Prospecting isn't something anyone in the insurance industry would describe as a walk in the park, no matter how long they've been in the business. Finding successful leads has been a moving target for people in the insurance industry for decades and even with all of the technological advances we have to take advantage of. When agents search for prospecting tips online, they typically find that most are outdated and/or ineffective.
In the past, people knocked on doors and visited local businesses in their attempts to create successful business relationships. They might have made 100 cold calls a day. They might have sent letters. It's debatable whether the old strategies still work, but we probably are missing the point entirely. Now is the time for insurance professionals to rethink prospecting and how certain actions fit into the picture.
The following tips might just help you step up your cold calling game. Check them out!
For starters, each agent should have a defined sales funnel that includes a comprehensive list of lead generation sources, affiliates, and networks, as well as a basic understanding that insurance solutions are sought out differently by different target audiences, for example. Prospecting tips for insurance agents often miss the mark when it comes to understanding subtle changes in customer behavior and how to take advantage of them.
The sooner you understand how your target audience behaves and what things in their lives trigger their specific needs regarding your services, the easier prospecting becomes. Similarly, in terms of how you should reach out to a prospect, it depends on where they are in the buyer's journey.
Closing new business should be more straightforward now given the tools available. Insurance agents from the past would kill for the information we have available now. Having access to prospects' personal, business, and social information has never been easier for the average insurance agent thanks to social media. Additionally, CRM tools make it easy to manage all of this information, keep it organized, and make sure that it is used properly.
Create a list of the prospects you want to reach. Then look up emails. Obtain phone numbers. Social media platforms are a great way to reach them. Participate in events where they are. You should make sure that every prospective client knows who you are, what you do, and how you help them achieve their coverage needs.
No agent will deny that referral programs are valuable. It's likely that if you had steady referral business, you wouldn't be searching for insurance agent prospecting tips. So how can you increase referrals by enhancing your approach so that your clients will actively refer you to family, friends, and colleagues? Processes can be automated. Make it easy for referrals to find you by creating an email that automatically sends upon closing a sale. Also, provide a form that customers can fill out with their references' information on a referral page you add to your website. Always be sure to send out follow-up emails and make calls to your referrals.
Many people look online for information, reviews, and websites about different insurance agents when looking for insurance. This means you're going to want to greet new visitors to your website appropriately.
Treat your website like a digital storefront in the virtual shopping plaza. Are you the type of business where someone walks in, browses the items, and leaves without saying a word? The first thing you need to do is greet people with a chatbot to ask questions so you can identify their needs and wants. Question everything. Share information about your business that could be valuable to them. and always ask for their email address as this is the best way to gain permission to market to your "visitors".
With these customer prospecting tips, we hope you'll see a change in your quest to find successful leads so you can start closing deals at a more rapid pace. Good luck!