How To Generate Insurance Leads With Direct Mail
Written by John Kennedy on August 16, 2018. Edited August 17, 2020.
Many insurance agents wait around for new clients to find them, without reaching out to their communities or making an effort to build brand awareness. When someone needs a new insurance policy, it’s likely that they’ll go with a brand that they’ve heard of and interacted with in some way. That’s why agencies that actively and consistently market to their audiences have a competitive edge over the ones that rely solely on referrals.
One of the best ways for insurance agencies to reach their target audience with a compelling message is via direct mail marketing. Direct mail not only increases brand awareness, but it also generates quality leads if done correctly. This guide will explain how your insurance agency can get cost-effective leads with direct mail.
Set a Specific Goal
Before you start any kind of marketing campaign, you need to set specific, actionable goals. Are you looking to increase brand awareness and get your name out there? To sell a specific type of insurance, like boat or motorcycle insurance? To target a certain demographic that you don’t have a big customer base with yet, like new teenage drivers or million-dollar home owners? Don’t go into your direct mail campaign without a clear objective, a budget, and a calculation of how many conversions you’ll have to get to secure a positive return on your investment.
Identify Your Target Audience & Get a List
Once you have a goal in mind, decide who you need to target to reach that goal. A “customer profile” is a description of your ideal customer, or the person you think will be most likely to convert. Think about the location, age, gender, and income of the people you need to attract in order to reach the goal you set. We can help you put together a targeted mailing list to make sure that your message is seen by the right eyes and you’re not wasting money advertising to people who aren’t likely to buy.
Choose an Appropriate Format
The format of your insurance mailer relies on what goal you are trying to accomplish and on your personal taste. Here are some of our recommended direct mail formats for insurance agencies:
Postcards
These are the best way to deliver a short and sweet message. They don’t require an envelope, so you don’t have to worry about getting your prospects to open anything.
Flyers
A great alternative to postcards, flyers have plenty of room for images and content. They work especially well if you include some kind of giveaway or special offer to get recipients to take action.
Brochures
If your goal is a little on the broader side and you want to get the word out about all of your services, brochures are the way to go. They have tons of room for persuasive written content and they make your agency look extremely professional. If brand recognition is your main objective, a brochure campaign may be your best bet.
Letter
A letter personally addressed to the prospect is a great way to grab their attention and make your message seem important.
Full Package
Many insurance agencies send out direct mail packages that include a personal letter, brochure, a rate sheet, and a mail-back response card.
Keep Your Messaging Simple
Your insurance mailers should contain one simple message and it should speak to something your target audience wants or needs (ie: lower insurance rates, better coverage for certain types of property, etc.). Don’t confuse your audience with too much information. Sometimes, it’s as simple as, “Tired of blowing money on insurance? We can get you a better rate in just a few minutes! Contact XYZ Insurance at 555-555-5555 to request your free quote now!”
Include a Strong Call to Action
What do you want your prospects to do after reading your mailer? Visit your office? Contact you by phone? Visit your website? Request a quote on your online landing page? Whatever action you want them to take, explicitly tell them to do so on your mailer. Oftentimes, the most effective calls-to-action include some kind of offer, such as, “Call today to receive a free quote” or “Are you sure your policy covers everything? Visit the following URL for a FREE download of our comprehensive homeowners insurance checklist.”
Track Your Results
Remember those goals you set at the beginning of this process? Before you send out your mail you need to make sure you have systems in place for tracking your results so you know what your return on investment is. We offer call-tracking, or a dedicated 1-800 number that your prospects can call and it will indicate to you that they came from the direct mail campaign. We find that insurance agents see the most success when they use an online landing page. We build campaign-dedicated landing pages where prospects can fill out a quote request form and not be distracted by anything else that would be on your main website.
Be Consistent
Direct mail isn’t a one-and-done marketing strategy in any industry. Success in the insurance industry is about building brand recognition so that when people in your community decide to switch insurance providers, they have already seen your name plenty of times. For that reason, we recommend you mail postcards on a monthly basis for at least 6 months. With that kind of consistency, you’ll surely see a steady stream of leads come in, even months after the mailings end.
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If you ever have a marketing-related question or want a comprehensive analysis of your insurance agency’s marketing strategy, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-992-9663. You can also find more information about our services on our website.
