Comments on: Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act – Impact for Insurance Agents

By: Craig

Craig — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:01:33 +0000

Renee:

Greeting cards wouldn’t need to be CMS approved as long as you don’t mention any company/benefit information.

By: Renee

Renee — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:35:18 +0000

Melissa,

Can you use any greeting cards to send to clients or do they have to be approved by CMS?

Thanks,

Renee

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:58:48 +0000

Dear Valerie,
Here are some suggestions:
1. make sure you consistently are following up with your existing clients. Sending card for B-days and holidays are great but send one for Valentine’s day and Friendship Day and that gets people talking. If you send cards to your clients at their work thats cool too because they will display it at the office and people will look at it and ask questions. Besides, your client will likely talk about how they got a Valentines Day Card from their Friend the insurance agent. I have not gotten one of those cards since grade school but my mortgage broker sent on to me and it was great. It said, hope you still love your home and your favorite mortgage broker. Happy valentines day. (and now i am telling you about it)

2. Get a website going – Use your cards and any mailings to drive your audience to your website to register for your newletter or start a Blog about insurance and health issues on your site. OPtimize it and really get things going. But for you to build a database this way will save you tons in mailings. Also there is a less than 5% difference in the 55+ age demo using internet for searches and email than 25-49 age group. Most 55+ use internet for health related searches too.

3. Use your website to cross promote your other products. When you drive people to your site, clearly state the other services you sell so they can ask you about it or even email you to schedule an appointment about it. Don’t make it too cumbersome and messy though. Plus you can use a newsletter to exisiting clients and blog to talk about other services you sell. Learning this stuff is easy. Don’t sweat it, just learn it. It is fun too.

Hope this helps. Good luck to you.

Melissa

By: valerie

valerie — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:15:36 +0000

Dear Mr. Ritter,
Thank you for the timely information that us agents are daily awaiting. I happen to be pleased about the discontinuation of meals in seminars. I have done hundreds of these and they were a hassle. Hopefully by eliminating this form of marketing we will see more professionalism back in the market place.
Discussing your health and insurance over a plate of spaghetti at a Golden Corall is tacky. I do like the idea of a dersert hour. Beneficiaries are more likely to come for the information, not the food.
We have so few settings in some rural areas where these people need the information most since they are not heavily marketed. ( I am in N.C. Florida). Our jobs are getting more difficult every year. It is the beneficiary who misses a lot of good information if we have to jump hoops to get to them.
Most do not use a computer or read the paper anymore. Many also do not belong to clubs and organizations.

I am always looking for some creative compliant marketing strategies on what works and what does not.
If any bloggers have suggestions please feel free to write!
Thank You,
Valerie