Make your marketing communications objectives specific 

The well-written marketing communications plan avoids vagueness and generalities.  Objectives must be stated in specific and measurable terms.  You must be able to sit down during a campaign period or at the end of the year and clearly describe your results in concrete terms.  Then you’ll know what worked and what didn’t.  And you’ll probably have a good idea of how to adjust for the next marcom campaign!   

How to set specific, measurable communications objectives for your agency? Read on. 

“I collided with a stationary truck coming the other way.” 

“I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law, and headed over the embankment.” 

---Real comments from insurance claim forms, reported by the Toronto Sun

Agencies need to put the basics in place 

Our experience indicates that too few independent agents do FORMAL strategic planning.  That is not to say that the owner doesn’t have a plan in mind.  But often that plan is closely-held and not communicated clearly on paper or verbally.  We encourage our clients to formalize their plans and conduct frequent reviews with their employees.  

In our backyard, strategic planning is a must for Massachusetts agents.  Major change is right around the corner---managed competition.  Agencies that don’t start best-case, worst- case and most-likely-case scenario planning now are going to be behind the eight ball when the implementation of managed competition begins April 1, 2008. 

Market home-auto to business clients 

Do you have a business process to sell personal lines to your small business customers?  If not, why not?  How about life and health insurance?  If not, why not?  Mining the gold in your customer bases is a simple way to build your agency. 

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.   

Get ready to :)

If you are too young to remember Bob Hope, ask your grandparents!  The comedian with the rapid-fire jokes was an original and a humanitarian who entertained troops near the front lines during wartimes.   Here are samplers of his humor and style.  

ON PRESIDENTS: “I have performed for 12 presidents and entertained only 6.” 

ON HIS SIX BROTHERS: “That’s how I learned to dance.  Waiting for the bathroom.” 

ON WHY HE CHOSE SHOWBIZ FOR HIS CAREER:  “When I was born, the doctor said to my mother, ‘Congratulations.  You have an eight-pound ham’.”