This is educational, not legal advice. Check current TCPA and state rules, and follow your company and carrier requirements.
Reaching out to orphaned clients is one of the most popular and most controversial marketing tactics in insurance right now. These are past clients whose agent is gone, and who are now handed to a new agent as a client database.
Here is where we stand. At Agent CRM, we work with agents who have legally obtained this data and have permission from the company to contact these clients. Our goal is simple: help you get the most out of the list, get into more conversations, and help clients end up in the best policy for them and their families.
Watch the video above, or read the key points below.
Start With What NOT to Do
Before the strategy, let’s cover the mistakes that can cost you money or your reputation.
Don’t Text Everyone Right Away
Texting is where agents get into trouble. Alex’s rule of thumb is to avoid sending an unsolicited text to someone who is no longer a customer. Reaching out to someone who canceled their policy a while ago can put you at risk of a TCPA problem, and the first few months after a cancellation are a gray area for win-back campaigns.
A current customer of the company you represent is different. You can reach out as a support person to see how you can help them and their family. Always confirm your situation with your company, carrier and an attorney.
Don’t Power Dial the List
A surprise phone call from a number they do not know, from a company they already do business with, usually goes to voicemail. Or it leaves the client wondering what you are doing calling them. Cold power dialing through a list of old clients is a waste of time.
Don’t Open Your Email With a Sales Pitch
In Alex’s experience, emails that jump straight into a pitch for a new product get no results. Clients are not looking to be sold on the first touch.
The Fix: Lead With Support
Your end goal is still to help the client with a new policy. But to stay on the safe side, your first message needs to be about support, not a sales pitch.
Try messages along these lines, in your own voice:
- “I wanted to check in on your policy and make sure everything is good to go.”
- “I would love to review your policy and make sure it is still the best fit for you and your family.”
- “I’m checking in to see if you have any questions about your policy and how I can help.”
If a message reads like a sales message, it can look like an unsolicited marketing message. When it reads like help, it keeps you in safer territory and it gets more people on the phone.
Before you text anyone, make sure your number is ready to text. And if you plan to email, read our email deliverability guide for insurance agents so your messages actually land.
Add a Short Video
Right after your first text, send a short Loom video. In it, you:
- Introduce yourself and say which company you work with
- Explain that your job is to get on the phone, review their policy, and make sure it fits their needs
- Make it clear that if it is not the right fit, you will help get them into the right product
You are leading with service. Most people will understand there is a chance you will offer them something new, so be upfront about it. The people who respond tend to be high-intent leads.
Why This Works
“I have used the campaigns to revive dead leads, which have led to many sales! It works!”
— Chris O’Connor
The First 10 Business Days: A Flurry of Support
When you get a new batch of leads, spend the first two weeks, about 10 business days, sending texts and emails and switching them up day by day.
The goal is to get them on your calendar and let them know you are there to support them. Do not overwhelm people. Respect their phones. But do let them hear from you in a burst of activity so they know you are there.
Send them a calendar link in your emails so booking takes one click.
Host a Customer Q&A on Zoom
During those first 10 business days, invite the list to a live Zoom Q&A. Name it after the company, like “[Company Name] Q&A Call.”
You will not get a big crowd. Expect a low response rate, but it will not be zero. On the call, go over the benefits the company provides, answer questions, and follow up afterward. The people who show up already know you are there to support them, which makes it much easier to turn the call into a sales appointment.
No Response? Switch to a Giveaway Funnel
After 10 business days, if people have not reached out, change the message. Alex recommends running a giveaway funnel campaign by email. It is a client appreciation raffle, for example a $200 restaurant gift card.
When someone enters, do not call them for a policy review. They entered to win a gift card, not to talk about insurance. Call to thank them, confirm their contact info, and set a time for a review. That conversation is the launching point for the next one.
If they are not interested, no problem. You got them to re-engage, and that helps keep the customer with the company.
Stay in Their Inbox for the Long Term
After the giveaway, put everyone into a long-term nurture email sequence. The Branning Bundles include one that sends a monthly email and loops after 12 months, so you keep showing up.
You want to be seen as their agent, so when they have a question, you are the person they call.
“With the increase of referrals from your ‘Thank You for Business campaign’ [one of our pre-built marketing campaigns], I have paid for your software for the next two years — THANK YOU!”
— Rob Stecky
For more on reviving older contacts, read what to do with aged insurance leads. Once a client says yes, here is how to turn a lead into a client in your CRM.
Quick Recap: Your Orphaned Client Plan
- Confirm your data and permission. Make sure the list was legally obtained and you have your company’s OK.
- Lead with support, never a sales pitch.
- Send a short video after your first message.
- Run 10 business days of mixed texts and emails with a calendar link.
- Invite them to a live Q&A on Zoom.
- Switch to a giveaway funnel if there is no response.
- Keep nurturing with a monthly email sequence.
Want more conversations from every list you work? Learn how to increase your contact rate for new leads, and see how to get leads on Facebook without paying for ads.
Start Your Free Trial
We want you to stay compliant, make your marketing effective, and get the most out of every lead you work. Start your 14-day free trial of Agent CRM, or book a demo and we will show you how agents here set this up.
“I’d give Agent CRM a 5-Star review! Every issue that’s occurred the team was quick to help me troubleshoot above and beyond.”
— Eric Katzenmeier
This is educational, not legal advice. Check current TCPA and state rules, and follow your company and carrier requirements.
FAQ
What are orphaned clients in insurance?
Orphaned clients are past clients whose original agent is no longer with them, so their policies are handed to a new agent to serve.
What should my first message to an orphaned client say?
Keep it support-based. Check in on their policy, offer to review it, or ask if they have questions. It should sound like you and read like help, not a sales pitch.
How long should I run the first round of outreach?
Alex recommends about 10 business days of mixed texts and emails, then switching to a giveaway funnel if you have not heard back.
Should I power dial a list of old clients?
No. Surprise calls from an unknown number usually go to voicemail, so lead with support-based texts and emails first.
