Learn Five Tips For Selling Auto Insurance During a Pandemic that Can Boost Sales
We’re willing to bet that no one had “Selling Auto Insurance During A Pandemic” on their Career Bingo Card, but here we are. Nearly every industry has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and selling auto insurance, is no exception. We’re about to hit the one-year mark of working in this “new normal,” and it’s a great time to review your sales team’s processes and offer additional support and guidance. Your auto insurance sales team needs your support to set up efficient structures and systems in this virtual-only terrain. The good news is that the auto insurance industry relied on web and phone sales long before COVID-19 hit. The challenges lie in connecting with your team virtually, and adjusting your best practices and playbooks. These adjustments can help your team accommodate new schedules, new types of prospects, and new opportunities for growth. We’ve come up with 5 tips for selling auto insurance during a pandemic, that we think will help your team level-up in the new year.
Check in with your Remote Team
You’d think that by now, we would have figured out the added layers of connecting with our work teams remotely, but there’s always room to improve. Back when we thought this was only going to be a short-term adjustment, working from home seemed like a novelty. Months later, your teams may be feeling a certain fatigue that comes with not connecting in person. Sometimes, the biggest tips for selling auto insurance have nothing to do with selling auto insurance and everything to do with workplace connections.
Help your sales team create routines that fit their life. Work with them and their unique challenges to set them up for success. A simple work schedule adjustment can make all the difference to a parent or caregiver who is juggling priorities at home. And don’t forget the fun. Try to create opportunities for the whole team to get together for a video call happy hour. It’s important for your team to connect not just with you, but each other, too!
Leverage Technologies.
Now that your sales team has been remote for a while, it’s a good time to assess what technology is working and what might need an upgrade. In regards to a longer term strategy, some offices have even considered closing their physical locations altogether and migrate to a fully remote environment. If you are considering this, it may be worth investing in more robust telecommunication software. If your file management systems or customer relationship management (CRM) softwares are not fully cloud-based, now is the time to consider moving to a virtual-friendly software or service. Be sure to shop around for the best product to fit your team’s needs.
Expand Your Cold Calling Timeframes
Since the pandemic forced many people to work from home, cold calling schedules are getting a facelift. Gone are the peak calling windows of early morning and early evening. Now, prospects can take your calls with more flexibility during the day. It is a great time to get creative with calling strategies so you can double your call volume. If cold calling is a major time-sink for your sales team, consider upgrading your process by hiring a team dedicated to finding your agency double-verified leads.
Sound Matters
How does your team execute calls when they are working from home? Do they use a phone system or a web-based dialer system? Either way, the quality of your team’s connections counts. We recommend hardwired phone lines and upgraded microphones for your team members. No one wants to miss an opportunity because of a poor phone connection or inadequate computer microphone. With USB microphones becoming more and more affordable, it is easy to upgrade your team’s phone hardware in a cost effective way.
Dial Up the Compassion
One of the most important tips for selling auto insurance during a pandemic is to approach each call with compassion. Many people are living isolated and lonely lives, quarantined away from loved ones. It’s a good idea to remind your team that the phone calls they make have additional weight behind them. It’s important to take a little more time to listen to prospective customers and engage in positive conversations. For some folks, your team’s phone call may be their only human connection of the day. When your team focuses on compassion and conversation, it becomes a win-win. Heartfelt conversations take place and your business’s reputation soars, which will no doubt lead to more sales.