Best Day for Brokers to Call Leads and Make the Sale

Written by Deborah Pinnock | Dec 5, 2017 7:25:31 PM

When you first became an insurance broker, people read the newspaper for news –the one that’s made of actual paper. They had face-to-face meetings, used the yellow pages to find businesses and services, built their clients through word of mouth and “pounding the pavement”. Saying that we’re now living in a different world is an understatement! The world literally jumped into the computer.

Most consumers use the internet for everything. It is the most-used medium by every demographic for initial research and sifting. Your potential clients use the internet to do many things, including search for broker services. But while many things in your industry has changed, this one thing remains: People still buy from people. Social media, blogging, landing pages and videos may be used to attract clients but it still takes a person to close the deal – not a mobile app or a computer screen.

How can you capitalize on the "people" factor?

Remember the old saying, “there’s a time for everything?” It’s a truth that applies to your business. Have you ever wondered what’s the best time and day of the week for brokers to call prospects? There is. There are optimum times to make your first contact, and optimum days to follow up that will increase your chances of getting a sale. So, bump up your chances for success by being the first to call and call on the right day.

Why be the first to call?

35% to 50% of all buyers buy from the first person to contact them

Studies say that you should follow-up with a potential client who left their contact details within five minutes. When you do that, you maximize the likelihood that your office will be the first one to call. A sobering stat is that the chance of connecting if you call in 10 minutes (versus 5 minutes) drops your connection rate by 400 percent. Most importantly, 35 percent to 50 percent of all buyers buy from the first person who contacts them.

Chances of connecting with leads drop significantly if you wait 60 minutes

If you get caught up in other things and wait 60 minutes to call that contact, your chances for making a sale drops. In fact, those who contact the lead within the hour are seven times more likely to have a promising conversation than those who wait 60 minutes.

So, follow up fast, so you are the first person they speak with, and by having the qualifying conversation within the hour you shut out your competition. After you call, consider following up with an email or text message. While some leads may be easily reached via phone, you’ll stand a better chance using email or text with your younger audience.

What are the best days to call sales leads?

Is there a best day for brokers to call leads and make the sale? Not only is there an ideal timeframe in which to call, there’s an ideal day to call. If you are doing general follow-ups to people who were not available when you called, it offers these statistics:

Skip Mondays and Tuesdays. These are the worst days to make your first contact.
Definitely do Wednesdays and Thursday. These are the best days to call.
Morning and Evening Hours. The best times to agree to a follow-up call to ask questions and qualify the prospect are between 8.00 am and 9.00 am in the morning, and between 4.00 pm and 6.00 pm in the evening.

Why you shouldn’t give up if you don’t reach your prospect the first or second time?

Another saying you may recall is, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.” Research shows that on average, it takes about eight cold calls to reach a prospective client. And once you make contact, 80 percent of sales that are made require at least five follow-up calls to close the deal. Yet, 44 percent of individuals trying to make a sale stop calling after one call. So, be persistent and don’t give up!

Technology has changed the world you live in and affected many aspects of how everyone, including those in your industry, do business. Yet, people are still people that prefer to do business with other people. So, remember, despite our advances, nothing can replace you.

You bring a personal, human touch that inspires trust and helps to make the sale. It’s worth remembering and passing on to brokers you may mentor.