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Staying on Top of Prospects in a Remote Setting by Phone and Email

As seen on Insurance Journal, written by Amanda Puppo of MarketReach Inc.

The work-from-home environment is the ultimate test in staying on top of prospects. Unnurtured relationships can easily fade, or you can take this as an opportunity to put your best foot forward. One thing we know for sure is that everything has changed since the COVID pandemic. However, the need for insurance has not. That yearly renewal is happening no matter what. Opportunity awaits when you follow these tips to stay on top of prospects!

Build Rapport & Empathy

Gatekeepers have one job as it relates to receiving sales calls – they are expected to screen out calls that may be deemed as not deserving of their boss’s time. For this reason, it’s not shocking when you make a phone call and get shooed away. Yet, insurance does require discussion at least once a year, and either they will renew or switch. There are few topics that are difficult to cold-call for, but there are two things we know for sure:

Producers have the power to make a difference in gatekeeper responses by building rapport and demonstrating empathy.

Making warm calls over cold calls wins every time.

When you call, be sure to show the person on the other line that there is a name, a face and a real human behind the call. Use cues from the gatekeeper, such as tone and pace, to build some commonalities. If there is a timely light-hearted topic (upcoming holiday, weather event, etc.), use it before rushing into a sales pitch or asking for important information. Did you ask them their name on a prior call to utilize it on the next call? Use a script to cover all of your qualifying questions, but mostly be (your best) authentic self.

After a strenuous year, empathy has become essential. Prospecting by phone does not have to be robotically transactional. According to Hubspot, 69% of consumers said a positive sales experience begins with a representative listening to their needs. Another 61% emphasized the idea of not being too pushy. It is essential to listen to your prospect carefully and deliberately in the answers they give and explain how your value-proposition benefits them. If you have historically been a “quote shop generalist” – this may be an opportunity to rethink your value proposition by industry. Consider how you can use your expertise to be thought of as a “trusted advisor” through consultative selling. This means asking the right questions and demonstrating your understanding of their type of business and industry. By building rapport, being empathetic and asking solid questions to understand needs, you can connect to prospects on a deeper level. In turn, your company can develop long time customers and gain referrals.

Requalify and Research

Closing a sale requires more than just one good conversation. A relationship is excellent on the surface, but if the prospect is not a qualified opportunity for your company, it will not result in a profitable sale. Some groups only pay commission past the first year to commissions over $2,000, for example. So, if you’re going to spend your time, you may want to do so in the larger commissioned opportunities. To delve deeper, your company should first determine whether current qualification factors make sense in light of the pandemic and reduced workforces. Various industries had to pivot, including your prospects’ businesses. By requalifying, you do not waste time and resources targeting your marketing and sales efforts to the wrong organizations.

Your qualifying questions may include decision-make name and staff size (since we can’t ask the receptionist what premium they’re paying or what their MOD is). These qualifying questions answered make the next call show that you are ‘researched’ and you may have an easier time getting in the door – thusly – creating the warm call. A well-researched prospect will make your next phone call better and establish credibility.

Research requires both qualification phone calls and the internet. Both are important and should be used in tandem to determine whether a prospect is the right fit. Talking on the phone with a gatekeeper can give you the tiniest bits of information, from makeup and structure of the company to how many trucks they have, staff size and even an upcoming vacation for your decision-maker. When researching online, be sure to check out the company’s website (the “about us” and leadership page, especially) along with their LinkedIn pages, where you can find information about decision-makers, size of business and further contact information such as email. See if they have any statements about COVID-19 and their current situation. However, do not fall into a Google research tornado. Look for the key points quickly, know when to reach out by phone and know when to move on to the next prospect.

‘After a strenuous year, empathy has become essential. Prospecting by phone does not have to be robotically transactional.’

Research not only allows you to qualify, but it also helps with our first point, building rapport. It will show the prospect you spent the time to get to know the company and make a unique connection with them!

See if MarketReach is right for you!

If you are looking for more qualified B2B leads, more sales appointments with decision-makers, and a reliable telemarketing partner – then MarketReach may be the partner you’ve been waiting for!

Set up a free consultation to find out.

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Multi-Channel Marketing

Now that you have built a foundation and researched your prospect, it’s imperative to stay fresh in their minds. Though the prospect only renews their insurance once per year, subtle brand awareness throughout the year will allow your name to become recognizable once it is time to give them a ring.

How do we continue to let automation allow us to stay top of mind with our prospects? Consider the use of email along with each sales call, as well as an automated email newsletter once a month and direct mail on occasion. An email gives the decision-maker the path to gain more access to your company through links and calls to action. Even better, email marketing statistically measures its efficacy, so you can understand if it works for your target market. Retention Science has shown that using a decision-maker’s first name in the subject line will make them more likely to open the email.

Dale Carnegie said, “A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

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B2B Telemarketing

If you’re looking to grow your business through B2B telemarketing, it’s important to understand the laws governing the industry. The United States has strict regulations regarding telemarketing, and violating these laws can result in hefty fines and legal repercussions. MarketReach has over 20 years of experience in running successful telemarketing and appointment setting campaigns that are reliably compliant with state and federal laws. We ensure that all of our B2B telemarketing campaigns or any other telemarketing services in New Jersey are conducted legally and ethically.

B2B Telemarketing Services in New Jersey

When it comes to telemarketing services in New Jersey, there’s a lot we can offer. Here are seven key aspects of our telemarketing services in New Jersey:

  • Personalized calls: We tailor each B2B telemarketing call to suit the business we’re talking to.
  • Skilled team: Our callers are trained to handle different types of conversations.
  • Lead generation: We help find new leads for your business through our calls.
  • Appointment setting: We can set up meetings for you with potential prospects.
  • Follow-ups: After the initial call, we keep in touch to build the relationship.
  • Customer feedback: We gather insights from the calls to help you understand your market.
  • Reporting: You’ll get reports on how the calls went and what we’ve learned.

B2B lead generation in New Jersey is a big part of successful telemarketing because it’s about finding new people who might want to do business with you. Scheduling a telemarketing appointment is a chance to talk in more depth with a potential client. We’re transparent with our marketing solutions in New Jersey. You get a full package that supports your sales and marketing efforts.

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B2B Telemarketing

How to Generate B2B Leads A Practical Guide

How to Generate B2B Leads | A Practical Guide

If you rely on B2B lead generation as a business then you’re not alone. 85% of businesses engaging in B2B marketing say that lead generation is their top goal with content marketing. 

Simply put, B2B lead generation is important.

There is no end to the list of strategies available to business owners to get more leads. From visiting trade shows, to leveraging digital marketing, and even buying leads – it can be hard to sort through all of your options to choose the best combination for you.

There is an art and a science to generating high-quality leads that will eventually convert into clients. Whether you choose to generate leads from social, trade shows, or other methods, here are a few B2B lead generation tips to help you pump up your efforts. 

Key Takeaways

  •  Buying contact lists can immediately infuse new leads into your sales funnel – but if you’ve never done it before, the risks may be greater than the rewards.
  •  Attending trade shows is a great way to find businesses that are looking for people like you. Trade shows will cost time and money to attend, so choose them wisely.
  • Social media can generate leads very well when accompanied by a great social media marketing strategy, but a sub-par social media strategy may hurt your brand more than it helps
  • Word-of-mouth referrals are the best kinds of leads you can hope for. To get more word-of-mouth referrals, the best thing to do is focus on perfecting your goods and services – as well as your customer service.

To start, let’s talk about buying contact lists: 

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Building Initial Rapport and Questions to Qualify

Building Initial Rapport and Questions to Qualify

Not all prospects are created equal. In B2B, staff size minimums, decision-maker titles and names can be a baseline of data points that require confirmation to determine if the company is worth pursuing. The goal is to confirm and validate information on that first call.

The ability to quickly develop initial rapport during a qualification call can lead to more successful sales opportunities as the process moves along. Being able to create a comfortable environment for conversation, where the guard goes down, will allow for results to be achieved. Finding out information about a potential target before they answer the phone, is vital. It determines whether or not a company is eligible to pursue, resulting in the proper allocation of sales team labor. It is very expensive for marketing to produce unqualified prospects, and then for the sales team to not recognize this until weeks of time and energy were expended chasing the wrong people or companies! Let’s take a look into how to identify a pursuable prospect, and then how rapport is built throughout the interaction.

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How Companies Can Use Social Media to Increase Sales

How Companies Can Use Social Media to Increase Sales

Now is the perfect time to think about how your company can use social media as a tool to increase sales. Whether your company has been experimenting with social media for years, or is more recently diving in, a few things are for sure – social media can help you reach the prospects you are looking for, drive web traffic and, ultimately, generate more sales. Consider using these tips to improve your social media marketing strategy:   (more…)

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A woman making sales appointments.

How to Set Sales Appointments using B2B Telemarketing

Key Takeaways:

  • Find a telemarketing agency with a proven track record. Avoid off-shore telemarketing agencies.
  • Focus on lead gen, make sure to implement a lead qualification process so you don’t waste time on low-quality leads.
  • Don’t be pushy when calling your pre-qualified leads.
  • After you close a sale, deliver exceptional service. This leads to word-of-mouth referrals which makes more inbound leads for your business.

When you run a B2B business, your telemarketing can (and should) look different from other run-of-the-mill telemarketing operations. 

You need every call to drive a deeper relationship with your prospects. You need your leads to not just agree to set a sales appointment – but you need them to WANT to set up a sales appointment. 

Sales appointment setting through telemarketing can be a daunting task, so we’ve compiled a how-to guide to help you get started! 

Let’s dive in- 

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What’s a Book of Business Got to do with Picking Up the Phone?

What’s a Book of Business Got to do with Picking Up the Phone?

How can calling still drive leads? It’s suprisingly a very effective way of marketing. People always have their phones available, so contact has never been easier. You just need to know how to sell to whoever answers your call.

After speaking with several successful, tenured producers at the Professional Insurance Agents’ (PIA) annual conference in Atlantic City, it was interesting to note that many built key blocks of their book of business through outbound calling.  Evidently picking up the phone has got a lot to do with a book of business.

Some will protest this statement, citing, “But it is 2022 now.  There is no way a producer could profitably or reasonably add new clients to their book of business by pounding the phones, is there?” The answer is, yes. Here’s why.

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A man using a laptop.

How to Research Prospects Before a Sales Call

When you go about getting prospects the wrong way, your results will be below expectations. So instead, let’s talk about the right way to go after prospects. It’s all about the warm calls over the cold calls. Here are the best tips to help you research your prospects:

Key Takeaways

  • First, use resources online to research your prospect. Look for their website, social media, articles they’re cited on, and news articles mentioning them.
  • The best information you’ll get will come directly from the prospect themselves. Refer to records of your company’s prior engagements with the lead. You may find these records in your CRM or prospect spreadsheet.
  • When setting up your call with the prospect, remember to be timely with your prep for the call. Show up with an outline of what info you want to share with them. During the call, confirm that you’re on the same page regarding key points.

Online Research

Research will allow you to have a better understanding of the company you’re calling on, which will lead to a successful conversation with your prospect. This information will let you personalize your pitch to create a unique connection and build rapport with each prospect. Not only will you grab the prospect’s attention by “due diligence” demonstrated, but they will be more likely to listen to what you have to say! Perhaps even more important- research (i.e. qualifying) will offer insight into whether a prospect remains pursuable.

There is plenty of publicly available information online. Researching a company on LinkedIn is one effective way to acquire valuable information. For example, the company page typically showcases their services and industry-related articles, as well as a list of their awards and achievements. Browse the company website to explore their mission statement, published blog content, or a staff list. This list may identify their name and title, which will help in determining who the right contact is.

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3 Tips to Gain Your Prospect’s Attention

3 Tips to Gain Your Prospect’s Attention

The first 15 seconds of a phone call can make or break how successful it is. This time period is your only opportunity to grab their attention, making it even more daunting.

Since their time is valuable, represent yourself and the company in a concise, yet unique, manner. Differentiate your company in order to create a lasting first impression through an intriguing conversation. Be sure you are interesting to talk with by using vocal variety in your tone.

Follow these tips to help capture your prospect’s attention on a cold introductory call, and secure more time with decision-makers!

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What To Do When Prospects Ghost You

What To Do When Prospects Ghosts You

Have you ever made it far along in the sales cycle with a prospect and then, just when you are about to close the deal, all communication stops? When a prospect ghosts you, it can be frustrating, leaving you wondering what you did wrong and what you could’ve done differently. However, just because communication has stopped doesn’t mean that you won’t ever hear from them again – there can be many reasons for the “ghosting,” and if you had a good feeling about an ultimate sale, the ghosting could simply be due to bad timing. Consider these suggestions for what to do when a prospect ghosts you:

Key Takeaways

When a prospect ghosts you, you should:

  • Follow up. Avoid being overbearing when following up, being too pushy will drive them away.
  • Send more personalized messages with very specific questions.
  • Remind the prospect of their desired outcomes, then remind them how you’ll help them achieve their desired outcomes.
  • If nothing else works, keep them in your database to revisit another time.
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