First, let’s examine how you approach first contact over the phone with your prospect. Do you spend your time following up on qualifying questions, or outlining the plan rates that you can offer?

A better approach might be to take the time to go step-by-step through the different rate plans you have available, sizing them up against other plans so that your prospect can see how they compare to one another. Try and engage your prospect in a two-way conversation instead of just overdosing them with information, and be prepared to address any questions or concerns in a clear and concise manner.

Secondly, ask yourself how much work you’re making your prospect do to follow up on your proposal. If you leave it up to your prospect to call you back when they are ready, you could be losing out on potential sales. Make it easier for your leads to get in touch with you by following up with an email and mailer outlining a clear call to action. Once you and your lead have finished your initial contact, they should know exactly what the next step in the process will be and have an easy method of contacting you to move forward.

Third, if your lead doesn’t seem to be interested during your initial conversation, how and when do you follow up after your first phone call? Do you wait several days before contacting them again? Do you mail off some information? These are good starts, but also ask for an email address and subscribe them to your regular list of contacts so that they can receive offers and updated quotes during subsequent campaigns. They might not be interested just now, but by remaining in frequent contact you’ll be at the forefront when they do decide to take action.

Finally, examine your attitude as you’re placing your first phone call to a prospect. Are you counting on a successful sale before your lead has even picked up the phone? If you approach your conversations with a clearly sales-minded manner, you might be alienating your prospect before you start. Ease into your conversation and listen to what your prospect is telling you so that you can work together to find the best match to their needs.

1. Coming on too strong: Once you’ve got a lead on the phone, it can be tempting to get right to the point and start pushing your sale– after all, time is money.  However, by putting the pressure on your lead with a litany of qualifying questions and fast talk right off the bat, you will only get their defenses up and make them more likely to look for a way out of the call. Instead, try to take on a relaxed, confident tone, and give your leads time to process the information you are providing. By working as a friend and advocate instead of seeing them as a target, you will put them at ease and make them more prepared to listen and respond positively to your pitch.

2. Faking the ‘friendly’: Yes, it is a good thing to project a friendly, personable tone when speaking to your prospects, but it’s possible to take it too far. If you’re overdoing it on the charm, or coming across a little too cheerful to be true, your prospects will pick up on this and become wary of your honesty and your pitch. Try and be as natural as possible when speaking with your leads; the more they can connect to you as a person, the easier it will be to establish a level of trust and move your sale along.

3. Failing to up sell: For many agents, once they’ve got their lead interested in a package they are wary about mentioning any extras that might make them come across as greedy or disrupt the sale. The problem with this is that if you don’t take care of all of your client’s needs, they will eventually go to another agent who can better provide for them. When making your sale, cover as many possible additions as you think may fit in with their needs, and give them the opportunity to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. By giving them the choice, it shows that you are looking out for their best interests, and also lets them know what extras you can provide should they change their mind in the future.

Closed questions are ones that often elicit a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response, and are used by agents to quickly move through qualifying steps or when the sale is near completion.  Open-ended questions, on the other hand, are an agent’s “go-to” tool when trying to get to know a client and assess their needs. By asking questions such as “Why are you looking for coverage right now?”, “What kind of coverage are you looking for?”, and “What is your greatest concern about switching carriers?”, you are more likely to get a more involved response that will reveal your lead’s true feelings and get past their defenses to making a new purchase. However, the trouble with relying on this line of questioning too heavily is that leads can grow tired of this type of back and forth, and can start to get antsy if they feel as though they are being interrogated with no end in sight.

A great way to get past this problem, while still gaining the information you need, is by varying up your questioning with imperative statements. Imperatives can be closely related to the open-ended question, but are more of a nudge to your lead to reply instead of a blatant invitation. Examples of imperatives are “Tell me what concerns you about switching carriers” and “Give me some details on what kind of coverage you are looking for.” The advantage of adding imperatives into your sales strategy are that they give you a subtle boost in your confidence and authority when speaking with leads, and can be viewed as less personal by your prospects. By practicing both types of techniques to get your leads talking, you are more likely to get the answers necessary to push your sales forward.

1. Practice your poker face: When it comes to discussing prices, make sure that you don’t make any involuntary facial twitches or come across as nervous or apologetic when mentioning a number. Your leads are a savvy bunch, and will be looking to you for any telltale signs of dishonesty or gouging.  By showing confidence in your pricing, you will build confidence in your prospect that you know what you are talking about, and be less likely to face objections to the bottom line.

2. Show them the ‘behind the scenes’ value: Yes, you are providing health insurance coverage to suit their needs, but you need to show your prospects that you will be doing so much more than just filing a bit of paperwork for them. Go point by point through several scenarios where you will make their life easier, be a valuable resource, and advocate on their behalf. By drawing upon real life situations they will be able to connect your pricing with more than just an insurance package, and see the extras they will receive when working with you that they may not be able to find with a cheaper agent.

3. Be up front on where you stand in the market: By letting your prospects know that you are aware they can get a similar package at a cheaper price, you will actually make your pricing make more sense to them.  Tell them about your competitors and that you are not worried about this type of competition because you offer so much more along with your products, and are certain that your clients receive value for their money. By remaining confident that you are worth the amount you are charging, your prospects will see that you are not simply choosing numbers out of the air, but have carefully considered all that you bring to the table and priced yourself accordingly.

Keep calm: Although you may have heard over and over how important the first few seconds can be to make an impression on your prospect, it’s important to relax and be yourself if you want to effectively steer your way through your meeting. If you get caught up in how you will be assessed during the first moments, your nerves will make you more likely to make mistakes and dwell on them instead of pushing forward. Keep the big picture in mind, and focus on the transaction as a whole, instead of zeroing in on one specific moment.

Share your enthusiasm: When meeting with a client, try and lighten the mood and show that you are positive and enthusiastic about the product you are selling. If you go into a meeting on a solemn note, you’ll not only come across as someone who is not passionate about their work, but also take away from your prospect’s confidence in purchasing your products.

Loosen up: When trying to make a good first impression, many of us can get too caught up in our own body language, stiffening up and giving off a feeling of awkwardness and discomfort. Try and keep your manner natural and approachable, so that your prospects will feel comfortable in turn.  In addition, try not to worry too much about the effect of your handshake—clients no longer judge sales agents based on the perfect greeting—just meet, shake hands, and move things forward.

Pay attention: Keep your prospect centre stage during your meeting by turning off your phone beforehand, and avoiding any unnecessary distractions. The more individualized attention you can give each potential customer, the more likely they will be to have confidence in your ability to make their needs a priority in the long run.  It’s never too early to start building toward your long term client-agent relationship, and letting prospects know about your dedication right off the bat is a great way to get things started.

Ask yourself—if you were a client listening to your pitch, do you come across as an agent who will require lots of paperwork, number crunching, and boring, long-winded phone calls, or is a few quick clicks of a mouse and an offer to walk through their policy with them more your style?

Americans are busier than ever these days, and with so much on their plates they want a sales agent who is on the ball, looking out for their best interests and making their purchase as simple as possible. A big part of your appeal on the market today is how well you will be able to anticipate your client’s needs and provide them will the simplest solution to their problems. People already often have several different expenses to focus on each month, from cell phones, to car and home leases, to cable television contracts, and adding another complex agreement into the mix is often something they will want to avoid at all costs. By making your offer attractive and easy, you are more likely to grab their attention than other agents, and by setting yourself up as their health insurance advocate you will show your value in that you are working for them instead of merely collecting payment each month.

In addition, with the current state of our economy, buyers are wary of entering into new agreements and deviating from their current carrier if they see it as an unnecessary risk. By investing time and effort into your clients you will show that you are willing to do your part to make their purchase as painless as possible, and that you understand that their time is valuable and something to be respected. Your personal value can go a long way toward a successful sales record, and even if you do not have the most inexpensive packages to offer, your clients will continue to work with you and recommend you because of your personal attention.

Your leads are a savvy bunch, and if you’re acting familiar before earning the right, every word out of your mouth is going to raise red flags and be scrutinized for sincerity.  This is the kiss of death as a sales agent because no buyer in their right mind is going to trust something as important as their health insurance coverage to someone who appears to be shifty and disingenuous.

Instead of approaching your prospects from the “best friend zone,” keep things friendly and yet professional during your first few calls. Never refer to yourself as their “friend” at the beginning, never offer advice as a friend instead of a professional, and never address them in a familiar way before you have been invited.  The proper way to build up these relationships is by showing sincere interest in your clients’ lives and working to get them the best insurance package to meet their needs and price point. Every time you deliver on what you have promised, you will strengthen your ties, and become a more trusted member of their network.

It may also help in the beginning to keep a notepad nearby when speaking with new prospects so that you can write down any relevant information and specific concerns they would like addressed. The more you can show that you are working to focus on your prospect’s issues as individual challenges instead of a run of the mill transaction, the more they will feel like they are a priority in your day.

Another great way to build up your ties within your client base is by offering up free seminars and information packages they would find useful, such as small business solutions, young professional packages, and helpful tips for young families and retirees.  By inviting feedback, questions, and suggestions you will be able to keep the lines of communication open between yourself and your clients, making for a more pleasant relationship for both of you, and one they are more likely to recommend to others looking for a hardworking, trustworthy agent.

From leaving voicemails to emails, tracking down prospects can seem like a full-time job all on its own, and once you finally get someone on the line, there’s no guarantee that you will get even the most basic civility as you prepare to pitch your product. This can be an exhausting way to spend your days, and a real blow to both personal and office morale.

Though some may dismiss these difficulties as “just part of the job”, it’s not constructive to just ignore the negative emotions these interactions can cause; they don’t just go away, and can instead fester and affect your daily work.

However, by instead reviewing why these leads may behave in such a way, agents can learn to not take it personally and instead find motivation to continue on to the next call. Here’s what’s going on in the average buyer’s head:

A recent survey revealed that up to 75 per cent of American citizens have been personally and negatively affected by the recession, making it necessary to do more with less money than they have in the past. This means an added watchfulness on their part to every dollar coming in and out of their household budget, and an added wariness of making decisions on where to spend their hard earned money.

The first few moments of conversation with your buyer count as a make or break audition to see if you are going to benefit them and be a valuable asset to their finances. They will immediately focus on whether you are reading off of a generic script or contacting them in a personalized, genuine way, whether you seem confident and competent in what you are selling, and what benefits they may receive by working with you. If you fail to show them your value and how they will benefit from working with you within the first few minutes, you will often get cut off before you can get to the meat of your sales presentation.

Instead, once you make contact get right to the point— respect their time and intelligence by letting them know right off the bat what you are selling and how it will benefit them personally. If possible, pull up some numbers to illustrate your pitch. Remember not to push too hard with these leads, as they may be legitimately busy and unable to talk– ask to reschedule if now is not a good time.  And finally, drop the script so that your conversation will become a more genuine give and take instead of you just selling your product—listen to what your lead has to say, and address their questions and concerns before continuing on with your sale. The more you work to approach each lead as an individual instead of a name on a list, the more likely you are to get a positive response.

If you develop trusting, loyal relationships with your customers they are more likely to choose you when they are ready to reexamine their current coverage, or change things up due to health and lifestyle shifts. Following the 80/20 rule of sales states, as much as 80 per cent of your current business may come from loyal clients and families.

In addition, these happy clients can also provide you with quality leads through word-of-mouth recommendations that can end up adding a significant amount of sales to your business. Word-of-mouth is the cheapest (and most effective) form of marketing available, so the more you can take advantage, the better.

And of course, one of the best reasons to make the effort to keep your current customers happy is that it is commonly stated that it takes five times more time and effort to gain a new client than it does to keep one you already have on your roster.

So how can you keep your clients loyal? Here are a few quick tips to get started:

1. Make them a priority: It’s important to touch base with your existing clients on a regular basis to do a brief “check-up” on their customer satisfaction. By sending out brief surveys, making regular calls, letting them know about new plans, and quickly responding to any inquiries you will show that you are interested in more than just their initial purchase and want to continue to be a resource and source of information and advocacy.

2. Give them the ’star treatment’: If possible, try and make your clients feel like they are part of an exclusive group with special offers, giveaways, and invitations to information sessions. By adding perks to the benefits they already receive through your insurance plan, you will differentiate yourself in a market where many agents are offering similar products.

3. Get Personal: Make it a habit to get to know your customers and their families on a more personal level, including sending out seasonal holiday cards and birthday greetings. Invite them to view the latest postings on your website, and offer to address questions and concerns they may have about the insurance industry in general, and their particular coverage in particular. The more your clients think of you as part of their family network, the more loathe they will be to switch to another agent.

Avoid the lulls: When you’re in between customers or waiting for call backs it can be easy to fall into a pattern of checking emails, browsing the web, socializing with co-workers, or other unproductive activities.  These minutes can add up to wasted hours, and wasted opportunities to be out prospecting, following up with clients, or working on new marketing strategies. In addition, every time you fall away from your daily activities it can take extra time and effort to refocus on your work and continue on with your day. Write out a list of to-do activities that can fill in during these down times and you will find that not only does keeping busy keep you focused, but allows you to complete all of your grunt work without any stress or additional hours at night or at the end of the week.

Keep your eye on the prize: When you are having a particularly difficult day dealing with clients, remind yourself of the bigger picture. Each sale represents you getting one step closer to your objectives, whether they are specific sales targets, a new purchase you are planning to make, or a vacation you are funding. By not taking each rejection personally, and instead treating these difficult transactions as challenges that will help you fulfill your goals, you will tackle them with additional energy and enthusiasm.

Create a positive environment: Review you workspace and evaluate what kind of mood it puts you in at the start of each day. A happy and positive environment is going to be much more conducive to sales success, and so you should be doing everything within your power to create a welcoming atmosphere around you. Change up the décor, furniture, and lighting if it’s bothering you, and try to avoid interacting with negative influences throughout the day.