Welcome to WRITING MATTERS, celebrating the value of good
writing in the business world.
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VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3 – NOVEMBER 2008
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This Month's Case Study – West Coast Life
Insurance
West Coast Life Insurance was a mid-sized life insurance
company operating in California. The
company’s agency force sold its policies through independent offices throughout
the state.
Over the years, West Coast Life allowed its agents to
produce their own marketing materials, with varying results. Although occasional attempts were made to
centralize marketing efforts, the agents often did their own thing
regardless. This led to some
inconsistencies regarding certain products and coverage, which didn’t reflect
well on the company.
Jim Jackson was the company’s new Director of Marketing and
his first goal was to centralize all marketing programs and limit any confusion
between the agents and company headquarters.
Unfortunately, because he only had a small administrative staff, he
would need to outsource for creative support.
Due to budgetary constraints, Jim had to start small with
one or two projects and work his way up to a broader marketing plan. His first project would be a quarterly
customer newsletter advertising products and offering life insurance advice for
families and individuals. The newsletter
would also be distributed to the agents to ensure a consistent marketing
message territorywide.
Additionally, Jim wanted to establish regular communication
with the agency force in the form of a monthly email, which would discuss new
and existing products, and provide an outlet for immediate feedback to the
corporate office.
In his previous job with another insurer, Jim had used a
freelance copywriter named Laura to write similar marketing materials. Laura partnered regularly with a graphic
designer, thus providing a convenient turnkey package.
Jim contacted Laura and the two scheduled a meeting. Familiar with the way she worked and her
project fees, Jim was confident Laura could bring his ideas to light. During the meeting, she informed Jim she
still worked with the same graphic designer and could easily bring him in when
needed.
For the newsletter, Laura suggested two methods of delivery:
a print-based version for potential and existing policyholders, and an
electronic version for the agents. Jim
arranged for Laura to meet with a handful of agents to make sure the newsletter
met their needs. Laura and her graphic
designer began working on the project and completed a first draft within a few
short weeks.
West Coast Life Insurance’s newsletter premiered with great fanfare
and received positive reviews from the agency force. The electronic version was sent to all agents, and the print
version was readied for a direct mail campaign to both existing and prospective
policyholders. Laura also worked with
Jim to craft the first monthly email update.
By introducing the newsletter and monthly email, West Coast
Life improved communication both internally and externally, thus establishing a
consistent marketing message throughout the company. This, in turn, would lead to a better customer service
experience, new policies written, and retention of existing policies. And this was only the beginning as Jim
planned to use Laura and her designer for future projects.
In tough economic times, businesses can’t afford to stop
their marketing efforts. Jim understood
his company had to keep going to ensure continued success, and he knew
freelance creative support was an excellent solution to achieve his goals.
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If you have a "writer-to-the-rescue" story to
share, please let me know at: JPT@spectrumcopywriting.com.
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The next issue of WRITING MATTERS will be out December 1st.
Have a great month and Happy Thanksgiving!
John Paul Tancredi, Copywriter/Consultant
Spectrum Copywriting Services
Subscribe to WRITING MATTERS at: www.spectrumcopywriting.com/ezine.html
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2008 Spectrum Copywriting Services. All Rights Reserved.