July 14, 2026: Time vs. Money – let’s be real, if we had tons of both we’d most likely be researching vacation spots and not how to maximize our efforts. If you’re like many of the independent insurance agents we work with, you might feel you don’t have enough time or money. And that’s okay! Whether it’s time or money, identifying your greater resource is essential to creating an effective marketing strategy.
More Time. More time opens a lot of opportunities to get in front of prospective clients and show your personality. One-on-one interactions are critical to establishing rapport which is the foundation of this renewal-based business. So, in lieu of massive amounts of marketing materials, consider all the ways you can get in front of as many prospects as possible when forming your marketing strategy. Social events, in-home/at-location appointments, and distributing flyers at clinics, community centers, laundromats and more are just a few tactics that require more time than money and can produce big results!
More Money. To be clear, moving forward with the premise that you have more money than time doesn’t automatically mean we suggest you spend a LOT of money – or more than is necessary – to reach your goals. You may have many products in your portfolio and a number of existing customers, so your time is limited and you’re looking for cost-effective ways to market yourself. Direct mail is an extremely effective way to reach the senior market. Many look forward to receiving mail and tend to read it carefully. For this reason, we recommend sending personalized letters, postcards, newsletters, etc. Standard postcards cost 55 – 75 cents apiece and the response rates are 10 – 30 times higher than digital advertising. “Every Door Direct Mail” is a program offered by the U.S. Postal Service that can make direct mail campaigns even more affordable by targeting specific zip codes.
Additionally, there are ways to market yourself that allow you to shift the balance between ‘more time’ and ‘more money’ based on your unique situation. One example is building a website that serves as a personal branding tool and an easy way for current and prospective clients to get more information about the services you provide. A number of companies like Squarespace and Wix make it fairly easy to create your own website. However, it takes time to learn their specific processes and design a site that functions well and reflects your personal brand. We typically recommend hiring a web designer to create your site.
As a Field Marketing Organization (FMO) that works with thousands of independent agents, we understand you must generate leads in order to grow your business. That’s why we work diligently to provide the resources necessary for successful marketing. If this information is valuable and you want to know more about the services we provide our agent partners, please contact us at marketing@berwickinsurance.com or 888-745-2320.