsurance Agency Marketing CEO Answers Lead Gen & Web Marketing Questions Live – Recorded Webinar
Insurance Agency Marketing – Top 5 Tips in 200 Words or Less – Tip #1
Tip #1: Clearly Define Your Target Prospect Profile
A wise man once told me: “If you try to be everything to everybody, you probably won’t be anything to anybody.”
Attempting to develop deep expertise in many areas is a very challenging and often futile objective. How likely is it that the best pitcher is also the best hitter, or that the best quarterback is also the best linebacker? This logic also applies to insurance sales – particularly when creating a marketing campaign.
For example, I previously worked with agents who specialized in unique niche markets such as car washes or fire departments. In each case, the agent knew nearly everything about the risk – not just from an insurance perspective, but from a business perspective. If you can discuss car wash equipment or ladder trucks intelligently prior to taking applications, you present a distinct and highly marketable advantage.
A message of value was created as a result of a clearly defined target prospect profile. In these examples, the profile was defined by industry – but size, location or product could also be key characteristics of an ideal prospect. This tip is a crucial first step to the development of an effective insurance agency marketing campaign.
Originally Posted on June 10, 2013 by John Scranton
Read MoreInsurance Agency Marketing CEO Answers Lead Gen & Web Marketing Questions Live
Join us for this exclusive opportunity to hear an industry insider answer insurance marketing and lead generation questions live. Subject matter expert Alan Blume, CEO of StartUpSelling, will provide keen insights and a unique perspective as he offers solutions to the industry’s most challenging topics. Example questions include:
* How does my agency leverage video most effectively?
* How can we improve our social media presence?
* How do we generate agency exclusive, in-profile leads?
* How can my agency build a marketing & lead gen team?
Join us on Wednesday March 21st at Noon Eastern to learn how to accomplish your marketing and lead generation objectives for 2018.
Registration URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7455219189845451521
Read MoreThe Nordstrom employee who cheerfully gift wrapped products a customer bought at Macy’s
This is a story you have probably seen several times. It is sort of a business proverb. Most famously shared by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in ‘Built to Last’ – this is a story told to new Nordstrom employees and exemplifies the superior customer service they are expected to deliver. At first glance this story shocks most of us. It defies capitalism.
I recently read ‘Made to Stick’ by Chip & Dan Heath. They examine this story from a different perspective. Why does the statement convey its message so effectively? They argue that the act is unexpected and powerful – so powerful that it changes the service paradigm in the mind of a new employee.
Reading their thoughts triggered two questions: 1 – Should I be shopping more at Nordstrom? 2 – Do we provide service at this level in the insurance business?
The first question is up to my wife, so we will skip that for now. But the second question is one we should all examine carefully. To be candid, my experience with insurance agencies indicates that we do not. This would be equivalent to servicing a policy for a competing agency while they are receiving the commission. An idea that makes most of us cringe.
So I will throw down a challenge to you all and to myself – seek out an opportunity to provide unexpected, superior service to a client or prospect. This is something you can do this week. And if your good deed is powerful enough – you might shift your organization’s service paradigm for the better.
Originally Posted on May 25, 2010 by John Scranton
Insurance Agency Marketing CEO Answers Marketing & Lead Gen Questions Live
Join us for this exclusive opportunity to hear an industry insider answer insurance marketing and lead generation questions live. Subject matter expert Alan Blume, CEO of StartUpSelling, will provide keen insights and a unique perspective as he offers solutions to the industry’s most challenging topics. Example questions include:
* How does my agency leverage video most effectively?
* How can we improve our social media presence?
* How do we generate agency exclusive, in-profile leads?
* How can my agency build a marketing & lead gen team?
Join us on Wednesday March 21st at Noon Eastern to learn how to accomplish your marketing and lead generation objectives for 2018.
Registration URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7455219189845451521
Read MoreInsurance Agency Marketing Plans: How to Insure the Success of Your Producers – Webinar Over 15,000 Views
My Dog is the Best Salesperson I Know – Most Popular Blog Post
This blog, posted just prior to Memorial Day weekend 2010, remains one of the most read in our history. Enjoy.
My Dog is the Best Salesperson I Know
Posted on May 28th, 2010 by John Scranton
I like to think that I am a capable salesperson. I inherited the sales “gene” from my father, and I have been able to make a career of selling or helping other organizations sell. However, a truly honest assessment shows that I am not even the most skilled sales professional in my own home. That distinctive honor goes to my dog. In case you are wondering, he is a three-year old hound mix named Flash.His sales methodology is simple, and he produces consistent results. Borrowing a few principles from my friends at Dale Carnegie – Flash is genuinely interested in others, he shows sincere appreciation, and he makes those around him feel important. He does this with no expectation of receiving anything in return. As long as his survival needs have been met, he is happy to invest all his time in others.
The results speak for themselves. He literally has a fan following in our neighborhood. He eats more bacon and steak than any dog I have ever known. His formula for success is to provide value without expectation, and he is rewarded without fail. Now if I could only get him to supplement his efforts with a few cold calls.
Everyone please have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!
Focusing on Referral Selling puts a Governor on your Agency Growth
Referrals have traditionally been a premier source of new business for insurance agencies. When I was an agent, I loved referrals. It was an opportunity to build my business without actually selling. Just visiting with somebody who would likely buy. A great tool that all salespeople need to take advantage of and cultivate consistently.
I was recently speaking to a mid-size agency’s VP of Marketing who explained they follow a referral based system of selling. They do not cold call, they rarely advertise and do not leverage any other marketing tools or outreach program. He explained this system has yielded some success, but agency principals were not satisfied with annual growth rates. I told him referrals should always be one of the legs of your stool, but how do you expect to grow consistently standing on one leg?
You always need a three legged stool. Referrals, referrals and more referrals do not meet this criterion. Never ignore these opportunities – they close faster and more often – but make sure they are only one piece of the puzzle. Exclusively chasing referral business puts a governor on your growth.
Originally Posted on May 19, 2010 by John Scranton
Read MoreQ4 Trucking Lead Gen Results – 13.34 to 27.65 Exclusive Appointments Per Month
These were our trucking lead generation results for Q4 2017. What could your agency do with an extra 13 to 27 leads per month?
- 1 to 5 Power Units – 27.65 New Prospect Appointments/month
- 5 to 50 Power Units – 13.34 New Prospect Appointments/month
These appointments are exclusive to your agency, specific to your target market, and expecting to discuss trucking insurance with you. Start building your trucking pipeline today, to ensure great results in 2018!
Contact us at (518) 222-6392 for a 15 minute trucking lead gen discussion – and learn how and why other agencies are succeeding with this proven lead generation solution.
Read MoreI Want Leads Like I Want My Morning Coffee
When I was an agency producer, I wanted leads like I wanted my morning coffee. I craved them and sometimes could not function well without them. The only problem was – most of the leads that came across my desk were a waste of time.
“John – Call my buddy Bob. He needs insurance for his business. 555-1212. He is expecting your call.”
Um, ok. What does Bob need? Is he in-profile? Is he calling every agency in town? Who knows.
So, I would call. Maybe find out he needs insurance because he was cancelled for non-pay or losses. Maybe find out he doesn’t have a business, just an idea that he is researching. Maybe have a great conversation, get a competitive quote, only to find out he won’t leave his current agent. Rarely did a “lead” from someone within my agency or my professional network result in a sale.
Fortunately my sales and marketing methodology has matured over time. I no longer want leads – although I crave coffee more than ever. Now I only pursue prospects in my target profile. I only make warm calls. I only talk to people that have a level of interest in my organization’s solutions and that I know I can help.
How? Highly targeted prospect lists, eMarketing, web seminars and warm calls. No more chasing bad leads – only chasing quality prospects identified through an integrated marketing strategy.
Originally Posted on May 14, 2010 by John Scranton
Read More10 Great Quotes About Simplicity
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” ― Confucius- “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” ― Henry David Thoreau
- “Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy” ― Isaac Newton
- “It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.” ― Bruce Lee
- “Nothing is more simple than greatness; indeed, to be simple is to be great.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.” ― Leo Tolstoy
- “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” ― Leonardo da Vinci
- “Simplicity is ultimately a matter of focus.” ― Ann Voskamp
- “The more simple we are, the more complete we become.” ― August Rodin
- “If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.” ― Albert Einstein
Originally Posted on April 8, 2013 by John Scranton
Read MoreEffective Insurance Marketing To Drive Leads & Growth – Video Approaches 2,000 Views
Irresistible Blog Titles
I just clicked on a LinkedIn post titled Irresistible Something. Or was it Blah Blah Irresistible? I can’t recall, but I had to click. Because, well, it was irresistible!
I would have passed on a good or even a great post, but irresistible? No chance. The lesson here is that social media postings, blog titles, email subject lines and website verbiage are significantly impacted by subtle nuances.
The web marketing landscape is cluttered with noise, but there is room in the long tail to be exceptional and gain mind-share from coveted prospects. I challenge you to find the subtle changes that make your content irresistible.
Originally Posted on March 28, 2013 by John Scranton
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