Do you think that calling every lead you have is the best way to sell life insurance over the phone? You may just be setting yourself up for lots of “Nos” and “Let me think about it.” The fact is that the insurance selling process has changed over the years. Calling up your leads now and then may not work as it used to.
So, what works? What are the best strategies for selling life insurance over the phone without coming off as annoying? That is what you will learn in this article. We talked about:
- The exact strategies to use when cold-calling your prospects.
- How to make an offer
- How to handle objections
Statistics to Inspire You when Selling Life Insurance Over the Phone
Don’t make the mistake of calling your prospect one morning and start talking about the policy. Have some statistics in mind to help you figure out the best tactics to use.
According to The Brevet Group, insurance agents should expect to close a sale after the fifth follow-up call. So, if the prospective policyholder gives you “cold shoulders,” keep calling until the fifth time. You might just convince them along the way why they need the life insurance policy.
The time to make a call may differ by the prospects, but it may be great if you call in the morning and may make more impressions. Salestrail suggests calling your prospects between 10 and 11 in the morning. But if you can’t, call them later in the day between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Smart Tips on Selling Life Insurance Over the Phone
Let us now talk about the best strategies to use when trying to sell life insurance over the phone.
1. How Well Do You Know the Client?
You see, some life insurance agents make the mistake of calling up every contact that comes their way. We understand that you want to sell a policy that the contact may be interested in. But it wouldn’t be nice if you don’t even know anything about the client.
Start by doing your homework. Find out as much information as you can about your prospective life insurance policyholder.
Here are creative ways to dig deeper into the contact’s background:
- Find out the client’s name.
- Where does the client live? You need this information to determine if the client is mobile enough to meet up or if a physical meeting is required.
- How old is the client? Note that the premiums for life insurance vary by age. So, find out how old the client is to help pick the best policy.
- How many policies are needed? Is the policy only for the client or does he/she have someone else to cover too?
- Is the client the actual policyholder? This is important because the client might just be buying the life insurance policy for someone else. If that is the case, you need to find out more information about the main policyholder.
2. Prepare to Call the Client and Sell Life Insurance Over the Phone
With adequate preparations, you wouldn’t have difficulties selling the policy over the phone. Here are some of the things you need to do to get prepared ahead of the call:
- Organize Your Space: Make sure your table is cleared. Only the materials you need during the call are required. Your notepad, pen, and a copy of the policy should be handy too.
- Get a call management software to record the session. As an alternative, get another device and turn on its voice recorder to record the conversation.
- Log the appointment into your calendar and be sure to be on time.
3. Start on a Professional Note
Start the call succinctly and avoid the “how are you’s.” Once the client answers the call, make a brief introduction of yourself but make it “punchy.”
Tell the client why you called and ask if he or she is free to go along with the call?
4. Start by Asking Questions
By now, you should know some of the reasons why your contact needs life insurance. Maybe, he or she had a friend that had a life-threatening situation recently. Maybe, your client had an accident sometime last week. This information must have been readied by now.
Start by asking the client questions about his or her “pain points.” The questions should have the client realizing the mistake made by not getting the policy before now.
5. Talk Less but Listen More
Pay attention to the client. Quite alright, you are the one selling the policy on behalf of the insurer. But the client decides to make on whether to buy it or not.
Talk less and listen to what the client has to say. From there, you can know what the clients want and see how to proffer solutions.
6. Take on the role of an Advisor and not a Salesman
At the end of the day, you are “putting the client through” the life insurance policy process. You are schooling the client on how the policy works and the coverages offered.
Therefore, become an advisor instead of being too “salesy.” How to sell life insurance on the phone is simple with this strategy. It is because you are showing the client how you can help find the best coverage options. This strategy also helps build your authority as a leader in terms of knowing how the policy works.
So, why not try it?
7. Identify Objections and Tackle them on Time
Certainly, the client wouldn’t buy into your idea of selling life insurance over the phone. Coming up with objections or reasons not to get the policy is certain to come up sooner than expected.
It is in your place to identify these objections and tackle them on time. Here is how to do that:
- Ask the client why he or she isn’t interested if they said they weren’t interested.
- Ask when you should call back if the client says the call is becoming too long.
- Tell the client you will offer a free service if he or she buys the policy in the next few days.
Can You Sell Life Insurance Over the Phone? YES!
Have you been thinking about selling life insurance over the phone? Think no more but start taking action. The best way to sell insurance over the phone is by getting prepared and offering valuable information.
Always be quick to tackle or address objections. And if the client says he or she will call back, ask when. Sometimes, they say that to avoid you. By asking when you will know if they are interested in the policy or not. Last but not least, always make offers. You can offer a few hours of your time to help them get more information about the policy. Or promise to give them access to a free life insurance guide.
