Map your customers, sell their neighbors 

There’s gold in them thar neighborhoods!  Using this marketing strategy, you can mine it and grow your agency this year, next year, and for many years. I first noted it in George Nordhaus’ IMS Weekly Marketeer.

 Know where your customers live 

Get a map of your town.  

In slow office periods, have your CSRs research where your customers live and place pins with street address number “flags” on the map.  You may need to hire an intern to do this labor intensive research.  There are now computer marketing tools that can do this type of sorting, too. 

Study the pattern 

Note to what extent customers are clustered.  Use this information to market to neighbors or to focus on neighborhoods with fewer customers.  

Promote your name and reputation

Get your name in the hands of “suspects.” Start with an eye-catching postcard advertising campaign.   

Follow up with frequent mailings aimed at getting a “yes” and a chance to present a proposal. Make sure each mailing invites suspects to visit your Web site. That’s one of the first thing prospects do to verify your credibility and your offerings. 

If you have a newsletter, order extra copies.  Use it as your “frequent mailer.” 

What about commercial lines? 

Use the same technique to jump-start stagnated BOP sales.  There’s an added advantage: multiple contact avenues.  You can mail and telemarket and visit owners and managers at their place of business.