Archive for May, 2010

4 Tips To Improve Cold Calls To Car Insurance Leads

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

Making cold calls to prospective qualified car insurance leads can seem intimidating. Despite advances in sales technology and lead generation, making cold calls is still one of the toughest tasks for all sales professionals. Follow these four proven strategies and see how you can streamline your car insurance cold calls and turn them into customers.

Keep your information up-to-date. Ensuring that your prospective client’s information is accurate in your CRM system before you even dial the phone can help your call go smoothly and potentially result in a sale. Keeping only updated leads in your database will help you maximize the potential for sales.

Do the legwork before the call. Before you call a potential client, be sure to have a quote prepared, or access to your quote system in order to generate one for them. Identify discounts that the client could be eligible for, and leverage those in the beginning of the call in order to peak interest and retain the customer on the phone. By understanding who this lead is and isolating their needs, you can offer them a tailored solution that will result in a win-win proposition for both you and the client.

Ask the customer what they don’t like about their current insurance provider. Most car insurance cold calls start off by explaining who you are and what you do. Instead, take the opportunity to talk to the lead about what does not work for them currently, and offer a product that will solve this problem. Using this opener, you can immediately pinpoint the client’s exact needs, and introduce yourself in a way that interests them. Instead of just another car insurance company, you become a car insurance company with lower rates, or a car insurance company with superior customer service.

Offer a follow-up date. Even qualified car insurance leads won’t always lead to a sale. All leads must be nurtured, and part of every good nurturing strategy is the follow-up. Be sure to ask the client if you can call them next month, or six weeks from now in order to help reassess their goals and needs. Also, invite the potential customer to call you if their needs change any sooner than that. Be sure to verify their email and mailing addresses, and offer to send them brochures or any other collateral that can be helpful in their decision to switch car insurance agencies.

If you follow these simple strategies, you’ll find yourself closing deals and creating a large customer base. Make cold calls simpler and turn them into sales-making opportunities by just following some basic sales best practices. This information can go a long way in securing sales.