Is there a local employer who has a track record of being very supportive of the CPCU, the Society and your chapter? Has an organization been generous in terms of sponsoring chapter events or activities? If you haven’t thanked them recently for their support, maybe it’s time! (See “Thank You” Visits). Have you heard from any of your members that an employer in your area is cutting back on support for the designation, Society membership or chapter activities? Have a conversation to find out why. (See “Feedback” Visits). Have any of the employers in your area undergone a major organizational change (merger, acquisition, downsizing) or a management shuffle? Introduce or reacquaint new management with the CPCU® designation (bring along a regional marketing executive from The Institutes), the CPCU Society and your chapter. (See “Update” Visits).

Champions can help identify key decision makers in their organization, where and at what level such decisions are made. The Institutes marketing executives for your region can also help identify decision makers. Contact a few of your members who work for the company. They can probably provide invaluable insights. For “thank you” visits, the decision makers involved in approving the support or sponsorship should be invited, along with their management. Consider inviting the senior executive at the office as well for maximum visibility.

A visit does not need to be face-to-face. A conference call can be effective when schedules and travel are a real challenge. A visit does not need to be during business hours, or in an office. Sometimes a lunch or breakfast meeting can be very productive. A visit does not need to be a gathering around a conference table. For “thank you” type visits, a recognition event with key policymakers in attendance is appropriate. A one-on-one conversation with a company executive during a conference is still a contribution to the Connections cause. Champions, chapter members and Institutes’ regional executives can all be helpful in getting on the schedules of the right people. Use all the resources at your disposal!

Does the employer have a CPCU penetration above or below the 3-5 percent average for the industry? Below average numbers could indicate a lack of awareness of the value of the CPCU®. Invite your local Institutes’ regional marketing executive. Contact Malvern for handout materials to leave behind with company executives. Is the employer’s paid ratio below the benchmark for this type of employer (see the Society’s website)? Focus on demonstrating the value of Society membership.

A description of the employer and the office you will be visiting (number of employees at the location, number of CPCUs, product profile, geographic coverage, etc.) The names, titles, current responsibilities and, if available, brief bios of the executives to be visited. A description of the objective(s) of the visit, and key issues to be discussed in the visit. Needless to say, the employer executive(s) you will be visiting should also be aware of who will be coming and the objectives of the visit.

Bring some leave behinds. In addition to materials from Malvern, include information about your chapter: your newsletter, upcoming events and other programs. Collect business cards. You will need them if there are follow-up issues. You can also add them to your mailing lists (with permission) — Society research has found that many decision makers would like to be kept informed on the latest Society programs and events. You can even send copies of the cards to Malvern to have them included in Society distribution lists. Listen and take notes. Ask probing questions about their needs. Even if the goal of the visit is to thank the employer, they may have ideas about what they would like to see from the chapter or the Society in the future. Follow-up. The aforementioned research also found that visit follow-up could be improved. If the employer’s questions can be addressed by the chapter, do so promptly, and stay on top of the issues. If they need to be addressed by Malvern, make sure to file a feedback form and flag that follow-up is needed ("Feedback, Feedback, Feedback!"). Send thank you cards to the company representatives you met.

We’ve made it easy! Submit your feedback using the online Connections Visit Feedback form, or fill out this Word® or pdf document, and email or fax it [(610) 251-2780] to Malvern. If using the online form, you can indicate that follow-up is needed from Malvern, and a separate email alert will be sent.