June 02, 2016
As an insurance agent, buying and working insurance leads, it is important to close as many as possible, to make sure you earn the best possible return on your investment or lead purchase. The following are 11 secrets to closing more of the leads. Keep them in mind as you work your insurance leads and refer back to them periodically, to make sure you don’t revert back to old habits.
1. Speed. Move fast. The moment a lead comes in, call them, email them and send a text message. Your speed and tenacity will show the insurance lead that you want to earn their business. You may not reach them on the initial call, leave a voicemail message, call back a second or third time. Your effort will be rewarded. Some agents just want the ‘easy’ sale, if you are willing to work for it, you will write the business.
2. Technology and social media. Become a master at using technology and social media. Keep your Facebook page up to date, connect with clients and prospects, share articles and stories. Tweet tips on safe driving and how to find the best auto insurance coverage. Post pictures of your happy clients on Instagram. The better social media presence you have, the more likely your leads will want to do business with you.
3. Google yourself often. When was the last time you Googled yourself and your phone number? Do you know what comes up? The first thing most people do is Google the person they are looking to do business with. You should see what people are saying about you and make sure that there are positive reviews and recommendations from people you sold home insurance, auto insurance, life insurance and all the types of insurance you offer. You will want to know what insurance leads will see about you, before they do.
4. Be willing to help everyone. Some agents have a specific demographic that they like to work with and if the insurance lead doesn’t fit within that ‘box’, they tend to not work as hard to earn the business. This is a mistake. You should work hard to win every bit of business you can and have a diverse portfolio of clients. The larger client base you have, the more referrals you will receive and the more business you will generate. When you treat everyone like they are the most important prospect to you, you will write more business.
5. Get to know the person, find something you have in common. People like to do business with people that have an interest in them. Insurance is about trust. As you are working a home or auto insurance lead, get to know the client. If you learn that they just bought a new car for the very first time, tell the lead about your first car. If it is a parent looking for insurance for one of their children, share some tips on what they can do to get the best rate. The more time you invest getting to know the insurance lead, the more likely you will build their trust and earn their insurance business.
6. Work with the insurance lead on the quote to find one that will work. Insurance is extremely competitive. Many insurance agents operate with a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude. They will provide a life insurance or home insurance quote and if the lead doesn’t immediately take it, they end the conversation with a simple, ‘let me know if you change your mind’. Insurance agents should determine what they can do to modify the quote, to make it work for the lead. The more you show you are willing to work for the lead, the more willing they will be to do business with you.
7. Offer discounts and bundle. The more you show that you are willing to work for the insurance lead, to find them the best coverage and rate insurance package, the more willing they will be willing to work with you. Offer every discount that you can, seek to bundle the policy to save the lead money or provide better coverage. The more time you invest with the lead, the more policies you will close.
8. Work with your insurance lead company. View your insurance lead company as your business partner. Develop a cooperative relationship with your insurance lead company staff. These relationships will enable you to learn about new products sooner, they will help you get your returns processed faster and make your experience go smoother. If you have an adversarial relationship with your lead company, you will miss out on many new opportunities.
9. Leads are forever. Once you speak with a lead, it is your lead until the person tells you to stop contacting them. If you don’t write a policy on the first conversation, follow-up on a regular basis. You should nurture or communicate with the insurance lead periodically so that when they are ready to buy, you will be top of mind. Send the lead newsletters, share articles, connect on social media and more. Be creative and original with your interactions and you will be rewarded for your efforts with a new client..
10. Don’t give up. Insurance calls and leads work. You just might need to work with your insurance lead company to make sure they can work for you. You may receive a few auto insurance leads that are not ideal, you may speak with someone who changed their mind about wanting a quote. The key is to not give up and throw your arms in the air and say, ‘insurance leads don’t work’, they do.
11. Never, ever, stop learning. You can always get better. You can always close more insurance leads. You should seek to continuously improve your skills by learning from co-workers, competitors and others in the industry. If you manage a team, you should train your staff and provide refreshers on a regular basis. The more you train and practice, the better you will get at closing life, home and auto insurance leads.
Agent Ethan Kosmin Generated over $200,000 in premiums during first year in business thanks to Contact Concierge.
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