We are all well-versed in addressing the customer’s concerns or objections, but wouldn’t it be nice if you could be prepared enough to avoid them altogether? On this episode of The Ridiculously Amazing Insurance Podcast, Kelly, Dave, and Scott talk through some practical steps you can take to preemptively address those concerns and make the customer interaction much smoother.
First of all, you should be sure to have a sales process in place and that everyone in your agency is using it. Be open to making tweaks along the way to make your process more effective and less prone to customer objections. It is helpful for customers to know where they are in the process and how long they can expect each step to take. Since most people don’t want to deal with their insurance, they want the conversation with their agent to be as quick and painless as possible.
Secondly, don’t look at each customer call as just checking off something on your to-do list for the day. Focus on each customer and build rapport by establishing common ground, telling them a little about yourself, and finding out relevant details about them. In your future conversations with them, ask them about the trip they were about to take after your last call or check in to see how their golden retriever is doing. Build up a relationship as much as you can so your customers don’t dread talking to you, and this will also make it harder for them to say “no” to you when you ask for their business.
Finally, put the boilerplate concerns into your sales process so you address them before they even have a chance. Early on in your conversation, ask them questions like “When do you want to make a decision on this?”, “Are you the sole decision-maker?”, and “Other than price, why did you call me to talk about your coverage?” These answers can be used later on in the conversation if they say they aren’t ready to make a decision, they need to talk to someone else, or the price is too high.
As a bonus tidbit, Dave recommends that you ask for their business in a way that only results in a yes. Perhaps by saying “Would you like me to email you this application so you can print, sign, and return it that way, or could I go ahead and set you up in our e-signature program to make it easier?”
Links:
APPX Sales Program: https://www.agencyperformancepartners.com/services/appx-sales/
Connect with Agency Performance Partners:
https://www.agencyperformancepartners.com/
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/agency-performance-partners/
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