Tips for Conducting Virtual Appointments for Health Insurance Agents

In a post-pandemic, half-digital world, developing the skill of holding meetings over video calls is quickly becoming a necessity. If you’re a health insurance agent looking to personalize your clients’ interactions even when you can’t meet with them in person, then this blog is for you. Let’s go over some tips for conducting virtual appointments to help you and your prospective client build a better rapport.

Invest in a quality microphone and camera

One of the most common issues people have with video calls is the quality of the video and audio. Help your clients easily understand and connect with you by purchasing a high-quality microphone and webcam. Make sure your webcam supports 1080p quality, so your video is crisp. 

While most webcams come with a microphone installed, we’d generally recommend purchasing a high-quality microphone separately. Webcam microphones aren’t always the best quality, but this can vary from device to device. Plus, you can adjust the location of the microphone for optimal recording and ensure that your audio equipment is capturing you clearly.

Set up a quiet, clean space

Setting up a professional space with a low amount of audible and visual noise can help both you and your prospective client focus on the conversation at hand. If possible, close any adjoining doors and alert nearby colleagues that you’ll be attending a virtual meeting for the allotted time to avoid interruptions and maintain the client’s privacy. 

If you’re using your office as your recording space, be sure that the background of your setup is orderly and not too distracting. You can also use the “background blur” setting that most virtual meeting software includes so your background isn’t visible to the client. You could also purchase a greenscreen to install behind you so you can change your background to whatever image you like.

Be aware of lag in video calls and how this can affect your conversations

If either you or your client is having connection issues during the call, this could lead to long conversational pauses due to lag where participants may accidentally talk over one another. While you don’t have any control over the quality of your client’s internet, you can make sure that your own device is hard-wired into the internet source rather than connected by Wi-Fi to increase the stability of your connection. 

Additionally, there is a certain social grace you’ll need to develop to recover from technical hiccups like lag that affect the flow of conversation. If your client’s screen freezes or you can’t hear them, wait a moment before speaking to see if the video and audio will quickly catch up or you’ll stumble over one another’s words. If the pause is longer than a few seconds, consider asking if they can hear you or sending them a chat message in the video call software you’re using. This can help you get the conversation back on track.

Consider body language

One of the most useful and personal aspects of video calling is the inclusion of body language in your client conversations. Find a comfortable position to maintain during your conversation so you can keep your attention on what your client is saying instead of readjusting in your seat frequently. Watch out for any fidgeting that could distract your client, such as clicking a pen or glancing out the window. 

Just the same, you can pay attention to the client’s body language to determine how they’re feeling. With this insight, you can adjust your sales strategy to focus on what the client is responding to. This can help you establish a more authentic rapport with your client. 

Ready to increase the number of appointments you’re setting? Schedule a call with a 1GS marketing strategist today.