Communication, sales techniques, customer relationships, time management, and professional development. Learn how these skills boost success in the industry.
Being an insurance agent means meeting with clients, selling services, and educating customers (and yourself) about insurance products. To be a good insurance agent, you have to be a good communicator, a good time manager, and a good salesperson. Having the right skills for the job is important.
Developing Strong Communication Skills
Communication is the bedrock on which customer relationships are built. Communication doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Many people need to practice communicating to develop these skills. There’s more than one way to be a good communicator. For example:
Answer phones and emails quickly. Prompt communication shows your clients that you’re reliable and organized. To engage in prompt communication, answer emails and phone calls as soon as possible – within the same day whenever possible. Agents who don’t respond quickly to clients miss out on good opportunities to develop client relationships and meet their customer’s needs.
Give concise, accurate answers. Clients find it easier to trust insurance agents who speak with accuracy. Speaking clearly and as accurately as possible is important for ensuring that clients get the information they need when they need it and in a form they can understand.
Be a good listener. Part of being a good communicator is listening to client problems and issues. This is what allows insurance agents to find the right insurance product for a client’s needs.
Mastering Sales Techniques for Insurance Agents
Every insurance agent develops sales techniques over time. Having sales techniques that you rely on can help you through complex sales situations and can help you become a more effective insurance agent. Here are some of the techniques that agents use to help customers find insurance products.
Tell stories. Customers don’t always understand insurance products, until they can hear examples of those insurance products in action. Telling stories will help your customers grasp the complexities of insurance and how it can benefit them.
Ask good questions. In order to meet the needs of clients, you must get them to talk. To do that, ask open-ended questions that encourage customers to discuss why they need insurance and what they’re hoping to accomplish with their policy.
Show value. Insurance customers often gravitate to the bare minimum amount of insurance to satisfy the law or the needs of their mortgage company. To these customers, the value of the insurance is not the point. They may not even realize how much they could benefit from a slightly more complex or robust policy. Showing value to customers through story telling and answering customer questions can help lead your customers to insurance products that will truly benefit them.
Building and Maintaining Customer Relationships
Insurance agents who can develop good customer relationships can keep customers coming back. There are many ways to develop good customer relationships. Some tips:
- Provide good customer service for everyone who calls, and train your phone staff and other staff members to do the same.
- Show clients that you remember them by referencing details of your last conversation together.
- Create a social media page where you can connect with customers even when you’re not answering their calls to your agency.
Finally, go above and beyond for every customer. Make yourself available as often as possible. Anticipate your customer’s needs before they need them. Once everything is resolved, follow up to see that your customer is doing alright.
Effective Time Management Strategies
Time management is one of the most difficult skills to develop. Managing time takes patience and practice. Keep a calendar and set aside time in your day for the most important activities. Schedule tasks, even if they don’t require a meeting on the calendar. For example, you may set aside time for responding to email or voice mail. Make a to-do list every day, and make that to-do list realistic for the amount of time you have.
Finally, leverage tools that automate and perform tasks for you – like the tools offered by your insurance network. Voldico offers a range of services to clients, from payroll services to marketing, accounting, policy and claims servicing and more. Automating these tasks will save you time and give you more opportunities to work with clients and sell insurance products.
Continuous Learning and Professional Development
It’s important to continue learning and growing as an insurance professional. Going to conferences and association meetings can help you learn more about your industry and what you can do to be a better insurance agent. Setting a professional development goal each year gives you something to work toward and helps you measure success.
Remember to network with other insurance agents to learn more about your industry. Networking can help spread ideas and help you solve client or insurance problems. When you join Voldico, you gain access to a supportive network of skilled insurance agents. You’ll be given ample opportunities to learn more from your colleagues and peers.
