What is Your Best Source of Advertising?

[NewinSD]

Cold calling new businesses, mass mailings, purchasing internet leads...just wondering what works for you as nothing seems to be working for me at the moment.

[sunflower_gal]

Grassroots marketing seems to be the most effective from my personal experience. Working referrals hard, sponsorships of community activities, cross selling new customers and rechecking all mono-line customers for additional opportunties.

Consumers today also highly utilize the Internet for researching and buying insurance. Make sure your website is current, professional and has strong calls to action. Utilize no cost or low cost Internet marketing techniques: Craig's List, online classifieds, article and content submissions, social networks - LinkedIn, Facebook and Squidoo are good ones, etc.

I've had experience with NetQuotes, AllQuotes, Insureme and most other lead companies. I've found HometownQuotes to be a pretty good company, if you want to try leads. Last time I had experience with them, they appeared to be strongest in the Southern part of the US. When NetQuote first came out with their tiered buisness/commerical leads about a year ago, they were really good. After a while, the quality went down some and I'm not sure how they rank now.

Radio can be effective, but it greatly depends on your area's demographic. Market research will pay off before utilizing this medium so that you don't waste your marketing funds.

It really all varies greatly on your specific area, target demographic and the type of product you are trying to grow.

[JustinReed]

If you are looking for business to business CL or Group Health, give me a call. Internet leads for business to busienss are not usually effective. Most internet lead companies sell the same lead to 3-10 agents so basically if you aren't the first one to call you have already lost. Also, the types of businesses that go insurance shopping on the internet are usually not the best risks. You get a lot of "start up's", high risk, or businesses who have let their coverage lapse.

We offer targeted marketing and guaranteed face to face meetings with interested business prospects. Let me know if you have any questions.

thanks

Justin Reed
justin@gmrplace.com
Guaranteed Marketing Resource
1439 W. Chapman Ave. Ste#77 | Orange, CA 92868
Tel: 714 .735.8502 | Fax: 714.735.8957
www.gmrplace.com

[lfdonohue]

As the owner of a company that works exclusively with insurance agents to help them with their marketing, here's what I suggest:
1. Make sure you have a plan. If you don't, you'll be spending money unwisely. Take the time to develop a marketing plan and stick to it.
2. Focus on current customers and how you are talking with them. Cross sell and rounding accounts have been proven, over and over to be the most profitable and will increase retention, too. Call them, email them, mail them, ask for feedback, conduct surveys, thank them for their business.
3. Postcard direct mail programs to targeted audiences have been successful if the offer is specific and compelling. We've had success with restaurants, contractors, non profits, wholesalers. Be sure to keep consistent with your mailings. One mailing won't work - you need to do several every year.
4. Networking within your community - advertise with the local Chamber, join local civic organizations, be a major sponsor at some charitable events. Organize your own events - customer appreciation day, customer advisory board, Teen safe driver program and scholarship, homebuying seminar in partnership with a local realtor and bank, workers comp/safety seminar, etc. (With these events ,follow up is key. Keep talking to these people throughout the year) Make sure you get good PR on your events. Newspaper articles carry more credibility than newspaper ads.

[mightyquinn]

The best advertising is doing a great job for your clients. Our shop's clientele has increased steadlily over the past 9 years by only word of mouth: totally satisfied clients who spread the word to others. Every single bit of our book is the product of referrals. We have never cold called, used lead providers, or done print advertising. We refine our wholesalers by specialty not by size. We limit them to specified markets on placements and they pay dearly for straying. We keep all of our products current. We don't do shotgun marketing. We limit our standard market agreements. We don't rely on initials or anagrams to impress prospects. Sounds idyllic but for us it has worked

[4morereferrals]

We simply log into the Ultimate Referral Marketing System - everyday. Hit send ...

http://www.4morereferrals.com

Steve Aylor
Insurance Solutions

[nyinsurancequotes]

I would say online marketing. The internet is where people are looking these days.