You can hire someone to create a custom Facebook fan page, or you can do it yourself using dozens of different software tools (many of which are unreliable).

Once you create an effective Facebook fan page (here is an example of one effective customer focuses fan page), you can now put a link to it in your email signatures, and website. This increases your creditibility almost like a security seal. Most people have a Facebook account and love it, so having a Facebook icon and link to your fan page will give your site a little more credibility, not to mention a way for your customers and prospects to communicate with you.

Two ways to market your fan page:

1. Buy pay per click or impressions from Facebook advertising and direct the traffic to your Fan Page. ONly do this if you have a customer fan page built because the boiler plate version they give you will get your prospects and clients lost in the page without knowing what to do (hint: you want them to ‘like’ and or sign up for a coupon, free mini course, report, video, or audio of yours).
2. Comment on other businesses fan pages as your facebook fan page. This way you hijack some of their traffic, or if they are a prospect they will find your fan page through your link in your comment on their page and you may generate a hot lead with very little work and no costs (hint: build a rapport with your prospect using this technique by making thoughtful, helpful comments on their posts).

For a better understanding of the Facebook Fan page marketing read this excellent article.

The reason for this is because studies show that every month you do not contact your customers in a meaningful way you lose 10% of your influence with them. So, after just 10 months of no contact you lose 100% of your influence.

Even losing 40% of your influence is huge because they are vulnerable to other business offerings. And after several months of no contact they will forget about you altogether.

• Create a monthly marketing program that is impactful.
• Theme your monthly promotions.
• Send a direct mail piece, and email, and a text message.
• Send up to 4 mailing pieces or emails all the way up to your deadline to maximize results.

Another way to increase customer value is to send a newsletter in addition to your monthly promotions. You can send this in addition to your monthly marketing campaigns to really knock their socks off. You may even want to send a campaign and newsletter one month, and then skip next months promotion, but sned a newsletter.

The key here is to build a customer bond that is so deep that they won’t think about spending their money anywhere else. And monthly marketing and promotions like the techniques above will work.

I am testing mobile phone lead generation myself, and I know for certain that it’s working especially well for insurance agents at this time because very few insurance agents understand the medium and how to leverage it. And those that are, are getting leads at very low cost for the time being.

But that’s not to say you can’t do it yourself. I know of a few information product owners that are doing well with it, and if they can generate leads and sales for information products using mobile phone marketing techniques then almost any business can.

I am testing it for our salon and spa mobile phone marketing system (outside of text messaging). The only problem is that to market a small business you must live in or relatively near a major metropolitan area.

I am working on a course right now. However, if you are in an insurance agent then I recommend this mobile phone marketing system.

The handwritten thank you card…

Businesses and salespeople are so geared toward getting new business and referrals at the speed of light that they forget about the most important part of business: developing a solid bond with their customer.

When you get a bond with your client or customer you create a rare feat. And one of the most powerful tools is a handwritten thank you card. I know this works because I’ve been using the same technique with my best clients and potential clients for years and the impact has been and continues to be exceptional.

When I first started using this technique I didn’t do it just because I wanted new business. I really wanted my clients and potential clients to like me.

Years ago when I worked for an insurance brokerage as a wholesale sales representative (recruiting agents), sending a handwritten thank you card to agents every single day after I spoke with them was my only real marketing technique aside from cold calling them.

Thank you card example

See, I was thrown in with the wolves and didn’t even know it. I was given a list of agents that used to do business with us years ago, or where agents that the prior representative couldn’t get through to. Little did I know the list used to be the best list of clients the brokerage had because the prior representative did very well. She left to sell on the retail side. So after she left the 3 remaining wholesale agents ransacked the list and I was left with the bottom of the barrel…I had to get new business out of agents that haven’t submitted business with us before or stopped sending business.

But I was too stupid to understand that my job was an uphill battle. And I didn’t know any marketing techniques except for cold calling, and my fresh idea: Send a handwritten thank you card to every agent that I spoke with that day. And my only thinking behind it was if they like me they’ll send me business. And I really wanted people to like me and still do.

6 months later I had more new business coming in than all the other representatives. The brokerage VP said I had the makings to become a brokerage VP.

Now you might be thinking, yeah but you weren’t on the retail side. Not at the time, but it doesn’t matter. Everyone wants to feel important. And using a handwritten thank you card breaks through the clutter and makes a huge impact.

Well, I simply adapted this idea into all my other businesses including the retail side and it works just as well. And I love doing it because I know my clients appreciate it, and I know that Nobody else is doing it which gives me an advantage.

It feels good too. If you are having a bad day, it’s great therapy. Write a thank you card or two and send it off. You’ll feel better and the universe will reward you (is that too spiritual?)

You should put your thank you card system into action right now. Start today and do 3-5 per day. More if you can.

Your clients and prospects will love you for it.

Here’s where to get good cheap thank you cards or note cards.

Read this recent article (and watch the video) on insurance business cards. It applies to every business owner or sales person. The video is hilarious but has a little bit of truth in it.

Insurance business cards are a necessary part of the daily prospecting and networking aspects of selling and marketing insurance.

The problem that I encounter constantly with agents and business owners is how much time is spent on creating an insurance card design. Stick with simple designs like the ones at Vistaprint.com. Spend more time marketing and prospecting because insurance business cards are not what’s going to make the sale.

Is you list up to snuff? Did you get a compiled list? Compiled lists are not very responsive because they are not proven buyers or inquirers of you product or service.

Are you sequencing? Sequencing your letters counting down to some sort of deadline like the famous Dan Kennedy, Second Notice, Third Notice, and Final Notice letters (and postcards) are proven to boost response. Don’t mail one  letter. Especially if your first letter works.

Is your ad copy good? To be sure you have good ad copy for your marketing letters present your letter to a friend and see how they react. Ask them to read the entire letter out loud. If it is really compelling, great! But smooth out any spots that he or she stumbled over.

For a really great study on writing killer sales letters get this book.

I recently created some very good insurance letters for agents and planners. Have a look. They are good letters to model. Also, be sure to get this prospecting letter mini course (it’s free!).

Take care and have a profitable day!

Brian

When we discus email marketing we are really talking about communication with interested prospects and clients.

An effective strategy is to send your prospect and client list a weekly email newsletter that keeps them up do date on what is happening with you, your business, and subjects related to your field.

My favorite email marketing tool is in lead generation. I set up websites that attract free traffic, and then funnel that traffic into a lead generation email marketing system.

The hard part is getting free traffic. But you can get instant traffic using pay per click. The easier part is setting up a page with a lead capture form on it.

The objective on this page is simple. Get your prospects to give up their name and email address (and other information if necessary) in exchange for something valuable, like a mini course, report, audio, video, or a coupon offer.

The marketing system includes follow up emails which include valuable information, with soft offers. After several of these I start hitting them harder with a marketing message that includes a deadline.

It works very well in most cases.

Email marketing is really about how you build and nurture a list that is hungry for the stuff you are offering. If they are not buying/converting, then your list is not hungry or you tainted your list with bad email marketing.

Related Articles:

Insurance Email Marketing

Financial Services Email Marketing

Email Marketing For Salon Owners

In addition, I created a video for the annuity lead system article. The audio is fuzzy but the content is good…

He can actually create a list based upon your ideal prospect in your area. The commercial lists are only available in certain areas. And if you can get one, you will have an unfair advantage in your market.

His residential lists are best for mortgage marketing (particularly residential).

His commercial list services are good for many types of business from commercial loans, banking, to roofers.

If you want a highly targeted list of ideal prospects for your products or services let me know.