Avoiding Common Perils in Insurance Sales Tips for a Lasting Career
Posted by admin on August 22nd, 2008 filed in Insurance | Comment now »
According to recent reports, careers in insurance sales are on the risethe U.S. Department Labor reported an increase of 900 insurance jobs in December of 2005 and an additional 2,500 in January of 2006.
While the growing trend is good news for those looking for a career in insurance sales, many agents pull out of the business, falling victim to the common perils of insurance sales. But by identifying common pitfalls and learning how to avoid them, you can enjoy success as an insurance agent for years to come!
Peril #1: Not Incorporating the Web into Business Practices
It goes without saying that the Internet has changed the face of business in recent years and the insurance world is no exception. With more and more people going online to get insurance information you need to be prepared to meet those needs.
You can connect with Web users and:
Beef up Your Web Site
Simply having a Web site is no longer good enough. Consumers expect you to have a Web site. Take your site to the next level and give visitors what they need. Informational articles about insurance, saving tips, rate comparison charts and online bill pay all show visitors that you’re dedicated to helping consumers find the right insurance and that doing business with you is quick and easy.
Don’t have a Web site yet or need help giving it a facelift? Sites like FreeWebs.com and SiteSolutions.com can help.
Start a Blog
What started out as an online journal has morphed into a phenomenal tool for businesspeople to communicate their services and build a community around them.
Quite simply, blogs can be used to share ideas and start a discussion about your company. When you post to your blog, consumers can read your entry and post comments and questions, connecting you to prospects and other insurance professionalsand taking your networking skills to the next level.
Not sure what to write about? You can write about happenings in the insurance world, new consumer laws, saving tips and other anecdotes of interest. The possibilities are infinite!
Work with an Online Leads Service
With more consumers turning to the Web to learn about insurance, it comes as no surprise that consumers are now turning to the Web to find insurance.
When you partner with a reputable provider, you can get hot insurance leads delivered straight to your inbox, complete with all the information you need to work up a quote and contact the prospect. Start receiving real-time insurance leads and you’ll see that finding new clients just got easierand cheaper.
Peril #2: Breaking the Commitment to Customer Service
With all that talk about consumers using the Web to find insurance, today’s client probably doesn’t care much about customer service, right? Wrong.
Just because consumers are learning about and shopping for insurance online doesn’t mean you can afford to slack in the customer service department. Your clients still want to be taken care of, which translates to trust, which translates to a lasting business relationship and so on.
To meet these needs, many agents are hiring extra helpfrom hiring an assistant to implementing a small call center to answer questions and start the claims process, successful agents make sure their clients are taken care of.
Peril #3: Leaving the Cross-selling to the Competitors
While your grandfather’s insurance agent may have specialized in just one insurance type, today’s successful agents are taking advantage of cross-selling and consumers are taking care of their insurance needs in one place, often times with one bill.
It’s for this reason that successful agents are expanding their horizons to sell multiple lines of insurance, providing not only a great convenience to clients but a hefty savings by offering discounts for buying two or more policies.
Remember that earning additional accreditation may require a separate license, especially where financial products and annuities are concerned. Contact your local division of insurance to find learn more about requirements.
Enjoy Sales Success for Years to Come!
As an insurance agent, you see challenges in the workplace almost day in and day out. But when you’re aware of common pitfalls facing agents, you can avoid them. So consider cross-selling, keep up your commitment to customer service and use the Web to find insurance prospectsand you can enjoy a career in insurance sales for years to come!
About InsureMe
Megan L. Mahan is a copywriter and insurance information expert with InsureMe in Englewood, Colorado. InsureMe links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for insurance. Specializing in auto, home, life, long-term care and health insurance quotes, the InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every year. For more information, InsureMe.com.
Tags: insurance agent tips, insurance leads, insurance sales, insurance sales tips, prospecting, sales tipsInsurance Leads How to Find Profitable Leads to Boost Your Business
Posted by admin on August 14th, 2008 filed in Insurance | Comment now »
In recent years, more and more insurance agents have been incorporating insurance leads into their business, providing a cost-effective way to expand clientele and retire cold-calling and other inconvenient sales methods.
But when it comes to purchasing insurance leads, you’ll want to separate the good from the bad and buy leads from a provider that delivers. And to do that, you’ll need some tips for the road.
The Basics: The Insurance Lead
Insurance leads come from consumers who log on to various Web sites in search of the best possible insurance quotes. The information provided by the consumer (generated through an insurance lead application) is stored by the Web site, where it’s categorized and sold to an agentconnecting the agent to consumers who are looking for insurance.
Avoiding Substandard Leads
Working with a trusted and experienced leads provider is the best way to ensure that the leads you receive easily convert into sales. As such, you’ll want to look for the following characteristics in a provider before buying leads from them:
- Precision and Accuracy
- Real-time Delivery
- Filtering Options
While no technology can prevent 100 percent of consumers from misrepresenting the facts on a lead form, reputable companies will have a sound database that filters out leads containing generic names (Pee Wee Herman), phone numbers (999-9999) and addressescollecting only the leads that are serious about finding insurance.
Experts estimate that the value of a lead plummets after 48 hoursthe consumer can lose interest in purchasing a policy or find coverage from a competitor that filled their need. It’s for this reason that you should only work with services that provide real-time leadsleads that are delivered as soon as the consumer completes the lead form. This allows you to contact them while they’re still interested.
The best lead providers will have a wide list of filtering options available to their clients, which allow an agent to funnel out unproductive leads (leads with pre-existing conditions or a DUI conviction, for example) and target only the leads that are writeable by the insurer. While filters generally aren’t free, purchasing them is still the best way to get the qualified leads you need.
Taking Sales to New Heights
When it comes to purchasing insurance leads, it’s important to know how the provider obtains the leads and what steps they take to ensure that your leads are well-qualified. If a provider doesn’t offer accurate, real-time leads or allow you to place filters on your leads, you’re better off taking your money somewhere else.
So research reputable leads companies and stop relying on invasive sales tactics like cold-calling and door-to-door solicitation. You’ll find you can boost your business and build clientele without these traditional methods, simply by getting in touch with consumers who need and want your services!
About InsureMe
Megan L. Mahan is a copywriter and insurance information expert with InsureMe in Englewood, Colorado. InsureMe links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for insurance. Specializing in auto, home, life, long-term care and health insurance quotes, the InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every year. For more information, InsureMe.com.
Tags: insurance agent leads, insurance agent tips, insurance leads, insurance sales leads, leads, prospecting