Every decision we make is driven by logic and emotion. This combination includes both conscious and subconscious thoughts.
Understanding your customers’ mental triggers can help you tap into their psyche and get them to say yes to the insurance program and service you’re offering them.
Before we unpack these tips, I need you to take the following oath: “I promise to only use these psychological triggers for good and to do no harm.” (Go ahead, hold your hand over your heart, repeat the oath. I’ll wait.)
Okay, now that we’ve settled that, let’s take a look five fundamental rules that can open doors, minds, and wallets. (There are more than five, but this should give you a good running start.)
These tips, when used correctly, help move prospects know, like and trust you while moving them through your sales process faster.
5 Mental Triggers You Can Easily Use
The five mental triggers you’ll want to focus on include building authority, anticipation, reciprocity and social proof. Let’s take a look at what each trigger type means and how you can do it in in your insurance business.
Authority occurs when you position your personal brand or insurance company as an expert for a specific industry or a particular service. For example, we specialize in finding workers’ comp policies for your hard-to-place clients. To demonstrate this expertise, we continue to create and offer free information, tools, and resources about selling workers’ comp insurance. Our knowledge and understanding about the topic of workers’ comp is one of the many ways we prove our authority in the space.
Your Turn: Consider writing a consistent blog or creating videos with tips about the area you specialize in. When you do this, you’re building your credibility as a thought-leader. (Tip: You can share the content and resources we create as your own, which saves you time and can make you look good.)
Anticipation is as American as apple pie. From sporting events like the Super Bowl or Final Four to the next new product Apple is going to release – the excitement and anticipation build.
Your Turn: You can do leverage anticipation in your insurance business by creating a campaign to build excitement about the next new product line you’re going to offer. Consider adding a “Coming Soon” page to introduce customers to new services well before the launch date. You may also want to handpick long-term customers to receive the new insurance product or service before anyone else.
You can also use the power of anticipation to map out and respond to any potential objections before they are asked. When you lead with answers to anticipated objections, you’re showing you understand the customer’s perspective. In turn, you build trust and confidence in your expertise. This approach makes it is easier for the sale to occur.
Reciprocity occurs when you offer customers something helpful and valuable. In turn, they feel obligated to give you something. This approach works because we tend to get uncomfortable when we feel like we owe someone something.
Your Turn: One way to create reciprocity is by reminding people what you’ve given them and specifically asking for something in return. Here’s an example: “Since I’ve given you this free checklist of workers’ comp questions, could you do me a favor and share this link with your friend socially?”
Scarcity occurs when a product or service is available in limited amounts. When people perceive something has a limited supply, it tends to make it more desirable and attractive. Scarcity works because of the fear of missing out phenomena.
Your Turn: Consider creating limited-time scarcity by focusing on the fact that there are only a few days left before the rates increase. Consider offering a discount or special offer to the first 10 people who sign up with you.
Social Proof conveys that buying insurance products from you is the safe thing to do. Social proof occurs on your website and through your social media channels.
Your Turn: One way to do this is to share your customer success stories. When you show prospects how others who have used your insurance services and experienced positive results, they are more likely to engage your services, too. Another way to do this is by listing the types of products and services you’ve sold. (You can find an example of how we do this here.)
What to You Can Do Next
Using these mental triggers create a subtle impact on the risk your customers perceive when they agree to buy insurance products and services from you. Applying these principles can increase your sales with yes responses.
Try one or all of these strategies with your business, and you are sure to see your sales grow.
While you’re at it, since I helped you out with these tips, can you please click one of the buttons below to share this article with your social channels. (See what I did there?!)