In 2020, many of us had to change how we approached our work every day. If you work in final expense sales, you may have had to shift to a telesales basis, connecting with your leads and customers over the phone. But you may have found that selling without the advantage of a face-to-face connection can be more challenging.
There are some strategies you can use to improve your chances of success in final expense telesales. Read on to discover these methods and how you can improve your sales rate today.
Slow Down
One of the best things you can do to improve your success in final expense telesales is to slow down. When you have your pitch ready to go and dozens of leads to call, it can be easy to get in a rush. You may blast through your initial script without pausing to connect with your lead or really dive into the benefits of your services.
But when you’re trying to keep leads on the phone, sounding like you can’t wait to get off the line yourself is counterproductive. Instead of rushing to hit your key points, treat every call like it could be the one that makes you a million dollars. Take a deep breath, slow down the pace of your script, and take some time to connect with your lead without any pressure to buy.
Build Trust
In addition to slowing down, you also need to focus on building trust with your leads during sales calls. When you’re selling over the phone, you don’t have the luxury of relying on a face-to-face connection. You have to use your voice and your pitch to convince clients they can trust you to protect their loved ones during this most vulnerable time.
Try to find connection points with your customer to establish a good rapport – maybe you went to the same school, or you both have dogs. Finding these points of personal connection can help them start to trust you as a person. And as you continue into your sales pitch, always be transparent and emphasize that you’re keeping their best interests at heart.
Stay Local
When you first dive into the final expense telesales world, it can be easy for your eyes to be bigger than your stomach. There are millions of leads out there, and your earning potential is endless. But it’s better to stick to local leads as much as possible for your final expense sales market.
When you focus on your area, you’re more likely to make connections with your customers. You may also start to get some of the advantages of referrals and word-of-mouth marketing. As people discover the peace of mind your services can provide, they’ll tell their friends, who may be more likely to make a purchase themselves.
Buy Leads
Organic lead generation can be wonderful, and there are plenty of great methods to approach it. However, the truth is that you miss out on a large portion of potential customers when you stick to organic leads. It would be best if you planned to invest some money in buying lists of leads to launch your final expense insurance career.
Buying leads gives you a wide range of people across a variety of different social networks. You can contact more people faster and be proactive in your business growth. Yes, you’ll have to spend some money upfront, but good lead qualification practices can help you to ensure that you’ll get plenty of return on that initial investment.
Invest in a Power Dialer
How much time do you spend listening to a ringing phone and hoping someone at the other end picks up? All of that is time you could be using to talk to customers and pursue sales. But how can you reduce wasted time if you still have to call all your leads?
A power dialer can help reduce the amount of time you sit on the phone waiting for someone to pick up. It can dial two or three lines at a time, and if someone picks up, it transfers them to your line. From there, you can start making connections and sales rather than just listening to a dial tone all day.
Use Scripts
Sales scripts have been an old standard for a long time, and for a good reason. A sales script helps to guide you through your pitch in a clear, organized, well-thought-out way. You aren’t trying to decide on the fly how to lead your customer into making a sale; you’re using a strategy that’s been tried and proven time and again.
If you don’t already have a sales script, you need to write one down and start using it in your calls. Remember not to go for the hard sell; this is one of the quickest ways to get a lead to shut down. Instead, focus on the lead, their needs, their concerns, and what they need from this conversation.
Leverage Imagination
One of the best things you can include in your sales script is the language that evokes imagination. You want your leads to really start to think about what the end of their life might look like without final expense insurance. You don’t want to scare them, but you want them to consider the genuine benefit your services can bring them.
Rather than throwing cold, hard facts at your leads, paint them a picture of what a life with and without final expense insurance might look like. Use language like, “Imagine that,” and “What might [x] look like?” Give them time and space to think about it and answer your question, and then gently show them how that scenario can change with final expense insurance.
Emphasize Additional Benefits
Of course, many people may have a hard time picturing the reality of their own death, and it isn’t exactly a fun topic of conversation. So, in addition to this imaginative language, focus your sales pitch on the additional benefits your service can offer. This will ensure that, rather than feeling backed into a corner, your leads come out seeing all the positives your services can bring them.
Maybe the insurance carrier offers riders or living benefits that are of value to your client.
Highlight these and any other benefits, and show that you can provide the most bang for your leads’ buck.
Exude Confidence
Confidence is the key to success in so many areas of life, and final expense insurance telesales is no exception. You can be armed with all the facts, perks, and scripts in the world, but if you’re not confident, you won’t see success. Your leads will pick up on your hesitation and wonder why you’re selling a product even you don’t believe in.
Try to go into each sales call with the attitude that the lead has already agreed to make a purchase and is simply asking for more details. Let your enthusiasm for your services show through, and don’t be afraid to show off your expertise in your field. This will make your leads feel more secure and convince them that their hard-earned money is well spent with you.
Provide Detailed Explanations
If a sales call is going well, your lead will almost certainly have some questions. They may want to know more about the details of the policy, or they might have some questions about premiums. This is your opportunity to earn their trust and show that you are well-equipped to handle their concerns during an incredibly sensitive time.
Don’t hold back when answering any questions your leads may have during a sales call. Answer these questions as thoroughly as you can, and always check in with your lead at the end of your explanation. Ask them if what you said made sense to them and if they have any follow-up questions.
Stay Organized
When you work in telesales, you will be fielding dozens of calls and leads every day. You’ll need to know where each lead is in your purchase process and which leads you need to follow up with. You may also have to take care of your existing clients and make sure they’re getting the service they need.
The only way you’ll be able to keep all these balls in the air is by staying relentlessly organized. Use a sales management system that helps you track your leads and clients and make notes on each interaction. If a lead or client has a major life event occur, check in on that next time you talk to them and update your notes accordingly.
Learn to Succeed in Final Expense Telesales
Selling final expense insurance over the phone isn’t always easy, but there are some things you can do to improve your chances of success. Try to build connections in your local area, and use a power dialer to improve your efficiency. Use imaginative language, exude confidence, and always stay organized.
If you’d like to discover more ways to succeed in final expense telesales, check out the rest of our site. We can help you jumpstart your final expense insurance career using a proven sales system. Start mastering the art of selling final expense insurance with step-by-step agent training and support.