So you’re starting your own insurance practice. Congratulations! This will be one of the most terrifying, exciting, wonderful things you ever do. To succeed, you’re going to need a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck. But then, you probably already knew that. What you need to know is how you can build up your customer Rolodex and start on your path to success.
The problem when you’re just starting out is that no one knows who you are or what you do. While you might have some contacts, chances are you don’t have a massive customer or contact database to draw from. That makes emailing tricky, since you can’t just carpet bomb emails to all and sundry. No, you need a permission-based, opt-in list or you’re going to be shut down by your email service provider so fast your head will spin. So that’s out.
No, to get in touch with large numbers of people, one of the fastest and most cost-effective methods is direct mail. Even if you don’t know a single soul, a good purchased list can build your client list quickly. The key is in great targeting. As a new business owner, you probably have limited funds. When you go to purchase a direct mail list, be very picky about to whom you mail. Restrict by geographic area; you can get as specific as mailing to a certain street in a certain neighborhood or as broad as an entire zip code. You can only market to homeowners, if you’re looking to sell property and casualty insurance, or just to apartment dwellers if you’re into rental insurance. If you’re interested in selling life insurance, you can find lists of new parents. Medicare? Restrict the list by age. No matter what kind of insurance you sell, you can get a very specific list of qualified prospects and start crafting your message.
Remember, this kind of work takes time. You need to find the right prospects ready to buy at exactly the right moment in their lives. It’s going to take more than one mailing. It’s going to be scary, sending those mailers out and waiting, praying that the phone will ring. But sooner or later it will, and sooner or later you’ll sell your first policy. You’ll be on the road to success.
We can’t wait to see it.
For more information about how direct mail can fuel your insurance agency, contact Premier Advantage Marketing. We’ll help you get started and guide you along the path.
Receive practical direct mail and marketing tips directly to your inbox. Sign up our email newsletter--it's free and easy to unsubscribe at any time.