Before & after with updated ad look for local insurance agency

Apr 7, 2020

Before & after with updated ad look for local insurance agency

Created for:

Elliot Whittier Insurance
Winthrop & Peabody, Massachusetts

The Assignment

Elliot, Whittier is a top-notch, mid-sized, independent insurance agency representing some of the country’s most prominent insurance companies. Our assignment: To update their ad look and copy approach to better represent the reality of what Elliot Whittier actually offers.

What this ad does …

• Informative “After” ad showcases Elliot Whittier’s professionalism
• Updated use of type and ship logo visually enhance Elliot Whittier’s look
• Makes a great offer and gives prospects good reasons to call

How Patrice Robertie | Acorn Advertising helped …

The “Before” and “After” ads are both right here. Judge for yourself!

“Salespeople reasonably expect their company’s advertising to be interesting enough that the prospect’s receptivity is (at least) a little stimulated. The only other thing salespeople really want from advertising is to have something in hand when they make a call – something that solves a problem or has something to do with the matter at hand.”

~ Ad-man Howard Gossage, from The Book of Gossage

Clean, simple web site for a local law firm gets the job done

Apr 6, 2020

Clean, simple web site for a local law firm gets the job done

Created for:

Ross and Ross, Attorneys at Law
Ipswich, Massachusetts

The Assignment

Ross and Ross is a well-respected local law firm with a long-term presence in Ipswich, Massachusetts. (Their office is in an historic building on Market Street in Ipswich Center. And the family has been in Ipswich since an ancestor arrived in the 1600s.) But they had no presence on the Internet, and they realized the time had come. Our assignment: To develop, write and produce a simple, dignified and informative web site for Ross and Ross.

What this web site does …

• Local photos help people place Ross and Ross in their minds
• Headline addresses question the Ross and Ross lawyers hear most often
• Simple site introduces the firm and makes it easy to contact them

How Patrice Robertie | Acorn Advertising helped …

By developing the concept and writing the copy, we help clients have web sites that are perfect for their businesses and their goals.

“Ideas presented in your web site should flow in a logical fashion, anticipating your prospect’s questions and answering them as if the questions were being asked face-to-face.”

~ Joseph Sugarman, in Advertising Secrets of the Written Word

Local bank explains their straightforward approach to checking

Apr 6, 2020

Local bank explains their straightforward approach to checking

Created for:

North Brookfield Savings Bank
North Brookfield, Massachusetts

The Assignment

North Brookfield Savings Bank’s competitors’ checking packages were complicated and/or expensive. North Brookfield Savings Bank, on the other hand, made it very easy for customers to get free checking. Our assignment? To create an “evergreen”ad to get the word out.

What this ad does …

• Targets people fed up with other banks’ strings-attached “free” offers
• Highlights a pair of honestly-free checking options
• Appealing photo reinforces the friendly message”

How Patrice Robertie | Acorn Advertising helped …

Too many companies in their marketing focus on what they offer – forgetting that there may be something else that their customers value more. In this ad, we provide complete product information on two different kinds of checking accounts and demonstrate the Bank’s genuine respect for their customers’ intelligence, time and money.

“It has been shown that the most effective advertisements appeal to the reader’s self-interest or give news.”

~ David Ogilvy, in Confessions of an Advertising Man

Direct mail letter for CPA looking to do more than taxes

Apr 6, 2020

Direct mail letter for CPA looking to do more than taxes

Created for:

T.F. Allen & Company CPAs
Belmont, Massachusetts

The Assignment

The people at T.F. Allen had purchased a mailing list of 500 names of new Metro Belmont homeowners and recent remodelers. Our assignment? To create a letter to introduce these high-income local individuals to the outstanding CPAs at T.F. Allen & Company.

What this postcard series does …

• Uses (3) “identification scenarios” to immediately involve the reader
• Sidesteps the standard tax prep cliché to highlight other services offered
• Paragraph breaks lead readers right to detail-packed “calls to action”

How Patrice Robertie | Acorn Advertising helped …

Companies that can’t (or won’t!) talk about what makes them special lose opportunities to make good connections with customers. Showcasing a firm’s approach and philosophy makes it easier to attract clients who will value that approach.

“The fact that others are moving in a certain direction is always proof, at least to me, that a new direction is the only direction.”

~ George Lois, in What’s The Big Idea?

Dramatic postcard generates leads for South Coast insurance agency

Mar 31, 2020

Dramatic postcard generates leads for insurance agency

Created for:

Narragansett Financial Insurance Agency
Fall River, Massachusetts

The Assignment

Most local insurance agency advertising is hokey, uninformative or non-existent. Our assignment: To create a series of postcards to generate attention and inquiries for the newly-acquired and re-named Narragansett Financial Insurance Agency. (Shown here is postcard #1 in a series of 4.)

What this postcard series does …

• Uses dramatic photos and friendly, conversational language
• Stands apart from typical, lifeless prospect mailings
• Quick-read postcards build awareness; Easy for prospects to hold on to

How Patrice Robertie | Acorn Advertising helped …

Wealthy people have always had access to expert insurance professionals who use their knowledge to help clients protect their homes and other important assets. With this postcard series, we introduced the idea that a resourceful local insurance agency can provide that protection to local families.

“Find a few paragraphs you’ve written and – without changing the message – replace all the predictable phrases and ideas with unexpected and interesting ones.”

~ Roy H. Williams, in Tools & Techniques for Profitable Persuasion

Local bank reaches out to homeowners with equity

Mar 19, 2020

Local bank reaches out to homeowners with equity

Created for:

Windsor Federal Savings Bank
Windsor, Connecticut

The Assignment

Windsor Federal Savings is a well-managed and well-liked local bank which had never done a significant amount of advertising and so did not have an “ad look” or a plan for regular, targeted outreaches to good potential customers. Our assignment: To develop an approach for the Bank, and to write and produce an advertisement for their range of home equity loans.

What this ad does …

• White space lets us include a lot of information in one appealing ad
• Friendly, conversational copy represents the style of the Bank’s people
• “Graphics column” provides flexibility for using rates and photo … or not!

How Patrice Robertie | Acorn Advertising helped …

This client wanted to see if it would be possible to have a “look” for their ads that also let them communicate important details. We listened and showed them it would be possible to get exactly that.

“I have learned to respect good ideas, wherever they come from. Often they come from clients.”

~ Ad-man Leo Burnett, in 100 Leos

Wisdom From Advertising Greats

Success Stories

In A Nutshell

What clients & colleagues say ...

If you think I may be able to help ...

Somebody’s reading that stuff … we have the numbers to prove it!

A client sends a monthly e-newsletter to customers. They’ve been getting a very positive direct response. And they’ve been encouraged to see the post-send reports of how many customers actually open the e-newsletter and presumably, at the least, scan through. Talking about their experience at a seminar, a panelist challenged them: “E-newsletters?! Nobody reads that stuff!” My client stood their ground. “Our customers do,” he said. “And we have our own numbers to prove it.”

Getting the word out …

A metrowest Boston law firm with two specialties traditionally depended on referrals. But business was way down! No surprise - they did no active outreach and had a rudimentary web site. We put together a local newspaper advertising program that got them in front of potential clients at a reasonable cost, and created a simple, modern web site. Things turned around. They even started getting business from out-of-state attorneys who found them on the Web!

Local newspaper delivers better results than the Web

A bank client called. They’d been advertising on Monster.com for part-time tellers. But they were overwhelmed by the flood of responses from faraway applicants who were never going to move thousands of miles for these jobs. I suggested they forget about Monster and put a display ad - not classified! - in the local paper. The ad was created, it ran and within a week they had five terrific local candidates. They ultimately hired two.

Making good use of being stuck at a trade show

A bank client wanted to support a local home show and they suspected that chatting with a banker might not be high-priority for the attendees. So we came up with an idea giving them a reason to go and talk with the other local business people there ... an “exhibitor only” drawing. It worked! They had good conversations. They had fun. And connections they made at that show led directly to several new commercial loans.

When life happens …

Clients often work with me for 10 to 15 years and more. So they benefit from having the consistent message, keep-in-touch marketing that helps “Trusted Advisor”/professional service firms connect with good prospects. Having an established marketing relationship also helps when “life happens.” One winter, a long-term client fell, shattering her leg. She was out for weeks. But because we had worked together so long, her projects moved forward seamlessly. Not one ball was dropped!

Accomplishing a big project … step-by-step-by-step

Having an e-newsletter to send to customers & prospects had been a client’s dream for years. But it kept getting left on the back burner. Finally it was green-lighted. Putting the whole thing together was A Big Job. In weekly phone meetings, my client and I took it step-by-step-by-step. And we made it happen. From no e-newsletter to one she loves (and understands completely). She’s delighted! And they’re already getting new business calls from it!

Sometimes the simpler answer really is the best one

A client was invited to be a regular guest blogger for an industry leader. A fantastic opportunity! When they wanted a brochure from him to hand out at an event, we realized that a color copy of his most recent blog would be even better – quick, inexpensive, easy to produce. And it worked. Attendees mostly ignored the brochure table. But many could be seen reading his blog reprint that had been left on their chairs!

There are many ways …

A long-term client was retiring and his son was taking over the business. The father was a big fan of print advertising; his son had a strong preference for personal networking. “I’ll tell my son he has to work with you,” my client said. “No way!”, I instantly replied. “He gets to do what he thinks is right.” There are many good ways to get the word out. It’s okay to use ones you like!

Order from chaos …

A recent client called because they wanted to do a mailing to their contact list, but they needed help creating the letter and the list was in shambles. We wrote a letter they loved and turned their mailing list into an organized, easily-reusable Excel spreadsheet. They were delighted with the response ... many phone calls, emails and even an eventual merger offer from a former colleague who got back in touch because of the mailing.

What does Google know about advertising anyway?!

If someone did a poll asking which two ways to advertise were *Most Likely To Be Dead As A Doornail,” chances are phone calling and direct mail would come in right at the top. So how come Google – the company that 99.999% owns online advertising! – uses both of those so heavily? Because Google knows *the old ways* still deliver … and they aren’t one little bit shy about using whatever works to build their business.

Helping a client explore a new idea …

A local cable TV sales rep approached a client to see if they’d be interested in advertising on TV. The cable company’s first proposal was way too expensive – my client was curious but not *that* curious. They brought me in to negotiate a “test the waters” schedule … at one-third the cost of the original proposal! Now they feel good about experimenting, and – if TV proves to be successful - there’s plenty of room to grow.

Sometimes it takes a while for advertising to work

Just before their first campaign started running, I told a new client they’d be tempted to pull it before they started seeing measurable results ... but I wouldn’t let them. That’s exactly what happened. They called about two months in and said they weren’t seeing anything. “Remember,” I replied, “We’re staying the course.” About a month later, serious prospects started responding. Amazed, the client asked how I knew that’d happen. Because it so often does!

They actually thought my ideas were just what they needed …

Meeting with a local financial services company, we got talking about what a medium-sized local business actually needed for marketing and advertising today. Some of the strategy-moving-forward ideas I brought up really connected with what they were thinking about too. Especially when it came to the importance of finding sensible and consistent ways to keep in touch regularly with people who are likely to buy soon. It’s not flashy ‘magic’ – it’s a process that works.

There are so many good ways to get the word out …

A “Top 25” metrowest insurance agency heard I helped a client use local newspaper to find employees. They wanted to try that too. They also mentioned a popular insurance industry web site where they could post help wanted positions free. “Let’s run our listings there first,” I told them. “We may not even need to run an ad!” The industry listings worked like a charm - they never did run a newspaper ad after all!

A Charitable Giving Policy that makes sense for the giver …

A local insurance agency client was tired of being asked for charitable contributions. The individually-small amounts were really adding up but he felt the money he gave made no difference at all! Working together, we came up with a Charitable Giving Policy focusing on his passion for music. Especially jazz. Now he gives meaningful amounts to several non-profits that support jazz education. And he has an established, clear, objective basis for turning down other requests.

A media rep puts my client’s best interest last …

A media rep called with an interesting opportunity for one of my clients. “How much?”, I asked. $50,000 for the year, he said. I was flabbergasted – that was 5 times what they were spending with him. I asked what made him think they’d go for that. “Can’t hurt to start at the top,” he said. But that was “the top” for him, not for my client. We passed without even asking about less expensive options.

Marching (reluctantly!) to the beat of a different drummer leads to success

When a client kept seeing color ads in their local paper, they wanted their ads in color too. But the paper charged a 25% premium for color. And their ads would have to be significantly redesigned to make good use of it. In the end, they decided to stick with black & white. The happy result? On a page packed with 4-color ads canceling each other out, their simple, clean ad totally dominated the page!

No wonder they weren’t seeing much bang for their advertising buck!

A local bank called, concerned that they were spending $300,000 a year on advertising and “not getting anything from it.” We started looking at what that number was made up of and it turned out to be everything but the kitchen sink - coffee in the branches, seminars for staff, rebuilding an ATM, a flat-screen TV. All kinds of branch operation expenses. The bottom line? They were barely spending anything on actual advertising at all!