Separating Yourself from the Crowd (Part One of Two)

Warren Buffet says that insurance is a commodity and price is the main factor in the market place. It seems that nowadays, lowest price wins, regardless of the other factors. More and more people are turning to direct writers because they believe that 15 minutes and a catchy commercial with a dancing lizard can save them some money. Forget the relationship, forget being able to actually see your insurance agent and forget you if you are $0.01 higher than the "other" guy.

So how do we as insurance agents take a stand and be able take back some of our customers? How do we improve our close ratio? How do we change our customers' attitudes about price to the point that leaving you for a few dollars will never cross their mind? I can answer that question with one word: rapport. Rapport is a funny thing, it makes you memorable, it makes you likable and most importantly it makes you human. So how do we build rapport with potential or existing clients? In this article we will discuss how to hit the ground running with rapport, how to build it from the word go. I will show you how to make more sales, improve your close ratio, learn more about your clients and have fun while doing it.

Next time you get the chance call around to some of the competition in your area and ask for a quote. Listen and learn to how they interact with you. Do you like the person you talk to? Would you buy from them? What made them good or bad at making a connection with you? Take notes about what you liked and what you didn't. Incorporate these ideas into your sales strategy and watch your sales increase.

Below I have three examples of how I have heard insurance agents talk to potential customers on their initial phone call. Keep in mind that I have not written any responses from the client since, in this example, only what the agents say is important. I will use the following scenario for an example:

Jill, a single mother of two, believes she is paying too much for her insurance and goes online to HometownQuotes.com and requests a free quote. She gets a call from three agents that are near her home.

Agent 1: Hi Jill. This is Tom from Big Insurance Company calling about your request for insurance. I wanted to follow up with you to verify some of this information with you and ask you a few additional questions. I will get this worked up and give you a call back.

Tom has done a nice job of being polite if he has the best price in town he might be the agent that Jill ends up using.

Agent 2: Hi, Jill, This is Nancy with Gigantic Insurance Company. I saw where you wanted a home insurance quote. Do you have a second? What is going on with you current insurance company? What are some things you like about your current company? What are some things that you don't like? Alright, thanks for your time, I will call you back shortly.

Nancy was also polite but she took the time to ask some important questions about her current insurance company that she will be able to use to her advantage when comparing companies. If Nancy has the exact same price as Tom she would most likely have the advantage.

Agent 3: Hi Jill. This is Joe from Huge Insurance Company. Is this a good time for you? How is life treating you? Jill, I see that you live on Vine St. Do you know Bo Neighbor? He is one of my clients. It says on the paperwork from HometownQuotes.com that you are a writer? What type of writer are you? You know my wife was trying to break into that business, what sort of tips could you give to help her out? Anyway, sorry about my rambling there, I just find it important to get to know each of my clients on a more personal level than what kind of car they drive. It is also important for me to know that you feel the same way. I know you could call 1-800-555-Quote and get a price but I want you to know me and my family the same way I want to know yours. So, what is going on over at your current company? Oh yea? Well tell me Jill, what are some of the things you really like about your current company? I think we will be able to offer you some solutions that will be comparable to your current company in some ways and exceed them in others. I will take some time to prepare a proposal for you, when is a good time for us to get together so I can present that to you? Great I will talk to you then.

What has Joe done? He was polite, learned about what was going on with her current company and most importantly in the short amount of time he had with her he became her friend. He knows personal stuff about Jill and Jill knows the same about Joe. Sure he may or may not have the best price in town but as long as he is in the ball park he has a chance at the business. This is a chance that he probably would not have had if he had been even $5 more than the first two agents.

I can promise you this: There is no better felling than closing the deal on a new client than when you cost them more money that what they were currently paying and they came to your company because of you. Take a chance on this one and try to be way different that your competition for one week. All you have to lose is some time. If you are selling on price alone now you will still have the same price, you will just deliver it in a different manner. After all, my Dad tells me all the time that "if you put it in one end of the pipe, it will fall out the other." In other words if you quote enough people you will eventually write business. I guess I just want more of my "it" to get to the other end of the pipe.

Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site. He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and attended Middle Tennessee State University in 2002. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance shopping and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance. For more information visit http://www.hometownquotes.com

---

How to Build Rapport in 7 Seconds!

I had my first official sales training by a man... Read More

Quick Tips On Handling Rejection

Looking for a way to handle rejection?Edward W. Smith, motivational... Read More

Evaluating Your Customer

It is one thing to make a sales presentation, but... Read More

The Biggest Mistake in Sales Prospecting

Recently I received a prospecting voice mail message from a... Read More

Sales Predator Or Professional Sales Rep

From a customer's perception, it's easy for a salesperson to... Read More

Selling - Always Go for Top Money

If you've ever flown economy class on an international flight... Read More

How To Give Your Sales Job A Strategic Tune-up

In happens every year in June.Six months down and six... Read More

Separating Yourself from the Crowd (Part One of Two)

Warren Buffet says that insurance is a commodity and price... Read More

Business Appointment Success or Failure

One of the quickest ways to loose a sale is... Read More

Unleash Your Inner Sales Superstar & Win More Business Right Now!

It's a rainy afternoon on a typical mid week afternoon... Read More

Top 5 Low Cost Ways To Get More Sales Leads And Sell More Without Cold Calling

Cold calling may now be outdated. People have become defensive... Read More

Top 7 Psychological Triggers For Unlimited Sales

Did you know that there are specific psychological triggers you... Read More

Emotions That Sell, Part 2

In the last article, we looked at three emotions (besides... Read More

10 Expressions to Avoid in Sales Communication

Keeping up with what words are in and out isn't... Read More

In Sales The Biggest Rolodex Wins

How many names do you have in your business Rolodex?... Read More

Ten Ways to Super Charge Your Sales

1. Add a no-fee interactive game to your web site.... Read More

Do You Fold Like A Taco?

Have you ever eaten a soft taco? The shell isn't... Read More

The Art Of Persuasion: 7 Tips To Successfully Persuade Anyone

The saying "No man is an island" is an undeniable... Read More

Sales: The Secrets Of Super Salesmanship Exposed

Most people tremble when they hear the word "sales".This explains... Read More

The Reason Why They Buy

If you're a business person you want to sell your... Read More

Training for Trade Shows - 5 FAQs

Trade shows are so obvious. You go. You hand out... Read More

Success Secrets Of A Famous Vacuum Salesperson

I have to admit, I have an 'addiction'.Sometimes this addiction... Read More

How to Achieve Sales Goals by Focusing on Activities

When I broke into sales in 1986, I read several... Read More

3 Hot Ways To Crank Up Your Sales

1) QUICK FOLLOW-UPSWhen you make your first sale, follow-up with... Read More

How To Master the Art of Super Salesmanship

Mastering the "art of selling" is simply knowing how to... Read More

7 Steps to Selling Artwork

Selling arwork is easy when you follow a road map.... Read More

Do You Want Fries With That? - Using Suggestive Selling to Increase Your Sales

Suggestive selling is a powerful tool that can increase your... Read More

How To Get Clients To Take Immediate Action

Are you tired of excuses? Looking for a persuasion technique... Read More

When The Clock Strikes Twelve!

I just finished reading another sales copy ending with the... Read More

Are You a Sales Professional?

Many sellers like to describe themselves as professionals, but what... Read More

Are You Missing Out On Sales Through Fear of Pain? Improve the Persuasive Power of Your Words!

Education plus Motivation is a powerful formula. But how do... Read More

Get More Clients Now!

Although David has been a graphic designer for a decade,... Read More

3 Steps To Immediately Increase Sales

Want to increase sales within your company? It's not as... Read More