Selling insurance is an art that you have to hone and develop continuously. This occurs by practicing your craft and using a variety of ways to find prospective customers, develop a rapport and showcase the value you bring to them.
Since technology has filled the insurance business landscape with competitiveness, you need to find ways to increase your sales and revenue.
Here are some tips to consider when trying to create and maintain a viable practice:
Listen to Client Conversations. The key is to hone in on the emotions in their words. This can help you uncover your clients’ needs. In doing so, you can tailor the recommendations you make to address their pain points.
Set 90-Day Goals. Annual goals are great but seem a bit lofty. It is hard to measure success and make needed pivots when you’re looking at an entire year. Focus on goals you can achieve within a 90-day time period. You still map out the whole year, but you break it into 90-day chunks that are more manageable. You can easily tweak the upcoming 90-days based on real-time experiences.
Educate about Solutions. Most salespeople are product focused. If you focus on educating about the solutions you offer to solve your prospective client’s needs you’ll create a more engaging conversation that can convert to a sale.
Don’t Be Pushy. Keep in touch with prospects and clients but don’t overdo it. You run the risk of irritating people if you are overly persistent. This can make them reject an offer. Being pushy can get prospective clients to unplug from you and not want to do business with you in the future.
Keep Determined. No matter what happens, never give up. Use your setbacks as learning opportunities. Analyze what occurred and address potential problems. Tweak your process using new strategies. Implement your new approach. Remain committed to meet your goals.
Nurture Your Pipeline. Building relationships can help you close more sales. Connect with contacts on social media. Send personalized, targeted emails. Remember the small things – like birthdays. Set up coffee dates for one-on-one time. Make connections for them by introducing your clients to each other as appropriate.
Make Everyone Feel Important. Give personal attention. Make each client feel like a VIP. Treat them like gold by providing finding ways to offer value and always being available. Let others feel like they are a top priority by focusing on them. Put the smartphone down and look into their eyes. Stop multitasking when you’re on the phone with someone, so they can tell you’re engaged in what they are saying. Find ways to say and show you appreciate them genuinely.
Categorize Your Clients. Some clients need more attention as you develop the relationship while others only require maintenance. By classifying your clients, you can determine which ones need more of your time. This can help you devote your limited resources to those who need it the most.
Commit to Networking. Expand your business by joining a group that meets weekly. This could be a coffee group, an entrepreneurial group, Rotary or Kiwanis. You can find community in person or online through platforms like LinkedIn. Participating in local events can also get your name in front of people in your target market. Regardless of which one you choose, you’ll reap the rewards of the time and energy you put into it.
Leverage Technology. Finding quotes for the right products and services is very time-consuming. Tap into free networks that help do the research for you. When you sign up for a free Syndicated Insurance Resources account, you get access to more than 150 markets and 40+ unique product offerings. You also receive commissions that are higher than others. Using a free tool that saves you time and money? What more could you want? Have questions? Email [email protected] today.
Sharpening your insurance selling skills can help you remain competitive and grow your business. As you know, there are many options to use. Implement the ones that work for you and add to it over time. Remember: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.