That is why it makes sense to use a multi touch sales process. A multi touch sales process involves making contact with a prospect multiple times as well as using multiple methods of communication such as an e-mail campaign, follow up calls, direct mail, text messages, and voicemails. The multi touch process can be effective whether your sales staff is cold calling or warm calling.

Multi Touch Sales Process - Next Wave Marketing Strategies

Stage 1: Intro Call and E-Mail

If you are cold calling, your first contact with a prospect is likely to be a brief phone conversation. If the prospect sounds interested, send him or her a follow up e-mail highlighting the benefits of your insurance plans and providing your contact information so that the prospect can easily reach you with questions. This intro call and e-mail marks the beginning of your sales process.

Stage 2: Follow Up and Nurturing

Over the next several weeks, follow up with the prospect on a scheduled basis. An e-mail campaign is an efficient method of follow up, allowing you to easily send additional information about your programs. When you use e-mail, you can also gauge your prospect’s interest by checking to see whether he or she is opening the emails and clicking on the links provided.

In addition to sending a series of e-mails, you should also make follow up calls, leaving voicemails if necessary. Your goal, of course, is to attempt to engage the prospect directly so you can assess whether or not he or she remains interested in purchasing insurance from your organization.

In many cases, stage 2 ends with a sale.

Stage 3: Final Call and Voicemail

There are times when a prospect is simply not ready to make a purchase or, for whatever reason, does not want to make a purchase from your company. At some point, he or she may ask to be removed from your contact list. Alternatively, you may realize that you are making no progress and decide to move on to other, more promising leads.

Making a courteous final call and voicemail leaves the door open is the prospect becomes ready to buy from you in the future. In your final voicemail, thank the prospect for his or her time and remind the prospect that you and your organization are available to answer questions or to help in any other way.

It’s a hard fact that you won’t convert every lead no matter what sales process you use, but Business Acceleration Strategies found that using the multi touch method can increase a company’s sales by more than 200%. The more chances you give customers to buy from you, the more likely it is they will take you up on one of those chances.

Most consumers, even those who wouldn’t fit the traditional branding of “tree hugger” have become more aware of the environment these days.  Of course, at the end of the day this is to the betterment of our planet and our quality of life, but the fact remains that it’s adversely affected the automotive industry to some degree.

While gas-chugging SUVs were popular back in the heady years of the late 90s and early 2000s, increased environmental awareness coupled with the rising prices at the gas pump has correspondingly increased the desire for gas conservation.

Subsequently, the desire for smaller, more gas efficient cars has skyrocketed over the last decade.  In addition to this desire, there has also been considerable development in the hybrid auto market to satiate the demand for more eco-friendly cars.  As you may already be aware, a hybrid car is one that runs off of both electricity and gasoline, thus being more ecologically friendly while also saving gasoline.  These cars tend to be more expensive than the traditional oil-burning models, though, and many consumers feel excluded from the hybrid market because of this.

The good news for insurance salesmen is that you can help individuals who are thinking about purchasing hybrids but are unsure about footing the cost by alerting potential hybrid customers of insurance discounts that come with purchasing hybrid cars.  This is because many companies have determined that those who buy hybrids are less likely to have accidents and file claims.

Not only that, but the popularity of hybrid cars is expected to rise.  J.D. Power and associates have estimated that 5.2 million hybrid – and battery powered electric – cars will be on the road by 2020.  As of 2010, hybrid cars account for nearly 2.2% of total market share.

In addition to benefits given to automobile owners who decide to go green, agents who sell home insurance should be aware that there are also insurance discounts given to home and business owners who decide to go eco-friendly.  There are lots of cuts available for those who decide to get energy-efficient upgrades to homes and businesses.  One reason for this is the increasing concern that climate change may have on the world and companies want to reward individuals who take steps toward lessening their individual carbon footprint on the planet.

So if you’ve got a client on your hands who is considering going green but is worried about the corresponding costs associated with doing so, be sure to make them aware of the insurance discounts that could help them waylay those costs.  Going green is good for everybody – the insurance agent, the buyer, and also the planet!

Given the current political climate surrounding the matter, health insurance is all the buzz in both the insurance agencies and the Senate floor.  Most people are unhappy with the current state of their health insurance, and hundreds of thousands of Americans are completely uninsured.  What makes it even worse is that even basic health insurance polices can be prohibitively expensive for people who don’t have jobs that provide appropriate benefits.

The high level of unemployment in the United States also contributes to the large portion of the public that is operating either with inadequate health insurance or none at all.

With this on the mind, many clients simply give up on health insurance altogether.  As a insurance agent, your job is both to sell insurance and help clients get the insurance they need at a price they can afford.  Many people write off health insurance as a luxury, instead preferring to put their money into automotive or home insurance.  While auto and home insurance are also necessities, it may help you while working with clients to remind them that health insurance could potentially save their lives and the lives of those that they love.

People with health insurance are much more likely to go see a doctor or a dentist if there are any problems with their health.  It’s an oft-quoted cliché, but it really is true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Going to see physicians regularly helps in determining if any problems are starting to occur with an individuals’ health and can put that person back on the path to wellness before a small problem becomes something much more expensive and hazardous to the health.

In contrast, people who do not have health insurance often live with worsening problems until it overwhelms them and they end up in the emergency room.  Having an affordable health insurance plan can assist in keeping people in good shape and out from under the doctor’s scalpel.

Additionally, statistics by the American Cancer Society show that the prevalence of insurance has a lot to do with whether or not a person dies of prostate cancer or not.  Those that have insurance are more likely to go in and get screenings, and thus appropriate medical action can be taken if problems are detected.  Those without insurance are much more likely not to realize that there is a problem before it is too late.

With this in mind, try to find your uninsured clients health insurance packages that cover them at a fair cost and will get them the preventative care they need in order to ensure that they live long and healthy lives.

It’s no secret that the economy is in terrible shape these days.  Many people are either unemployed or underemployed, and are looking for ways to make ends meet.  One of the more unscrupulous ways that people have decided to find money to pay bills is by engaging in acts of fraud.

Insurance fraud in particular has become a big problem in recent years, since many people consider it a way to get money without stealing. Of course, insurance fraud is a form of theft, but since it lacks the traditional guise of physically taking something that belongs to another person, many people don’t see it that way.

And, as such, people have been taking fraudulent measures with insurance in order to make a quick buck in these hard times.  One of the most popular ways to commit insurance fraud actually comes at the behest of small businesses.  If you happen to have insurance clients who own small businesses, you should discuss the following with them and be sure they’re aware if somebody is trying to hit them with a fraudulent claim.

The fraudulent claim that’s gained a lot of popularity in recent years is slip and fall claims.  This is one of the most basic forms of insurance fraud – essentially, an individual manages to injure themselves somehow on the property of the small business and files a claim in order to extract insurance money from the business owner.  Many small businesses, in their haste to avoid legal battles, choose to hand out payments to people who file slip and fall claims rather than perform due diligence against fraud.

While it may seem “simpler” to many small business owners who have an angry client on their hands to simply pay out insurance money, remind your small business owner clients that this is not a good idea.  Fraudulent slip and fall payments only make the overall insurance premiums higher, so they’ll reap it the next time there’s an insurance hike.

If you think that the rise in slip and fall fraudulent claiming sounds more like hearsay than anything else, there’s a considerable amount of evidence behind it – the National Insurance Crime Bureau has noted that slip and fall claims have risen as much as 57 percent over the last two years.  In addition, the first half of 2010 saw 997 questionable slip and fall claims alone.

So, in order to gain a reputation as a reliable insurance agent, you should definitely speak with your clients about the likelihood of fraud and what kind of diligence measures should be taken in order to lessen the amount of fraud payment.  Nobody wants to pay more on their insurance – insurance should be used as a means only when it’s necessary for the client, not for when somebody decides it would be a quick way to make a dollar!

If you are a home insurance agent, you may be interested in recent studies that show that many customers are less satisfied with their home insurance than they were in years prior.

According to a study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates, customer satisfaction with home insurance agencies is at a five year low.  The number one cause?  Customers are displeased with service interactions and unhappy with the policy offerings that home insurance agents and companies have on the table.

To look at the numbers, the average customer satisfaction rate with home insurance companies received a 750 on a scale of 1,000 point scale, which indicates a decline of 23 points from 2009.  Satisfaction with home insurance companies and agencies has actually fallen over four of the last five years, with 2009 being the sole exception to the trend.

The holders of home insurance are already hyper sensitive to changes in the system due to the dismal state of the economy, and what’s worse, most of them don’t understand the changes that are occurring in the system.  According to the study, nearly fifty percent of customers don’t understand the kind of home insurance coverage they have on their home and what kind they need.  Additionally, many customers have expected the premiums they pay on their home insurance to decline, as the prices of homes have declined since 2008.

What makes the situation worse is the automotive insurance industry.  Most people who have home insurance also deal with insuring their cars, at the automotive insurance industry has made great strides over the past few years with advertising and offering discounts to their customers.  Home insurance, in comparison, has done very little to reach out to the customer base, and lots of clients are confused as to why this is the case.

What agents should take out of this is that the customers who are best pleased with their home insurance are the ones who bundle home insurance together with car insurance.  Customers who carry all of their insurance though one company are also more likely to receive discounts and better benefits alongside their insurance packages.  Keep in mind that Generation Y is starting to buy homes in greater numbers, so the likelihood of package insurance is higher.  Make your home buying automobile-owning customers aware of these discounts available, and you’re more likely to have pleased customers.

It’s also worth your while as an agent to suggest that your clients to keep an inventory of valuable home items – such as entertainment systems – in order to smooth the claims process.  Doing everything you can to ensure that your customers are at their ease throughout the insurance process will do a lot toward bolstering customer satisfaction no matter what kind of insurance you work with.

Next Wave Marketing Strategies Cold-Calling

When it comes right down to it, cold calling probably isn’t any salesperson’s favorite way to spend time. Speaking to a new person for the first time is awkward enough anyway, and many individuals and companies make it clear that they don’t appreciate receiving cold calls. If done right, however, cold calling can generate some valuable leads. The following tips will help you spark your cold calling program.

1. Do Customer Research

Before picking up the phone, find out as much as you can about the business or individual whom you are calling. Items of interest include people in a head position (in a company), people who have been newly promoted, the needs of the company or individual, and how you might be able to meet those needs.

When you cold call a company, for instance, don’t simply ask to speak to “the person who makes decisions about health insurance.” Instead, know who that individual is and ask for him or her by name. When you get on the phone with your lead, offer a compliment or make a comment showing that you know something about the business. For instance, “Congratulations on being voted the Chamber of Commerce Person of the Month,” or “Congratulations on your promotion to Human Resources Manager.”

Finally, acknowledge who is presently meeting the customer’s need and ask if there are any gaps that you might be able to fill. For instance, “I know you currently buy health insurance through ABC Company. Their rates climbed pretty steeply at the end of last year. Can we set up a time for me to tell you about our rate structure?”

2. Use Lead Nurturing Techniques

It’s not realistic to expect to score a huge sale on your first phone call. Instead, go for a smaller “yes.” That could mean getting the person to agree to a face-to-face meeting, to look at materials you send via email or regular mail, to talk again on the phone at a later date, or even to follow you and your company through social media.

Lead nurturing means being interested in more than just a sale. It means coming to understand your lead’s needs and showing him or her that your company is the right one to meet those needs.

3. Use Online Lead Generation

If your company has a web page, and you should, develop a brief online form that customers who want more information about your products or services can fill out. When a potential customer completes the form and clicks send, your company will immediately receive an email with the lead’s name and contact information. When using online lead generation, it is important to follow up with leads as quickly as possible so they don’t lose interest or, worse, select a competitor to provide the goods or services they are looking for.

Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, and also be a valuable way to generate leads online. On Facebook, you can set up a business page and even run ads based on your average customer’s demographics. Again, if a lead contacts you through social media, it is important to provide a personal response as soon as possible.

Cold calls can make even the best salesperson sweat a little bit, but if done right, they can be quite profitable.

Next Wave Marketing Strategies Calling-Clients-Weekends

There is a mentality in the marketing field that business should be conducted during business hours. This means taking the weekend off from such practices as cold calling and lead nurturing. Intuitively, this even seems to make sense. How many people want to discuss serious topics like buying insurance on their two days off from work?

The answer may surprise you. Statistics suggest that the number of insurance leads, or people who fill out an online form expressing willingness to be contacted for a free insurance quote, drops on the weekends. However, the conversion rate is actually higher on weekends than it is on weekdays. One study hypothesizes this is true because the people who browse insurance sites on weekdays are just casual lookers; whereas, the people who devote their time off work to pursuing insurance quotes are serious about becoming purchasers.

If you are working with a telemarketing company or have a website that generates insurance leads, it’s a good idea to make contact with the lead as soon as you receive the information, even if that’s outside of regular business hours. The Insurance Journal suggests that speed-to-call is the largest driver of lead conversion. Leads also have a tendency to ultimately buy from the first company that contacts them.

There are a few other reasons why cold calling over the weekends can be a wise strategy. First of all, leads are more likely to be home. You’re far more likely to make a sale if you can speak to an actual person than if you leave a voice message on an answering machine.

Also, far from being annoyed at the “interruption” of your call, leads may actually be more receptive to hearing information about insurance on the weekends. This is because weekends are typically a less busy time for leads. They don’t have to worry about getting back to work or picking the kids up at school, so they actually have time to listen to what you are saying and reflect about how your insurance program could help them. When you call on the weekends, you can take some time for lead nurturing as opposed to trying to make a sale as fast as possible.

Finally, calling leads on the weekends makes sense, because most insurance companies don’t do it. This means less competition and potentially more sales for your company.

Will you ever encounter a lead who is grouchy about being called on his time off? Certainly. Anyone who has experience with cold calling knows that not all leads will be warm and enthusiastic. The latest studies suggest, however, that even if you run into the occasional curmudgeon, calling insurance leads on the weekends makes good sales sense.

Nextwavemarketingstrategies.com Powerful-Sales-Scripts

Studies have shown that when you are cold calling, you have between 10 and 20 seconds to interest your potential customer in what you are selling. If you don’t impress within that short period of time, you’re not likely to get a second chance. That is why, instead of “winging it,” it’s a good idea to use a sales script when you’re prospecting for clients.

The Perfect Sales Script

The best script is a “sound bite” of 50 words or fewer. Once you have been connected to the person who makes buying decisions, use those words to introduce yourself and your company, explain what you are selling, describe the most compelling features of your product, and assess whether or not the prospect is interested.

For instance: “Mr. Smith, my name is Jane Doe with the XYZ company. We sell group health insurance plans to small businesses. We have a rock solid reputation for providing the insurance that your employees need at rates well below the industry standard. Is this something that would interest you?”

Sales Strategy for Cold Calls

When you are cold calling, it’s unrealistic to expect to make a sale over the telephone on the first call. Instead, your sales strategy should be geared to catching the prospect’s interest and getting your foot in the door.

If the person you are calling expresses interest in what you are selling, your next step should be to go for a “small close.” Ask the person to meet with you face to face so that you can more fully describe your product or service and explain how it would benefit the prospect.

For instance: “I appreciate your interest, Mr. Smith. Is there a time this week when I could meet with you for fifteen minutes to give you additional information about our insurance plans and show you how we can help your employees meet their health care needs at affordable prices?”

A Word of Warning About Sales Scripts

Write your sales script carefully, and then practice saying it over and over again as if you are an actor learning his or her lines. You may even want to add brief pauses and the occasional “um” or “er” to make your script sound natural.

Whatever you do, don’t read your script in a mechanical voice when you’re prospecting. Even if it is a canned presentation, it shouldn’t sound like one. If it does, you are likely to lose your prospect very quickly.

A good script presented in a natural manner can be an important part of your sales strategy. It can help you catch the interest of prospects during those crucial 10 to 20 seconds when they are deciding whether or not to do business with you.

As an insurance agent, you’re likely well aware that one of the best things you can do for your business is help your clients with theirs.  That is, not only should you be there when your clients come to you needing to buy insurance, but you should also act as a valuable source of information whenever issues or questions arise.

For example, being able to contact clients frequently whenever claims need to be filed and offering solid advice is a great way to cement your reputation as a resource to your clients.  In the case of natural disasters, for instance, taking care of the myriad of problems that occur when a home gets destroyed will distract many clients.  This is an excellent time for you to step in with helpful advice on what to do concerning insurance matters.  If a client has undergone some sort of catastrophe relating to their property, it’s unlikely that they’re going to have the state of mind to be able to page through stacks and stacks of insurance rules and regulations when it comes to making claims.  This is where a good, helpful insurance agent is invaluable.

First, one of the best things you can help your clients with during troubled times is helping them make a detailed inventory of all property that has been lost or damaged.  Taking photos is a great way to have hard evidence of destroyed property without having to spend a lot of time going through and writing everything down.  Pictures speak more than words, after all, and photographic evidence of damage is more likely to convince insurance companies that action needs to be taken sooner, rather than later.  Pictures also keep claims from being stonewalled by “lack of evidence.”

Another way that you as an insurance agent can help your clients through disaster is by advising them on how best to go about repairing their damaged property.  Many people make the mistake of getting their homes repaired without having an adjuster inspect it.  While it’s natural for clients to want to repair their homes as soon as possible and get on with their lives, it’s advisable for insurance purposes to only get temporary repairs done in the wake of a disaster.  Giving the insurance adjuster solid information about the kind of permanent repairs that must be done to property before they happen make the claims process go much smoother and allows insurance to react appropriately to disaster aftermath cleanup situations.

An insurance agent can make a big difference in the lives of clients when it comes to dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters or even smaller claims.  Being a reliable source of information is a great way not only to up your customer satisfaction rate but also expand your customer base.  After all, happy customers are much more likely to refer your name on to others who may be in the market for insurance.  In this way, all parties are satisfied.

One of the most important things about insurance is how regional it can be.  Obviously, a home in Nevada is not going to need to have flood insurance, but it’s a necessity for somebody living in New Orleans.

In the same vein, while somebody living in Seattle might not be interested in wildfire insurance, a great deal of the country suffers from wildfires for at least part of the year, and the importance of having proper wildfire insurance in these parts of the country cannot be overestimated.

As those who have been victim of wildfire damage know, a wildfire can destroy your entire house or business in seconds, leaving little or nothing behind that’s salvageable.  If you happen to live in an area where wildfire damage is a remote possibility, you should definitely talk with all of your clients about the need for wildfire insurance.  Do research about the particular area you live in and figure out which areas are most likely to suffer damage from wildfires, and make sure that the subject gets brought up when any client walks in talking about insuring property.

Did you know that in 2010, the Insurance Information Institute recorded that all fifty states suffered from wildfires?  Obviously, the amount of wildfires per state varied dramatically – from in the teens to the hundreds of thousands.  While certain states can probably get away with just having property insured under regular fire damage insurance, those who live in drier climes would do well to be sure that their properties are protected against such catastrophe.

The state with the most wildfires in 2010?  Texas!  Texas reported 16,614 fires, which damaged more than 753,000 acres of land.  Across the United States, over 79,000 wildfires were reported to insurance companies last year, and the fires themselves damaged over 5.9 million acres of land.  That’s a lot of insurance dollars – and for those who were uninsured, there was a lot of heartbreak.

Be sure to remind your clients that they will need to purchase enough wildfire insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding the property after a fire, not just enough to cover the value of the property itself.  Also, if you have clients that live or work in high-risk areas, it helps if they take photos of their entire houses in the event of a wildfire.  It will make the claims process much smoother if insurance holders can prove that they owned certain items with photographic evidence  – otherwise the process can become murky and the holder might not be able to get the full value of his or her property.

Remember to take into consideration the wiles of Mother Nature when in the business of selling insurance.  There are literally thousands of different kinds of insurance out on the market to be bought and sold, and the right kinds for your clients depend on everything under the sun – including the weather.