Turn Routine Office Documents into Moneymaking Tools

Before you get too comfortable, take a second. Slide out of your office chair and look around the agency at the many printed forms that you use each day. Nearly every one can serve a need beyond its original intended purpose. These routine documents are capable of helping you to market new business, cross-sell, even improve your retention and collections, with just a few modifications. Accordingly, this column suggests specific ways to turn your underperforming office supplies into profit-making tools.

Think paper, not paperless
The promised paperless office won’t be showing up for while, so you may as well take a fresh look at your supply of dead tree forms. These include checks, envelopes, note pads, letterhead, business cards, bills, even fax cover sheets and policy labels. Consider each one’s role. Is it used only internally? Does it just go to your companies? Will it regularly appear in front of clients or prospects? While some items go to all, like fax cover sheets, most are directed to current and prospective insureds.

Use each document’s typical recipient to determine whether it’s worthwhile to modify for double duty. For instance, don’t bother changing your premium trust account checks because only a carrier’s accounting department sees them. Yet, it may be worthwhile to amend your operating expense account checks, if they are routinely issued to local business prospects.

To get you started on this profitable path, nine forms worth altering are suggested below.

Policy stickers. Add a “Smart Move” statement to each sticker, along with your agency information and logo. The added text reassures a new personal lines policyholder that they made a wise buying decision.

Homeowners example: SMART MOVE! You made your home safer and saved on your premium by installing smoke detectors, a fire extinguisher, and deadbolts.

Auto example: SMART MOVE! You saved on your premium and improved your driving skills by taking a defensive driver safety course.

Multi-policy credit example: SMART MOVE! You saved X percent on your auto and home policies by insuring them with the same company.

Ordinary return envelopes. Credit card bills often incorporate perforated ad coupons on the back of the envelope. Cardholders, desirous of the featured product or service, tear-off and return the coupon with their payment. This format is called a “bang-tail envelope.” You can do the same thing by imprinting the removable portion with a policy, endorsement, or financial planning promotion. Interested insureds request further information by returning the tear-off with their agency-billed premium or other requested document.

“VIP” return envelopes. These special “big shot” return envelopes are printed on overly bright or colorful paper with a boldly imprinted message. People with a supply of these on hand tend to feel special. Producers and CSRs should hand them out sparingly to selected insureds and prospects. Tip: Fill in the VIP’s return address as an added courtesy. After all, you can’t expect the big shot to do it.

Sample message: “Top Priority Document Enclosed. Response Expected Within 24 Hours of Receipt.”

Invoices. To save on printing costs, agency management systems output invoices and statements on plain white paper. While economical and convenient, the resulting bills look just like everyone else’s and can get easily overlooked. To perk up cash flow, use colorful paper instead. Pick one professional-looking, readable color and stick with it. This way, agency-billed insureds can easily recognize your insurance invoice at a glance.

Checks. Imprint operating expense account checks with a simple guilt-inducing message.

Sample message: “We prefer to buy from the firms we insure. Do we write your account?”

Memo pads and e-mail signatures.Handwritten notes and e-mails are sent every day to your clients, prospects, underwriters, marketing reps, local suppliers, and fellow agency employees. Each person needs to plan for their financial future, and therefore each individual is a potential sale. Continually remind everyone to plan ahead. Print the following message on your scratch pads and add it to each staffer’s e-mail signature. After a while, the significance sinks in.

Sample message: “Now is the best time to plan for your future. Call 555-5555 to talk to our personal retirement specialist.”

Letterhead and business cards. Vague, meaningless slogans that appear below the agency’s name on its stationery, such as “All Forms of Insurance,” have no discernible impact on their reader. Instead, order or self-print separate sets of stationery for all major lines, including personal, commercial, and various financial services. Then incorporate slogans or tag phrases that reassure your intended audience. This approach is commonly used by vehicle dealerships that sell competing makes of cars or trucks. They utilize separate sets of stationery for each manufacturer’s line.

Personal lines: Protecting the residents of greater Anytown for three generations.

Commercial lines: Protecting the commercial enterprises of greater Anytown since 1950.

Post-it notes. Most CSRs use truckloads of Post-its. That’s why it’s easy to put this sticky paper to work for you. Distribute pads to your staff that are imprinted with a message and graphic that promotes your agency’s Web site. It’s an inexpensive and effective way to spread the word to clients and prospects about your online presence.

Sample message: “Visit www.xyzagency.com for valuable insurance ideas.”

Fax cover sheets. Since virtually all faxes are sent to other businesses, don’t overlook the valuable real estate that’s available on each cover page. Use the space to present a dynamic “Business Insurance Tip-of-the-Month.” Change the cover sheet tip twelve times a year. Caution: Be certain to obtain a signed fax authorization form, before sending, when required by applicable Do-Not-Call regulations.

A few Tip-of-the-Month topics to consider are: computer and data coverage; business income; building replacement cost surveys; buy-sell life or disability insurance, employment practices liability; flood insurance; payroll deduction programs; non-owned and hired auto liability; surety or fidelity bonding; umbrella policies; Web Site-related insurance; and workers’ compensation audits.

Conclusion
Marketing isn’t just the act of sending out a mailing. It’s also a state of mind. And the more that a business opens up its collective mind to new methods of promotion, the greater its chances are for long-term success. Use your routine office forms to help spread the word about your agency and its services. It’s easy, affordable, and different enough to be noticed by your intended audience. After all, your policy labels should do more for you than just stick around.

Alan Shulman, CPCU, is the publisher of AgencyIdeas, a subscription-only sales and marketing newsletter. He is also the author of the 1001 Agency Ideas book series. He may be reached at
(800) 724-1435 or by e-mail at: shulman@agencyideas.com, or visit: www.agencyideas.com.