Anupama Nair
www.mediaeyenews.com
In today’s world, call centers and sales over phone is a very common thing. From credit, cards, loans, real estate and insurance, you name it you get sales call. Selling insurance over the phone can be a hard work and require great grit to continue after getting a not so desirable response. You will not be able to close a deal on every call. Some prospects will take a little more work to turn into buyers. However, with a little know-how and the assistance of modern technology, you can bump up your sales numbers.
Here are some tips:
Listen carefully and engage them
Every time you call a prospect or current client listen carefully for new opportunities. Ask questions about their hobbies like do they need motorcycle insurance and if they have any children, would it be beneficial to mention life insurance? Do they have investment properties? By giving them time to talk and asking open-ended questions, ‘you’ll have the opportunity to address their concerns. It will also help in engaging them instead of pitching them for the entirety of the call. You also want to pay attention to clues about what will affect their purchase decisions. Not all prospects are looking for the lowest price. Some are more concerned with ratings or current technology options. Consider taking notes during the conversation as you likely ‘won’t remember everything.
Avoid jargon and slang
It’s not entertaining to be speaking with a salesperson who is talking in another language. Save the industry-specific jargon to conversations with your colleagues and speak only in terms buyers can understand. Use professional language and avoid slang when calling a possible client. If it were an in-person meeting, you would be in business casual attire at the minimum, present yourself with the same decorum over the phone to boost your credibility. People want to buy from intelligent and confident individuals.
Be prepared for the call
You need to practice your pitch, understand where you stand against competitors, read everything you can get your hands on about sales, and ask more experienced insurance salespeople for advice.
Establish yourself as an expert
When you’re selling insurance over the phone, it’s crucial to establish credibility and authority. Your potential clients need to know that they’re purchasing from an expert who can provide all the information they need. Your credibility as an expert particularly applies to selling life insurance. It’s a big decision, so people want to buy from someone they can trust and who will take their best interest into consideration when creating an offer.
Build rapport with your prospect
The first step towards establishing trust is building rapport and creating a comfortable environment that allows potential clients to open up, voice all of their concerns, and be sincere about what they need. Always smile when you’re opening a call because even though your prospects can’t see you, they can hear your smiling voice. As a result, you’ll come off as welcoming and friendly, and your prospects will feel relaxed.
Break the ice with small talk and by asking something along the lines of “How’s your day going?” This will humanize your approach and your prospects won’t be under the impression that they’re talking to a chatbot. Also, when your prospect is talking, let them know that you’re listening by using so-called verbal nods – I see, ah, right, mhm, etc.
Never give up
You may be able to sell some insurance policies in one call be prepared for a second or third call. Your prospect may want to do some research to compare your rates, they may need to consult with their spouse, or they may not trust you after one call. ‘Don’t take it personally, but be persistent. If you get a hard “no” ask if you can call again at their next renewal date.
Be organized
Have everything you need to make the sale available at your fingertips. ‘It’s a good idea to open any relevant files you might need before dialing, so ‘you’re not fumbling around searching for documents during the call. Underwriting guidelines are an important one ‘you’ll want to have easily accessible.
Script your pitch
Have a written script of what you need to say to your prospects. You can change the script around to match the tone of your contact once ‘you’re on the phone, but know your pitch so you can add inflections into your voice and not sound like a monotone recording.
Create a backup closing statement
Is your prospect still on the fence? Have a “backup” closing statement handy. It is ok ask if it’s okay to call again at their next renewal time or even if you can send them a comparison of quotes. Sometimes having a visual instead of just hearing the numbers gives the buyer a chance to understand the value of your services.
