6 Steps for Marketing to Boomers
A simple 6-step plan to get prospects to call you and for setting up the appointment.
I turn 50 this year. Damn. I never thought I’d get this old. Yet here I am.
Everything is strangely the same as when I was younger, but now pretty women I smile at don’t smile back. I take a 32” pants, but a 36” feels so good. And oh, yea… sometimes my back hurts. Which matches the morning pain in my planar fascia, which explains my limp upon awakening each morning. Heck, a couple of years ago I thought the Planar Fascia was something in Star Trek. Ain’t aging grand?
But don’t ever call me old. I still ride a bicycle, a motorcycle, and drive with the top down in everything but the coldest day or the heaviest downpour. And I’m ranked 4th in Pennsylvania in racquetball. I dirt-bike on weekends – go ahead, try and keep up.
At this point, I’ve seen it all – I just can’t remember it. Here’s how to get my attention, the attention of others my age, and get us all to listen to you about my financial retirement planning, of which I have very little. Because I told you – I’m not getting old. I’m getting better. Or some crap like that that my kids keep telling me.
1. Get me to call you. Quit complaining, it’s not that hard to do. Mail me something interesting. Forget all the generic letters and brochures your providers offer, we both know that stuff doesn’t work. Send me a real letter or a homemade post card and offer me something for FREE. Make it interesting enough and I’ll call.
2. No sales pitch in your letter or post card. Nothing. I’ve heard them all, it’ll turn me off and I’ll throw it away. Briefly mention your products and firm. Then show me, tell me about what I can get for free, if only I just pick up the phone and call now. Offering a free anything reduces call reluctance.
3. Offer me your valuable new FREE BOOKLET. Remember, a brochure is a sheet of paper folded in thirds: it’s worthless – you can get these anywhere. A VALUABLE BOOKLET is a sheet folded in half. It contains valuable information and it’s priceless.
Kindly remember, you are not sending a mail piece to sell insurance or financial planning – you are sending a mailpiece to generate a phone call. Make sure the objective of the piece is to CALL NOW to get this valuable booklet, FREE. Always set the word FREE in all capital letters.
I’ll leave it to you to create your own booklet interior pages, they are not as important: by the time reader has seen them, the FREE booklet offer was a complete success and has 100% fulfilled its objective – it got the reader to call.
4. When I call you for your free booklet, don’t go into a sales pitch, and don’t ask about my financial goals. It’s way too early in the sales cycle. Just start a conversation. And don’t simply take down my name and address. Create a trusted friendship with me on the phone. Intersperse interesting comments and questions between getting my name and address. And qualify me subtly. It’s relationship marketing.
“Your name, please?”
“Jeff Dobkin”
“I had an uncle named Jeff. World champion race car driver. Earned a million a year for most of his racing life. Spent it all in the last 9, died at 87, left me nothin’. You’re not like him, are you?”
This is an opening statement that eventually leads to finding the client’s financial goals. The conversation continues…
“Just kidding. It’s everybody’s dream to have a rich uncle, isn’t it. I hope you’re better prepared for the…”
See how easy it is?? Just don’t sell me anything yet because I’m not buying at this point. But I am open to some subtle questioning because I am getting something for free – and I don’t want to jeopardize that. The objective of this call is to qualify the recipient: so ask a few simple qualifying questions. Also write down any key interests such as kids, activities, like and so forth. Find my hot button. I’ll talk motorcycles with you, anytime. Close the conversation saying you’ll send the booklet right away.
5. Call back after sending booklet. Don’t ask if I got it, yea, I did. Ask if there is additional information I need that you can provide. Then simply chat. Show some personality. It’s ok to have a few written jokes or notes of what to speak about (remember you took notes of what I’m interested in.) Ask if there are questions about anything in your entire field. Anything. Then pause. The silence will make the prospect talk and ask a question.
Here’s a Jeff Dobkin original trick. When any intelligent question comes up… don’t answer it. Say, “That’s a good question! I’ll research that and I’ll call you back with an exact answer.” This technique sets up another phone call – which is EXACTLY what you want. Now you have a relationship. You’ve established a bond, a trust with a solid valid reason to call back. And you’ve proved your diligent in your follow-up.
6. Call back with the answer, additionally qualify the prospect and if qualified, the goal of the call is to get an appointment.
It’s a soft sell, but it’s still a formula. Once you get good at the formula it works all the time.
Kick up your phone calls:
A “FREE Booklet” offers readers a NON-THREATENING REASON TO CALL! Need some inspiration to create a valuable booklet? The title drives the reader to pick up the phone and call. Here are several:
“How to never retire, but have all the money you need – without working any more.”
“12 Tips your financial advisor never told you.”
“9 Questions to ask about your financial advisor.”
“10 Questions you should ask that your accountant won’t know but a good financial advisor should.”
“How to select a financial agent: 13 questions to ask that separate the good ones from the bad ones.”
“A progressive plan for people without a retirement plan – or money enough to retire comfortably.”
Jeff Dobkin is a funny and fast-paced speaker on generating calls and getting sales leads. He’s written 4 books on direct marketing and one on humor. 610-642-1000 rings on his desk.