- Pay attention to what they’re saying and engage them. When you phone a prospect or a current client, be on the lookout for fresh opportunities. Inquire about their hobbies (do they require motorbike or boat insurance? ), whether they have children (would it be prudent to discuss life insurance? ), and whether they own any investment properties (do they require liability coverage?). You will be able to address their issues by allowing them time to discuss and asking open-ended inquiries. It will also aid in engaging them rather than pitching them throughout the call. You should also be on the lookout for hints regarding what will influence their purchasing decisions. Not every customer is seeking for the best deal. Some people are more interested with ratings or technological advancements. Take notes during the chat because you are unlikely to recall everything.
- Avoid using jargon or slang. Speaking with a salesperson who is speaking in a foreign language is a turnoff. Save the industry jargon for interactions with your coworkers and communicate in plain English to buyers. When calling a potential client, use professional language and avoid slang. If you were meeting in person, you would dress in business casual wear at the very least; maintain the same demeanor over the phone to increase your trustworthiness. Those prefer to buy from people who are clever and self-assured.
- Be ready for the phone call. Practice your pitch, figure out where you stand in comparison to competitors, learn everything you can about sales, and seek help from more experienced insurance salespeople. More advice on boosting the efficacy of your inside sales pitch may be found in this blog post.
- Make a name for yourself as an expert. It’s critical to create credibility and authority when selling insurance over the phone. Your potential customers need to know that they’re buying from a professional who can give them all the information they require. When it comes to selling life insurance, your credibility as an expert is very important. People want to buy from someone they can trust and who will consider their best interests when making an offer because it is such a huge decision.
- Establish a rapport with your potential customer. Building rapport and providing a comfortable environment that allows potential clients to open up, share all of their concerns, and be truthful about what they require is the first step toward gaining trust. When you answer the phone, always smile since prospective prospects can hear your happy voice even if they can’t see you. As a result, you’ll come across as pleasant and approachable, and your prospects will feel at ease.
Small chat and a question along the lines of “How’s your day going?” will help you break the ice. This will humanize your approach, and your prospects will not believe they are conversing with a chatbot. Also, as your prospect is speaking, use so-called verbal nods like I see, ah, right, mhm, and so on to show that you’re paying attention. Using the same words, especially the adjectives, that your prospects use can demonstrate to them that you are paying attention and comprehending what they are saying. All of this will assist you in demonstrating empathy and building connection with your prospects, as well as breaking down communication hurdles that may arise throughout the phone chat.
- Don’t give up hope. You might be able to sell some insurance products in only one call, but expect a second or third call. Your prospect may need to do some research to evaluate your pricing, confer with their spouse, or decide not to trust you after just one conversation. âDon’t take it personally, but don’t give up. Whether you get a flat âno,â ask if you can call back when their contract is up for renewal.
- Being well-organized is essential. Everything you’ll need to close the deal is there at your fingertips. It’s a good idea to open any relevant files before dialing so you don’t have to fumble around looking for documents during the call. Underwriting rules are something you’ll want to have on hand at all times.
- Make a script for your pitch. Prepare a written sales script that includes everything you’ll need to say to your prospects. Once you’re on the phone, you can adjust the script to match the tone of your contact, but remember your pitch so you can add inflections to your voice and avoid sounding like a monotone recording.
- Make a copy of the concluding statement as a backup. Is your potential client still undecided? Keep a backup closing statement on hand. Ask if you may call them again at their next renewal time, or if you can send them a comparison of quotes, which ties in with advice number four. Having a visual representation of your services rather than just hearing the numbers might help the buyer appreciate the value of your services.
Create an opening and closing:
Create a sales call opening and close that you are comfortable with, since practice makes perfect. Some calls will necessitate a modification. However, if you have an idea of how you want to introduce yourself, rehearse it until it sounds natural, confident, and genuine. Once you’ve started making calls, assess the success of different tactics to see which ones perform best for you and your target audience. Agents must know what to reveal and what things they must keep hidden. During your interaction, you want to easily segue to your closure. Whether or not your customer is ready to enroll in a plan.
Be organized:
Your clients will be able to tell if you are stressed by the tone of your voice. Maintaining a well-organized workspace can assist you in remaining calm, collected, and focused. Keep a calendar handy to keep track of your appointments and phone calls. Make sure that online tools are set up to meet your specific needs and preferences. During a sales call, you should have quick access to whatever information you’ll need; you don’t want a prospect to have to wait while you shuffle papers to find something.
Prepare for objections:
Insurance selection can be stressful, and your client may have legitimate worries. Others may simply be hesitant to make major decisions and may make reasons for not being ready to commit. Overcoming objections is a necessary aspect of the insurance sales process; be prepared to listen, show compassion, and utilize your knowledge to help a client overcome their concerns.
Ask questions:
Make no assumptions. Instead, use guided inquiries to help you figure out what your client needs. Understanding your client’s priorities can help you narrow down the types of insurance products and services that they are interested in. Inquiring about someone is also a terrific approach to connect with them. Building a positive rapport with a client is essential for a fruitful and long-lasting relationship, one that will hopefully result in more sales and referrals.
Listen:
Listening abilities are more difficult to master than you might believe. Instead of listening to learn, most of us listen to respond. It’s your job as an insurance agent to figure out what goods and services a prospect will value. It can be difficult to sort through a prospect’s fears and reservations to determine exactly what they require, but great listening can help you close the deal.
Evaluate your success and failure:
It’s easy to fall into a habit after a few hours of making sales calls. Take a moment to reflect on your triumphs and mistakes on a regular basis. It’s preferable to discover and correct a flaw in your sales strategy. Visit our website Insurance Agents to learn how to become an insurance agent while sitting at home.
Be sincere:
Avoid sounding as if you’re delivering a prepared sales pitch. When speaking with a client over the phone, be prepared. Sincerity comes over in your voice, inflection, and tone, and it’s crucial for building the trust that leads to successful insurance sales. There are a lot of brokers fighting for your business in the insurance market. Stand out from the crowd by exhibiting a real interest in assisting your clients in obtaining high-quality, low-cost healthcare coverage.
Customize your conversation:
Use your client’s name throughout the call, and if you’ve already spoken, go through your notes from the last call before picking up the phone. Mention what you talked about when it’s appropriate, and follow up on any concerns or issues they raised earlier. Nobody wants to feel like they’re just another customer. Make your customers feel as valuable as they are. Each client can assist you in improving your reputation and increasing sales; show them how much you appreciate their business by personalizing your conversation.
Choose your words carefully:
Words are important. Avoid using slang, acronyms, or other unprofessional terminology. While it is critical to have a cordial relationship with your clientele. Maintain a courteous demeanor throughout all of your interactions. Recognize your client’s terms and phrases in order to reassure them that you understand and are reacting to their specific issues.
Exude confidence:
Confidence and arrogance are two sides of the same coin. However, in order to demonstrate your competence while being humble as an insurance sales representative, you will need to moderate your words and actions. Allow your real desire to help your client to seep through in every interaction, but don’t be afraid to explain why they should pick you.
Also see: Understanding the Difference Between an Insurance Broker and an Insurance Agent to Make Better Decisions.
How do you successfully sell over the phone?
1. Use Discovery Questions to look for signs of interest.
2. Get used to dealing with objections in order to get at the truth.
3. Maintain Command of the Call
4. Pay attention to the prospect.
5. Honesty in the presentation of all relevant data
Allow me to pose a question to you. When you get a cold call, do you get excited? What if you need to contact your cable, internet, or phone company?
Lack of coaching, among other things, has contributed to a terrible stigma among salespeople, to the point where we now choose to communicate through alternative means.
Instead of chatting personally with potential clients, most sales people prefer to communicate with them via live chats or messages.
I’ll be the first to say that I’ve made some truly awful cold calls! I’ve also had my share of terrible demos, discovery calls, and negotiation strategies. The good news is that I’ve learned from my mistakes, so you won’t have to repeat them.
Here are five phone sales techniques to help you sell over the phone while avoiding common pitfalls.
How do you sell insurance effectively?
The common goal, regardless of the sort of insurance you offer, is to boost sales and your pipeline. The good news is that there are a number of low-cost options to grow your business. Here are five tactics for selling insurance that have been proven to work.
Sales pitches and scare techniques are disliked by the general public. Your greatest prospects don’t want to be lectured on the importance of your insurance coverage in protecting their assets. People are looking for solutions to their own difficulties. Assist your consumers in seeing how the policies you’re giving will assist them handle either a problem they haven’t encountered yet or one they will encounter down the line. Work with your prospects to show them that you’re providing them with more than just insurance; you’re providing them with peace of mind.
Any strategy for selling insurance must be based on achieving realistic objectives. In the first week, how many appointments do you want to schedule? What about the twelve-week period? What proportion of the meetings should result in a sale? If you’re scared your goals are a little too lofty, don’t be afraid to create attainable targets so you may gain confidence and feel like you’re making progress toward your objectives.
You’ve probably heard how important it is to network on a regular basis.
Keep up with the latest industry news by attending meetings, tradeshows, and conferences.
Seek out peers who have achieved considerable achievement while also facing adversities that have provided opportunity for learning and growth.
How do I cold call my business for insurance?
When someone picks up the phone, they are much more inclined to converse with a pleasant caller. These techniques can help you maintain a positive attitude:
Focus on the benefits of your items rather than the premiums. Keep in mind that the worst that can happen is that they will say no.
How do you approach insurance clients?
That is why I developed this tool. Visit this site to identify an agency that is a role model for others in order to help new insurance salespeople succeed and urge employing agents to consider young and inexperienced applicants.
Please forward this information to any young insurance salespeople you know. And if you’re one of them, here’s what you should do:
To be an untrained yet extremely successful insurance salesperson, follow these 21 tips:
How do you pitch for insurance sales?
It should begin with a strong sentence that addresses the demands of customers and why they require insurance.
- Address their concerns: The majority of insurance consumers have similar inquiries, and they are frequently their main worries. It could include information like as the premium amount, coverage, and even claims.
- Describe the advantages of your insurance policy: Pricing, special offers, the purchase process, and claims resolution are all possibilities.
How do I close more insurance sales?
When it comes to sales, even the most accomplished insurance professional might face a snag now and then. In your sales efforts, you can use a variety of strategies. Because no single strategy will work in every case, having a few options based on the situation and your prospect is a good idea.
1. Sell the asset’s worth
Make sure you explain to your consumer why the product you’re recommending is a better fit for their specific situation than something from another provider (or another broker). It’s fine to sell based on cost if carrier A offers a plan with a similar network but cheaper charges. If, on the other hand, the plan you’re recommending is more expensive, make sure you explain why. Many of the benefits of an HMO are available with an EPO, but it often has more flexibility when it comes to self-referrals. Inquire if there are any specific doctors, specialists, or hospitals that employees want to be able to keep if their health coverage change. Compare different provider networks or the prescription drug benefits of the plans under consideration with some pictures. This can help you stand out from the crowd and form a better bond with your prospect. According to studies, more than 90% of people base their decisions on visual input data. Images are processed far faster in the brain than words. Furthermore, your buyer will want to buy from you if they can perceive the value of what you’re delivering.
2. Give examples and pose questions
For your customers, become a storyteller. Tell them about how you’ve helped others save money on employee benefits or lower employee out-of-pocket expenses. Ask inquiries to learn more about the employer’s or benefits manager’s priorities. For example, inquire about their current insurance plan (if any) and any problems they’ve had while covered by it.
It’s critical to establish a relationship with your consumers so they believe you’re working for them, not for yourself or the insurance companies. This will build trust and demonstrate that you care, removing their objections to purchase and getting you closer to a sale. Asking your sales staff to sit together and share objections they’ve heard from others is a smart way to help you prepare for objections. This way, you’ll be better prepared for what you might face.
3. Take it slowly.
While some argue that a “now or never” or “urgency” close can be effective in sales, it does not work well in the context of insurance or employee benefits. It’s unlikely that the package you’re promoting includes a gift or a discount. The best you can hope for is to utilize your knowledge of an impending rate rise to persuade an employer to implement the increase sooner rather than later or to adopt a different strategy without a stated rate increase. If there is a bonus program in place, that could be beneficial to you; however, if you’re working in the best interests of your customer, you won’t be swayed by further money if the incentive plan is more expensive or provides a poorer network for your client.
4. Don’t make promises you can’t keep and then over-deliver.
If you’re working with a customer who needs coverage right now, don’t make the mistake of agreeing to a start date before you know what you can fairly expect. Carrier specifications differ, and some may be more flexible than others. There are many steps involved in the underwriting and enrollment of an insurance contract, but only a few of them can be accelerated. Online registration could save time, but it is not appropriate for every organization because it requires access to a computer, which not all firms supply for all of their employees. Engage in an open communication with your consumers to guarantee that both parties’ expectations are met.
5. Stop putting forth so much effort.
Rather than focusing on the closure, assist your client in finding the best match for their scenario. Is the approach you’re advocating financially and in terms of the employer’s staff sound? The more you push, the more likely your prospects will push back. Listen, talk, and share what you’ve learned. Don’t let your excitement or nerves force you to overlook a clue that your prospect is ready to buy.
Of course, whether you succeed or fail, you should follow up. Send a thank-you note if the sale goes through. Don’t give up if you fall short. Later, follow up with your non-successful sales leads. You never know when things may change or when they will be more receptive to you and your health plan.
Our team at Word & Brown is dedicated to our continued success. We provide a wide range of sales and marketing materials, as well as a team of dedicated sales specialists to present alongside you, as well as compliance and account management experts to help you keep your clients satisfied and coming back year after year. To get started, go to our new broker website or contact one of our six regional offices.
What does an insurance telemarketer do?
The activity of selling insurance products and services over the phone is known as insurance telemarketing. This technique may include “cold calling,” in which insurance salespeople call potential consumers without warning.
What are your selling techniques?
Here are five selling strategies that every salesman should know.
- Active listening is a skill that may be learned. One of the reasons why potential clients are apprehensive of salespeople is that they expect a forceful approach and pressure to buy from them.