5 Mindset Shifts to Help You Nail Your Next Dial Day
When you’re working insurance leads, whether they’re fresh, aged, or second-chance opportunities, you probably have a script that you stick to for each person you contact. Scripts can be super helpful, but they can also hold you back if you rely on them too much. Remember, the script doesn’t get the appointment — you do. Read on to learn six mindset shifts you can use for your next lead calls to help you land more appointments.
#1: Empathy
Exercising a little empathy when you reach out to leads can go a long way. This holds true for all kinds of sales interactions: whether it’s in person or over the phone, you have to understand where people are coming from if you want to sell to them. Try putting yourself in their shoes and reacting to their concerns with compassion and understanding.
#2: Enthusiasm
This one is pretty simple, but worth mentioning. Sales is at its core an exchange of emotion, so expressing enthusiasm in your pitch is vital to getting the lead on board. After all, if you’re not excited about what you’re selling, how can you expect them to be?
#3: Boldness
Selling to leads over the phone requires you to be decently bold. You can’t be too timid, or you’ll get shut down. But speak directly and with authority, and you’ll gain the upper hand every time. Speaking in a slightly louder or more energetic voice than normal can help too; people respond more attentively when you show authority and conviction.
#4: Imagine a direct customer
To help you approach lead calls with more confidence, it can help to imagine that this lead reached out to you directly. If you got a voicemail from a customer, saying here’s my info, give me a call, you’d feel confident when you call them, right? You’d be pretty sure that they wanted to hear what you had to say. Bring that conviction into the pitch when you’re contacting leads.
#5: Tailor your approach
As I’ve said before, you need a different type of pitch for different types of leads. For a second-chance or aged lead, I’ll take a more apologetic approach. I acknowledge that it’s been a while since they requested the information, since they may not even remember they requested it. For fresh, newer leads, I’m far more direct. These people requested information very recently, so I can get right to the point.
BONUS!
#6: Friendly phrases
Finally, you might consider adding a few lines to your usual script that create a more relaxed, friendly atmosphere. I like to use a quick, “How ya been?” and then immediately introduce myself. I don’t want to sidetrack the lead or give them an excuse to hang up, but this casual phrase catches leads off guard and makes them feel a little more open to what I have to say.
Bonus: I also sometimes ask, “Did I catch you at a bad time?” People are often predisposed to say “no,” to solicitors on the phone. So if they say, “no,” then great, that means they can talk. If they reply, “Yeah, actually this isn’t a good time,” then I change my tactic a bit. “Okay,” I’ll say, “Let me just confirm two quick things, and then I’ll let you go.” Then I proceed as normal, but the lead is more open to talking, because they appreciate the courtesy of being asked.
