Capital Insurance Group New Email Program Achieves
Double Digit Open and Click Through Rates

Industry: Insurance

Product: Response Consulting

Company Overview

Capital Insurance Group is a western regional insurance provider, based in California, that offers home, commercial, agricultural, and auto policies through franchise and independent retail agencies. CIG has been in business for over 100 years, and most recently ventured into online marketing within the last two years.

Challenge

CIG recently created a new online loyalty program and website for existing policyholders called “The Protector Network.” CIG wanted to incorporate an email marketing program as part of the network’s benefits, and make email the primary means of communication with policyholders. While the site had basic functionality, CIG had no prior experience using email as a marketing channel, and a limited number of email addresses in their customer database. Eight weeks prior to “The Protector Network” site launch, CIG came to Return Path’s Professional Services group in need of a strategy for how to best leverage email marketing in order to achieve their business goals, expand their online brand footprint and drive customer engagement. CIG was also looking for implementation guidance, and education on best practices and compliance.

Solution

Return Path’s Professional Services group worked with CIG as part of a collaborative process to become the hub of the launch effort, organizing the schedule and communicating with the various internal and external teams contributing to the program launch.

• Return Path crafted an effective go-to-market email strategy for the new loyalty program, focusing on the customer’s experience during the first 30 days. By using this opportunity to maximize CIG’s brand value, they could create a dialogue that would foster better interaction right from the start.
• Return Path also implemented a customized approach to optimizing data collection during the membership activation process, in order to collect more email addresses for existing policyholders. By making key changes to their IT processes and structure, their new email program would better sync with their overall business goals while utilizing the best practices that would preserve their reputation and result in high response.
• Return Path then instituted a two-pronged communication strategy to include a prospecting phase that promoted loyalty network membership to existing policyholders, as well as an ongoing member message strategy that included a combination of promotional offers and content to increase program relevancy and engagement.
• Partnering with CIG’s creative team, Return Path designed a creative approach that incorporated industry best practices for deliverability, response and optimized rendering. The new creative incorporated clear branding and personalization as well as lifecycle-stage appropriate messaging to create a seemingly 1:1 interaction with their customers.

Results

Upon the launch of the new “Protector Network” loyalty email program, CIG realized very high levels of engagement from their existing (but non-loyalty member) policy clients.

• The first four “prospecting” campaigns averaged 38% open rates and 26% click-to-open rates, resulting in a very healthy 6% conversion rate.
• The subscribe process clearly set program expectations and the optimized welcome message and immediate cadence helped to instantly engage members with the Network.
• Post-launch, the new loyalty-members remained engaged with the bi-weekly CIG messages: open rates averaging 40% and click-to-open rates a very strong 21%.

CIG has continued to realize email channel success following the Return Path messaging strategy, varying content with promotional offers to keep the message flow interesting and relevant for members.

Customer Feedback

“Return Path helped us develop a consistent and engaging course of communication with our loyalty program members. The direction we received for our first prospecting eblasts helped us develop a very strong email list. Return Path has given us peace of mind, knowing that our endeavors are compliant with the CAN-SPAM act. They’ve helped us construct a consistent look and tone that is reassuring to our policy clients and compels them to open the emails. Return Path’s Professional Services team has shown great patience and has been very effective in educating us on email marketing best practices. They have been instrumental in helping us build and maintain a strong message and team. We are extremely pleased with our decision to engage Return Path and ecstatic about the results they have helped us to achieve.”

Sandie Borthwick,
Membership Administrator - The Protector Network CIG Insurance, Inc.