Every engine needs a tune-up occasionally. It’s true for cars, and it’s also true for your disability insurance sales engine. Take this opportunity to see if there’s anything you can do to tune up your sales technique.
Even Top Performing Salespeople Need to Refresh Their Strategy
If you’re struggling to meet your sales goals, you’re probably receptive to ways you can improve your sales strategy. On the other hand, if you’re currently meeting your goals, you might think you don’t need to worry about your strategy – but that way of thinking can limit you.
Over time, people tend to fall into bad habits, and looking at your strategy with a critical eye is the best way to break out of those habits. Even if you haven’t fallen into bad habits, you may not be pushing yourself to achieve your full potential. Sure, you’re doing fine – but could you be doing even better?
There’s another reason to rethink your sales strategy. Your techniques may not change, but the world around you does. From consumer expectations to the tech tools available to you, the insurance market is constantly evolving. If you’re not keeping up, you’re falling behind.
Here are four areas where your sales strategy could possibly use a tune-up.
1. Are You Using Consultative Selling Strategies?
Modern consumers are savvy. They’re used to doing their own research online, and they often want to make their own decisions. They’re also wary. After being bombarded with ads everywhere they look, they’re suspicious of anyone trying to sell them anything.
This can make things difficult for salespeople. If you try to push a product, you’re likely to meet resistance, and that can lead to a dead end.
Consultative selling provides another option. People may be wary of salespeople, but they’re eager for expert advice they can rely on. If you can focus on building relationships and establishing trust, you can create a long-term client.
Need to educate your clients? Use these infographics.
2. Are You Leveraging Email and LinkedIn?
To build a solid relationship with your clients, you need to be able to reach them, and that’s not always easy. Insurance agents have more communication channels at their disposal than ever before, but consumers are used to tuning out unwanted communications.
Connecting by phone is especially challenging. According to Pew Research Center, only 19% of U.S. adults will answer a call from an unknown number, and 14% won’t even bother listening to a voicemail.
Email can be more effective. Although marketers need to comply with CAN-SPAM regulations and avoid spam filters, if you can do that, you have a good chance of reaching your audience. Forbes says 88% of people check their emails every day.
Social media is another promising channel, but it’s important to target the right platform for your audience. Although LinkedIn isn’t the biggest in terms of users, it’s ideal for disability insurance agents trying to connect with workers.
Don’t have time to create your own marketing materials? Use these social posts and this drip email marketing campaign.
3. Are You Following Your Clients’ Texting and Calling Preferences?
People may not want to answer calls from unknown numbers, but this doesn’t mean they don’t want to talk to people they know and trust via phone. In fact, TransUnion says that nearly eight in 10 consumers say phone calls are important for communicating with businesses.
Some people prefer to text, but it often comes down to the situation. For a complicated conversation, phone is often best. For something quick, text may be easier.
As an insurance agent, you’re more likely to get a response if you honor your clients’ communication preferences – and that means noting their preferences in your CRM.
Need a DI sales script? This one is legendary.
4. Are You Taking the Time to Send Mail and Hand-Written Notes?
Digital communication channels are easy – but there’s still a place for good old-fashioned mail and hand-written notes.
According to the ANA Response Rate Report 2023, direct mail sent to house lists outperforms all other media with an ROI of 161%.
When it comes to staying in touch with existing clients, it’s hard to beat hand-written notes. Handwritten thank you cards, as well as holiday and birthday cards, don’t take much time and add a personal touch.
Need more disability insurance sales help? DIS is here to help you succeed. Check out our sales tools.