How to Write a Medicare Supplement Call Script That Really Works

You’re armed with fresh leads and determined to sell Medicare Supplements over the phone. So, now what?

Common practice might say writing a strong script is next, but here’s our secret: You need a mix of preparation and improvisation.

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Where to Start

Just like face-to-face sales, your over-the-phone selling strategy should begin with proper planning. Determine your goals, and make sure you can measure them to stay on track.

For example, if you have a yearly sales goal, break it down into quarters, then months, weeks, and even days. When objectives are easier to measure, they also become more actionable and easy to manage.

Next, make sure you know the ins and outs of the plans you’ll offer. You want your clients to think of you as their trusted advisor. If you pause after each question to rustle through papers for an answer, it puts that trust at risk.

If you pause after each question to rustle through papers for an answer, it puts your clients’ trust at risk.

Start off by making a list of potential questions a consumer might ask you. Prepare for simple questions, like “What is a Medicare Supplement?” to more complicated questions, such as, “Can I still see the doctor I’m seeing now?” Then consider how you can respond while keeping the conversation moving forward.

Unexpected questions are sure to come up. That’s OK! Selling over the phone is a learning process. Answer those questions the best you can on the fly and make a note to come back to them for a more detailed answer later.

What to Say

First things first, you have a limited amount of time to build rapport with your caller. Start by introducing yourself, but don’t apologize for interrupting! Rather, get to the point by addressing your contact by name and letting them know why you’re calling and how long the call will take.

Next, ask the caller if that’s OK. Yes, really! By letting them answer this question, they’re participating in the direction of the conversation. It lets them feel like they’re in control, even though you’re the one at the helm.

Establish your potential clients’ current insurance plan up front, listen well, and take notes. This will help you determine what they’re in the market for, and allow you to highlight a time when a Medicare Supplement plan reduced a client’s bill to little or no cost. Attaching emotion to your product is a great way to connect with your potential client.

Finally, avoid sales jargon and clichés to maintain a casual conversation. That kind of verbiage works well on sales materials, but when you say it out loud, it sounds gimmicky and artificial. You want to sound natural, like you’re talking with a friend.

How to Say It

While it’s great to have a script, you shouldn’t be reading from it. Why not? Because you sound like you’re reading from it. There’s a big difference between your reading voice and your natural speaking voice.

Skeptical? Record a conversation between you and a friend. Then record yourself reading a script. You’ll hear the difference.

In those recordings, pay specific attention to the tone of your voice. If you’ve got a smile on your face, you’ll hear it in your voice.

If you’ve got a smile on your face, you’ll hear it in your voice.

Was your script written by someone else? It’s easy for a consumer to tell. Not only can it come off as though you’re reading, it’s easier to stumble and make mistakes. You should aim to sound comfortable and use language you use in conversation.

When on the phone, try standing up! It gives you the ability to pace and use body language you’d use in regular conversation. If you tend to gesture when you speak, consider a headset so your hands remain free to move.

Track Your Progress

Like many sales methods, call scripts are a work in progress. That means you should evaluate your script on a regular basis and check if you’re meeting the goals you set at the start. Keep what’s working and change what’s not.

You can utilize A/B testing, to see which option works better, option A or option B? Make an equal amount of calls with both options to see which is more effective. Remember to change only one thing at a time so you can track your variables.

You’re already well on your way to a successful campaign selling Med Supps over the phone. Give these helpful tips a try as you write your next call script!