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Donna
Kozik
www.DonnaKozik.com
Donna@DonnaKozik.com
619-297-1749
Article Writing
Sample
Writing sample from Agent
Exchange magazine, a publication for
Erie Insurance
Agents
The Phone Ranger
What can two hours and a
telephone get you?
A lot of business, according to
Charles Groesbeck, a 19-year veteran of the insurance
industry. “The
competitive auto market is creating a tremendous
opportunity for agents to sell ERIE products with the
help of their friend, the phone,” said Charles, a
member of the Bill Flinn Insurance Agency in Bethel
Park, Pa.
Q:
Why do you hold such strong faith in
telemarketing?
A:
It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s inexpensive,
it’s different – and it works!
Many companies are soliciting through the mail,
but I’m the only agent calling.
There’s no replacement for that two-way
communication with prospects.
I focus on selling ERIE’s homeowner’s and
auto policies, but another bonus is that I get a lot of
life leads. People
will even say, “I’m not really interested in car
insurance, but do you sell life insurance?”
Q:
What are the “musts” of successful
telemarketing?
A:
Be very straightforward with the products you are
selling and keep conversations brief.
I open with “I’m Charles Groesbeck, with Erie
Insurance here in Bethel Park,” so people know I’m
right in their neighborhood.
Once the person expresses interest, the most
important thing is to get the expiration date.
Then I file the x-dates and call interested
parties back a month before they’re up for renewal –
about the time they are receiving renewal notices.
X-dating is easier than ever because people have
been inundated with solicitations for auto insurance and
realize it’s a competitive market.
Q:
How do you determine who to call?
A:
I lease a Cole’s Directory and concentrate on
four of the suburbs close to the Flinn Agency.
It’s interesting that I can call one street and
get no takers and then call the same street 10 months
later and it’s a whole different story.
The point is to contact people. Those who
aren’t actively shopping for insurance usually have
clean records and are the type of risk ERIE wants.
Q:
When is the best time to work the phone?
A:
Evenings are extremely successful for me between
6:30 and 9. Some
nights go so well I hate to quit, but I never call past
9 p.m. I
find Monday nights are an especially great time because
fraternal organizations and clubs rarely plan things
then. You
can find interested people anytime.
I’ve found leads calling in the middle of the
afternoon, Saturday morning and Friday night.
If you don’t have an appointment with someone
else, pick up the phone!
Q:
How many interested parties do you get during a
night of work?
A:
I can contact 50 people in a two-hour period and
will typically get 10 very interested parties.
I concentrate on getting an x-date and then
moving on. If
the person is extremely interested, I get the specifics
from his or her declaration pages and then work out an
apples-to-apples comparison.
And, because of ERIE’s prices and our
agency’s service, if I can compare rates, I can sell.
I sell to 50 percent of the people I quote – a
high percentage for any salesperson.
It’s due to persistence and timing.
Q:
Some Agents have “phone reluctance” because
they fear hang-ups or rudeness.
How do you deal with the inevitable rejection?
A:
When people tell me they aren’t interested, I
don’t think of it as rejection; I think of it as bad
timing. It’s
just a matter of whether people are concerned about
their insurance rates at the time you call.
And I find people are actually friendly, not rude
or nasty. It’s
either “Yes, I’m interested,” or “No, thank
you.” The
more you do it, the more proficient you’ll become.
Eventually, you’ll love telemarketing as much
as I do!
Sidebar:
The Do’s and Don’ts of Telemarketing
Do’s
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Do be sincere and
straightforward
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Do get x-dates
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Do enunciate
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Do move quickly
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Do follow up with a business
card
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Do stay in your office's
neighborhood
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Do use the competitive market
to your advantage
Don’ts
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