The insurance industry has a well-earned reputation for stodginess. A vast percentage of today’s independent agents still employ conservative form letters and phone calls to attract the attention of small-to-medium-sized commercial prospects. Business has changed. In many instances, it has become less formal than ever. Originality and creativity are necessary to make a marketing difference.
But how do you employ creativity while trying to win an appointment with an important but hard-to-see commercial prospect? Persistency is the traditional answer. And sometimes it works. However, it isn’t the only method. That’s why this column suggests a half a dozen different low-cost giveaways to grab a prospect’s attention. They are imaginative alternatives to the old insurance favorites: road maps and calendars. The following suggestions are intended to intrigue and amuse their recipients. They will definitely be remembered, so carefully select who gets what.
Classic stamps
Buy $100 worth of old stamps to use as postage on promotional mailings to antique shops, art galleries, classic car dealers, etc. These history-conscious business owners appreciate things from the past. The stamps aren’t expensive. Sheets of some still sell for close to their original face value. You can find them at local stamp dealers or on the Web.
Tip: Refer to the stamps in the headline of your marketing letter or memo, so the prospects won’t think that you had to raid your collection to cover the postage. Sample headline: “Classic [furniture], classic stamps, and classic service. We both appreciate the timeless values of the past.”
Comic books
Stop by a local newsstand or comic book store. Pick up a few titles that match up with the industry you want to solicit [see suggestions above, based on Marvel and DC Comics]. Some are out-of-print but are still quite affordable. Enclose the comic with a brief note asking to meet with your “local business superhero.”
Sports videos
Send a prospect a low-cost video featuring an authentic past or present superstar (like Mickey Mantle, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, etc.).
Attach a note to the DVD with wording similar to this: “Like [Tiger Woods in golf] you’re a superstar in the [contracting] business. That’s why I thought you would enjoy this video. And every star needs the services of a great agent. That’s me. So, let’s get together for a few moments to discuss how I can protect your superstar status. Please expect my call.”
Tip: Try to learn your prospect’s favorite sport so that you can send out a video that he or she will enjoy.
Cheesy romance novels
Buy a supply of these little paperbacks at a discount bookstore and have some fun sending them out to selected prospects. Mail out just the cover of the book (tear it off) along with your business card and a Post-It note attached. Handwrite a message on the note with text something like this: “Do you love saving money more than you love your current insurance agent? If so, let’s have a rendezvous to discuss insuring your business. Don’t worry it’s not cheating.”
Tip: Send out only tame romance novel covers. You don’t want a prospect to get the wrong impression!
Night lights
Enclose a low-cost light to solicit first meetings with small local companies. Dedicated executives and sole proprietors often lay awake at night worrying about business operations.
So, word the accompanying note card with something like this: “Enclosed is one form of protection against nighttime anxieties. But what works even better is a properly tailored business insurance program. Let’s get together to talk about it — day or night.”
Three-minute egg timers
This is an effective, classic sales technique used by old timers in many industries. Mail a small plastic egg timer to your prospect as a gimmick to get a difficult prospect to meet with you. Enclose a note with the timer, asking for three minutes of the person’s time when you call within the next day or two.
Sample wording on the note: “I promise that if I can’t interest you in meeting with me within three minutes, I won’t call again. When the sand runs out, so does my time.”
Topics Commercial Lines
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