Insurance Marketing Tips

Anything can be marketed effectively, and the basic principles of marketing remain the same, no matter what's being sold: You focus on what the benefit is to the person who's buying the product, you emphasize the points of differentiation between your product and the others in your market segment, and then close with the pitch.

We're going to make an example out of insurance marketing here to illustrate the point. The reason for insurance marketing is because everyone needs insurance, and the market is saturated with a lot of products competing. Writing insurance marketing tips for a saturated market is an example of how you, as an internet entrepreneur, can make money by being a liaison to local businesses in your area.

So, let's look at the big questions from up top - what's the big benefit for taking insurance? It's buying a specific sort of peace of mind. It's providing coverage in case there's a disaster. Let's focus that into marketing insurance: "Wouldn't you like to know that your family will be taken care of, if something happens to you?" is one way to state the benefit. Another one is "It's cheaper to buy insurance for your car than to get into an accident without it. And while you may be a good driver, can you be certain of everyone else?" Both of these are fairly straightforward ways to insurance marketing and its benefits to the end customer.

Now, when I write insurance marketing tips, I'm constantly looking for the edge, the out - the hook. What makes this product work for the reader and prospective buyer?

To answer that question, I start with doing some research on Google, and look for page ranks for specific permutations of insurance buying search terms, like "cheap health insurance" or "cheap life insurance" or "auto insurance Michigan" - anything that will help narrow down the search fields. Then I look at what others are doing on those pages that pull up. It is extremely important to understand what your competitors are doing. It helps you keep track of market trends and makes sure you keep your edge.

Are they competing primarily on price, or are they competing on features? Insurance is a mature product category, so it's difficult to differentiate on new features. Difficult doesn't mean "impossible", though. There are combinations of features on policies that can form a competitive advantage; in the field, these tend to be short lived, because someone else will notice what you're selling and emulate it. Unlike technology where an advance can last for six to eighteen months before you get significant product penetration from competitors, writing a new policy package doesn't take much (indeed, they'll figure it out from your own marketing text...)

So the other differentiators are on price (which is the primary driver in insurance policies) and service (which is where insurance companies trying to maintain margins on policies try to set themselves up as upscale.

How Do You Find People To Buy Insurance?

This sounds like a reasonable question, and one I get asked a lot. When I get asked this question it's a clear signal to me you're in trouble. You don't know how to build an insurance business.

And because you don't know how to build a business, and generate revenue you're likely to fail out of the business. You're likely to fail just like 85% of all people entering the industry do in their first 18 month. Not my statistics. These statistics come from the insurance companies themselves. And as they aren't very flattering for the industry I suspect they may actually be even worse.

When you ask, "How do I find" that tells me you're still out there searching and hunting for prospects. Rather than focusing on finding you should be focused on being found. Huh? Yes, your main objective is being sought after for something of value to your clients.

When you further ask, "...to buy insurance" that tells me you haven't a clue what you're selling. It's not your fault, you've been misled. I just got an email the other day from one of the life insurance associations all pumped up over a new brochure they just created and want to sell to you. Their hot new wonderful brochure is worth less than the paper it's printed on and the ink used to print it. They don't get it either.

If you aren't selling solutions, outcomes, and results you have a steep uphill climb ahead of you pulling a one ton truck behind you. People aren't looking for insurance. Good grief, most people view insurance as an expense they don't want to have and don't want to think about.

Plus the last thing on earth they want to do is get themselves cornered by a dreaded "insurance agent". Oooooh, yuck pull my finger nails out with a pair of pliers. You know that's how they react to you.

Look I know you're ill-used, misused, and abused from all sides. Your prospects think you're low life or you'd have a real job, your family is pressuring you to get a real job and pay the bills, your sale manager is pressuring you to sell something for heaven's sake, and your ego is so low you have to use a ladder to get up to the curb. But you know what? You are my hero's.

You know why? Because you have stick-to-itiveness. When you run into something that isn't working you just look for a way to make it work, so this article is for you.

The key is making yourself worthy of being found and findable. So here are the steps you need to take:

• Choose one big problem, solution, or outcome you know a specific group of people you can help have
• get their interest by communicating to them about that one big problem, solution, or outcome and don't say anything about you or your company
• at this point you've gotten their interest and attention and now all you have to do is engage them

Now I know you're thinking, "how can it be that simple when I'm beating my head against a brick wall until I'm bloody, and it isn't working?" Well it is that simple and the reason it's been so hard up until now is because you've been approaching getting new clients from the "finding" mindset rather than the "findable" mindset. It's okay, shake it off.

Hot dog you've got people actually interested and engaged with you. Simmer down sales breath and slow down. Now you need to sort and select so you focus your time and energies on those ready to buy now.

Here's a real gut buster. When you get leads now you literally burn through and waste all but about 2% of them leaving lots of perfectly good potential clients in your wake who will never work with you now because of the approach you used. You see the way you start the sales process foreshadows the outcome of the sales process.

I know you're wacked out sales manager thinks it's all because you don't know how to close, but he's dead wrong...end of story. When you can't close the sale it's because of the way you set yourself up in the prospects mind from the first contact. Stop chasing the people who haven't bought from you up to this point they aren't likely to ever buy from you because you've already blown it.

Don't waste your time crying over spilled milk take your lesson like a big kid, and don't make these stupid mistakes again. From now on you're going to groom all the people who aren't ready buyers to become buyers. As you do you'll build on that beginning contact and develop a relationship with them.

A couple more quick points, never forget to provide easy triggers and instant gratification. Don't make it hard to act once someone has found you. Give them quick, low risk, easy ways to raise their hands and let you know, "hey, I think you have something I want." And once they raise that hand you want an instant response letting them know you see they have their hand up.

So if you'll change your question to, "how do I become findable for a specific outcome the people I want to work with want" you'll be amazed by the change in your results. You'll not only increase your sales, but it will be so much easier to do so you might be pretty angry. Why angry? Because you're going to wonder if that wacked out sales manager was trying to sabotage you. No he wasn't, he doesn't know any better himself.

Business Insurance Leads, Building Relationships

If you are an insurance agent that is looking for insurance leads, more than likely you are looking for policies in the area of auto, home owners, or life insurance. It makes the most sense because this is where the higher commission is.

Due to the fact that most business insurance customers are seeking insurance policies for start up businesses where the premiums are not all that high, the business insurance lead is not highly sought after by insurance professionals.

Also, for these same reasons the customer in need of business insurance has trouble finding someone to fill their business insurance policy for them.

Here is something for Insurance agents to consider when it comes to working with business insurance leads.

If you take the time to help a customer out with their business insurance needs and take the time to build a relationship with them, in no small way will they be overly appreciative of the fact that you took the time to help them.

Remember, you are with them in the beginning and you are a major component for helping them get their fledgling business off the ground. The trust and loyalty they will have in you is second to none.

Because of the relationship and the trust you have built with this customer they will be more than likely, and more than happy to do all of their personal insurance business with you. Which of course leads to life insurance, car insurance, home owners insurance, etc.

Or, at the very least you will have their ear when it comes time to explaining your products and services and the savings that you can offer them.

Also important is finding the right insurance lead company to work with.

Look for the insurance lead companies that sell fresh, real time business insurance leads, and one with which you can start out with a low minimum deposit.

This concept has been tested and has worked for many insurance agents so it may be something you want to consider.

So the next time you find a break in your day or an opening on your calendar, invest in a handful of business insurance leads and see if you can build a relationship with a small business customer.

If You're Selling Insurance You Have To Talk Dirty!

Why? Because nobody wants to buy insurance.

Have you ever met anyone that said they wanted to buy insurance? Probably not.

Why is this? Because they think they are immortal, or more likely, they have never faced their own mortality. Because of this, they can't see the need for life insurance. This is why, you have to get down and talk dirty to them, make them face reality.

I learned this many years ago from a veteran Million Dollar Round Table member, who put it like this, "You have to drag up the hearse and make them smell the flowers."

Is selling life insurance, a rational or an emotional transaction? If it were a purely rational transaction a lot of people would volunteer to buy it, however if you don't bring the clients emotions into play, the rational aspect does not get considered.

As an example, try asking a number of businessmen, what their most valuable asset is. My experience tells me that and the majority of them will say,

" It's my business" "My yacht " or "my beautiful house" None of these answers is true. These are the common misconceptions most people have about their assets. The truth is their most valuable asset, is their own Life.

Now it is down to you. You are the one who has to talk them through this, they won't do this on their own. You have to point out that their life is the one asset that supports everything else, their business, their income and their families.

Make them see that it is their life, their presence, their skill and their work that created the company, and without that life, the company, all the other assets they own and their family's welfare is at risk. Look any business owner in the eye and ask this question,

What would happen to your business today, if you had died last night?

Prompt him with follow-up points like,

Once the bank learns of your death , they will freeze your account, at least until they are sure that the business can continue without your control,

Is there someone ready and able to pick up the pieces without loss to the company?

Will all your long-term clientele continue to trade with the company if you're not around?

The average businessman is so preoccupied with running his business on a day to day basis, they never stop to face the reality.

So it is up to you to face them with their own mortality.

When you do, you will see their pain but as we all know there is no gain without pain.

Insurance Leads In Real Time

For all insurance agents that follow up on leads, it goes without saying that timing is everything.

For example, if you follow up on a lead a week after you are tipped off about it, than chances are the customer is already working with another insurance company.

When people need insurance, regardless of the kind of insurance, they usually need it right away. The same holds true when working with insurance lead companies.

If you are an insurance professional considering working with an insurance lead company, it is imperative that you make absolutely certain that they are offering real time leads.

When I say real time insurance leads I mean leads that are hot off the press and delivered to you immediately. Leads where the customer is actually waiting on your phone call.

The best way to determine if an insurance lead company is selling their leads in real time is to speak with someone in their sales or customer service department. The main question you will want to ask is "where are the leads coming from?"

Here is what you will want to hear. You will want to hear that the leads they provide are coming from lead generation web sites that they own and operate.

This is the best way to determine that the quality of the lead is good and that you will be receiving it fresh and in real time.

Any other way of obtaining insurance leads should raise a red flag. The last thing you need is a lead that has been recycled dozens of times and is dated. This will obviously do you know good. So take the time to research the companies that you are considering.

Remember. You work hard for your money. So invest it wisely and the return on your investment will be that much better.

Lead And Prospect Generation - How To Be A Successful Insurance Agent!

It is difficult enough to sell a visible product or service; it is even more difficult to sell a concept or convincing a customer to pay in advance for some eventuality which may occur sometime in the future. Though insurance is an excellent safeguard against mishaps it is often difficult to get people to believe in it to the extent of investing their money.

Under these circumstances, to see your insurance business grow, it is very important to go about marketing various products offered by you in the right direction and be successful and adept in lead and prospect generation. Any business requires extensive advertising. Making your product or service visible to as many people as possible is one of the most important aspect of business.

Today, we are lucky to have the powerful medium of the internet to explain about our products or services whatever the case may be to a large number of people all over the world. Here we have a host of sites offering promises of enhanced business opportunities on payment of a minimal amount. With the amount of competition on the internet, it often becomes difficult to distinguish between a genuine and a bogus claim.

It is also impossible to call so many clients on the telephone, explaining various insurance products on offer on a continuous basis. You may have excellent products and schemes but may not have the time to make hundreds of phone calls.

Choosing an effective advertising medium is sure to make your insurance business grow leaps and bounds. You could target the right customers and generate a huge volume of business. Lead and prospect generation has never been easier. The auto recruiter software is an innovative voice broadcasting lead generation system which actually brings customers to your doorstep. You do not have to chase your clients. All you have to do is to become a member of this incredible system, sit back, relax and wait for your customers to come searching for you.

Just as there are a lot of insurance companies looking for the right customer, there are a lot of customers looking for the right insurance agents. To bring both in contact is what the auto recruiter system does. You need to just pay a negligible amount for a voice broadcast offering information on your service which will call a huge database of prospects.

Customers who are looking for insurance companies are sure to then contact you. All the auto recruiter system does is to bring the right buyer and the right seller in contact. Lead and prospect generation becomes as easy and effortless as this. This is a great opportunity to take off on your insurance business.

So, what are you waiting for? You could be one of the most successful insurance agent or company....join this incredible system and wait for your phone to keep ringing asking you for your insurance solutions...

Keith Scheafer, is a successful Internet marketer working with top leaders in the home business and Internet marketing industry. Smart Marketers NEVER Chase Customers... INSTEAD They Get Customers