There's Gold in Following Up

In my past life as an attorney, I was approached by a life insurance agent who sold me a term policy.? He never discussed the difference between term and cash value insurance.

I went through the paramedical exam without hearing from him and the policy was delivered by mail.? I never heard from that insurance agent again.

?So, when I decided to increase the amount of coverage, I did it with a new agent.? Once again, there was no discussion about the kind of insurance.

This time, when the paramedic showed up at my door, I noticed that he had long dirty fingernails.? He put gloves on, so I let him draw blood, but I would have liked it if the agent followed up on the exam, so I could tell him about the skeevy experience. He never did.

?And once again, after the policy was delivered, I never heard from him again.

I had a little better experience with the new agent I found to sell me a disability policy.? He delivered the policy personally and we spoke about each other’s families—almost building a relationship.

But then he disappeared, too!

It turns out that I needed that disability policy, and it helped me through my first battle with cancer and complications, but I didn’t know how long it would take to start paying or how little it actually paid, because none of that had been explained to me and no choices were offered.

By the time I was ready to convert the term I had bought years before to permanent insurance, I was licensed and did it myself.? I don’t even remember the names of either agent.

In every case it felt like slam, bam, thank you sucker.?None of these agents ever contacted me again.? No thank you note. No call to see if we had questions. No request that I provide a testimonial, no annual review--not even a request for referrals.

If any of these agents had simply stayed in touch with me, I would have had more business for them and I could have referred them to other lawyers I knew who were concerned about having enough insurance.

For 23 years now, I’ve been talking with advisors about the importance of follow up.? I still see advisors who haven’t had even an annual review with clients who purchased sizable insurance policies or annuities or invested substantial amounts of money with them.??

And these same advisors will tell me that they can’t get in front of enough qualified prospects.

If you have clients you’ve been neglecting, start with them before you look elsewhere.? There’s probably more business and the likelihood of great introductions waiting for you, but you’ll have to engage them to get to that business.? Your existing clients can be a goldmine, but you’ll have to nurture them.?

I have a simple 4-step marketing system that can increase your gross production by more than $50,000 in the next six months, without requiring you to work harder or longer hours than you’re already working.? It includes a system for improving your relationships with existing clients.? If you’d like to learn more, message me.

In the meantime, keep REACHING...