Skip to footer BUILD YOUR BUSINESS Call Us Category: Sales · 4 min read How to Close Business Virtually by Mark Williams on June 18, 2020 How have your virtual calls been going? Whether you’re talking on the phone or using video programs like Zoom, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, and Join.Me, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed everyone to adapt quickly to the digital world. I bet that it’s likely made your job harder. It’s probably made you rethink how you do business. I know it has for me and my company. The good news is that people are used to doing business and buying things online. Why not help plan their retirement by setting up life insurance and annuities virtually, too? It’s entirely possible, and I’ve seen many financial professionals find success selling virtually. To help kickstart and improve your virtual selling process, here are some tips: Ask Questions Like you do with in-person meetings, get to know the prospect or client you’re talking to. Ask them questions about their wants, needs, and desires for retirement, and get a clear overview of their current finances. This will help you accurately meet their needs later on when it comes time to recommend products or strategies. Also, even if you’ve never met your client or prospect face-to-face, you’re allowed to set up a video call with them for the initial meeting. But during the video call, have them show you their government-issued ID to prove they are who they say they are (and that their ID picture matches their face). Why not help plan their retirement by setting up life insurance and annuities virtually, too? It’s entirely possible, and I’ve seen many financial professionals find success selling virtually. Review their Options Whether it’s the first, second, or third virtual meeting, when it’s time to review their annuity or life insurance options, be prepared. Have them up on your screen before the meeting starts. Know which products you’re going to recommend. And go beyond just product recommendations and reviews. You know the benefits these products offer and how it all works, but odds are your prospects and clients don’t. Help them understand how the annuity or life insurance policy works, what the benefits are, why people buy this specific product, and how it fits into their overall retirement strategies. Share your knowledge with them, and explain clearly why you think that product is a good choice for their retirement strategy. Your clients will appreciate your wisdom and honesty, and may be more likely to purchase it because they’re armed with accurate information. Share Your Screen I’ve got a pro-tip for you: take advantage of the screen-sharing feature on video calls. That way, you aren’t just telling your prospects and clients your recommendations, you’re showing them, too. It helps you explain things as you go, especially if they’re visual learners. Listen to Their Questions Another helpful feature you can use is live whiteboarding. Zoom has this feature, and it lets you write out key concepts or questions during a video call. This shows that you’re taking notes, paying attention, and actually care about your client’s questions and thoughts. It also helps distill all of the information into key points that they can follow along with. So, listen to their questions as you go. Write them down and come back to them if you need to. And, on top of that, reassure them that questions are good and welcomed. Ask Them for Their Business This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. This is when your closing technique comes into play. Ask them if they want to go forward with your recommendations and purchase the annuity or life insurance policy today. The good part about our technology today is that this can all happen digitally. You can send your clients the paperwork digitally and have them sign it electronically with e-app capabilities. It’s simple and straightforward, and can be a smooth process in an uncertain time. Follow the Guidelines As you conduct business virtually, there are a couple guidelines you should follow. After your video call, send the prospect or client all of the sales materials that you went over via email, fax, or mail. That way they’re informed and can look them over on their own time to help make their decision. Also, you can complete any and all paperwork by using eSign with American Funds, Perishing, and TD Ameritrade. We have training on eSign and Docupace, if you need it. Just let us know! You can also send paperwork via email, fax, or mail. Schedule Another Meeting Here’s the good part about video calls: they’re easy to set up and convenient to join. Your prospect or client doesn’t have to drive anywhere or do anything. If you need to schedule another meeting to finish closing the sale or discussing things more in-depth, do it. What matters is that your prospect or client feels heard, helped, and appreciated throughout the entire sales process. The good part about our technology today is that this can all happen digitally. You can send your clients the paperwork digitally and have them sign it electronically with e-app capabilities. At the end of the day, you’re there to help. Whether it’s over the phone or on a video call, you can still conduct business and help people plan for retirement. Ready to close some business virtually? Go for it. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 800.362.1097. #20-0456-060921 Share This Post Interested in Building Your Sales? GET STARTED Written By Mark Williams President and CEO Mark Williams is the President/CEO of Brokers International. Over his more than 25 years of financial services experience, Mark has been both a producing independent agent in the field and a home office leader consulting to agencies and field marketing organizations. Currently, Mark is focused on the future of the insurance industry, from the disruptions of InsurTech and robo-advisors to the changing demographics and needs of customers. He also is an avid mentor, helping financial professionals navigate the industry. View All Posts Recommended Posts April 16, 2020 | Digital By Mark Williams 7 Tips for Winning Video Calls with Clients One of the main ways people are staying connected is through video calls. To help you navigate this world, here are some tips to help you have effective and engaging virtual meetings with your prospects and clients. Read More March 12, 2020 | Digital By Mark Williams What Makes a Good Subject Line? Creating subject lines is no easy task. People open or don’t open emails based on the subject line. There are a lot of different techniques to crafting a good subject line. Let’s talk through five. 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