It was nearly one year ago when many offices and businesses notified employees of a temporary transition to remote working. Depending on your work location, you may have prepared to work from home for two to four weeks. As more information became available, COVID-19 reshaped many aspects of daily work and personal life. Live promotional events were largely on hold and in-person meetings became limited at best. Are you starting to feel demotivated or disconnected while working from home? Here are a few ways to adapt your business approach to make working remotely align with your business goals.
Identifying Issues That May Arise From Remote Selling
According to a recent survey by Sales Hacker, a community for B2B professionals, many sales professionals have experienced a series of new challenges during the transition to working from home. One of the best ways to avoid and overcome common pitfalls is by identifying issues that can affect your business performance.
The Pressure To Be “On”
Responses from the Sales Hacker survey suggest that a majority of sales professionals struggle with the need to constantly be “on.” Highlights from the Sales Hacker survey that illustrate the struggles that may come from remote work include:
- 22% of employees say their biggest issue is unplugging after work
- 19% of remote employees report feeling lonely or isolated from their peers
- 17% of remote employees say communication is their biggest challenge
If you are feeling the pressure to always be on, here are a few recommendations. First, make sure your website, social media channels and other digital platforms convey your working hours. Consider including your business hours or a note on your expected response time in your email communications. Analyze your client list and determine what days and times help you to be most connected with your customers, while also being productive with sales processes. If you are managing an insurance team, discuss expectations with them. Be clear and transparent.
Struggles Sustaining Connection & Collaboration From A Distance
Many sales agents noted that they feel it is easier to build rapport with clients from a distance. Rather than talking in-person, over the phone or via video conference. Some respondents of the Sales Hacker survey also stressed the non-verbal communication that cannot be replaced with virtual conversations like body language and energy. Even though you might be longing to return to in-person conversations and business presentations, there are many opportunities to create and maintain lasting bonds from a distance.
Consumers are spending an increased amount of time at home. Consider transitioning your former event or in-person activations budget to a gifting or rewards program. Sending your clients items that show them you understand and value their lifestyle, needs and personalities can help you create a memorable experience in a new way, without interacting in person. Also, add a personalized note in any packages you send that includes your social media profile tags. Your clients and prospects may be so impressed that they are motivated to snap a photo and share their experiences on your social media pages. While at home, consumers are spending more time on social media. It may help to incorporate social media into more aspects of your client outreach and communication strategies. Use your social media channels to help customers find you and get to know you and your services.
Embrace Digital Tools That Help You Manage Your Business Remotely
A common challenge insurance agents may face while working from home is feeling a lack of team collaboration. Managing a team might seem a bit easier when everyone is in the same environment. However, teams can still be incredibly effective while working from home. To better manage your remote insurance team, be sure to use a series of digital tools and platforms to enhance your organization, connectivity and communication.
Instant messaging tools like Slack can help enhance interactions between team members. These tools are often faster and easier than email and will not clog your inboxes. Platforms like Asana can help you more effectively handle your project management and business processes. Try to be more communicative than you would be in the physical office setting. Free tools like Google Forms, Sheets and Docs can help your team communicate and collaborate with less friction. In addition, consider investing in digital tools that can propel your customer acquisition efforts.
ZipQuote Can Help You Grow Your Business While Working From Home
Lead generation can feel daunting if you don’t have the right resources to connect and engage high-intent prospects. Now is the time to connect with experts that can help you achieve your goals. ZipQuote empowers insurance agents to select a series of target regions, demographics, and filters for customized insurance lead campaigns.
Throughout the events of the past year, the auto insurance industry has remained strong. For now, the U.S. continues to manage social shifts that resulted from COVID-19. Working from home is expected to remain part of the auto insurance business model. Whether you are continuing to work remotely or have transitioned back to office life, there are many high-intent consumers looking for your auto insurance services and solutions.
Click here to learn more about how ZipQuote can help you grow your business.