• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 6, 2017

Jornaya, a data company that tracks the consumer journey across websites, does not offer email services per se. But it provides insights that can enhance nurturing, and is in a position to see how firms are deploying email — for example, in the insurance market.  

And they’re using it from the moment a prospect fills out a form to the point they buy a policy, says Jaimie Pickles, general manager insurance for Jornaya.

As Pickles puts it, “email is the most appropriate way to interact with consumers to optimize the opportunity.”

But it’s a complicated process, given that the average time to purchase is 44 days, and that there are many stages along the way, he adds. So how does a company nurture leads via email? 

It begins with the request for a quote. Based on the data captured, the insurance firm can send out a triggered email with the desired information. Or it can use the data as the basis for a telephone call.

"When a consumer fills out a form and requests information, they sometimes don’t dial right away," Pickles notes. "They are sent an SMS text, or email, saying, 'We got your information, we’re going to reach out to you in the next 90 minutes or 24 hours, or whatever'."

This can be done using advanced phone technology such as ringless voicemail, in which consumers get the message without the phone ringing, Pickles notes. And if this fails and the consumer does not buy? “All sorts of email processes will be triggered, in some cases until the end of time --  until the consumers buys or dies,” Pickles laughs. 

(All of this is done in a privacy friendly way, of course). 

Some insurance providers buy “pieces of information, about consumers who are not in a journey right now, but were months ago, and they are emailing those consumers two weeks before their renewal dates,” he adds. 

Jornaya says it can facilitate this process with data, Typically, a lead will include the name, address and email address. “I don’t know of insurance leads that do not contain an email address — it’s a critically important piece of information,” Pickles says.

But you need more than that. In a broader way, Jornaya considers a variety of data points, including  “what content they’re consuming and which devices they are using to consume it and how they are progressing in their buying journey,” says Sebastian Pistritto. chief marketing officer for Jornaya.  

The firm can then bear witness as a consumer fills out a contact or lead form. This helps the brand better understand the consumer's intent and propensity to buy, Pistritto adds.

So what advice does Jornaya have for insurance marketers using email?

First, remember that “60% of insurance shoppers are doing so on a mobile device,” Pickles says. “It’s important to have the right email content, but also important that it be readable on a small screen.”

Brands should also include a click-to-call button the prospect can use if they’re ready to act. Finally, remember that not all prospects are identical — and they are not all at the same stage.

“If a consumer is early in their process, that email content will be different than if they’re nearing the very end and ready to buy their policy," Pickles says. "There are all sorts of variables that the email strategy is dependent upon."