Are you thinking about starting a career in insurance? Or are you already in the industry and are looking to grow your business? Do you have what it takes to be successful in insurance sales?

Insurance sales provides you with a flexible and independent career. The average insurance salesperson brings in well above the median income, but that doesn’t come without putting in the work. Your revenue is based on how successful you are—it’s crucial to be able to sell yourself and build strong relationships with your clients.

Successful sales agents are dedicated, organized, and able to provide unmatched customer service.

Whether you’re new to the industry or a veteran, this blog will cover useful tips to set yourself up for success in insurance sales.

Stay Up-to-Date on Industry Trends & Products

As an insurance sales agent, you will continuously be learning. It is crucial to stay on top of the newest products, legislation, and compliance topics to make educated recommendations for your clients. Attending webinars and events, talking with colleagues, reading books and listening to podcasts are all ways to continue your education.

As an insurance agent, you are constantly on-the-go. Podcasts are a great way to learn during your daily commute, driving to client meetings or at the gym. Check out this article that covers 10 Best Podcasts for Insurance Agents.

Network, Network, Network

Get out of your comfort zone and network! Join relevant industry organizations and associations to gain access to industry experts, career development resources and exclusive networking opportunities.

Here are a few organizations to consider:

• National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU)
• National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors (NAIFA)
• International Association of Insurance Professionals (IAIP)
• National Association of Professional Insurance Agencies (PIA)

 

Become the local insurance resource—join the local chamber of commerce, sponsor local events, and volunteer for local charities. Establish yourself as the expert in the community, and people will reach out to you with their insurance needs and questions.

Social media has made it possible to network without even leaving your house. Tap into your social network and join relevant groups with like-minded people on LinkedIn and Facebook. Reach hundreds of people you wouldn’t normally be able to network with locally.

Level-Up Your Marketing

Marketing doesn’t end after you acquire the lead, it is crucial to continue to market to leads when moving them through the sales funnel. The latest marketing and sales technologies allow you to create a personalized marketing experience for each of your clients.

Personalized and targeted email campaigns are proven to increase open and reply-to rates. Target and nurture leads by adding them to drip campaigns. Even if they aren’t ready to purchase, it will keep your business top of mind. Don’t forget to market to your existing client base. Automated client contact keeps agents top of mind, nurtures stronger relationships and prevents renewals from falling through the cracks.There are a ton of free resources for small business owners. A good (and free) place to start is social media. LinkedIn and Facebook allows you to connect with business owners and individuals looking for insurance. Use social media to your advantage—run inexpensive ads to target certain demographics and geographic locations.

Master the Soft Skills

Effective communication, empathy, transparency, persistence, and a positive attitude will get you far in insurance sales. Learn how to relate to your clients. Ask them questions about their family, hobbies, professional and personal goals. It is very important to keep track of these interactions and work them into future conversations. Don’t forget to share information about yourself—allow yourself to form an authentic connection with your clients.

Empathy and emotional intelligence play a big part in sales. When you put yourself in your client’s shoes, you can then provide the best-fit solution to their insurance needs.Earn clients’ trust and respect by being transparent and honest with clients every step of the way. Even if it’s not the answer they want to hear, honesty will take you further in the long-run and is likely to build repeat customers.We understand it’s tough to stay persistent when being rejected, but persistence is key when it comes to sales. Be persistent, don’t be afraid to follow up with clients and prospects, each rejection you get is one step closer to the next sale. 

Provide Unmatched Customer Service

Make yourself available to your customers—provide consistent updates, respond to calls and emails in a timely fashion, and be around to answer questions post-sale. By doing these things, it allows you to build a strong relationship with your clients, and they know that you’re someone they can count on.

In insurance, issues are more than likely to arise, but triaging issues immediately and letting your clients know you’ll do whatever it takes to solve it will build trust and clients know that you have their back. It’s all about how you handle the issue, and once resolved, if handled properly, will only strengthen the relationship.

Top-notch customer service will truly set you apart from the competition. Clients will notice when you go the extra mile and are more likely to send you referrals and recommend you to their family and friends.

Continue to Adapt and Optimize Your Sales Techniques

Why do the same thing over and over again and expect different results? Maybe a sales or marketing campaign was working last year, but it isn’t this year. Keeping detailed reports and analytics will help you analyze what’s working and what isn’t, allowing you to pivot your strategy.

Reports also come in handy if you manage a team. Use reporting monitoring team productivity and put data behind agency sales objectives. Managers can use reports to see exactly what’s working for which agents and can optimize their success while coaching others to achieve the same.

Utilize Customer Relationship Management Technology

Are you tired of tracking all clients and leads in a massive spreadsheet? Get rid of your Excel spreadsheets and bring your customer relationship management into this century.

Utilizing a customer relationship management (CRM) system allows you to get organized, track your sales funnel, and keep track of every customer interaction you or your team has with a client.

A good CRM system allows you to truly understand your customer and anticipate their needs for higher retention, and customer satisfaction. This allows you to simplify business operations for your agency, and you can gain back time you’re wasting on inefficient systems.

Set yourself up for success with OneLink.

Operate your insurance agency with one CRM that manages commissions, tracks licenses, automates marketing and provides sales analytics — all in real time and accessible from anywhere. Utilize the latest customer relationship management technology to provide a seamless interaction with new and existing clientele.

Take full advantage of OneLink CRM’s capabilities to communicate with customers across multiple channels and build strong relationships. Use automated communications, and built in customer management to help your team stay efficient while outperforming the competition.

Experience the product first hand— schedule a free demo today at www.intruity.com/OneLink.