Can your existing customers help bringing in more customers? (Sales lead generation explained)

reference generation

Getting success in insurance agency is all about sales. You are supposed to meet with prospective clients, find out their financial requirements, suggest a suitable policy and then sell the suggested policy to them. Once a sale is made you earn your commission. But, does your job end there itself?

 

No, it doesn’t. Insurance sales are all about network marketing. After you have sold an insurance policy to your client, you can still use your client to get some references for further sales. Do you know what a reference is?

 

What is a reference?

 

A reference is the name and details of an individual which your client provides you to whom you can sell an insurance policy. Your clients have their own network of individuals and, if they are happy with your service, they would give you the names of their family and friends who would be interested in buying an insurance policy from you.

 

Why getting a reference is helpful?

 

The number of policies that you can sell depends on your client base. The wider the base, the larger the policies you sell and the more you earn. Your own network of individuals would be exhausted some day and you need new leads for generating new business. Such new leads can be provided through references and so, getting a reference is important and helpful. Besides increasing your insurance business, sales lead generation would also give you further references which would further build up your client base and help you do better business.

 

How can you get references from your clients?

 

Getting references from your clients becomes easy if you follow the below-mentioned tips–

 

  • Get references from individuals who are not your customers

When you approach your contacts and they don’t buy insurance from you, don’t strike them off of your contact list. They might buy a policy in the future. Moreover, you can use those contacts for sales lead generation. Ask your contacts about their acquaintances who would be interested in buying a policy from you. Though your contacts might not buy a policy immediately from you, they can definitely give you references for prospective customers.

 

  • Get references when closing the sale

This would be easy. When you are completing the paperwork for your client who has bought the policy, ask him/her about other prospective customers. Since they have been convinced to buy a policy from you, they would give you the reference of their close friends and family members.

 

  • Get reference when you make a post-sale visit

After completing the sale from your clients, when you visit them to maintain contact or for any other service, ask for references.

 

  • Get references at the time of renewals

When the renewal of the policy is due, visit your clients to remind them about the renewal premiums and also collect it from them. At that time too you can ask for references. When the customers notice you providing renewal reminders and helping in premium payments, they would readily provide references and help you in sales lead generation.

 

  • Get references at the time of claims

Nothing shows the dedication of an agent to his clients than his assistance at the time of a claim. When you help your clients get their claims settled, you earn their trust. You can ask for references at that time and the clients would be happy to oblige you.

 

These are the instances when you can easily ask for and get referral leads from your existing clients. However, the art of sales leads generation is a subtle one. There are some points which you should remember when you ask your clients for referral leads. These include the following–

 

  • Don’t be aggressive in getting the references. If your client is not very interested in providing you leads you should not press them. Be subtle.
  • Don’t push your clients to give you a list of references. Be satisfied with the number of leads they provide.
  • If you want to get a reference from a referral lead, always do so after the lead has bought a policy from you. Don’t ask for references if the referral lead is not interested in doing business with you.

 

Your existing clients can also be a golden goose of the lead source if you know how to tap into them. Reference leads help you expand your business and are always beneficial if nurtured strategically. Read our article on 5 proven tips to increase your business leads for more information.

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