A comprehensive cross-selling system benefits you and your clients alike. Here are
a few marketing tools you can use to communicate your cross-selling message and begin selling additional coverages.
Your Web site
This is a “yin and yang” conversation. Your site should provide easy access to all the coverages you offer, with a description, reasons for purchasing it, benefits involved, etc. However, too many agencies assume that their site will do their work for them. Clients, on the other hand, usually visit your site to report a claim, gain information about their policies, or find, staff contact information. Few clients go to your site proactively to find additional ways of spending their money with you.
Your E-Mail
Use every communication from your office as a marketing opportunity. As such, every e-mail should have a signature closing. Most agencies have one standard e-mail signature that gives basic contact information for the agency. Why not have a specific signature for each coverage you offer? Set your e-mail to assign these signatures randomly on outgoing mail, which will mean varying signature information over time. Also if you want to “push” a specific coverage to a client, or for a period of time, attach the relevant signature to the message.
Your Telephone
As with e-mail signatures, how about varying the messages when your receptionist answers the phone? One week might be: “Welcome to Acme Insurance Agency, where we help with all your insurance needs – including Life insurance. How can we help you today?” The following week might features LTC, Home, Umbrella, Auto … you name it.
Your Postal Mail
I’m currently working on multi-line marketing with a large Med-Mal broker on expanding its coverages. The company is sending clients and prospects monthly mailings that feature a specific coverage. Every mailing includes a Faxback form for information gathering, a quick quote on the coverage, and a list of every coverage the brokerage offers – so that respondents can check off those in which they’re interested. Most people check off one or more for additional information. Some who have no interest in the featured coverage often ask to learn more about a different product.
Your CSRs
Although CSRs are your primary front-line interaction with clients, they often hesitate to “pitch” additional coverages. It’s up to you to make this an integral part of their job description. I’ve found it useful to select one coverage per month for CSRs to concentrate on. Give them a short script about the coverage – as well as some bullet points about frequently asked questions. Don’t ask them to “sell” it. Just ask them to find out if there’s any interest and pass the leads on to the producers. Start out slow, perhaps requiring one lead per CSR per week, and then build up gradually to the right number of leads. Make this a competitive process, with a small prize each month or quarter to those who that meet their goals, and a larger award for the top performer. You can also tie the awards to leads versus applications written.
Your Producers
Most top producers know the value of cross selling, but others are afraid to ask for additional business. Develop a one-page marketing sheet that producers can leave with every client at the end of a visit. (They’re also great for mailers!) Perhaps the heading on the page should be “Did you know that…,” followed by a short description of each coverage you offer.
CD Interviews
Audio marketing (interviews on CDs) provides a great way to tell clients and prospects your agency’s story. The listener plays the CD, which is usually 15 to 30 minutes long, during drive time. This is an uninterrupted opportunity to sell your agency, just as if you were sitting next to the listener in his or her car. Although it helps to have a professional produce these programs, you can do it for yourself. Just ask a local radio newsman to record an interview with you, have it edited, and then find a source to duplicate and package the CDs for distribution.
Wrapping It Up
Regardless of the method or, hopefully, methods you use, it’s essential to concentrate on cross-selling to prosper over the long term. The decision to implement a cross-selling culture throughout your agency must begin at the top.
If you’re still doubtful, run an analysis of how many policies you average per client. For example, I require coverage in four areas, which involve six policies. I could use more coverages than I have, but my agents haven’t approached me about them yet. Are you doing a better job than my agents? Only you – and your clients—know the answer.