Fill seminar seats by using personalized invitations and reply cards.

The Opportunity

The policies and programs available in the insurance industry can be very complex to the average consumer. One carrier can offer many similar but different programs, each having a distinct benefit. But that benefit must be clearly understood.

Many brokers and independent agencies represent a variety of carriers with programs covering the same type of insurance. For consumers to know which is right for them can be a hard question to answer.

Prospects must be educated before they become insured's.

Personal or group explanations of the subtleties from program to program are extremely valuable. In fact, the group seminar is probably the best way to get a message across.

When organizing such a seminar it’s important to make the opportunity clear and to publicize the event to the right target audience. The place should be convenient, the date and time clear, and the value of the seminar simple to understand. Most importantly, the method of RSVP should be fast and convenient.

The Errington Group Advantage

Direct mail to a carefully targeted audience can be very effective in attracting seminar attendees. The first attraction can be a tri-fold document featuring a large lifestyle graphic relevant to the addressee.

Grab the reader’s attention and hold it.

Personal salutations throughout the document make a prospect feel valued and that the invitation really was meant for him or her as an ideal candidate. The tear-off response card, preaddressed and stamped, is a convenient option for respondents. Multiple case studies have proven that the integrated reply card increases the speed and number of responses.

 

A personalized invitation and reply card created with The Errington Group solutions will deliver improved response rates and fill seats at any insurance information seminar.

Use this faster, easier way to revise letterhead on demand.

The Opportunity

Aside from face-to-face interaction, a company’s letterhead may be the only chance to make a good first impression. As the agency’s emissary outside the office, its content must be accurate and up to date.

Company name change, location change, job title change, phone extension change— any and all of these can be reasons why the office stationery needs to be revised. In a business climate of mergers, buyouts and new alliances, this bothersome task is required more frequently.

Once again, the World Wide Web offers an answer.

It becomes considerably more convenient for the provider community when the home office of an insurance company makes such services available through an easy-to-use Web-based ordering system.

The Errington Group Advantage

The user can compose a page very quickly and then redisplay it to verify the contents. Within minutes the business letterhead can be corrected, reviewed and ordered.

Easier, faster and producer-oriented.

The best newsletters deliver value by helping members solve their day-to-day problems, keeping them informed about industry trends and delivering business-critical information.

Combining the speed and flexibility of the Internet with the simplicity of The Errington Group's integrated document ordering system, multiple letterhead variations can be delivered at a moment’s notice.

Fund-raising with a credit card offer.

The Opportunity

Associations are constantly seeking creative ways to raise funds, whether for their own treasury to sustain programs and activities, or for charities and other groups sponsored and/ or supported by a particular association. A strong letter offering an affinity credit card— a card linked with a sponsoring association— has become a proven fund-raising technique.

Members want and use such cards, which usually return a certain percentage of expenditures back to the association or designated target group.

Offer something of high perceived value.

They’re in wallets everywhere today: university alumni credit cards, favorite pro sports team credit cards or other kinds of personal interest-related credit cards—all intending to be a visible expression of the user’s affiliation.

Members are proud of their associations and often display it via emblems on hats, plaques, etc. An affinity card takes advantage of this desire by members to show pride in their connection.

The Errington Group Advantage

An association contracts with a bank or other institution to offer the credit cards to its members. The cards are a simple way for members to show their link to the association. When they use the card, not only do they benefit as cardholders, but the association benefits too.

At its simplest, for every card issued the association receives a contribution from the bank or issuing agency. When members make purchases using the affinity card, the association again receives a percentage.

Cards must be vigorously promoted.

Because of the proliferation of affinity cards in particular and the flood of regular bank card offerings in general, an association must be aggressive in promoting this fund-raiser to members. The Errington Group offers ways to create eye-catching and persuasive communications.

Highlight color on an application form makes it easier to fill in. Member information could even be pre-populated, so the only thing required is a signature.

Segment target audience and print on demand.

Print-on-demand capability means that an association appealing beyond its membership can customize its message to different audiences. This makes it economical to appeal to smaller groups.

The Errington Group's comprehensive hardware, software and services provide the necessary tools for associations to create successful direct mail materials for members and other audiences.

Create clear communications with corporate messages and personal data

The Opportunity

Inspiring employees and keeping them focused on corporate goals is a challenge for any business. The insurance industry is especially tasked when it comes to keeping all of its widely distributed producers and brokers in a consistent communications loop.

Communicating to the provider community should be done often and effectively to enhance productivity and motivation. However, these revenue- generating groups receive many different kinds of communications, from electronic newsletters to hard-copy statements, on a regular basis. It’s hard to imagine that all of it is being read.

People need to feel included, important and informed.

Some information is general to all sales channels, some is only relevant to a local geography, and the rest is personal to the individual. Delivering all of this, one piece at a time, quickly leads to overload.

A single, succinct document containing all of the above elements is one proven answer.

The Errington Group Advantage

An integrated document with a newsletter cover and back, combined with personalized business performance information inside, can be a powerful communications tool. Such a format can not only inform, but also motivate.

Lead stories on the cover might be big company news or new product information important for all recipients, with regional stories mixed in where appropriate. Tables and charts in the center spread can be laid out clearly, graphically and in color to enhance understanding of the performance data being reported.

Well-produced communications are read all over.

This level of versioning, customization and personalization is a strong feature of many of the newsletter composition tools offered in The Errington Group portfolio.

The format ensures that documents are opened, read, clearly understood and eagerly anticipated. The usual results are improved communication, enhanced loyalty and fewer calls for clarification.

The Errington Group's portfolio of solutions and services makes the production of full-colour, customized and personalized documents a cost-effective productivity tool to address the challenges of Producer Relationship Management.

Making it personal with on-demand customized brochures

The Opportunity

Business marketing managers of insurance lines prepare brochures to help their various sales channels articulate the value of each product. However, these brochures usually contain a single generic message, which often has a limited shelf life due to continuing product feature or legal changes.

High volumes, high cost, high obsolescence.

Today many product brochures are printed on an offset press that usually dictates high volumes to keep the per-piece cost as low as possible. These large quantities must be distributed, stored and then destroyed when mandatory changes or updates occur.

Who am I dealing with?

The generic piece can tell a story about the product. But we all know that people buy from people. A sales opportunity can easily be lost when the product brochure lacks personal and specific information about the recipient and/or sender.

The Errington Group Advantage

The Errington Group eliminates the need for long-run brochures. By storing all static objects—graphics and text— in an electronic repository, brochures can be updated in real time.

Integrated print and mail simplifies the process.

A further value-added service lets producers upload their client lists to the Web site when a mail campaign of new brochures is called for. The mailing list is merged with the customized brochure, creating a quick, simple and effective opportunity to personally reach prospects and customers.

Producer Relationship Management is enhanced and loyalty nurtured by making this brochure-on-demand system easy to use and readily available.

Designing, creating, printing, storing and distributing brochures can be costly in terms of time and money. The Errington Group solution saves both.

Exploit the internet to enhance producer relationship management programs

The Opportunity

Making information and support tools easily accessible is one of the many ways that Producer Services can help to increase provider productivity.

High volumes, high cost, high obsolescence.

Today many product brochures are printed on an offset press that usually dictates high volumes to keep the per-piece cost as low as possible. These large quantities must be distributed, stored and then destroyed when mandatory changes or updates occur.

Providing the tools and information that enable producers to do their jobs well is very important in making them feel cared for by the Home Office.

A carefully planned program to accomplish this can leverage all the systems and services supplied by the Home Office, and expand producers’ own level of customer service to their insureds.

The Errington Group Advantage

The Errington Group has developed a Web-based customized document system to offer multiple document templates to a large producer community. This system enables producers to:

Customize materials within given parameters
Leverage your business efforts
Enhance communications with their customers

Easy drag-and-drop functionality lets producers update, review and order in a simple-to-use Web-based interface tool. Now producers can: co-brand product brochures; update business cards, letterhead and note pads; and easily order postcards, invitations and calendars.

Timeliness is of the essence.

With digital printing, orders can be small or large without incurring higher per-piece costs. Changes to offerings can be reflected in marketing and support materials and be in the hands of the provider in mere days.

Taking advantage of the speed and flexibility of the Internet via The Errington Group's customized document system adds whole new levels of functionality to Home Office services. All of this reflects directly in Producer Relationship Management programs.