It is about managing information about your agency

 When we talk about Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) contacts, we are talking about EVERY type of information-bearing experience that a prospect or customer has with your agency or with insurance generally.   

For example, a contact can include clients’ word of mouth comments to their friends and relatives; exposure to your newspaper, magazine, TV advertising; visits to your Web site; how customers are treated when they call you or when they visit the agency; agency signage; agency sales literature; stories about insurance; stories about house fires or automobile accidents; the letters you send out to customers; and more, many more. 

Every type of contact, over time, influences your agency’s relationship with customers and prospects.  You have direct contact on some of these contacts and little or no contact over many of the others.  

Step one: Determine which contacts are the most important in attracting and holding customers. Get the opinion of your staff.  Get  the opinion of 25 or so of your best customers---A-type customers. 

Step two: How well is your agency performing these contacts. Could your referral business process be improved?  Could the agency handle claims inquiries better? Could the way the phone is answered be more friendly?  Are you contacting customers often enough?  Are you making enough contacts byadvertising and direct mail to attract new customers? 

Step three:  Develop a contact management plan and program within your agency or using an outside professional communications resource.