Think about what you get:

• Leads for real people who asked for mortgage or insurance help
• Phone numbers and emails provided by the people. (Can you say, “Please call me!”)
• All for pennies on the dollar, because someone else dropped the ball

However, to make it work you have to start working the lead immediately. You have already lost critical time. You need to get their attention, find the hot ones, and start building a sale.

Just to help you get started, here are four emails that will make you more money with aged leads.

Email #1 – Day 0

Don’t delay! Time is already ticking on these leads. You need to get them into your lead management or CRM system and email them today. Let them know you are ready to help them.

Subject: {!firstname_fix} - Thanks for your request

Hi! {!firstname_fix},

We were matched with your request for
{mortgage | insurance} rates.

Sorry for the delay! It looks like your request
was delayed in reaching us.

Luckily, rates are still low! Check them here:

{http://yourwebsite.com/rates}

Give me a call at {phone number}
if you have any questions or are
ready to {lower your monthly payment | buy a new home | get an insurance quote}.

{your first name}
---
{!signature}

Email #2 – Day 3

Send if they don’t open or open, but don’t click. This email is intended to cut through the noise of a busy email inbox. It will also gather in folks that are simply procrastinating on taking action.

Subject: Re: {!firstname_fix} - Thanks for your request

Hi! {!firstname_fix},

Just wanted to make sure you got my last email.
We already dropped the ball with our delayed
response to your Web request. I wanted to make
sure you have the latest {mortgage | insurance} rates.

Check them here:

{http://yourwebsite.com/rates}

Give me a call at {phone number}
if you have any questions or are
ready to {lower your monthly payment | buy a new home | get an insurance quote}.

{your first name}
---
{!signature}

Email #3 – Day 5

Okay, we’re down to the wire here. If they aren’t opening and clicking now we’ve got to get creative. Let’s be a little bolder in the subject line and the email…

Subject: Oh, no you didn’t...

Hi! {!firstname_fix},

Hopefully, you’re not ignoring me  

I just want to make sure you got the
help you requested on your {mortgage | insurance} questions.

Rates change daily. Take a look at today’s rates:

{http://yourwebsite.com/rates}

Give me a call at {phone number}
if you have any questions or are
ready to {lower your monthly payment | buy a new home | get an insurance quote}.

{your first name}
---
{!signature}

Email #4 – Day 15

This is the last in the initial aged lead activation email campaign. Feel free to build out a longer timeline to continue checking in with these aged lead prospects.

Subject: Just checking in

Hi! {!firstname_fix},

A little while ago, We were matched with
your request for {mortgage | insurance} rates.

I wanted to make sure I did everything I could
to get you the {mortgage | insurance} information you need.

Rates change daily. Take a look at today’s rates:

{http://yourwebsite.com/rates}

Give me a call at {phone number}
if you have any questions or are
ready to {lower your monthly payment | buy a new home | get an insurance quote}.

{your first name}
---
{!signature}

Are you going to try it? As the saying goes…”You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” Are you thirsty for more deals this month?

Email Marketing Done Right

Add value first. This should be the primary objective of any email marketing campaign and the most important insurance sales tip you can follow. Plan your value message before sending the first email or launching an extended campaign. Each and every email requires a plan of action and a final objective. Determine the main points to be covered, the value you want to add, and the call to action. This will keep you focused on the primary objective of your emails–moving the person closer to an insurance sale.

Start with your most important point first. Keep the message simple and reinforce that same simple message all the way to the point of action–a call to action. You have to capture and hold their attention right to the point of getting them to take the next step.

Most marketers make emails very impersonal. The message is a broadcast from an anonymous voice to a general audience. You should take a more personal approach. Getting the attention of your insurance leads can be as simple as giving it a personal touch–use their name. While this may sound simple, it may all be that is needed to gain trust and make them feel like you are concerned about their personal insurance needs.

As for the recipient’s actions, you must include a call to action in every email you send out. In other words, you have to tell them what you want them to do. You can do this with clear and precise directions, such as “Click Here” links. Be careful not to include this too many times, but you want to make sure they have access to the link by including it in the beginning of the email and the end.

Another common mistake that many marketers make with email marketing is to send HTML-only email to insurance leads. Many folks have HTML disabled or their email system suppresses the graphics on emails. Always include a “text-only” option to serve these people and prevent your message from being confusing or even looking like spam.

Adding a consistent template or format to your email marketing can be a great way to present a professional and branded presentation to your insurance leads. This is an important insurance sales tips because inconsistency is a sales killer. Customers can become confused, mistrust the strange looking email, or mark messages as spam because they are look unfamiliar. You want them to know who the email is from each time, as it will help build up that trust.

Email marketing is a killer sales tool for converting your insurance leads into insurance policies. Review and follow these simple tips. Of course, we suggest buying a few fresh insurance leads to try out these new sales tips.

The following email subject lines will help you to generate more insurance leads. They will get people to respond, to open up a dialog with you, and you will have more business than ever before.

1. Insurance Is Cheaper Than You Think
This one is pretty basic, but it confronts the problem that many people have with insurance: They think it is too expensive. They keep putting it off because they think they cannot afford it. This will get people to respond who already want to have insurance but have not purchased it because of monetary concerns. It will show them that they do not need to worry about the price. Since they want insurance anyway, they will check out your email to see how it can deliver, how it can solve their problem.

2. Five Insurance Deals That End This Month
This is a good way to work with a person’s sense of urgency. By telling them how the deals are going to expire, you will get them to act quickly. They will not just file away the email to think about later. If you can make them think that their window for saving money is closing, they will want to do something about it.

3. Getting The Best Insurance To Protect Your Family
This one will appeal to people who have families by playing on their sense of commitment and love. They likely value their family more than themselves. Maybe they have been putting off getting insurance because they do not want to pay for it. If you can show them how they should sacrifice for the people that they love, the payments will not seem too daunting.

4. The Ways Your Current Insurance Company Is Ripping You Off
This one is to get their attention. No one likes to think that a big company is taking advantage of them. They will be angry, which will make them want to learn more. You can then show them the ways in which you can save them money, the ways in which their current company is not giving them all of the savings that they deserve.

5. The Best Insurance Package Deals
Many people are holding back from getting insurance because they think that they will be very confused trying to buy a lot of different policies. This headline will show them that they can get all of their insurance from one source; it will not be confusing at all. This email can also tell them about how they can save money by going with a package deal instead of individual plans.

With as many as ninety-one percent of all U.S. households regularly using email, marketing within the growing medium is quickly gaining popularity due to the high number of people that can be reached. In fact, email marketing popularity is growing because it is a tool that has worked and continues to work for countless businesses across the country. In 2009, on average, U.S. companies generated almost $44 for every dollar they spent on email marketing campaigns, highlighting the effectiveness of such campaigns despite the bad rap given to spam.

One of the most successful ways of using email marketing to generate leads is by developing an internal email list of past customers who may be interested in purchasing additional products or services from a company they trust. An email list comprised of previous customers is much more cost effective than seeking new customers. Companies will spend as much as ten times more resources gaining a new customer than they will if marketing to current clients.

Another method of using lead generation to develop cliental is to purchase email lists for use as a tool to acquire leads. Companies can use email marketing to provide potential customers with information about the business and build the brand in order to create a sense of familiarity. Additionally, email lead generation is a great way to bring increased traffic to company websites, which also increases the chance that a buyer will call or contact the company.

Though email marketing is an obvious money saver and has been shown to be an effective way to generate leads for a variety of companies offering diverse goods and services, it is also a positive marketing tool due to the ease of tracking. Results from an email marketing campaign is easily measured, showing whether they are successful or whether a company must make changes and tweaks in the operations. Email advertising efforts are measured by how many people open the emails sent by the company. The success rate of an email campaigns success can also be tracked by how many receivers click through to a website.

Newsletters, coupons, special offers and information regarding business changes and new offerings can all be sent immediately to hundreds and even thousands of potential customers with the click of a mouse. Because email marketing campaigns can be completed with such quickness, companies will often see immediate responses unlike results from traditional advertising mediums like television.

Offering quick, easy and effective campaigns, email marketing is continuing to gain popularity and use for a reason: it works. With measurability and ease of tracking, companies and business owners can be sure that their efforts are effective and quickly notice when changes need to be made. In the midst of technologically centered consumers, email is a vital way to expand advertising and marketing aspirations and gain successful sales leads to grow any business.

Next Wave Marketing Strategies: Email Marketing

Aged leads are a cheap way to add a few easy refinance deals to your pipeline this month. Here is a really quick 4 step email marketing strategy that will help activate those old leads and turn them into fresh refinance mortgage leads.

1. Segment, if you can. When you first get your batch of aged refinance leads take a close look at them and see if there are any obvious segments–region, loan amount, interest rates. Then break apart those categories and craft an email campaign to directly appeal to their most probable interest or concern. For example, if you have a high mortgage rate segment–hit the historically low mortgage rates theme; if you have a jumbo mortgage segment–play up special jumbo mortgage programs you may offer or even ARM programs that might lower the payment long enough to sell.

2. Build anticipation. Don’t just send one email. Build a campaign that creates value and anticipation for what you can offer them. Tell them you will keep them tuned into a very volatile market, you will alert them to any mortgage rate changes, and you will get them the inside track on any new government incentives or special mortgage programs.

3. Deliver on expectations. If you tell them you are going to do something (like deliver regular updates) make sure you show up. An email marketing campaign only works if you are consistent, valuable, and ongoing. Set expectations for what value you are going to offer them and then make sure you show up in their email on message and on time.

4. Make a phone call. Picking up the telephone and making a direct connection is powerful! Having seen you in the inbox and seeing a bit of the value you can provide–a personal phone call from you can push the deal over the edge. It gives them the real feeling that you care.

Do you need some aged refinance leads to try this strategy on? Or maybe you just want to talk through some other marketing campaign you have in mind using aged leads? Contact Next Wave Marketing Strategy and let’s chat about your mortgage leads.

Image by MikeSchinkel via Flickr

Internet debt leads can be generated through various mediums. However, the biggest challenge lies in following up with all of them through the sales cycle until they are persuaded to buy. It is important to follow up with the prospects quickly or within hours of receiving the leads to avoid losing them to competitors.

Converting Internet debt leads and improving the closing rates can be simple with prompt, customized emails to these leads. Unless you start instantly following up with your debt leads, you will not be able to convert them into profitable clients.

The following 5 email tips can help you get started with an email campaign to contact and easily convert your Internet debt leads.

Compelling subject line – The time and effort spent in crafting a well written email to a debt lead will be wasted if the subject line is not compelling and does not interest the potential debt customer to open the email. This is one of the most important factors that determine whether your debt lead will open the email, ignore it, mark it as spam, report it or delete it. Also, a poorly written subject line may not even reach your lead’s inbox. Your email subject should convey a timely or valuable proposition including a call to action which will make your debt lead feel they are missing out on real value if they do not open the email. A subject line should not be over promising or misleading about the content of the email.

Customize your email to each lead – This can be a time consuming process but the conversion potential it holds cannot be overlooked. Customizing the email requires careful thinking and planning. The content of the email should grab the interest of the debt customer. The information should be concise, realistic, and accurate. Internet debt leads are not typically customers willing to invest time in reading long emails. Personalizing the content to some extent will also make your debt lead understand that they are not among the hundreds to whom an automated email has been sent using an auto responder.

Avoid the use of auto responders – An auto responder may be a great help in reaching out to hundreds of debt leads within minutes, saving you time to focus on additional leads. However, this is not the best option when you are contacting your lead for the first time. This technique may not be very successful in converting more of your real debt leads who are looking for a personal touch with factual information in the email.

Use educational content – The best way to get a client’s interest is to provide the educational content they’re seeking. Your email should list your product or service benefits in an attempt to add value to their search for debt relief or consolidation. Educating the debt lead through a series of emails is bound to lead to higher closing percentage which means more profit and growth prospects for your business.

Respond to debt leads promptly – It is critical to check your emails regularly to respond to your debt lead’s inquiries in a timely manner. If your debt lead needs detailed information on your offerings and you do not have the information ready, it is important to inform the lead that their email has been received and they can expect to receive the information they’ve requested shortly. A simple act of courtesy can go a long way in building your debt lead’s trust and in increasing the chances of conversion.

These basic email secrets will help in getting the attention and interest of your debt leads and boosting the response to your emails. Email campaigns are one of the best ways to start and develop a positive relationship with your leads and increase the chances of conversions. Regular email communication increases your credibility with your leads and instils the trust in them to make a positive buying decision.

Email is still the top converting tools on the Internet. So, if you are serious about doing business on the Internet, get your blogging and email strategies connected. This is where aged leads can give you a jump start.

Aged leads are a great source of opt-in mortgage or debt inquiries ready to hear from you. Combine that with an educational blog and you have a real value proposition for your new prospective customers. And a great opportunity to to convert them into sales.

Driving Pre-qualified Traffic to Your Website

Aged leads give you a great opportunity to select a targeted segment of customers. A quality email campaign gives you the chance provide them real value. A chance to engage them with information that will make your sales call more productive, or might even prompt an inbound call.

Carefully design your email campaign and blog to help educate and qualify your customer.

Email is a great way to capture attention. However, blogging is the best way to really take your customers deep into the value and benefits of working with you. Consistently blogging tips on debt management, mortgage products, or market trends will essentially creates hundreds of lead generating landing pages for consumers.

Email Marketing and Web Publishing, Powerful!

Now that you have these great “landing pages” you can use aged leads and email to help your sales conversion by reinforcing trust and credibility with your blog. This approach is certain to produce deeper relationships and produce more sales. Mixing aged leads, email, and blogging can create a sure winner. There is no better way to drive customers into sales than to blend targeted  leads, traffic driving email, and a great information packed blog.

(photo credit: andyp uk)

Hitting your sales goals are more important than ever in this market. However, as you may already be experiencing they are getting harder to find and land. You are probably making twice as many calls to get the same results. Have you considered developing a blogging and email marketing strategy?

Building a Sales Pipeline with Email

Blogging and email sound simple enough, but don’t confuse simplicity with results. Doing it right and getting results takes thought. You need to intertwine the blog and your email subscriber list together in a way that makes sense to the customer.

Think of your blog and email subscribers as a virtual sales funnel. Design your blog and email strategy to drive customers through a filtering and qualification process. Your blog posts and email should provide product and market information as well as ask questions. This process will start to drive sales inquiries.

Once you get a new email subscriber your autoresponder should begin with a broad and general message. Possibly, the first several emails will be more educational than a call to action. You are building trust. You want your blog posts and emails to generate interest. Interest that drives customers to inquire, seek more information, or buy.

The kiss of death is to mindlessly blast out emails filled with links to blog posts or landing pages–these will fail without trust. Email campaigns should give special information, subscriber only information, and help generate traffic to your blog or inquiry page.

Email is great for bringing customers into the top of the sales funnel or nurturing them towards a future sale.

Reeling in New Customers

Here are a few tips to help bring those new email subscriber prospects in:

• Promote and email subscription on your blog
• Add your email subscription sign-up to your email subscription
• Encourage readers to email blog posts and forward blog emails
• Provide a way to subscribe to your email list in your blog posts

Steady Diligence Wins the Deal

Consistency and persistence are the cornerstone to most deals.  Sales is usually about being in the right place at the right time.  Your subscriber may not be in a position to close today, but they might be when they receive your next email or blog update.  Providing regular messages increases the likelihood you will be there when they are ready to do a deal.

Regularly Add Prospects

This is simply the core of database marketing. You have to continually be adding new prospects. Unfortunately, collecting cards at the rotary club, your kids soccer game, and church can be a little challenging in the debt business. Often this is a pride challenging predicament. They want/need your help, but getting to a professional debt settlement provider can be a challenge.

That is where aged debt leads come in to the strategy. These are customers that are inquiring about debt solutions and can be acquired very affordable. Unlike other lead sources you can add hundreds of these leads a month to your database without breaking even the smallest marketing budget.

Lead with Education

Before you start trying to solve these new prospects’ problems ease them in with a little education. Send out a few emails on:

• Improving their credit score
• Paying off credit cards
• Dealing with IRS debt
• Getting rid of student loans
• Refinancing mortgage debt

These are all likely issues they are dealing with and gives the relationship a starting point of value first.

Sprinkle with Current Events

Now you have them listening and trusting your interaction. How about a little current events? Send them a clipping on a current personal finance tip or idea. Maybe a link to a current news article that highlights why they should call. Maybe just update them on things that are changing or new programs that Congress is legislating that might help them.

Close with Reality

Every now and them sprinkle in a reality check. I like to do this with a poll or a financial check-up. These should be questions that help your prospective clients self-assess their debt servicing needs.

Chances are, these little gems with make your phone begin to ring. Be ready to help!

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Next Wave Marketing Strategies brings over 5 years of integrity, innovation, and client satisfaction to the aged debt leads market. We offer industry leading quality control, data cleansing, and a generous return policy to empower you to build your business in the fastest, most cost effective manner. Learn more about aged debt leads.

(photo credit: Mike Schinkel)