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There are a few industries where direct response sales letters really work. Fitness, vitamins and self improvement are good examples. Some consumers are willing to read 12-page letters about these topics, and then immediately pick up the telephone to buy.

In the insurance industry, this scenario doesn't happen very frequently. Why? It comes down to the difference between what people do when they "want to buy" versus what they do when they "need to buy."

Insurance is something that most people don't want to buy. So, in most cases, they don't receive your letter and then immediately pick up the telephone.

Instead they read your sales letter (if you're lucky) and then think on it for a while.

When they receive another letter from you, they think a little more.

And at some point in the future, they will finally buy.

So the job of your sales letter is to make sure that when they're ready to buy, they think of you.

With that goal in mind, here are a few insurance marketing ideas to make your sales letters more effective.

1. Start by making a personal connection.

   The beginning of your letter is the written equivalent of eye contact and a solid handshake.

   So make sure you personalise each letter - ideally with the recipient's first name.
   
   

2. Include a clear benefit in the headline

   Tap into core emotions,

   Communicate end benefits,

   Make your message about the reader - not about you
   
   

3. Paint a picture.

   Paint a relatable picture of the reader’s pain point or desired solution.

   You want your reader to be nodding her head in agreement as soon as she begins reading the letter.

   Use metaphors to bring your solutions to life. Many people can’t understand a solution that they’ve never experienced. Metaphors help them visualize.
   
   

4. Communicate an intriguing promise.

   Now that you’ve engaged your reader, tell her how you're different.

   Don’t launch into a sales pitch – put your message into the reader’s terms – what’s in it for her?

   Always remember that buyers don’t want to be sold – they want to discover solutions.
   
   

5. Show some proof.

   Now that you’ve made your promise, you’ve got to prove that you can really deliver.

   Offer proof in the form of client testimonials, statistics or short case studies.

   Make the reader believe that you’ve solved other clients’ problems and you can solve hers too.

   Weave proof throughout your letter. Add a sidebar or a quotation to highlight key elements.
   
   

6. Push for response

   Finally, your insurance sales letter needs to encourage the reader to take the next step.

   You’re not closing the sale – you’re closing the “next step.” There’s a huge difference.

   Very few people buy insurance when they receive a sales letter. They buy when they have a need and they think of you.

   They will think of you if they’ve interacted with your company in a variety of positive ways.

   The letter should convince the reader to respond to your offers.

   Once they respond, you have permission to communicate on an ongoing basis, which is the secret recipe for closing insurance sales.
   
   

7. Include a P.S.

   The letter's P.S. is still very important.

   Research shows that many people read the P.S. before they read anything else.

   Write the P.S. as if your letter will never be read.

   Hint at the promise and sell the offer, making sure that you write in a “what’s in it for the reader” tone.

   And, keep it short and sweet – two sentences is ideal.

The content on this page was last reviewed in September 2024