Quite possibly one of the most important aspects of sales is the follow up. I have lead sales teams in two different industries for over 25 years and this seems to be an issue for salespeople and insurance agents alike. Only the superstars seem to have system they use consistently. Whenever I bring the subject up with my life insurance agents I always get the question how do you follow up with clients? As if I have a magic system. My short answer is the one you use consistently.
Now there is certainly no shortage of systems for salespeople and insurance agents to purchase on the market. There is anything from CRMs like Constant Contact, Salesforce, Infusionsoft and Sendout cards. Any of these systems work just fine if you don’t make the time to do it yourself or have your office staff do it. An insurance agent or salesperson can spend thousands of dollars on a good CRM system. When agents ask me which one I use, my answer is none of the above. But I do have a system and I do use it daily. My cost is zero but it does take up some of my time.
I became a big believer a few years ago in Google calendar. I put my life on it. Every hour of every day is on my calendar and I don’t stop my day until it is all complete. I like using Google calendar because it automatically syncs up with my smart phone and Microsoft Outlook. So I have back up if any one system crashes. When a client or prospect tells me when to follow up I immediately put the time, date and reason or notes on my calendar to follow up. Whether it is a phone call, email or postcard I will follow up until the sale is made or the take out a straining order. Most salespeople fail to realize clients are testing you to see how committed you are to your profession and to helping them with a solution to ‘fix their problem” with your product or service. Lack of good follow up is one of the main causes for lost sales. It is never the client or prospects responsibility to follow up with you. THIS IS YOUR JOB! Do not drop the ball and miss a sales opportunity because you forgot to follow up.
I still hand write postcards, thank you cards, send my own emails, make my own phone calls and post my own social media. This may sound like a monumental task for some insurance agents or salespeople, but I want my agents and clients to know they are always worth my time, efforts and I really appreciate them being my customer or on my team. I have a rather large team and a very large book of business I am very grateful for. These people pay my bills and I refuse to hand them off to a third party or technology company and hope they do a good job. Certainly that is my system and it works for me. There is no right answer when you are asked the question how do you follow up with clients?, tell them do the one that works for them but do it every day without fail.
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”–Thomas A. Edison
Image by Stuart Miles at www.freedigitalphotos.net
Tim Wilhoit is owner/principal of Your Friend 4 Life Insurance Agency in Nashville, TN. He is a family man, father of 3, entrepreneur, insurance agent, life insurance broker, salesman, sales trainer, recruiter, public speaker, blogger and team leader with over 26 years of experience in sales and marketing in the insurance and beverage industries.
Hey Tim, the most important step is to take one, no matter if you do it by hand or automation.
Automation can help you increase sales, this is an article on Drip Marketing:
http://www.webinsurancenetwork.com/category/insurance-drip-marketing-system/
Jack, you are the man with the systems! Everyone needs a system for follow up and if they don’t have it in place, they need to be contacting you my friend!
Thanks Tim, need to put you on payroll!
LOL! I think I am more valuable as an unpaid spokesman! You’re very welcome.
I like the Thomas Edison quote. I needed to read this, it has been ‘one of those days’.
Perseverance in any form is what you’ve got to do. Figure out a method that works with your particular clients and keep doing that.
Thank you for your kind words Kasha. You put a big smile on my face. Much continued success!
EACH ONE HAS TO DEVISE THEIR OWN SYSTEM OF FOLLOW UP. WE ALSO HAVE TO DECIDE AS TO WHETHER IT IS WORTH FOLLOW UP OR NOT CLIENT WISE.
I had 3 categories of my clientele! 1) was the financial client 2) was the builder 3) was the buyer.
My Financial client needed and deserved continued annual follow-ups. These clients needed and was interested in different concepts that was advantageous to their financial picture. The builder were usually young professionals, trades, future heirs, just wise money minded individuals. I visited them every 2-3 yrs But the buyers were just that buyers! Even if they had assets. They either had a loyalty and usually was by their own thinking as not needing any help. Then there were those who needed maybe the wife needed a burial plan and $0 assets everything else was taken care of. These folks usually I did not go back. But still needed my help that one time. If I did a good job they would send family, friends my way! The last 10yrs of my 30yr career my ability to take care of 2600 clients, 4000 accounts was very, very hard! Partly because of illness? I sold off my agency. If I did not have this illness I most likely would had 1-2 sub advisors with our office setting appointments with those who were in my class 1) 2) clients. You really have to like people and your clients! If one does not want your advice just move on, someone will want just what you can offer!
Charles, it sounds like you had an amazing follow up system. I am sorry to hear of your health issues. I am sure your practice would be huge today if you would have been able to continue on. You hit the nail on the head with “you really have to like people and your clients”. We are still in the people business. We don’t build businesses we build people and people make the business. Thank you for sharing your story and I wish you much continued success my friend.
Excellent article Tim, I use Google calendar too, love how it syncs with all my devices.
Thank you for your kind words Joe, much appreciated.
I use Google calendar as well. As far as following up, my investment clients get a Quarterly call and my insurance only clients get a semi-annual call from me
David, it sounds like you have a great system in place and most importantly you work!
Google Calendar is indeed very helpful. As for following up, I like to send a personalized card so that my clients know that I’m thinking about them. I tend to use my own handwriting (even though it is time consuming) simply because it is more personal. I do this for both life and health insurance clients.