Anyone know the best way to ask an existing client for an insurance referral?
Total Comments: 28
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:11 pm Post Subject: Referrals
Hey, could someone put a "k" up there for me. Why can't we edit these?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:16 pm Post Subject:
I have found that the best sources for referrals are the people I never asked for referrals! Let me explain:
There is no "best" time to actually ask for them. If it is at the end of the sale...it looks a bit tacky. You can always "gently" remind them of the type of work you do, and indicate you are able to help other people in similar situations.
But when you get a referral, treat it like gold and promptly thank and reward (within guidelines) your referring client.
You'll have many more referrals than you can imagine!
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:19 pm Post Subject:
Best source of referrals is staying in good contact with your clients. Most clients will quickly lose your contact information. Forget about your business card - it'll go into their desk drawer or circular file.
I send Enewsletter through Constant Contact to every client monthly. Not only does that keep my name and number in front of them but I also highlight products I cross sell.
Aside from that send 'em a fridge magnate with your thank you card. Guarantee that gets tacked up on the fridge and now when they're on the phone with their friend and insurance comes up your name is right there.
Of course, without great customer service it's all a moot point. People will never refer you if you're a good agent. They'll only refer you if you're a great agent.
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 03:59 am Post Subject:
I think that simply providing good customer service is the best way to get referrals.
Offer to speak at events where present clients will be, when they are asked about you, you will get the referrals that way. They trust you more because a friend knows you and carries your insurance.
The newsletter is a great idea, but make it fun, put a puzzle or two in it, so they pick it up several times, do a monthly drawing with the completed puzzles, give something small but useful away.
Use holidays as a way to promote your product. Send a few nice boxes of chocolate or cards for valentines day, easter or etc. You can get a pretty descent bulk price, with in your budget of course.
these are just my thoughts as a consumer.
Oh yeah, forget the business card, I like ink pens, nice pens, put your name/company name on it, these get my attention.
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 04:29 am Post Subject:
For years, I have used NFL slide rule football schedules. In fact, I estimate I have been using them for at least 10 years.
I order them from Positive Promotions Inc. and no...I don't have stock in the company.
300 schedules costs about $125. 500 will run about $200. They keep them from August through December and I esimate I get at least a few sales per year from them.
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:14 am Post Subject:
Maze (don't know what the edit trouble is, but I don't see anything wrong with the post so someone must've got it for you)...
You know I've had the same agent for 30 years....and I told him 29 years ago that the best compliment I could give him was, 'I'd never have known you were an insurance agent" (not that there's anything wrong with that...ala 'sinfeld' :lol: )....my point was he never came on strong and once he had my business he didn't 'bug' me about increasing this or that, or buying this new policy blah blah....Not that he doesn't protect me he does....but he has found the 'perfect' balance between making me feel like he cares and wants to protect me without making me feel like I'm a pay check and trying to sell sell sell...He's (and his wife they are both agents together).....have EVERY SINGLE TIME sent me a sympathy card, and signed the book at the funeral home when a family member has died (saw me as a survivor in the paper, if the name wasn't the same)...sent cards when the kids got married, etc.....at any rate, I have referred everyone I know to them...another thing they always have done, if there is a claim (they have every drop of my insurance)...they never act like, 'oh man! there goes my loss ratio'! They have always said, if they have a bad year...that's part of it, and remember that if there were no claims, no one would ever even buy insurance! I know when I have complimented them, or talked with them about something, if the opportunity arrises they have slid into the conversation something along the lines of, 'you are a terrific insured lori, and we value your business blah blah, and the best compliment you can give us is to refer us to your family/friends etc, because knowing you, we know that they too would be of quality'...I dont' know if this helps, its so hard to put in words, they have just been able to find the 'perfect' balance in my opinion...and as I said I have referred everyone to them....(btw, they are captive and NOT for the company I work for).
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 01:55 pm Post Subject:
but he has found the 'perfect' balance between making me feel like he cares and wants to protect me without making me feel like I'm a pay check and trying to sell sell sell...
Lori,
That is the best compliment that anyone could give to any insurance agent.
The fact is that most of us to really care!
Unfortunately, there are those out there who selll insurance like it was a used car or something. They seem to have developed an attitude of -
"Well, once you drive it off the lot, it's yours."
That's why I don't understand why any insurance agent would pay $15 or $20 for a single name and phone number.
If your insurance agent asked you to personally introduce him/her to a friend of yours, would you do it?
If you have this type confidence in the agent, you probably would.
If you didn't really trust your agent, you wouldn't.
It's as simple as that! 8)
Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 04:47 am Post Subject:
"Well, once you drive it off the lot, it's yours."
Ladies and gentleman...meet EHEALTH...one of the largest health insurance websites there is. Great marketing, but they are in the business to sell health insurance policies...not service them.
Are you a 50 year old male with cancer? Are you a 50 year old male in perfect health? Doesn't matter because EHEALTH's initial quote will be the same for both! With the usual disclaimers of course.
Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:51 am Post Subject:
Ohio Health Insurance
:lol:
Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 03:07 pm Post Subject:
Word of mouth is a great marketing tool, falls right in line with good customer service, you know what they say, do a good thing and they will tell one, do a bad thing and they will tell forty. So take care of the customers that you have and they will take care of you. goodluck building your customer base.
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:11 pm Post Subject: Referrals
Hey, could someone put a "k" up there for me. Why can't we edit these?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:16 pm Post Subject:
I have found that the best sources for referrals are the people I never asked for referrals! Let me explain:
There is no "best" time to actually ask for them. If it is at the end of the sale...it looks a bit tacky. You can always "gently" remind them of the type of work you do, and indicate you are able to help other people in similar situations.
But when you get a referral, treat it like gold and promptly thank and reward (within guidelines) your referring client.
You'll have many more referrals than you can imagine!
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:19 pm Post Subject:
Best source of referrals is staying in good contact with your clients. Most clients will quickly lose your contact information. Forget about your business card - it'll go into their desk drawer or circular file.
I send Enewsletter through Constant Contact to every client monthly. Not only does that keep my name and number in front of them but I also highlight products I cross sell.
Aside from that send 'em a fridge magnate with your thank you card. Guarantee that gets tacked up on the fridge and now when they're on the phone with their friend and insurance comes up your name is right there.
Of course, without great customer service it's all a moot point. People will never refer you if you're a good agent. They'll only refer you if you're a great agent.
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 03:59 am Post Subject:
I think that simply providing good customer service is the best way to get referrals.
Offer to speak at events where present clients will be, when they are asked about you, you will get the referrals that way. They trust you more because a friend knows you and carries your insurance.
The newsletter is a great idea, but make it fun, put a puzzle or two in it, so they pick it up several times, do a monthly drawing with the completed puzzles, give something small but useful away.
Use holidays as a way to promote your product. Send a few nice boxes of chocolate or cards for valentines day, easter or etc. You can get a pretty descent bulk price, with in your budget of course.
these are just my thoughts as a consumer.
Oh yeah, forget the business card, I like ink pens, nice pens, put your name/company name on it, these get my attention.
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 04:29 am Post Subject:
For years, I have used NFL slide rule football schedules. In fact, I estimate I have been using them for at least 10 years.
I order them from Positive Promotions Inc. and no...I don't have stock in the company.
300 schedules costs about $125. 500 will run about $200. They keep them from August through December and I esimate I get at least a few sales per year from them.
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:14 am Post Subject:
Maze (don't know what the edit trouble is, but I don't see anything wrong with the post so someone must've got it for you)...
You know I've had the same agent for 30 years....and I told him 29 years ago that the best compliment I could give him was, 'I'd never have known you were an insurance agent" (not that there's anything wrong with that...ala 'sinfeld' :lol: )....my point was he never came on strong and once he had my business he didn't 'bug' me about increasing this or that, or buying this new policy blah blah....Not that he doesn't protect me he does....but he has found the 'perfect' balance between making me feel like he cares and wants to protect me without making me feel like I'm a pay check and trying to sell sell sell...He's (and his wife they are both agents together).....have EVERY SINGLE TIME sent me a sympathy card, and signed the book at the funeral home when a family member has died (saw me as a survivor in the paper, if the name wasn't the same)...sent cards when the kids got married, etc.....at any rate, I have referred everyone I know to them...another thing they always have done, if there is a claim (they have every drop of my insurance)...they never act like, 'oh man! there goes my loss ratio'! They have always said, if they have a bad year...that's part of it, and remember that if there were no claims, no one would ever even buy insurance! I know when I have complimented them, or talked with them about something, if the opportunity arrises they have slid into the conversation something along the lines of, 'you are a terrific insured lori, and we value your business blah blah, and the best compliment you can give us is to refer us to your family/friends etc, because knowing you, we know that they too would be of quality'...I dont' know if this helps, its so hard to put in words, they have just been able to find the 'perfect' balance in my opinion...and as I said I have referred everyone to them....(btw, they are captive and NOT for the company I work for).
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 01:55 pm Post Subject:
but he has found the 'perfect' balance between making me feel like he cares and wants to protect me without making me feel like I'm a pay check and trying to sell sell sell...
Lori,
That is the best compliment that anyone could give to any insurance agent.
The fact is that most of us to really care!
Unfortunately, there are those out there who selll insurance like it was a used car or something. They seem to have developed an attitude of -
"Well, once you drive it off the lot, it's yours."
That's why I don't understand why any insurance agent would pay $15 or $20 for a single name and phone number.
If your insurance agent asked you to personally introduce him/her to a friend of yours, would you do it?
If you have this type confidence in the agent, you probably would.
If you didn't really trust your agent, you wouldn't.
It's as simple as that! 8)
Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 04:47 am Post Subject:
"Well, once you drive it off the lot, it's yours."
Ladies and gentleman...meet EHEALTH...one of the largest health insurance websites there is. Great marketing, but they are in the business to sell health insurance policies...not service them.
Are you a 50 year old male with cancer? Are you a 50 year old male in perfect health? Doesn't matter because EHEALTH's initial quote will be the same for both! With the usual disclaimers of course.
Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:51 am Post Subject:
Ohio Health Insurance
:lol:Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 03:07 pm Post Subject:
Word of mouth is a great marketing tool, falls right in line with good customer service, you know what they say, do a good thing and they will tell one, do a bad thing and they will tell forty. So take care of the customers that you have and they will take care of you. goodluck building your customer base.
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