Contrary to what people tell you, referrals for insurance sales are not your lifeline. It takes a lot of skill to get insurance referrals. This article will show you how to request sales referrals correctly and how to earn them.
The instructions given to me by the general agent in my first career office are still very clear decades later. Even though my memory has receded over the years, his comments on referrals are still as relevant today as they were yesterday. You seem to recall two things from your life: the bad advice you received and the good opportunities you took. As bad advice later on, I still remember the comments about insurance referrals. The first was the advice on sales referrals I received, and then the logic that I found.
These are the instructions for insurance sales referrals I received. First, I was shocked to learn that I couldn’t survive in insurance sales if I didn’t have instant referrals. With the fear emotion instilled, I did as instructed. Tell the client that it is their responsibility to inform others about the problems they might face if they are properly insured after making an insurance referral. Then, I asked them to assist me in delivering this message. They were to immediately get their addresses and set up three appointments.
I was a bit of a maverick and couldn’t bring myself to fulfill that requirement. I discovered that I had no reason to not do so. Your insurance agent or manager will insist on getting referrals for insurance sales immediately. This is because the general agent/insurance manager won’t invest in you leads. This is why you should not be afraid of losing referral leads. It is false to believe that you will die if you don’t get referrals from your new clients. Few professional insurance agents (1% or less) will claim that referrals kept them alive for the first four years.
A prospective client will immediately use reverse strategies to escape from a stressful situation. Do not hesitate to ask for referrals and don’t be surprised if the phone rings again the next day with buyer regret, or cancelling the sale. It’s amazing that sales coaches, as well as insurance managers, can offer the same advice. The home office has people who are ready to purchase insurance, and the insurance manager receives sales referrals. These referrals are not genuine. They were not given to the manager. Although sales coaches are paid to offer advice, there is no guarantee that all of the information they give is correct.
Referrals account for 20% to 25% of all business. These sales referrals were not given to us for asking, but we received them because of our hard work. We don’t call them begging or nagging, but we call them and offer rewards. Learn how to refer people in a preferred way
SALES REFERRALS are a BONUS, A REWARD TO WORK WELL DONE.
GETTING PERFECT REFERRALS
Referring people is often done by not asking them directly but by delivering a service that other agents don’t offer. It is easy to get their email address by making sure you are included in every sale. Create a website that reflects you, not your company as a specialist. Your website should be visible on the main page. It should include your email address, phone number, and business address. Set up a plan for your clients to receive emails at least once a month. However, a three-week time frame is more effective. You can give away many ebooks that your clients might enjoy. They are useful and I recommend them to you. Write a short article about insurance that your clients might not know.
PUTT IT TOGETHER Send out your newsletter with a greeting, and the message. You don’t need to ask for more insurance. Make sure to give them all of your contact information. Send them a free, no-obligation offer. You can tell them that you have distribution rights to an amazing storybook, such as “Aesop’s Fables”, by Hans Christian Anderson. You can email them and they will receive a copy for free. They can use Adobe on their computers, as most computers already have it. In your email, include a link to a free Adobe pdf reader. You will send another email every month or three weeks with a link to another free eBook option.
The real kicker. After some emails, you mention that they must know people who would enjoy the same ebooks as them. If they send you the name and email address of another person who might be interested, you can offer a set of three ebooks for free. This is not a bribe, but an incentive. They will do it. You now have sales leads. Send the ebooks to the referees. Next, make it a sales appointment.
Another way. Send an email to a few clients who have been receiving your emails. This email will allow you to reach out to them and review their current coverage. You have established trust with clients, who are willing to give you a few referrals for insurance sales. You keep your clients satisfied with no pressure.
Claims approach. After receiving notice of any claim, follow up with your insurance clients. Provide assistance and ensure that all benefits have been paid. Give the customer a few months before scheduling an appointment. You can now ask the client to help others benefit from the insurance that you provided. A referral from an insurance user is likely to be one of the most valuable. Your product will be irresistible if you have a compelling benefit story.
Remember that your client doesn’t owe you anything. Your justified earnings are your initial commissions, renewals, and any subsequent commissions. Customers who are satisfied will refer more insurance sales to you than they will give you. Keep your eyes open for insurance referrals, but remember that your client is always first.
Don Yerke is a published author who likes to focus on the things you don’t know and what no one else dares print. It’s okay to tell it as it is.
His new paperback book will be available on Amazon in the early part of this summer. This book is full of great information about insurance marketing and recruitment.
