One of the challenges of living in an age of information is figuring out what to do with all that information. A walk past a bookstore reveals any number of recent arrivals promising to change everything in your personal or professional life. It can be overwhelming, particularly when you're trying to decide how this information can potentially grow your agency.

An agency newsletter may be a solution for delivering the results you need. You have two basic choices: printed and electronic. I have worked with both types, and both are valuable for any size agency. My personal preference is electronic. Our wired society lives on the World Wide Web, making it the perfect place to inform and attract customers of all generations.
What are the Benefits?
Any investment of time, money or resources should have one consistent result in common-ROI. The current soft business environment makes a return on investment essential, and a commitment to produce an online publication can deliver increased revenue and retention. Perhaps the biggest benefit of an electronic newsletter is its potential response rate. It is not unusual for the response rate of an electronic newsletter to be two to three times greater than direct mail. While I was senior editor of The Source, the online publication of Advanced Automation, the clickthrough rate was consistently between 8 percent and 15 percent. Direct mail response remains relatively consistent at 2 percent to 5 percent. An electronic newsletter also may:
o Improve professional image: Even smaller agencies can present the image of a much larger organization, communicating the message that they have the products and service customers expect from their insurance professional.
o Generate referrals: When customers read articles in printed newsletters, sharing that information requires phone calls or mailing their copies of the newsletter. Sharing an electronic newsletter, however, is quite easy-simply forward the publication to potential new clients. Referrals also can be generated by inviting prospects to receive the publication. Regular communication is an excellent way to convert a new reader to a long-time customer.
o Save money: Printing and postage can be expensive. As your subscription base grows, so does your expense. While the cost for an electronic newsletter is affected by the number of e-mails, the cost usually goes down as you send more e-mails. Depending on the vendor you choose to produce and deliver your electronic newsletter, the cost for e-mail delivery is generally much less than a printed version that requires postage.
o Create cross-selling opportunities: By including commercial lines articles in your personal lines newsletter and vice versa, customers see that your agency provides more than the basics. Include a call to action, offering to send additional articles and information on request. This is the most effective way to move a reader from casual interest to potential client.
o Decrease E&O exposure: We all know how important it is to educate customers on the need for risk management. Delivering on that promise can be challenging. Your scheduled delivery of a newsletter documents your due diligence and demonstrates your commitment.
o Increase customer loyalty: “Out of sight, out of mindobCrLf is still true. By keeping the value of your agency in front of your customers, you increase loyalty and retention. If the only time your customers hear from you is when they receive their invoices, you will find it difficult to convince them that price is not the most important factor in selecting an independent agent.
o Make the most of “permission-basedobCrLf marketing: According to best-selling business author Seth Godin, “permission-basedobCrLf marketing is far more profitable than mass marketing. Permission marketing is based on discovering people who want what you are offering and asking them for permission to market to them. You gain permission by “calls to actionobCrLf to request a protection review, additional articles and other resources that relate to a potential customer's unique needs and lifestyle.
Where to Begin
The first step to publishing your electronic newsletter is not as complicated as it may seem. Here are some simple questions that will get you started:
o How many types of newsletters will you publish? Most agencies begin with one publication that includes articles on all lines of business. Another option is to create separate issues by department, such as personal, commercial, workers' comp and benefits. Issues also can target niche markets such as contractors, truckers, etc. Start slow and conservative. You always can expand as results increase.
o What style and image best represent your agency? You will want to select a style for your newsletter. How would you describe your agency? Casual? Corporate? Do you work mostly with commercial lines or personal lines? Depending on the vendor you select to create and deliver your publication, you should have the opportunity to create a template so that creating each issue is easy.
o How often will the electronic newsletter be published? A great starting place is to publish an issue every other month. If you plan to start out with monthly editions, consider alternating a different line of business each month so each department will rotate quarterly.
o Who will be responsible for content? Some agencies might have an obvious person to serve as editor, but others might not be as fortunate. Depending on staff, ask for volunteers to research and provide articles for a 3- to 6-month period. In exchange for an extra day off, they can take one hour each week to research specific topics and Web sites.
By dividing the responsibilities, no one assumes the full burden and you get the benefit of different perspectives and ideas to broaden the scope of your publication.
o Who will proof all content? The people who write the articles and put the newsletter together should not be the same people who edit for grammar and content. Make sure the person you select demonstrates good spelling and grammar skills in his or her own work.
o Where can you get content? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
>> Insurance Information Institute: Look at www.iii.org, an excellent reserve for ideas, statistics, articles and other resources. As a rule, you have the ability to use this material by giving credit back to the institute. Be sure to confirm copyright information before using content.
>> Printed articles: A Google search will provide a number of Web sites with articles on any topic imaginable. Don't hesitate to e-mail authors requesting permission to use their work.
>> Quotations can give credibility, and a number of Web sites offer all types of quotations. Consider including great quotes in each issue.
>> Ideas from customers: Invite your customers to become contributors. Customers will appreciate being asked to participate, and they will undoubtedly want their friends and families to read your publication to see their byline.
>> Teens: Give your publication a competitive edge and include information for teens and by teens. Teens live in “packs,obCrLf which means your agency's name will spread like a virus when you take advantage of a teenager's desire to be heard.
>> The FBI Web site has information on a wide range of topics, including identify theft and protecting seniors from fraud.
>> Work with other agencies: If you participate in a users' group or local agencies association, consider working together to contribute to a library of content, including new articles and articles collected by management and staff. Each agency reduces the amount of time needed to provide content for their newsletters.
Publishing Your Newsletter
My suggestion is to check out www.eNewsbuilder.com. It makes creating a template easy, and articles can be written in Word and imported into the publication. Its prices are competitive and the owners are excellent to work with.
Hopefully you are feeling more confident about planning an electronic newsletter. While it may seem daunting, a regular publication can help grow your agency, and it really is much easier than you might think.