Here’s a fun idea: ask your satisfied clients to organize an “insurance party” for their friends and family members.

These days, kitchen gadgets, jewelry, nutrition drinks, and all sorts of other items are sold at small parties organized by the company’s clients. You’ve probably been to one or more of these events yourself, and while you might have dreaded it when you were first asked, chances are you ended up having a good time and spending a little bit of money. While the concept of in-home sales parties may sound a little strange at first, companies market this way because it’s incredibly effective.

Insurance agents, however, don’t typically ask their clients to set up these sorts of events. Why not? Everyone needs to protect their family from financial loss, and existing customers certainly see the benefit in the products they purchased.

As we enter a new year, perhaps you should give this strategy a try. Here’s how:

• Reach out to a few of your existing clients, ones that you know are happy and who may have referred business to you in the past.
• Tell them that one of the products they already have (life insurance, cancer insurance, long term care insurance, etc.) is something that a lot of people always intend to purchase but never get around to—until it’s too late.
• Mention that it might even be a New Year’s Resolution for some people they know.
• Ask them if they’d consider organizing a small get-together for a few friends and family members (compare it to a Tupperware party). Tell them that you’d just like to do a quick overview of the solution so that everyone understands how it could benefit them and gets their questions answered.
• Let them know that you won’t use any high-pressure sales tactics. This is simply a service you offer to your best clients to make sure the people they care about are taken care of. Tell them that you feel this is a better solution than asking them for referrals and then calling their friends out of the blue.
• If they’re uncomfortable with the idea, don’t press them on it. Instead, say it’s no problem at all, thank them for their time, and use the opportunity to make sure they haven’t had any life-changing events (marriage, birth, adoption, accident or illness) that could trigger a need for other insurance coverage.

Most importantly, have fun with this idea. It’s a great way to meet new prospective clients, and if it works the attendees are the best people to ask about planning future parties. Let us know how it goes!