No matter how well you treat your clients and provide them with great service, you are going to see attrition. They’ll leave you for a variety of reasons, most of which you’ll have no control over—cheaper rates, better coverage, relocation, a change in their life circumstances and so on.
Because of this, continual prospecting is crucial to your success in the insurance industry. You need to constantly seek out and bring in new clients to make up for those who go away—and even more new clients if you want to grow your business. Here are eight ways you can up your prospecting game:
1. Bring the Right Attitude
You’re going to get rejected. A lot. There will always be others who are more successful than you. It can be annoying to leave messages and then have to deal with multiple interruptions when you’re trying to do other work later in the day. Ugh.
The sooner you accept and get over the ugh, the better. Yes, prospecting can involve irritations, but it’s also how you find great, life-long customers who refer their friends and family and provide financial stability for you and your family. Think of it as a treasure hunt; riches await if you keep hunting. The yeses are out there.
2. Solve Problems
Having the right attitude also includes understanding that prospecting is not about you, it’s about trying to identify if a consumer has a problem that you can solve. Instead of focusing on what you want to say, listen carefully to what they tell you. Once you understand their perspective, it becomes easier to identify if you have the right products to make their lives better.
3. Prospect Consistently
Since it’s so integral to your business, prospecting must become a habit. Many insurance agents find that doing it at the same time every day—first thing in the morning—is the best choice. You’re fresh, the prospects are fresh, and you get a sense of accomplishment when you complete your outreach early in the day. It also allows time for prospects to call you back later while you’re still working instead of getting your voicemail.
4. Diversify Your Prospecting Methods
In addition to the qualified leads provided by Hometown Quotes, it’s possible to obtain prospects from a lot of different sources—referrals from current customers, direct mail, email marketing, networking events and more. Keeping a lot of irons in the fire will help ensure that you’ve always got a hot one ready to go.
5. Create Scripts
Most of us could use a little help when it comes to saying things concisely. Create scripts for yourself that address how to initiate and close a prospecting call as well as scripts that address any likely objections you might encounter. Remember that your scripts don’t have to be word-for-word; sometimes a list of several bullet points is easier to scan and allows you to pick and choose only the relevant points.
6. Respond Quickly
You probably already know this, but if you miss a call, get an email or see a message from a prospect on social media, you should jump on it. Multiple studies have shown that the sooner you respond, the higher your chances of converting an insurance prospect to a client.
7. Play the Long Game
A complementary strategy to quick responses is to follow up as many as seven times. There is a segment of humans who need multiple touches before they’ll get back to you. So your prospecting strategy every day should also include reaching out to any prospects that you haven’t heard back from yet.
8. Seek Help and Advice
Learn from others who prospect well. Read books, attend conferences and utilize your connections. Ask a successful colleague if you can listen in for an hour as they make prospecting calls or see if they have scripts that they’d be willing to share to inspire you. Whether it helps with your delivery, content or where to find prospects, there’s always something to learn from others who do it well.
This could include calling your Regional Director at Hometown Quotes at 800.820.2981. In addition to sharing their experience as high-producing insurance agents, they can offer prospecting tips and strategies that work for other agents, too.
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