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Proactive Selling Tactics for the Group Insurance Advisor
By: Benefits by Design | Thursday July 26, 2018
Updated : Friday June 17, 2022
Guest blog post from Christina Funk, Regional Director
Earlier this year, Benefits by Design (BBD) Inc.’s Regional Directors were tasked with identifying and testing an idea or process improvement that would drive growth for BBD. I wanted to drive BBD’s growth by focusing on proactive selling tactics instead of my sometimes reactive approach to selling.
What do I mean by that?
Proactive vs. Reactive Selling Tactics
Proactive selling is more purposeful than a reactive approach. With reactive selling, I often found myself dealing with complications or objections in the moment, rather than anticipating them beforehand. With a proactive approach, I can be more actively involved in each and every quote by assigning myself “touch point” opportunities throughout the process (see “Identifying the Right Times to Reach Out” below).
This allows me more opportunities to identify potential objections or issues and “get in front” of them before they happen. This in turn gives me more opportunity to connect with Advisors, build relationships and drive growth for BBD!
But focusing on proactive selling tactics doesn’t have to just be for me – anyone can benefit from them! Learning to be proactive doesn’t happen overnight – it takes time, practice and a dedicated plan of action. Without a plan, it’s very easy to lose track of things and become overwhelmed.
If you’re an Advisor looking to increase sales (and what Advisor isn’t?), consider taking a look at your process. Are there opportunities for you to insert additional touch points with clients throughout the process? Develop a plan that includes your ideas for new ways to engage your clients in conversations and arm them with the right knowledge before problems arise.
Having said that, let’s take a closer look at the plan I put into action to become more proactive in my approach!
Identifying the Right Times to Reach Out
Identifying the right times to connect with your clients can be difficult. You don’t want to just call them up anytime and say, “Hey, I am looking to increase sales…”, so what do you do? Take a look at how you currently do things and what your process is. Do you notice any gaps or any opportunities that come across your desk that you’ve been missing?
When I looked at my current process, I saw several additional opportunities that I felt I could capitalize on. The three big ones I really honed in on were:
- Receiving a new quote.
- When a re-quote comes through.
- Declining a quote.
From there, I was able to come up with steps that I could take to improve upon the processes at each of these times. For example, when a quote is declined, there was an increased opportunity to suggest other BBD options like Standalone® or Green Shield Canada (GSC)’s Health Assist®. Why? Because they’re flexible options that can work for a number of different types of businesses. I realized that just because a quote is declined, doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road.
And finally, if you do nothing else, always, always, always ask for referrals. They’re a really simple way to grow your business and increase sales, and the best time to ask for one is at the end of a successful sale. If everything goes well – you win the sale, implementation has gone smoothly and the group is happy – ask for a referral, reference or recommendation. If they’ve valued your service, they’ll be happy to provide one!
Not sure how to get started with being proactive in your sales tactics? Click some of the links embedded in the post above and then come back down here for tips on how to ask for referrals.
Remaining focused and eliminating distractions is another way to increase productivity and sales.
Read more about the importance of planning and eliminating distractions!
