The Internet has done wonders for our industry. It's made it easier for consumers to shop for the right plan. Technology has also made it easier for agents and brokers to effectively target the majority of insurance shoppers now going online.
The time and money you've invested in automation tools and search engine-driven leads have made you more efficient. But they won't deliver the big sales they promise unless you know the one secret to making your Internet marketing pay off big time.
This one secret is the key to unlocking all the benefits and advantages that Internet marketing offers. In the midst of all this cutting-edge technology, that one secret to closing sale after sale remains the same: establishing and maintaining a personal connection.
Sounds too common sense to really be a secret, doesn't it? But a timely personal touch is often the first to go in our increasingly virtual business world.
Modern technological tools, such as your Web site and email, have succeeded in making you more effective. In fact, tech-savvy agents now even collect commissions on deals where they've never spoken with the client. The prospect goes to their Web site, uses a quote engine to shop for a plan, and then goes straight into an online application and submission -- without ever contacting the agent.
Don't get me wrong. Efficiency is great. But when you let your sales become too tech-dependent -- at the cost of making time for a personal touch -- you're letting leads slip through your fingers.
Speed counts
"The best lead in the world is no good if you don't follow up on it," says Dennis DenHartog of DenHartog Financial Services. "Every Internet lead I receive via email receives a personal phone call from me."
That's a smart strategy. But when prospects receive your first call is just as important.
Remember that your potential clients want to feel like their business is your top priority. Will they get that feeling from a phone call 12, 24, or 48 hours after their request for information? Or an email days later?
Your Internet customers are expecting a response at Internet speed.
Top producers also know firsthand that your odds of closing a lead increases exponentially if you're able to get in touch with prospects while they still have insurance on their minds. Calling right away is one of the most surefire ways to close more of your leads.
In addition, keep in mind that not all leads are the same. Some Internet leads offer a better chance at grabbing prospects while they're looking for insurance, with real-time delivery and live transfer (in which providers call prospects to reconfirm their interest in talking to an agent, then are immediately connected to you over the telephone).
The timing on your follow-up phone calls is crucial. But leads such as these can improve your timing even more -- as well as produce higher contact and close ratios.
Add a personal touch to your pitch
Technological tools such as your Web site and email allow you to reach more prospects with less effort and time and at a lower cost. Emails in particular are effective methods for staying connected to new prospects -- but emails can often be cold and impersonal.
This is another reason why it's so important that you personalize your response with a follow-up phone call. Your voice is your handshake. Even if you have to leave a voicemail message, you'll be letting your lead know you're personally interested in them and their business.
But personalization only begins there. You need to build on your initial connection with the prospect.
This means doing your homework. If your prospect requested a quote or provided personal information in their request, make sure to use that information right off the bat in your phone pitch.
Take the time to understand their situation and present plans that can answer their needs.
You should also consider personalizing your emails and Web sites with professional photos of yourself and your staff. Although consumers go online to find the best value and programs, they're still human. And they still have that human need to connect with someone real -- someone they can trust.
Photographs and personalization help to build that connection.
As Ron Bridges of Bridges Insurance Services explained, "Potential customers will always need an agent to help them figure out what they want, evaluate the options, and implement solutions. Computers can't make the sale and build relationships, but they can help the agent have the time to do those things."
Commit to a long-term follow-up plan
Experienced agents know that not all genuine prospects are ready to close the deal with that first call. Some leads need to be nurtured and guided to a close.
For "longer term" leads, that first call is just the first step of a journey. You know where the journey ends. The challenge is making sure that you don't lose your prospect along the way.
This means staying connected to them while you guide them. Traditionally, this has been done through regular letters and phone calls. But that's no longer as cost-effective as it used to be.
Fortunately, technology has made it much easier for you to stay connected with prospects over the long run. For example, many top producers use an email auto-responder to stay connected with thousands of prospects with very little effort.
This tool can send regular marketing emails on a preset schedule based on when that prospect first entered your sales funnel. Some auto-responders can even integrate with a quote engine, so that each email will contain a personalized quote update on the plans the prospect previously considered.
This is an especially effective tool for dealing with prospects who need your continued guidance but don't like the bother of sales calls. You can even track when a prospect clicks on the plan update link -- so you know when exactly would be a perfect time to call.
And even if you don't call, when that prospect is finally ready to close the sale, they'll have your updated quotes and contact information at their fingertips.
You'll also have gone a long way toward building a relationship with the prospect -- because you took the time to add a personal touch to your Internet marketing strategy.
Jeremiah Desmarais is vice president of marketing at Norvax. He can be reached at jdesmarais@norvax.com.
