25 Tips for New Insurance Agents Wanting to Close More Deals

Closing sales is an essential part of success as an insurance agent. After all, without conversions, you don't have customers. Unfortunately, this isn't always easy for a new insurance agent. While a sale in most industries is a simple transaction, an insurance business sale signifies the beginning of a vital service. If you're a new insurance agent hoping to close more deals, it's essential to understand the value of your products and the ways your long-term relationship will impact your customer's future. A path to becoming a successful insurance agent in the insurance world isn't easy, but it is possible when you take specific steps to improve your sales. Follow these steps for insurance sales tips and to learn how to close more deals as a new agent.

Tips for New Insurance Agents: How Do Insurance Agents Become Successful?

Insurance agents become successful by selling insurance policies. If you're a new insurance agent, you probably know that such a simple answer comes with a complex explanation and are likely looking for the best insurance sales tips. The truth is, it's a challenge for newbies in the industry to sell policies. Most industry experts with great success stories report that they made between $1,000 and $20,000 when starting out, before rapidly scaling up to six figures.

Insurance agents become successful through perseverance and consistent insurance experience. The most successful agents take the time to learn from industry experts, build personal connection and relationships with value, and provide exemplary customer service. Yet, figuring out the tricks of the trade can be difficult when there is so much to learn. Our guide of insurance sales tips for new agents can help you sell insurance. These tips include advice about professionalism, interpersonal skills, business, tools, industry relationships, and providing value to your customers.

Maintain Professionalism and Transparency

• Always seek ways to improve customer service skills. The relationships you make with your customers are pivotal to success in the insurance industry. You'll never get a second chance to make a first impression, and perhaps more importantly, attracting a new customer costs 7 to 9 times more than retaining one.
• Listen more than you speak. Insurance policies are designed to address a customer's unique risk level. As an agent, it's your job to listen to your customers to understand where those risks lie. Top salespeople obtain more business and more deals by listening, first.
• Manage your expectations. You won't close every sale. In fact, as a new agent, you won't even close most of them. The way you respond when you fail to make a sale could have more impact than the way you handle success. Insurance is a tough industry. Success will take time, but you will achieve it if you persevere.
• Be the professional you'd want to do business with. Dress like a professional, be prepared to answer all your customer's questions and be friendly and confident. 

Prepare Accordingly and Establish a Routine

• Learn how to develop a schedule that allows you to manage your time professionally. By streamlining processes like collecting dec pages and customer management with software, you can create more time in your schedule for customer-facing tasks and lead generation.
• Develop effective task management and preparation techniques. Whether you're meeting with clients or making a phone call, potential customers need the undivided attention of a confident professional. Develop techniques that will allow you to be prepared for each task before you begin. 
• Stick to a routine. As an independent insurance agent, you are your own boss. However, even as a boss, you need sales to get paid. Set a daily and weekly schedule to accomplish the tasks that will ensure you meet your goals and grow your business. 

Audit Your Influencer Circle and Maintain Good Relationships

• Surround yourself with great people. Everyone needs insurance! Building relationships in your community can lead to a network of customers and referrals. By getting involved in community projects you can become a known community member.
• Ask for referrals. Referred customers are 18% more loyal and have a 16% higher lifetime value. Ask existing customers for referrals after a successful sale, use email referral templates, and start a referral program.
• Network within the industry. Working independently doesn't mean you have to be alone. There are many different insurance agency associations to help agents build their careers. Consider joining your local chapter of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents, joining a referral networking group, and acting as a guest speaker for local business groups

Don't Lead with Price, but Rather with Value

• Integrate education into your sales process. It's essential to understand the value your product provides for your customers.  By explaining the product's value relative to your customer's possessions, you can show why the policy is valuable.
• Target your customer's specific concerns. Most people see insurance as a required purchase and hope to pay the cheapest price possible. When you get to know your customers and their unique concerns, you can confidently communicate the value of the protection the policy provides.
• Provide a transparent description of all the features and benefits. When describing the benefits of a policy, it's essential to explain everything in detail and highlight everything that will positively impact a customer's life.

Cold Calling is not Dead and Is a Skill to Work On

• Use a phone conversation to offer a streamlined purchase with a personal touch. Plan an organized call that won't interrupt your potential customers' busy day. To sound smart and sound confident on your phone calls, sales scripts usually help - write one out and practice it before making the call.
• Research your leads to utilize personal information. Warm leads can provide critical information like age, pain points, and ways to provide value.
• Be prepared to answer questions. Cold leads are customers who haven't shown interest in the product but have left contact information. This could lead to questions from the consumer about the products you have to offer.