|
Agent Education Manager
|
I’m always surprised to hear that some agents use only the phone to contact their leads. While the phone is an essential part of an agent’s contact strategy, email should also be a part of your plan. As some of you know, some consumers only want to hear from insurance agents via email until they are ready to commit. Without email, you could be leaving some opportunities behind.
Creating an email marketing plan can be intimidating, but with a little testing, you’ll be a pro in no time. Here are a few tips for creating effective emails.
Be Thoughtful About the Content – and Get to the Point
Choose your words wisely. Ask yourself if you would read the email if you received it. Does it contain the information they are looking for? Is the tone of the email friendly and professional? Are you giving them your plan of action and/or giving them a call-to-action? Remember to keep your emails short and simple unless a long explanation is required. Tell them who you are, why you are contacting them, and the next steps in the process.
Personalize Your Email
Be sure to use the consumer’s first name in the greeting. “Hi Tom” or “Dear Mr. Jones” is much better than “Dear Friend” or “To Whom it May Concern.” It’s also wise to include some information about what you are quoting. “I received your request for an auto insurance quote on your [Car Model/Make]. I’m working on your initial quote now and will contact you within the hour to review it with you.” Or try something like, “I specialize in insuring [Car Make/Model] and can help you find the auto insurance policy that works for you.”
Respond Quickly to Questions and Responses
If a consumer responds to your email, promptly reply to their inquiry – even if you don’t have an answer at your fingertips. If they ask a question that requires time to research, immediately reply and tell them that you are working on it and let them know when you intend to follow-up with an answer. Never leave a consumer hanging. With other agents knocking at their door, they aren’t going to wait around for a few days or a few hours waiting to hear from you.
Test, Test, Test
Try different messages, different formats, different calls-to-action, etc. Take the time to find what works best for you. You may find that some messages work better for men and others work better for women, or that different formats work differently for a young driver vs. an older driver. Experiment and track your results.
With these tips and a little bit of experimentation, you’ll soon learn how to get the most from your email marketing.
Looking for additional tips on how to get more out of your online leads? Attend our FREE live webinar, “Keys to Success.” To register for the Keys to Success webinar or to look at the complete list of live webinars available, please visit us at http://agentinsider.webex.com and click on the “Live Sessions” link in the left-hand column. Then click on the Weekly or Monthly tabs at the top of the page.
If you have any questions or need assistance in registering for a webinar, please contact our Client Services Team at 1-866-892-4080 or clientservices@agentinsider.com.
|
AgentInsider® Client