Virtual Insurance and Financial Advisors: This Stealthy “Quick Favor” Email Formula Boosts Response Rates by 4X-10X

The rest are qualified enough to be on your list, but they need a little nudge.

You have to re-engage and nurture them before they become part of the 2% that’s ready to rollover an IRA, purchase an annuity, etc.

The question is, how do you do it effectively and efficiently?

According to a survey from databox, email is the most effective method of nurturing – and it’s not even close.

The next three methods – social media retargeting, display retargeting, and search retargeting – are half as effective – COMBINED!

And if you want to keep these nurtured leads warm, you need to email regularly.

Approximately 71% of leading advisors nurture their leads on a daily or weekly basis.

Here are some other quick stats that I find incredibly convincing and reassuring:

• Lead nurturing emails get 4x-10x the response rate compared to standalone email blasts. (DemandGen Report)
• Companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales leads at 33% lower cost per lead. (DemandGen Report)
• According to Gartner Research, lead nurturing can potentially save 80% of your direct mail budget and bring a 10% or greater increase in revenue over 6-9 months.
• Nurtured leads produce, on average, a 20% increase in sales opportunities versus non-nurtured leads,

I know lead nurturing works, because I do it every SINGLE week.

And I’ve seen thousands of other advisors do the same…with predictably positive results.

But before you go draft a hastily-written email, I want to show you the best approach.

The Lead Nurturing Content Map

If you’ve failed at lead nurturing in the past, it’s probably because you took a shotgun approach. 

You’re not alone – that’s how most advisors approach it. 

An email here…an email there….a pinch of this…and a pinch of that.

But there should be a method to the madness.

You need a calculated content strategy that allows you to drip on your leads in a manner that’s consistent with the phase they’re currently.

I personally like to break it down into five phases.

Here’s a brief breakdown of each of the five phases:

1. Awareness Phase

Lead Thinks: “Hey, I know I’ve got a financial problem and need some sort of solution. However, I don’t really know all the terms, what’s out there, etc.”

Content Purpose:  Educate and inform. Help the lead gain clarity.

1. Consideration Phase (*This is where the power of email comes into play.)

Lead Thinks: “Okay, I’ve kind of been researching some of these topics a little bit. Now I’m ready to dive in and see what’s out there.”

Content Purpose: Meet the lead where they are and prepare them to reach the decision phase.

1. Decision Phase

Lead Thinks: “I’m ready to do something about my pain point, I know some of what’s out there, now it’s time to find the best solution with the best advisor.”

Content Purpose: Use objective data, social proof, and other high-ROI tactics to show leads why your solution is what they need.

1. Purchase Phase

Lead Thinks: “I’m ready…let’s do this!”

Content Purpose: Make the purchase process as smooth and valuable as possible.

1. Post Purchase Phase

Lead Thinks: “I’m happy with the decision I made. Perhaps I’ll need more solutions in the future.”

Content Purpose: Reassure the client that they’re in good hands and nurture for the future.

I could go in depth on any of these phases, but in this blog post I want to keep the focus on that first phase.

My goal is to show you how you can re-engage your email list and simultaneously set yourself up well to nurture them with content that jumpstarts the lead nurturing process and takes them from awareness to consideration to decision to purchase to post purchase.

The Lead Nurturing Quick Start Toolkit

The method I use to re-engage your email list and set yourself up well for lead nurturing is to send out a four-part email sequence.

I call it the Lead Nurturing Quick Start Toolkit.

The beauty of this sequence is that you can use it even if you aren’t a copy expert.

When used as a full sequence to an existing list of qualified yet dormant leads, this sequence creates a stir. 

Let me take you through it.

(And, yes, you can literally COPY, PASTE, & DEPLOY these emails. Simply change around any language that needs to be customized to fit your needs.)

Email 1 – “The Survey Email”

Send this first email to your entire database of prospects and clients. (It’s designed to get you pointed feedback that you can start your email nurturing around.)

[subject] quick favor? 

OR

[subject] a little help…

OR

[subject] quick question 🙂 

Hi FNAME,

It’s been a while, so I’ll keep this short.

I’ve decided to work on a new resolution during lockdown to stay in better touch with my network. 

Starting next week I’m going to start publishing regular insights, tips and strategies around INSERT WHAT YOU DO HERE.

But I want to be sure I’m not just cranking out valuable gold that doesn’t apply to YOU personally.

So would you do me a quick favor…

And let me know 

“What’s the single BIGGEST challenge you’re facing right now when it comes to INSERT YOUR AREA OF SPECIALTY?”

Just let me know by clicking here (takes 17 seconds)

In exchange for your time, I’m going to send out 3 gift cards to this new site I found ‘GoldBelly’. They ship comfort food from local gourmet restaurants all over the country. 

Thanks in advance for helping me out. 

With appreciation,

YOURNAME

PS – If you can take a minute and just let me know your biggest challenge here when it comes to INSERT AREA HERE, I’ll be so grateful and enter you in for a chance for one of 3x $100 Gold Belly gift cards!

Email 2 – “The ‘Thank You’ Email”

On this second email, you come across as being SO grateful for the feedback you received. Even if it was just a single response, you can play it up and show your gratitude and appreciation.

Literally repeat back to them what they told you (Challenge 1, Challenge 2, Challenge 3…). 

This will make them feel like you’re listening to them. (Because you ARE!)

[subject] WOW! 

OR

[subject] I wasn’t expecting this…

OR

[subject] I knew you were good FNAME, but not THIS good…

OR

[subject] Humbled and honored

Hi FNAME,

I’m humbled. 

Since I wrote you a few days ago, I’ve received incredible feedback from all of you on what your biggest challenge is when it comes to INSERT WHAT YOU DO HERE.

And I have to say, I’m surprised! 

So far, here’s the three main challenges that are coming up over and over…

CHALLENGE 1

CHALLENGE 2

CHALLENGE 3

So stay tuned, because very soon I’ll be releasing some brand new training around just that. 

If you haven’t done so already, I’d appreciate it if you could add your voice to the tribe.

So would you do me a quick favor…

And let me know 

“What’s the single BIGGEST challenge you’re facing right now when it comes to INSERT YOUR AREA OF SPECIALTY?”

Just let me know by clicking here (takes 17 seconds)

In exchange for your time, I’m going to send out 3 gift cards to this new site I found ‘GoldBelly’. They ship comfort food from local gourmet restaurants all over the country. 

Thanks in advance for helping me out. 

With appreciation,

YOURNAME

PS – If you can take a minute and just let me know your biggest challenge here when it comes to INSERT AREA HERE, I’ll be so grateful and enter you in for a chance for one of 3x $100 Gold Belly gift cards!

Want the Other 2 Emails?

Those are just the first two emails in the Lead Nurturing Quick Start Toolkit.

I have two more emails that I want to share with you via email.

There’s the “Gratitude Email” and the “First Step Email.”

They’re both integral to setting yourself up well for continued lead nurturing.

By providing your email address in the form below, it’ll show me that you’re interested. 

[optin-monster-shortcode id=”vmcuyphbiqcrqytscw63″]

(This helps me see if you guys are enjoying what I’m laying down…that way I know whether or not to keep pushing out content like this.)

Want More Swipe Files and Templates?

The swipe files and templates you see in this blog post were covered in-depth in a recent Virtual Advisor Power Hour.

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