"One Call Close"

[Crabcake Johnny]

It's not when you close that's the issue. The issue is recomming the wrong plan or attemping an app when the prospect has already conveyed that they're not ready - yet you persist with "ways around the objections."

I don't believe in overcoming objections. If my prospects wants to review the quotes or simply is not in the right frame of mind then a one-call close is wrong.

However, there are plently of people - especially singles - who have no problem with choosing the a plan and doing the app.

Just don't burn any bridges. If you come across as pushy or going back at them after they state they're not ready then they'll never deal with you again.

 

[godishspencer]

There is no one "right" answer for this...it depends on the prospect.

Some might be ready on the first call, and some on the third call. The magic is in YOU sensing the right timing...

I definitely agree with you on this one. Sometimes, a major part about closing the sale is intuition.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

OCC is critical and should be attempted in my opinion, that doesn't mean you have to be slimy and slam people, that we do not do. You still have to do your job as a sales person and TRIAL CLOSE and have a set routine. The chasing game is a loser - you will get some, but overall close rates will really suffer if you simply do not ask for the sale.

A good tool to throw in the mix is the Web Conferencing tool - to "show them" something and then TRIAL CLOSE. It amazes me to this day that people simply do not ask for the sale. I think it requires some mental re programming - it is an odd factor of life apparently.

You can OCC (or attempt) and not slam people or be a boiler room. We do a good job at closing without being a slime ball about it. If you slam people, the business will fall off much faster. The business is going to fall off anyone (particularly Internet) but why make a bad situation even worse.

I will tell you agents who think closing on the first call is Taboo is in for a rough ride as the market gets more competitive, leads get more expensive, and retention shrinks.

I think a balance is truly the key. Some clients you OCC , some you do not - you need to be able to make that distinction.

 

[somarco]

Joe -

What kind of persistency do you have for your block?

 

[Chkndinner14]

I just practiced my first Zoho webconference.

What kind of response do you get from people when you ask for the conference.

Any issues with their firewalls?

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I'm with Joe - ask for the sale. The worse that can happen?

"I'm not ready yet."

Wow....ok, so you follow up.

I do not follow up with anyone by phone. That, as Joe put it, is a losing game. I refuse to wake up and pound aways at the phones - calling the people who already blew you off before.

I follow up by email and newsletters, and yes - they do come out of the woodwork. However, I'm asking everyone for the app. Especially on shared leads.

 

[tom_ryan]

How are you generating this "lead" is it a totaly COLD call? Or are you dialing leads of some kind.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

I do not cold call , most of our apps are inbound overall.

Stick rate varies by carrier, I would have to pull the data.


Ehealth is at 2 years if that ballparks you. Average.

 

[somarco]

Ehealth is at 2 years

Does that include not taken?

I know several carriers who have a love/hate relationship with eHealth and similar shops. High volume, high # not taken, high cancellation, more service issues than from individual brokers.

 

[joshril]

I do not cold call , most of our apps are inbound overall.

Stick rate varies by carrier, I would have to pull the data.


Ehealth is at 2 years if that ballparks you. Average.

Pardon me if you have addressed this in another thread, but how are you generating inbound leads? Mailers, websites, etc?