Alan and Kathryn Knowles on Special Risks Protection and Bold Zombie Advertising - MPAF91

In this episode I talk to Alan and Kathryn Knowles from the Special Risks Bureau.

They specialise in insurance for people who have existing conditions or take part in extreme pastimes or hazardous occupations.

The Financial Services industry call this “impaired lives". Alan and Kathryn have a much less gloomy term for it which we'll discover in the chat.

But this small firm recently launched a bold marketing campaign for protection insurance using The Walking Dead's Zombie theme. It's hard hitting. Striking. And not what we've come to expect from financial services firms.

Alan and Kathryn talk about why they've decided to be bigger and bolder and braver than most of their peers and where they are taking their marketing next.

That's all right here in episode 91 of the Marketing Protection and Finance Podcast.

Who are Alan and Kathryn Knowles?

Alan and Kathryn run Cura Financial Services Ltd which is the holding company for the Special Risks Bureau.

Based in North Yorkshire they were shortlisted for the Best Protection Adviser category at the Money Marketing Awards 2016.

Links and Show Notes.

For links to the books and apps mentioned by Alan and Kathryn, please visit http://rogeredwards.co.uk/MPAF for the show notes.

What is the Marketing Finance and Protection (MPAF) Podcast?

It’s the Podcast for Financial Services Professionals looking to share business ideas and inspiration in the world of Marketing, Protection and Finance.

The MPAF Podcast is a 30 minute audio show you download from http://rogeredwards.co.uk/MPAF, iTunes or Stitcher Radio. Each week I’ll be interviewing financial services providers, advisers, experts and journalists.

Interviews to listen to in the car, on the train or on the treadmill.

The main focus of the podcast is on what we can do to make protection and finance more accessible to the consumer and how financial services professionals can develop and promote their businesses.

We’ll look at financial services products, interesting business models and campaigns with an emphasis on the following:

Marketing – talking about how financial services professionals can develop and promote their businesses using traditional marketing tools but focussing on modern content marketing and social media techniques.

Protection – talking about life insurance, critical illness, income protection and other protection products

Finance – talking about pensions, platforms, savings and investments

My aim is to make sure that you will get one or two big business ideas that you can apply to our own business.  Whether it is a sales idea, advice idea, product tweak or simply an app that is worth looking at.

I’m your host, Roger Edwards.

A marketing guy from Edinburgh I help people like you with your marketing strategy, content and social media. Until I set up my own business I was in and out of senior marketing roles in UK Financial Services Companies for two decades. Some of you might remember me as the Marketing Director and Managing Director of Bright Grey and Scottish Provident.

Please subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes and I’d be grateful if you would leave a review. http://rogeredwards.co.uk/itunes

Fancy Appearing on the Show?

Would you be interested in appearing on the MPAF Podcast? Are you working on a new proposition, campaign or a business model you want to talk about? Do you fancy drawing out some inspirational business and marketing ideas that MPAF listeners can take away to use in their own businesses? Do please contact me if you want to get involved. http://rogeredwards.co.uk