One-to-one emails can (and should be) highly personalized: ‘how’s junior doing with the transition to high school?’, ‘are you enjoying your new car?’, ‘how was the transition to your new business location?’

Some insurance agencies require a minimum number of outbound calls to customers to offer annual reviews, advise of a new product/coverage (as noted in the post), or simply to thank the customer for their business. Too few agencies take this proactive position, often for fear of the amount of time that might be spent on the phone (or just fear of calling).

Email can be a good way of easing agency staff into contacting customers. Picking out 3 – 5 customers a day and sending some kind of email shouldn’t take more than 5 – 10 minutes; optional follow up phone calls can be placed to be sure the customer saw the email. Think about it: An agency service staff of 3, sending 5 emails a day will have reached out to 3,300 customers in a year. Don’t have time for that? Have more important things to do?

We all know that customers who hear from their agents during a policy term are more loyal and committed. Consider this: The 2008 JD Power and Associates Auto Insurance Study found that 86% of highly satisfied customers planned to renew their policies and refer an average of 7.7 prospects to their insurance provider. On the other end of the spectrum, 42% of ‘low satisfaction’ clients said they planned to shop their insurance. Where are your customers on the satisfaction continuum?

Email isn’t a substitute for every other kind of communication, it is not the be all – end all. But email is virtually free, and when used intelligently as a one-on-one tool and as a mass communication tool it will significantly improve your agency’s bottom line. What are you waiting for? Get the email addresses, formulate a privacy/use policy, and find a place for email in your communication mix. And get started now, before you lose more money.