Writing Challenges for Insurance/Financial Services Professionals

Special challenges

Difficult-to-convince prospects-who can't understand why your firm is better than the competition.
Hostile customers-e.g. who are angry that a claim has not be paid or that a call has not been returned.
Tendency to be vague when reporting financial information.

Solutions

Challenge #1: Difficult-to-convince prospects

Solution: Proposals that get to the point immediately, because most decision-makers don't want to read too many pages before learning what sets your company apart from competitors.
Example-first sentence of proposal

We recommend a disease management program that will identify employees' chronic conditions, enabling us to develop tailored clinical interventions that can lower your health care costs by 15% in the first year.

Challenge #2: Hostile customers

Solution: An appropriate tone, which bridges the gap between the client's needs and your message.
Example-part of your reply to a hostile letter

We know that calls have not been returned promptly over the past few weeks due to technical problems with our phones. Fortunately, we have just installed an advanced phone system, and guarantee that from this point forward all calls will be returned within 24 hours.

Challenge #3: Vague reporting of financial information

Solution: Be specific, so there's no confusion.
Example

Vague

According to the report that was delivered at the very beginning of October regarding third quarter commercial auto claims, 15% was the increase.

Clear

According to the October 1 report, commercial auto claims were 15% higher during the third quarter of 2005 than during the third quarter of 2004.

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