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Insurance and Financial Services Sales Tactics by: Sharron Senter If you sell insurance, financial services and the like, consider the following low-cost marketing strategies to help grow your small business. It's important to first acknowledge some of the natural barriers to acquiring new clients within the insurance and financial services industries. These include, but are not limited to, customers lacking knowledge about your products and, therefore, lacking the ability to ask questions, and customers afraid of being ripped off. Unfortunately, insurance and financial salespeople often carry the same stigma as used car salespeople. And I'm certain there are some great and honest used car dealers around. It's important to recognize this stigma so you can proactively address it in your marketing plan. Ultimately, to grow your business within the insurance and financial services industries you must strive to build an incredible reputation, built on a platform of reliability, honesty and product knowledge. I also encourage you to be very straightforward about your pricing and how you make your money. The fact is, your customer wants to know. Surprise them, and tell them upfront. Here are some marketing strategies to try. -- First, try teaming up with complementary professionals, such as estate attorneys, business attorneys, financial planners, etc. You'll receive referral business faster from such businesses for two reasons. One, their customers are currently utilizing services for 'future' occurrences. Hence, your prospect is already in the mindset of planning and spending for the future. You now become another product they need to consider for the future. Second, there's an implied trust between an estate attorney and her customers. If an estate attorney referred her customers to you, that customer would be more likely to do business with you, than if he/she had simply seen your print ad in a local newspaper. -- Launch a publicity campaign For example, consider submitting a story idea to your local media about, 'The Fallacies of Long-term Care Insurance. Who Needs It? What is it? Insider Secrets to Buying the Most Comprehensive Plan.' I can't stress this next point enough; you must be objective when interviewing for such a story. When being interviewed by the media, it's not a chance to 'sell' yourself; rather, it's an opportunity to express your knowledge and expertise, and help readers use your knowledge to their benefit. If they like what you have to say, they'll contact you. -- Consider facilitating a bimonthly workshop(s) at your local library or community center called, 'The Insider's Point of View to Long-term Care Insurance. Who Needs It, Who Doesn't?' Or, 'Age & Long-term Care Insurance, When's The Right Time?' The workshop tactic is becoming slightly overused. However, I think it's still a very powerful marketing tool. Plus, it's affordable. You simply need to be more imaginative with your topics and headlines. -- Try creating a 'Long-term Care Insurance Top '10
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