Selling health insurance is tricky. Agents sell to a skeptical market with many options, and prospects want to feel confident they’re making the right decision. That’s where social proof comes in.
Social proof occurs when consumers relate to experiences and people like themselves and use that to validate their own decisions. In health insurance, testimonials, case studies, and online reviews are prime examples of social proof that can close deals. Here’s how!
Collect Genuine Testimonials
I speak from personal experience, having developed a member testimonial campaign across multiple media for my company several years ago. We found current members who were helped by my company. They talked about their experiences with my company and how it helped them live better lives.
This lead generation campaign was a big hit, driving calls whenever the ads ran for prospects to see. The members’ stories were REAL, and prospects quickly saw themselves in the members’ place, living a better life once they used the company’s products.
Trust is enormous for skeptical consumers, and hearing real people who’ve benefited from your service tell their stories builds trust faster than anything else you can do. It validates your words to consumers, making them more likely to believe you as a trusted advisor.
After helping a client find the perfect health plan, ask them for a short testimonial. Make it easy with a quick email with questions they answer in writing or a short video they record answering your questions.
The key is authenticity, so focus on details, like, “Sarah helped me find an affordable plan that covered my pre-existing condition when I thought I had no options.” That’s how you connect to prospects.
Create Simple Case Studies
Make case studies simple so they can tell a story. Highlight a client’s problem that you helped them fix by using a specific policy solution. Keep it short, relatable, and focused on positive results. For example:
Client: Mark is a self-employed contractor
Problem: He struggled to find an affordable health plan after leaving his corporate job
Solution: You found him a cost-effective ACA marketplace plan with great coverage and benefits.
Outcome: Mark saved $200/month with his current in-network doctors on the new health plan.
These real-life examples give prospects a clear picture of what you can do for them.
Showcase Reviews and Success Stories Online
People research before buying health insurance, so ensure you have a strong online presence filled with positive reviews. Encourage happy clients to leave reviews on Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn for you.
Check your Google profile and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) scores periodically so you are as close to the top of searches as possible. Another good option is to consider a paid search featuring your best reviews.
Turn these success stories into social media posts or blog content. A post showing a simple case study mentioned above can be an attention-grabber for people researching health insurance.
Include Testimonials, Case Studies, and Positive Reviews in
Your Pitches
Don’t tell prospects how great you are; show them with your clients’ words. Use a current client in a similar situation and explain how you helped.
Share a quick story for someone unsure about switching plans: “I recently worked with a family that didn’t want to switch plans, either. I showed this family this policy, which provided them with better coverage with access to their current providers at $300 less a month, and they switched for the better coverage at less money.”
Your pitch builds instant trust by solving a current problem they see with someone else, who is similar to the prospect. Social proof is at work for you!
Let Clients Sell for You – Encourage Referrals
Client referrals are another form of social proof; people who hear about you from a friend or colleague are likelier to trust you. In previous articles, we discussed how offering small incentives to happy clients, like a gift card, can generate client referrals.
We trust and relate to people like us in situations like ours. Social proof like testimonials, case studies, and reviews builds credibility, creates emotional connections, and ultimately helps you close more deals. Start gathering and sharing your social proof today—it’s one of the easiest, most effective ways to grow your business.
Social proof for agencies like yours starts with superb products and services your clients love. Agility’s entire product portfolio is second to none, so contact us now for our ACA, Medicare, Life and Annuity, Small Group, and Supplemental products.
Register today for one of our Agility training events to improve agent service and product knowledge for your customers. Contact Agility at (866) 590-9771 or email [email protected] for a free social proof chat session. Agility can also add you to our weekly free email list for more tips and other vital information delivered to your inbox!
With the right products and training from Agility, your social proof scores will go through the roof, providing you with testimonials and stories to increase your revenue to never-before-seen levels!
