Direct Mail Marketing

[scagnt83]

...make their trash look prettier.

Develop a very smooth, conversational telephone presentation, put your finger in the hole and turn the wheel.

For med sups I totally agree. Im targeting the annuity market with any DM that I do. So its easier to have a higher ROI with much fewer sales.
While im good on the phone, cold calling 2000 annuity prospects is just not part of my business plan. My cold calling time is spent calling business owners since that is my primary market.
Just my personal preference, lots of money can be made from it though...
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Your letters will not be thrown in the trash if you use plain white envelopes and handwrite them. They will probably be thrown away if an agent plays lazy and shortcuts by using mailing labels.

Think like a customer;Do you read postcards from various companies and all of your junkmail, or does it go into the trash? Also, if you open an envelope and you see that it is business mail, do you sit down and read the entire letter? I would say that you have about 5 seconds to get your point across before your letter gets thrown away.

Yeah, thats what I have been thinking. Personally, if I get a huge 6x9 or 6x11 glossy postcard I do at least look at it before throwing it away...its hard not to...

But the handwritten envelope does always get opened, especially with a different looking stamp on it.
Im guessing your right about the 5 seconds.
Its probably 2 or 3 with the postcard id guess....
I do like the fact that the message on the postcard is sitting there staring you in the face when you get your mail though...

I might try both over the next few months. The letters would have to have a much higher response rate to make it worth the extra money and time though.

 

[VaDwayne]

For med sups I totally agree. Im targeting the annuity market with any DM that I do. So its easier to have a higher ROI with much fewer sales.
While im good on the phone, cold calling 2000 annuity prospects is just not part of my business plan. My cold calling time is spent calling business owners since that is my primary market.
Just my personal preference, lots of money can be made from it though...
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Yeah, thats what I have been thinking. Personally, if I get a huge 6x9 or 6x11 glossy postcard I do at least look at it before throwing it away...its hard not to...

But the handwritten envelope does always get opened, especially with a different looking stamp on it.
Im guessing your right about the 5 seconds.
Its probably 2 or 3 with the postcard id guess....
I do like the fact that the message on the postcard is sitting there staring you in the face when you get your mail though...

I might try both over the next few months. The letters would have to have a much higher response rate to make it worth the extra money and time though.

It's worth the extra time, especially if you use a magnet card, because many will keep it and stick it on their refrigerator

 

[TK1217]

What are some lead direct mailing companies that you have had some success with? How much for 1000? What percentage return?

 

[Frank Stastny]

What are some lead direct mailing companies that you have had some success with? How much for 1000? What percentage return?

For the Med Supp market, none. I do much better generating my own leads plus my ROI is real close to 100%.

I would suggest that you not waste your money if you plan on working the senior market. Learn to prospect.

 

[jody108]

I thought that was why this forum was created.

Rick

and what keeps it going...

 

[thespur1]

just stay away from LEADS2SUCCESS mailing house

 

[Mark]

It is not always the mailing companies fault that a mailing sucks. It can be that the timing sucks, or you didn't pick the right mailing, or you picked the wrong area.

What matters is did they give you a good price on the mailing and send out what you wanted them to send out on time.

I've seen the best mailing piece in the world not get any results and I've seen the most boring " You love ones will only get $255 from the govt" mailing get tons of results...

What you are mailing and to whom is just important then who you pick to do the mailing for you.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

just stay away from LEADS2SUCCESS mailing house

I would also try to avoid LEADS2FAILURE.

 

[carroll]

What are some lead direct mailing companies that you have had some success with? How much for 1000? What percentage return?

Before I met Frank, I spent $405 to mail 1,000 return mailers. I got 6 back. Out of those 6 I sold one med supp...it's going to take awhile to get my money back. Get a cold call list....call them or go knock on their door...... In fact, for $405, newspapers ad's would prob have been a better investment! I'm not knocking the return mailers...perhaps I picked a bad area and a bad time to mail them. I would try it again if I thought I would get 50 back but the numbers prob arent going to jump from 6-50...not worth the chance for me.

 

[jody108]

In order for mailers to work, you have to keep sending them each week... your return starts to generate after about 6 weeks and it usually stays consistant. At that time, if you still only get 6 leads per thousand, you live in a crappy mailing area.

However, most guys give up after a few mailings and they don't see the results.

I have not only experienced this but heard this from several veteran agents.

When I was with EFES, it took them a solid 2 months before fresh leads were coming in regularly.

So, in short, if you don't have 2k to spend on mailers and don't have the means to risk losing the money, then mailers aren't going to work for you.

If it does work for you, you are golden and if not, you should be able to make enough in premium to cover the lead cost.

Or you will just be out 2k and bitching about this post.