12 Ways Empathy Helps You Sell Insurance

2. Get their name right.

This requires paying attention to how a name might be presented.

If it has it’s origin in another country, ask around the office or do some online research.

The other guys:

How often have you been called and found your name or street address has been mangled?

The message you get is “They don’t care.”

(Image: ALM)

3. Speak clearly.

Sometimes people are hard of hearing. Other times background noise is a factor.

This can be on your end of the phone or theirs.

Speaking clearly makes you easier to understand.

If there is a language barrier, try to identify it beforehand and get access to someone who is fluent in their language.

The other guys:

How often have you called a customer service number and been redirected to an overseas call center?

Often, there may be an understanding problem due to the difference in accents.

Consumer Cellular advertises their customer call centers are 100% U.S.-based.

They position this as a benefit.

(Image: peterschreiber.media/Shutterstock)

4. Research your prospect beforehand.

If you're an honest person, it is amazing the amount of information that is available about you online.

If a prospect is a manager or professional, it’s likely they have a LinkedIn profile.

This can tell you where they went to school, where they work and where they used to work.

This can help them feel at ease, especially if you're meeting in person.

The other guys:

You have been on the receiving end of marketing calls where you can tell someone is reading from a script.

Scripts are not bad, but you do not feel they are connecting with you.

(Image: Adobe Stock)

5. Compliment them.

If you're meeting at their home, compliment them on their décor.

If you're meeting for coffee, mention something nice about their clothing.

If they have plenty of certificates on their wall, give an admiring comment.

The other guys:

When you're buying something online or by calling a customer service number, the other person is an order taker.

It appears they know nothing about you.

(Image: Bloomberg)

6. How long is this going to take?

We have all been in situations where we have wanted to yell: “Get to the point!”

I would like to tell prospects up front how long I anticipated this call or meeting was going to take.

It shows you respect their time.

You get buy in.

The other guys:

Have you ever been called and asked to take a brief survey?

You know what I mean.

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7. Plan to spend as much time as the prospect wants.

I've had the problem myself.

I needed to call someone back. I had a conference call coming up in a few minutes.

I assumed I would get their voicemail and leave a message.

Surprise! I got the person I was dialing! I needed to get off the phone quickly because I had not allocated enough time.

The other guys:

You never want the prospect to feel rushed.

If you tell someone they need to give you an answer immediately, the answer is often “No.” You want a “Yes.”

(Image: Shutterstock)

8. Relate their situation to yours.

Let them know you prepared for this meeting by doing some preliminary research.

If they have bought from the firm previously, thank them for their business.

Mention a common factor about your shared backgrounds.

You both have young children.

You both went to the same school.

The other guys:

Unlike technology based platforms, you're introducing the human element.

You're communicating, “I can understand your situation.”

(Image: Adobe Stock)

9. Feel, felt, found.

Remember when you learned this strategy in training?

When someone gives a specific objection, you might say: “I know how you feel.

Other clients have felt the same way.

Once they understood (this) and (that) they found this was a good solution for their problem.

The other guys:

Mechanized systems probably do not banter.

Someone might direct you to FAQs.

You're showing empathy and relating to the prospect.

(Image: ALM)

10. Ask for the order.

Telemarketers lead with the close.

“I am calling to ask if your house is for sale.” Maybe you have gotten the call “I am calling on behalf of (dubious charity) to ask you to support…”

Your approach is different. You gather information.

You prepare and present a proposal.

You address objections.

Now you need to ask for the offer, because few people say: “Stop talking. You've convinced me.”

The other guys:

When you're called by a telemarketer, the phone often rings, but the line is quiet.

After you wait and wonder why you're wasting your time, suddenly a person comes on, perhaps directly asking you to buy something.

They know nothing about you.

(Image: Alexander Raths/Adobe Stock)

11. Explain why you felt they made a good decision.

People often need reinforcement.

They might think they are “taking a chance.” They might start of feel buyer’s remorse.

Review the high points of your close, remind them why this is a good decision.

The other guys:

Sometimes the salesperson gets off the phone quickly or rushes out the door.

The buyer gets the feeling there was a winner and a loser.

Guess which one they think they are?

(Image: Shutterstock)

12. Call back afterwards.

If you just explained how (to paraphrase Claude Raines in Casablanca, “I think this is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship” do not leave your new client waiting by a silent phone.

They might have second thoughts.

The other guys:

If you do not reach out to the new client, they might think, “It’s all about getting the sale.”

Not a good start.

(Image: Adobe Stock)