Consumers recently chimed in to tell us what have been the most creative marketing techniques they’ve ever encountered when being sold insurance and annuities. Some of these are certainly outside the box. If you have a unique marketing tip you’d like to share, please leave us a comment below.
Believe it or not, I was once propositioned in a locker room! Let me clarify that: I was complaining to my buddy about the crappy returns I was getting on my bonds and other investments, and I noticed there was this young guy listening in on our conversation. It was pretty uncomfortable, and neither of us knew what to make of it. Next thing we knew, he introduced himself as an advisor, and I thought, “OK, now it makes sense what he was up to.” He was real nice about it, and my buddy and I had to admire his guts.
Art, 70
Laramie, Wyo.We went to a seminar at a Mexican restaurant once years ago. It was one of those dinner-and-we-try-to-sell-you-insurance things. The restaurant was full, and they served us all margaritas to get things going. At some point, a mariachi band came out and started going around to the tables and singing. They sang a song in Spanish that mentioned the name of the guy’s company. We had no idea what they were saying. They could’ve been saying he was the worst advisor in the world for all we knew.
Gretl, 76
Bartlesville, Okla.
Hmmm. I saw a picture of a guy on the side of a bus once. At least I think he was a financial advisor. Then again, he might’ve been a lawyer. I’m not sure.
Glenn, 82
Bloomington, Ind.
My husband and I went to a seminar where they talked about home care for the elderly. My husband was getting on in years and was starting to need help doing certain things, so we were advised to attend. They brought along a nurse who went over all the things she had to do for her patients. It really brought it home for us the kind of help he would need.
May, 83
Corpus Christi, Texas
A group of friends, we meet up for golf when we’re all in town. One of these guys brought along an acquaintance who happened to be an advisor. He was telling us all what he does for his clients, and we were listening. He asked me if I was working with anyone, and I said no, not really. He said, “If I make this put, will you come in for a meeting?” I said, “Sure” — there was no way he was going to make that put. But he was such a good sport about it, I ended up meeting with him anyway.