What Leads Really Want… And The Simple Way You Can Deliver It

I'm a huge fan of Netflix, the service that delivers all the movies I want right to my doorstep. I watch my movies (and faithfully send them back) as fast as I can. I refer friends. So imagine my delight when a big, fatter-than-usual envelope from Netflix shows up in my mailbox. My first thought: “Wow, a thank-you gift finally recognizing my loyal devotion!”

Then I notice, plastered across the envelope: “Special Deal For New Subscribers”. Darn. It’s an offer all right, but not for me. Just a HUGE marketing blunder we all can learn from.

Plain and simple: It’s insulting to offer customers the products they’re already sold on. It wastes their time. It makes them feel like you don’t know them. And a customer who feels like they’re just some name stuffed in your database doesn’t have much reason to be loyal — crushing would-be referrals, cross-sells and renewals.

Sound gloomy? It’s not, really. Technology you already have lets you use this “Law of Relevance” to your advantage.

1. Target your email campaigns.
Email campaigns can do more harm than good if your “special announcement” is geared towards converting first-time buyers, but is sent to your long-time customers, too. Reason being: it’s cheaper for you to hang onto your current customers than it is gain new ones… so don’t tick them off!

What to do: Divide your list into two “segments”: one for new clients and one for leads. You can get fancy and segment your list as much as you want — people who’ve purchased just a health plan, health and life, a mini-med… any group you might want to send a targeted message to.

If you’re using a lead management system like BrokerOffice, segmenting is even easier. Simply sort your leads by their “closed” status, then export all their information, including email addresses, into one file.

When the time comes to push a cross-sell, you’ll be able to send your message just to the people who are open to hearing it and NOT the customers who’ve already been sold!

2. Have an autoresponder? Good.
Email autoresponders are great for keeping in front of old leads and setting up future sales. But they’re much more effective if you aren’t using the same one for everybody.

What to do: Set up one autoresponder for your customers, and another for your leads. Your messages are immediately more compelling because they can speak to what really matters to the person opening it.

Bottom line: Use the technology you already have to send relevant messages to the people who want to hear them. You’ll find your campaigns are much more effective… and your current customers much happier!

Jeremiah Desmarais and his team have won 3 awards in 2006 for their marketing initiatives that touch ProspectZone’s client base and carrier relationships on a daily basis. He is author of several white papers, and has been a contributor to the Agent’s Sales Journal, Health Insurance Underwriter as well as a guest speaker at various carrier events and workshops. He is a member of the Society of Industry Leaders. He welcomes feedback at jdesmarais@prospectzone.com

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