The definitive guide on selling insurance.
Embarking on a career in insurance sales can be a smart and lucrative move. With a wide variety of products and an endless list of services, you can develop an agency unique to your skill set and interests. Plus, with so many clients in constant need of insurance in the industry, there will always be a market for work. Due to the ongoing need for insurance from consumers, this guarantees your insurance agent’s salary is as good as the hard work you put in.
Selling insurance involves a well-developed set of skills and strategies. Making sure you focus on each of them will make you more successful long term. You’ll be a more knowledgeable and confident agent. Plus, it will also allow you to better serve your clients.
Knowing your insurance products and making sure you stay up to date is key to being an excellent agent. You’ll also have to market yourself and network to reach new clients. Having a good sales strategy is essential to close the deal successfully.
As you grow your loyal client base, providing exceptional service can earn you valuable referrals. You’ll expand your knowledge base and possibly your products and offerings. You may even need to build a team of employees to help you provide top-notch service.
These sales tips can apply to a wide range of insurance products. However, in a service industry like insurance, a well-thought-out sales and marketing strategy is even more critical. Making sure you are providing great service, and developing a strong reputation is key. Using these tips, you’ll be able to boost your sales and grow as an insurance agent.
Knowing Your Product Inside and Out
Let’s be honest, to the average client, insurance policies are super confusing and overwhelming. A calming, knowledgeable insurance agent that can clearly explain the policy’s ins and outs is a welcoming presence. Being that agent can increase your sales and boost your success.
Soak Up Knowledge
As you’re becoming a licensed insurance agent, you will have to take your licensing exam. Depending on your state, you also may have had to take a prerequisite course.
There is rhyme behind the reason for this. Insurance is a complicated field full of legal restrictions and regulations. There are so many details to consider. Different plans vary so much in coverage that making the smart choice is essential for adequate protection.
With your knowledge, you’ll be able to select the most optimal plan for each of your clients. Whether they want a top of the line coverage or a budget-friendly plan, you’ll be able to find the best policy that works for their needs. You’ll also understand the policy coverage details and make sure they are fully covered in the event that they need to file a claim to recoup a complete loss.
Make sure you stay sharp on the knowledge you absorbed to pass your licensing exam initially. You never know when you’ll have to pull the smallest detail from your back pocket. Remembering these important details not only makes you a better insurance agent, but it also helps you clearly explain policy details to your potential clients.
It’s also essential to stay up to date on your state’s requirements for continuing education. When you take coursework to complete these requirements, it’s important to take it seriously. This is a great opportunity to refresh your understanding and deepen your knowledge base.
When you are confident in your knowledge, that shines through for clients. They, in turn, will be satisfied with having you as their insurance agent. Your insurance understanding can be one of your strongest selling points.
Staying Current on the Insurance Industry
Insurance policies and the rules surrounding them are constantly changing. New laws go into effect, and new plans are regularly released. Staying up to date on these helps you make better recommendations to both your current and potential clients.
You are the guiding light to your clients. They trust you to make sure they have the proper protection according to current regulations. Keeping up with any changes allows you to be a reputable insurance agent and avoid any costly mistakes.
Knowing when new plans are available can help you increase your sales. You may find out that a new policy is ideally suited to benefit one of your clients’/ leads.’. By being the first person to recommend this policy to them, you’re more likely to secure the sale. It also shows that you care about them having the best protection for their needs.
Be Resourceful and Confident
As an insurance agent, it’s impossible to know absolutely everything about insurance. A potential client may ask you a question that stumps you. How you handle those situations can make or break the sale.
When handling a question that you don’t know the answer to, stay confident. Be upfront and honest about this being a learning opportunity. Also, under no circumstances should you guess and risk providing incorrect information.
Let your potential client know that you have the resources to answer their question quickly. Communicate that you want to make sure you are giving them the best possible guidance. Then, find the information they are looking for and provide them with quality advice regarding it.
Showing complete visibility and finding the answers will show potential clients that you are a savvy problem-solver. They will likely see that no matter what hurdle comes their way, you are by their side to get them through it. Your abilities and trustworthiness as an insurance agent will increase in their eyes.
Identifying and Knowing Your Audiences
One of the most important things to do as an insurance agent is to define your target audience. Who exactly are you trying to sell insurance policies too? And you need to know who you’re selling to. Not only does this help you identify with your potential clients, but it also enables you to market yourself more effectively.
Defining Your Audience
First and foremost, you need to focus on what type of insurance you plan to sell. The specific insurance will dictate the target audience for your product. Are you selling life insurance or home policies? Maybe you are focused on auto coverage policies that provide low-cost minimum coverage. Here is a list of different insurance types you can sell (there are so many that this list isn’t fully complete, but you get the idea):
- sell life insurance
- car insurance
- boat insurance
- motorcycle insurance
- business insurance
- restaurant insurance
You may decide to sell a combination of these insurance products. That means that you will likely be targeting different audiences with different messaging and promotions.
Find your focus and think about your audience and their behaviors. This allows you to develop a client-oriented focus that will appeal to a broader audience. You’ll be able to identify with your clients and create marketing that speaks to them.
If you are looking to sell policies to an older demographic, you need to consider the methods to reach them. Make sure you’re listed in the phone book and put an ad in the local paper. Door to door cold calling is another personal approach that can appeal to more mature generations.
Are you trying to break through to younger clients? Think about their habits as consumers. Digital marketing can put you in touch with the 3.2 million users connected online. Utilizing the internet to reach your audience can pay off big time. Well-placed banner ads can help you capitalize on browsing eyes.
Geographic Reach
As you organize your business, you’ll want to think about your target audience and its logistics. Are you focused on being primarily a local insurance agent with many clients located in the area? Or do you plan to have a virtual-oriented business model so you can reach a larger, more widespread population?
If you choose to be a local insurance agent, you’ll want to be strategic regarding your office placement. You want to be easy to get to, so clients can meet with you conveniently. While you’re still somewhat constrained by distance, an easy-to-office location makes serving your clients much simpler.
You also might want to consider meeting clients in their homes. The convenience for your clients will make them feel more valued and will give you the chance to know them better on a personal level. It also gives you access to clients who are unable to leave their homes or lack transportation.
Technology has eliminated the barriers of proximity in selling insurance. You can choose to take your availability online and reach a whole new audience. Having a well-oiled machine and online sales process allows you to use these tools to serve clients just as well as if you were in person.
However, virtual communications can often seem sterile. Make sure to use techniques that make them more personal. Hold virtual meetings and video conferences whenever possible. The personal touch will allow you to get to know potential clients better, even remotely. That connection can be the bridge that ultimately earns you the policy purchase.
However you choose to reach your audience, developing relationships should be your priority. Purchasing insurance involves a lot of trust in your insurance agent. By showing them that you are trustworthy, caring, and knowledgeable, you can increase your clients and sales.
Marketing Yourself and Your Services
Half the battle when selling insurance is letting people know you and your services exist. Just like any product, you will have to effectively market your business to be successful. If you put the hard work in, you will see results.
Develop a Marketing Plan
A marketing plan is essential in making your business a success. It’s crucial that this plan be detailed and created with a client focus in mind. If you have little to no marketing experience, enlisting an expert may be a good investment.
Your marketing plan should include a well thought out budget. It should also include areas where you have specific goals for each of your marketing channels. Considering branding initiatives within your marketing plan is a smart move.
Clearly defined marketing goals that can be measured are a must-have for the vision of your plan. Being able to clearly see data that determines the effectiveness of your efforts is key. This will allow you to best adjust your plan as necessary.
If you are working with others, responsibilities for marketing tasks should be clearly defined. Collaborating can be a great way to make marketing efforts more efficient. This strategy requires communication and a well-organized plan to get the most of your team’s abilities and skillsets.
Use Various Insurance Marketing Channels
It’s essential to reach clients in a variety of ways. Consistent communication across several channels is key. Make sure you use a comprehensive strategy where you are marketing across several channels to reach the widest audience.
The most important thing about using multiple channels is making sure your message is cohesive. Consumers love familiarity. Whatever method you use to reach out to them, make sure they are getting a consistent tone and feel so they can further identify with you.
1. Online Insurance Marketing
The digital age has brought internet usage to an all-time high. It’s essential to have a robust online marketing presence. Strategically placed online ads can be a great way to reach new clients.
In an online world full of distraction and white noise, it’s important that your digital marketing campaign stand out. Make sure you can grab the attention of potential clients and get your message out quickly and clearly before they move on to their next task.
A good email marketing campaign is also super important. Not only can you reach good leads and check in with them, but you can also keep the lines of communication open with current clients.
The trick here is to make sure your emails are meaningful and to the point. A creative and attention-grabbing subject line increases the chances that your emails will be opened. Concentrate on visually appealing emails with useful information and a clear message. Look for trends that produce the greatest results. A great example includes looking at the most optimal times to send emails to make your messages more effective.
2. Traditional Marketing
Despite the rise of the digital world, traditional marketing isn’t dead. These tried and true methods of reaching clients can still be super effective, especially when done well.
Mailers are a great way to reach a targeted geographic area. However, like emails, they are quickly sifted through and thrown out. Make sure your mailers stand out from piles of junk mail with creative strategies.
Think outside the box and make your mailer useful and unique. Can you include a calendar or magnet for long term presence in homes? Maybe a wildflower infused card or sticker would do the trick. Even a handwritten blurb on a postcard can make your mailers stand out and feel more personal.
Signage is also a great way to gain exposure. A well-placed sign or billboard can get tons of valuable views. Again, the key here is to be unique and to the point. You need to take advantage of the precious moments when potential clients are looking at your sign.
Being Creative
Insurance isn’t exactly the most exciting product for consumers to shop around for and research. But you can make it feel fun and lively. Being creative with your marketing messages can draw clients to you as an insurance agent.
Think about what makes you unique. How are you different from the other insurance agents in the area? Once you find what differentiates you from your competitors, capitalize on that.
Your potential clients likely see ads from a ton of insurance agents. Your task is to make yours special, so it stands out from the crowd. Getting noticed will go a long way in making your marketing efforts successful.
Maybe you offer clients a perk for meeting with you like a small gift card or free coffee. Maybe you strategize a plan to manage clients’ policies. Regardless of the differentiating factor be sure to market it in a creative manner.
One innovative marketing tactic is to host events and fund interactive workshops where clients can meet and learn more about insurance and the policies you offer. Thinking outside the box will help win clients over your competitors.
Social Media Marketing
Wherever you land with your marketing strategy, it’s pretty important that social media be a part of it. Social media is a digital world that you can take advantage of with many different avenues to explore. A good social media marketing strategy can help you win big in the insurance game.
Social media platforms are an awesome place to meet and interact with potential clients. In a world of over 4 billion users, you as an insurance agent, can’t afford not to have a presence. A strong social media presence is an amazing opportunity to reach a huge, growing audience.
Your social media campaign should be dynamic and unique to be effective. Your posts should be both meaningful and attention-grabbing.
Posts about insurance can be bland and boring. Don’t be afraid to mix it up a little. Provide fun facts and education on your social media sites so users can learn about insurance while developing a relationship with you as an insurance agent.
Social media is also an opportunity for exponential exposure. Ask your followers to comment, share, and tag a friend to get your post more views. When you have a fun and dynamic page, followers are more likely to invite their friends to join.
Engaging with current clients and potential clients can be challenging. Social media is the perfect platform to do this. Comment and answer questions as much a possible. The more responsive you are, the more likely clients will trust you as an insurance agent.
Solicit Reviews
Once you’ve amassed happy clients, don’t forget to ask them for reviews. Positive reviews can help show potential clients that you are a quality insurance agent. Consumers trust the reviews of others when making commitments about purchases, including their insurance policies.
Find a great platform to reach out to clients and request reviews of your service. Once you receive these glowing reviews, share them far and wide. Include them on everything from your website and printed materials to your social media. This shows potential clients that they could have the same amazing experience with you as their insurance agent.
As an insurance agent, ensure you are using the correct tools to optimize and manage the largest number of positive reviews. 90% of clients prefer texting over traditional methods of communication. Podium offers an SMS messaging platform to enhance reviews and more as seen by other insurance agents like Ted Byrt.
Seizing Networking Opportunities
Selling insurance is all about people. Networking skills are an absolute must to your success. The benefit of having a great network can pay off big time. You’ll have a wider client base and your contacts can introduce you to new potential clients.
Being able to make connections with people will earn you greater sales. Working the room and mingling allows you to meet new people. It also allows for the opportunity to reconnect with those from overlapping social circles that you have met in the past.
Putting Yourself Out There
How often have you met someone at a random event or get-together and ended up staying connected? Many times, clients meet their insurance agent when and where they least expect it. Putting yourself out there is the only way you’ll have these chance encounters that can turn into insurance sales.
It’s important to attend everything from charity events to neighborhood parties. Meeting new people is a great way to create leads. Make sure to have meaningful conversations and do not go right into an insurance sales pitch. Potential clients appreciate authenticity.
Community events are a great place to get exposure. Maybe you can rent a booth at a festival or hand out flyers at a parade. This is a good way to meet community members and get your name out there as an agent.
Giving back to the community is rewarding and great for business. Consider sponsoring an event or donating to a charity. Supporting a local Little League team can earn you some great promotional signage while you support a noble cause.
Use Your Connections
Your connections are a valuable asset. Make sure to keep them intact so you can benefit from them. It’s also important to remember that networking can be a two-way street.
As your insurance career grows, as will your contacts. Everyone from mortgage brokers to car salespeople can be super helpful in connecting you with clients. Make sure you develop these relationships and use them to your advantage.
Be sure to thank your contacts for sending clients your way. It’s also helpful to return the favor when you can. These relationships can increase sales and be mutually beneficial to both parties involved.
Making an Impression
Not everyone is naturally a people person. However, as an insurance agent, you’ll have to “fake it till you make it.” First impressions and interactions can lead to a sale.
Make sure you remain authentic when meeting new people. Others can often sense when you’re being ingenuine and immediately develop mistrust. Show that you are truly interested in getting to know them and focus and engaged in your conversation.
You may be tempted to mention insurance immediately. However, it’s usually best to find a way to work it into the conversation naturally. Plus, you’ll have a chance to get to know others first which will ultimately allow you to sell to them better.
Keep business cards on you, especially when you’re attending an event. These are a great way to end a conversation and make a connection. Find ways to make your business cards unique for a lasting impression. Fun shapes and innovative designs are great ways to get your cards noticed.
Following Up
When you meet someone that you feel may be a good lead, ask them for their contact info. Then, follow up with them. Often, it takes several contacts before a client is ready to make a commitment to your policy.
Following up with contacts is an art, however. You want to make it feel genuine. A follow-up that feels forced will likely lead to no response.
Reach out to say it was nice meeting them and mention a part of your conversation or something you discussed. Show them that you truly enjoyed and that you were engaged in your discussion, not just trying to collect contacts.
Keep your follow-ups light and low-pressure. Let them know that you are there for them if they ever have any insurance needs or questions. Ask them to keep you in mind for future insurance purposes.
An excellent method for repeat follow-ups is to communicate information relevant to specific leads. Maybe you met a car enthusiast at a party that you can reach out to regarding a great new insurance product. That event attendee that just bought a house would be a perfect contact to tell about your latest homeowner’s insurance product. Keeping your communications connected to their needs shows that you’re attentive.
Surrounding Yourself With Good People
As you grow your business, you might need to hire a team to handle your agency’s needs. Keep in mind that these employees are essential to your business and reputation. Surrounding yourself with good people is an important part of selling insurance.
Hiring Employees
When making smart hires, it’s important to be thoughtful about the process. Your employees are one of your most important assets. Finding and hiring quality candidates can make or break your success.
Offer good compensation and benefits to attract quality employees. Throughout the interview process, look for candidates that seem eager and thirsty to learn. As your employees, this energy will help you increase your insurance sales.
Create a team-like feel amongst your employees. You want them to feel as invested in your business as you are. This will help them best partner with you in serving your clients.
Your employees will become the face of your business. Keeping them trained and up to date will help your reputation soar. Give them the tools they need to make it simple for them to provide excellent service.
Use Your Resources
Keep in mind that those close to you can also help your business grow. Everyone from your mom to your mailman can help you make a sale. Make sure to use these relationships to connect with potential clients.
The trick to getting new insurance sales through existing relationships is tact and gratitude. Don’t be overwhelming when asking for leads and referrals. It’s also important to be thankful when those around you help you get a new client.
Generating Loyalty and Referrals
Selling insurance is all about the client. Make sure you are focused on serving your existing clients and developing meaningful relationships with them. They can also be super valuable in helping you earn new business.
Engaging With Current Clients
You’ve put in the work to earn a client, but then the job has just begun. Don’t stop making an effort just because they purchase a policy. Creating strong relationships can make your clients loyal to you as their agent for a lifetime.
Check-in with your clients. Regular communications are a must. This could be an email newsletter, a physical mailer, a text message, or any other method that you prefer to communicate. It’s important that these communications be relevant and contain information that is of value to your clients.
Soft and friendly communications are also a smart move. Send a fun e-card for your clients’ birthdays. Receiving a postcard around the holidays lets your clients know that you are thinking of them. Reaching out in this way makes them think of you as not only a thoughtful agent but also as a friend.
The more you deepen these relationships, the more likely these clients will turn to you when they need to purchase their next insurance product. Increasing sales with your current clients is a great, affordable way to grow your business.
Earning Valuable Referrals
Many people shopping for insurance turn to their friends and neighbors for their advice. Making sure your clients will refer others to you is a great way to guarantee sales. Encourage them to spread the word about your products and services.
Creating a referral program is an awesome way to do this. Offering perks can be an effective way to motivate your current clients to send their friends and family your way. Rewarding them can benefit you in increased sales and them by saving a little cash.
Set up a system where new clients can let you know that they have been referred by a current client. This can be as simple as a spreadsheet where you record the referring clients. Then, offer a discount or reward for each new client that they refer.
You can even create a campaign around your referral program. Social media is a great place to do this. Post a contest and ask those on your page to tag their friends in the comments or share your post. Offer an entry in a giveaway contest for users that participate.
This gives you great exposure as your post is commented on and shared. It also gives you the chance to engage with current and potential clients. When followers tag their friends, you are also gaining valuable leads.
Successfully Making the Sale
Hopefully, all of your marketing efforts will lead to closing the sale. This can be challenging at times. It’s important to have a strategy that works for you. A strategy where you can adjust to each clients’unique needs.
Staying in the Loop
Sometimes, it may take a while to seal the deal with new clients. Many people spend time and deliberation when researching insurance products. During this process, it’s essential that you stay in the loop with them.
Reach out consistently without being overwhelming. Make sure they know how to get in touch with you should they have any questions at all. Be super responsive so they need to see that you will be a great communicator as their agent.
Closing the Sale
If you don’t know how to successfully close the insurance sale, all of your efforts could be wasted. There’s no one size fits all approach to this. Over time, you’ll develop your own style and sales techniques.
One fun and unique strategy is finding what type of sales dog you may be. This can help you identify your strengths. It can also help you develop a strategy that will work best for you.
Are you an overly aggressive pitbull-type salesperson? This can cause you to be relentless and oftentimes overly forceful. It might be a good idea to focus on a gentler approach.
Friendly, golden retrievers like salespeople are great at pleasing clients and getting referrals. If you have this mindset, use it to your advantage. This client-first focus will help you grow your insurance sales.
A poodle-type salesperson is focused on a more refined approach. If you fit this category, you are likely well connected and thrive at networking. Make sure to sometimes practice a friendly, laid back vibe when the situation requires it.
Salespeople that fit the chihuahua category often have a ton of product knowledge and understanding; likely to be super passionate about the insurance industry. If this is you, remember that potential clients might be overwhelmed if too much information is provided, so it’s often helpful to simplify.
The basset hound type salesperson focuses on appealing to the emotions of clients. This is often an excellent technique to win sales and build relationships. However, it’s important to be mindful and keep from seeming desperate.
Providing Top-Notch Service
In sales, the golden rule goes out of the window. It’s not enough to treat clients how you want to be treated. You need to make an effort to treat clients how they want to be treated as individuals.
Each client is unique. They each have their own set of specific needs and preferences. Discovering these is essential to making sales.
Sometimes, you can gauge your client’s preferences by their age. More mature clients often prefer more traditional selling methods and communication tools. They may be more likely to purchase insurance from you with a face to face meeting and in-person follow-ups.
Many times, if you are targeting a younger client, speed can be the deciding factor in making the sale. These clients are often results-oriented and want to make the insurance buying process as quick and easy as possible. Make sure to give them streamlined options for selecting the services and packages that best suit their needs.
Not sure what your client prefers? Just ask. A simple survey to find out their communication preferences and what types of information they are interested in can help you best serve them and make selling insurance to them more successful.
Retaining Customers and Growing Your Business
Making the initial insurance sale is a big success. However, retaining your clients is an ongoing task. It’s also essential to growing your insurance business.
Solve Issues Quickly
Mistakes do happen. It’s how you handle them that will speak volumes to your clients. Make sure any issues are handled swiftly with open communication.
Maybe you missed a typo in a policy document. You might have submitted a claim incorrectly. These are understandable errors. Take ownership and immediately correct any issues.
Be upfront with clients and communicate the error. It’s also important that you share how you are going to fix it and the timeline in which it will be corrected. Sharing with them how you will prevent any issues in the future can keep their confidence in you intact.
Be Constantly Competitive
It’s important that you stay on your game. Letting up your efforts can lose you clients. Make sure they know that you are constantly working to provide them with the best products and services.
Be on the constant lookout for new insurance products. This allows you to expand your product offerings to better serve your clients. It also keeps you from falling behind and losing business to other agents because of their product offerings.
Look for ways to offer competitive rates. Staying up to date on discounts can help your clients save. They’ll appreciate your efforts and likely reward you with more business.
Make sure you and your team are constantly looking for ways to improve. In a service-based insurance industry, the quality of your client service is everything. It’s important that you’re constantly looking for new and better ways to serve your clients.
Expanding Your Audience
You may have a pretty tried and true client base. However, expanding your reach is a great way to increase sales. It gives you the chance to reach more clients and the opportunity to sell more products.
Breaking into new geographical areas can give you a whole new set of clients to market to. Maybe you open a new office or schedule meetings in homes. You can even use virtual meetings to expand your reach and eliminate geographical barriers.
Looking for New Opportunities
Always keep your eyes open for new opportunities to seize. Taking risks is a necessary part of growing your business. Whether trying a new sales technique or hiring an employee, these scary yet exciting parts of business can help you increase your sales.
Avoid pigeon-holing yourself as an agent. It’s important to sometimes get out of your comfort zone. You may discover a whole other area of insurance you end up loving.
Insurance is constantly changing. Learning about new products allows you to keep your skills sharp. It also gives you the chance to sell a wider range of products and serve more clients.
Looking for diverse opportunities also allows you to keep your job exciting. Selling insurance can become a mundane task over time. Mix up your skills and sales experiences to keep it fun and stimulating.
Growing as an Insurance Agent
Becoming a great agent with a huge client list doesn’t happen overnight. Through grit, determination, and skills, successful agents grow and expand their clientele. However, it’s possible to give yourself a great headstart.
Selling insurance is about serving your client. It’s about making connections, developing relationships, and creating reliable contacts. By focusing on these, you can increase your sales and client base. You’ll also grow as an agent well into the future.
