8 Steps For Preparing to Sell Insurance Digitally
You are in luck; this isn’t another article about how equipped we are to help during the coronavirus rather, I think it’s worth looking at ways to put yourself into motion and continue earning income through what some anticipate to be an economic downturn. So, there is a group of ladies that I’ve remained friends since high school over a Facebook messenger group called, “Circle of Friends.” It’s been nice for those times when we felt like having a private conversation. We have supported each other for years; through the passing of spouses and parents, through the raising of our children, and divorce. Anyways, we were all chatting the other night. Several of them are teachers, nurses, hairdressers and the like and we were
Angie Hughes
LTCi Marketing Manager
800.541.6705
talking about the impact of this virus and its disruption through the schools. I made mention that it’s interesting for me, as I watch the insurance industry and how everything has been playing out, and every last one of my friends essentially said, “Angie, insurance seems pretty necessary right now!!” I would quote them, but they were using their, “Circle of Friends” language.
It gave me a moment of pause. If my friends see it like that, there are more Americans who surely see it the same. I hear opportunity knocking, not fear, not reluctancy, not pause to slow down. So, I jumped into motion. I know several of my fellow insurance agents haven’t taken the complete plunge into the digital world, so I thought to myself, give it to them with ease and that’s what I’m going to lay out for you.
Here are 8-steps to prepare for selling insurance digitally. Step 1: Identify the Concerns Your Clients Need Met
Think about the people you generally interact with when selling your insurance. Maybe you’re looking to engage with people who will be turning 65. Birthdays haven’t been cancelled or postponed and, so far, the CMS hasn’t changed their rules for enrollment. Or maybe you’d like to get in contact with someone who’s purchasing a house in this low-interest environment. The approach, and needed services, for either of the above clients would look different than if they were a couple having a child who needs to hear about the protection a parent can provide with whole life insurance. The list of potential conversation is endless, but once you’ve identified the concerns of your clients’ you’ll be able to have a more effective digital presence.
Step 2: Get Appointed With Carriers that Offer Online Application Options
If you aren’t contracted, ready-to-sell, and registered with carriers that provide an electronic application portal, then you’ll be at a disadvantage. If you’ve never used an e-app in the past, most of their websites let you get into a “sandbox” in order to try out the electronic app platforms before launching into your first app. This is where we can help. In our Medicare Toolbox, we have carriers’ E-app tutorials loaded up and ready for viewing.
Step 3: Choose a System to Virtually Host Meetings
Some potential systems for staying in contact with your clients include Zoom, GoToMeeting, JoinMe, Skype, and even FaceTime. Lots of these are free platforms that are simple to use for both you and your clients. I’ve used each and every one of these platforms, so if you want to visit about what’s best for you, let’s chat. There are platforms where you can screen share and give presentations on an illustration or a product over the internet. It’s also relatively simple to set up a video feed you can see your client and vice-versa. The largest requirement is a camera and most laptops come stock with one.
I won’t try to fool you, there will be those who shy away from this because it’s weird and unfamiliar. However, given where we’re at, it’s the next best thing to being there in person. If you aren’t used to looking at yourself, trust me when I say practice makes it easier. Eventually, you get over your looks and the sound of your own voice on camera. If that’s something that worries you, I’d be happy to be a practice dummy for you. Don’t be fearful that your clients can’t navigate these platforms; they’re probably already using them to chat with their kids and grandkids 😉.
Step 4: Don't Stop Setting Appointments
We can all agree that without setting and keeping appointments, business is sure to lag. Here, I would recommend Calendly. There is a free version that you can sync with your calendar, and it will allow appointments to be set to fill your available openings. It can even be set up to send out reminders to your clients about upcoming appointments.
Step 5: Proactively Send Invitations
One of your best options is still to get on your phone but hopefully, as clients have evolved in your book, you’ve started collecting email addresses. I have found this is the best way to reach out, and, more importantly, be responded to. You can also post some information on your social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, depending on the demographic of your clients. Let’s face it, between inclement weather and the virus, people are occupying their time on social media. I might also mention, I think they’d be interested in reading about something that you think is important information rather than reading more on the number of positive cases of COVID-19 at the end of the day.
Step 6: Now That The Appointment's Set
Be sure you have your sales presentations, your illustrations, anything you will need when talking to your clients on the phone or video conferencing. You want to be organized and ready to access the PDF’s you’ll need. No one has time for you to fumble around, just like when a client is sitting in front of you at your office. Using a document locker like the one found in our Medicare Toolbox makes organization simple.
Step 7: E-Application Time !
When you get the buying signal, be ready to log into the carrier’s site and complete an E-application. Some, like the ridiculously fast term life platform, Vive, you can use quote, compare, prescreen health and drop
a ticket in only a few minutes! We also provide simple
and secure access to a premium Medicare quote engine and the supporting carrier’s Medicare Supplement applications.
Ease of transition is important when selling virtually. We’ve put together a Tool Box for simplifying the process. How many people do you think would be interested in hearing about a short-term home care policy that can provide essential services like physical therapy, occupational therapy and many more services in their own home? Take a moment to look at the tools and resources we provide.
Step 8: Set Expectations
Setting expectations is very important whether you sell virtually or face to face. It allows your clients to understand what’s next in the process and what will be expected of them. Timelines are very important right now. I am seeing emails every day from carriers on how their employees are working remotely but trying to do their best to process business as usual. We need to let our clients know that normal processing times will be slower. Things will eventually get done but know that it will take longer.
I sure hope my 8-Step Guide has been helpful to you. I hope you feel a little bit more comfortable going into the next 60 days. Know that you have a lot of support behind you. We’re willing to push, I mean, help you along the way. Just think, you may emerge from this only to realize that you wish you’d been working this way a lot sooner.
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, I am reachable. 800-541-6705 of feel free to email me any time.
Stay safe & Healthy!