3 Post-Appointment Practices To Keep Business On The Books

I was recently talking with a newer agent in my insurance agency, and he was telling me about how he needs to get his numbers up… Read that again…

He was telling me that. He (the agent) was telling me (the agency owner).

My first thought was, “Wow, that’s quite the initiative. This kid is going to make some waves here”, which then prompted my next thought: “He’s writing a lot of insurance each week, so why is it his reports aren’t showing those results?”

It took no longer than 5 minutes to diagnose the actual issue. It wasn’t that he didn’t necessarily know how to sell, but instead, that he wasn’t cementing the sale even after the transaction has happened.

Allow me to explain that — you see, I’ve found that in business (especially the insurance business), it’s not always about what you are selling, but how you make your client feel about what you’re selling.

And guess what? If you’re in business, the very first thing you have to sell your client on is YOU.

So, below are the top 3 things I practiced when I was personally selling insurance, and the same 3 things that I advised this hungry new agent do to keep business on the books.

Top 3 POST-APPOINTMENT Practices To Keep Business On The Books

#1. FOLLOW UP: This can either be something you personally do, or you can have a staff member of yours do it. As you’re closing out the appointment, you want to let your client know that you will be in touch with more information regarding the product or service they just bought (i.e. delivery date, product number, policy details, etc.)

As an example, in the insurance space, it would go a little something like this: “So what’s going to happen is Jade, my office manager, is going to call you tomorrow sometime between 9am and Noon to let you know that your insurance policy has been submitted. A few days after that, she will call you back and tell you if you’ve been approved by the insurance company. If so, great! If not, however, I’ll be back out. Like I said before, I’m a broker which means that I don’t work for any of the insurance companies, but I am able to work with them all. So if your coverage isn’t approved, I’ll come back out and we’ll find something else that you qualify for that fits in your budget. Then, you’ll hear back from Jade again in a few more days to make sure your policy arrived in the mail. If for some reason it hasn’t been sent yet, we will call the carrier and get it sent out to you right away. And if you have any questions about it at all, you call me directly and I will come over to review it with you, okay? Sound good?”

#2. SEND A SMALL GRATITUDE TOKEN: People love to get mail when it’s not a bill they are opening, and since that is rarely the case anymore (especially in our tech-age), it is a memorable gesture. Put together a little package for them that will give them something to see, touch, reflect on while they wait for the thing they purchased.

As an example, in the insurance space, it may look a little like this: A manilla envelope that has your business card, your notes from the appointment/phone call, the brochure from the company you submitted a policy with, and handwritten thank-you card. (I used to even put a photo of my family, me with my wife and 4 kids, so they can see that I am not a salesman. I’m a husband and a father, and my family appreciates their support). Then, overnight it in the mail so they receive the package the very next day following your appointment. This is such a simple and inexpensive way to let your clients know that they aren’t just another sale, or just another number. They matter, and you appreciate them and their business.

#3. FOLLOW UP (AGAIN): Shoot your client a call, text, or email simply to see how they are loving the product or service you’ve sold them on, and to see if they have any questions about anything. 9 times out of 10, your client is satisfied and you’re smooth sailing, but if there is even 1 who needs more support, they are now certain they can depend on you for it.

So, by adding all that extra value that costs you nothing, you are extending the service even beyond the product you’ve just sold them.

You are proving to your clients that you are the best there is, so that when someone else comes swooping in to try to sell your client “something better” than what you offered — and trust me, it will happen — they will know with confidence that they have the best guy/girl/agent/contact for the job.

What you’re really doing is elevating your professionalism — you’re selling YOU.

Remember: The simple things are often times the very most important (and that’s true in relationships, too, but that’s a story for another day).

To your success.

Talk soon, GP