Working Harder Wasn’t the Problem

August was our best production month in two years.

I want to tell you why, because for most of those two years I was staring at the wrong thing. Our close rate dropped after 2022 and 2023, and the easy answer was the market. Carriers had no appetite. Rates were ugly. All true, and hopefully turning. But the market didn’t explain everything, so I started pulling apart every step of our sales process, one at a time, at a level of detail that probably annoyed my team.

Here is some of what I found. None of it is new. Maybe it’s a reminder.

First, speed to lead beats everything. Velocify looked at 3.5 million leads and found that calling within the first minute raised conversion by almost 400%. By minute two it was already down to 160%.

Second, the sale is made on the intake. This is where most agents cut corners. They rush it, gather bad data, skip the pre-qualifying, and then wonder why they have no capacity to quote. Half the time they’re quoting the wrong risks. Build rapport and pre-qualify hard, so the leads you do quote are worth it and the relationship is already there when it’s time to close. A proper intake is worth its weight in gold. Don’t cut corners here.

Third, get the dec page. We use Canopy for this, and truthfully it’s an area we’re still working on. A lot of people quote blind and have no idea what they’re competing against. With the dec page you can poke holes, do a real comparison, and move the conversation away from price.

Fourth, present over the phone. Video looks nicer, but you can’t answer a question or change a deductible on a recording. We don’t email a quote until we’ve talked to the client. The exception is a bad game of phone tag. At some point I’d rather send it than hold it hostage. Some people have a strong stance on that. I get it.

Fifth, follow up like you mean it. Multiple touches, same day, different times, until you get a yes or a no. Schedule the callback instead of calling blindly, and call when you said you would. And take pipeline hygiene seriously. It’s how your producers know what to call and when to call it, and it’s how you hold them accountable. I’ve had to push hard on this with my own team, and I’m still pushing. When leads sit too long, they clutter the pipeline. You can’t tell what’s actually active from a quote you sent a month ago that went stale, so smart-cycle it or move it as a dead lead.

Sixth, onboard every sale. We do a welcome call. Two attempts to reach the client, and if we can’t get them, it goes out as an email. On that call we make sure the apps are signed, the online account is set up, they know how to request a service change with us, and they know to call us first for advice if there’s a claim. Then we ask for three things: a Google review, a referral, and a life quote. Sounds simple. You’d be surprised how many agents skip it and chase the next sale when the next sale is right in front of them.

Sometimes it’s not about working harder. It’s about small changes that add up over time and help you close more of the leads you already have.