Canadian Underwriter

Keyword
sales

Roadblocks to cyber policy sales
News BrokersInsuranceTechnology

Biggest barriers to selling cyber policies

March 1, 2024 David Gambrill

Product complexity remains a huge obstacle to selling cyber insurance to neophyte business clients, brokers told Canadian Underwriter in a January online survey. A stronger emphasis on cyber education — to clients, brokers, and underwriters alike — is critical to

Robot helping an executive at work
News BrokersInsuranceTechnology

Sales Column: How automation keeps brokers in front of clients

May 29, 2023 Adam Mitchell

I had the privilege of interviewing Carol Jardine on a podcast at the end of her final day before retiring as Wawanesa’s president of Canadian P&C operations. What stood out for me is how our conversation illustrated the difference between

News BrokersInsuranceTechnology

Sales column: Want a client’s business? Just ask for it

April 5, 2023 Adam Mitchell

I recently heard radio hosts discussing actor and comedian Pete Davidson’s golden dating resume. They reached the conclusion he’s been in relationships with so many high-profile celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande not because he’s charming, self-deprecating or has

Happy woman client receiving a text message from her insurance broker.
News BrokersCommercial LinesEmploymentInsuranceLegislation / RegulationProfessional DevelopmentTechnology

Sales Column: Clients ignoring your emails? Try texting

February 22, 2023 Adam Mitchell

People love their smartphones. And even those who claim they don’t still spend hours using them every day. A study last year by cybersecurity company NordVPN found 66% of Canadians even use their phones while in the washroom. I’ve always

News Insurance

6 tips for growing your sales team

May 3, 2021 by Jason Contant

Growing your sales team involves a variety of tactics — including protecting your strengths (strong salespeople and existing customers) — and avoiding the “first-year turnover problem,” says a new blog from Harvard Business Review.  Organizations need to be purposeful about

News BrokersInsurance

Videoconferencing brokers setting sales records during pandemic

February 11, 2021 by David Gambrill

Videoconferencing brokers shattered sales records in top-tier brokerages across the country during the pandemic, senior brokerage executives reported in a recent Canadian Underwriter webinar. The results suggest virtual sales are at least as effective — if not sometimes more effective

News BrokersInsurance

The problem with asking clients fewer questions

December 17, 2019 by Adam Malik

Brokers and carriers are trying to simplify the insurance binding process and that’s potentially leaving clients in precarious positions when it comes to claims time, warns one award-winning broker. “It used to be that people had to decide how much

News EmploymentProfessional DevelopmentRisk

3 ways to motivate sales staff without stressing them out

November 26, 2019 by Jason Contant

If you are a broker producer, principal or customer service representative – or in any other sales job for that matter – you have likely have a sales target to meet. But instead of just dialing up the pressure on

Feature Brokers

Pitch to Win

October 5, 2019 Adam Malik, Managing Editor

In the competitive world of insurance sales, you only have one chance to hit a home run. How do  you knock your business pitch out of the park?

News BrokersInsuranceProfessional Development

How brokers can overcome barriers to cross-selling

August 9, 2019 by Jason Contant

What are some of the biggest barriers facing brokers looking to cross-sell? Access to market, high rates and underwriting practices (such as asking 30-40 questions on a renter’s policy) are the main culprits, said Jeff Roy, president and CEO of

News Insurance

How sales commissions can result in disputes over vacation pay

April 24, 2019 by Greg Meckbach

If you employ commissioned sales people, how are you calculating their vacation pay? Calculating employees’ vacation pay can be an issue for any company whose sales staff earn both a base salary and commission, Toronto employment lawyer Andrew Monkhouse, managing

News Professional Development

Why likeability is not the most important selling point

March 25, 2019 by Jason Contant

Are you worried that you won’t be able to get the sale if your client doesn’t like you? No need to worry! A recent analysis of 450,000 salespeople found that among elite salespeople – those in the 95-100 percentile –