459. Why Your Insurance Texts Aren't Working (And the Fix That Works Immediately)

Want to write 30 life policies in 30 days? Join Michael Weaver's FREE live training - Thursday, June 4th at noon Central.  👉 REGISTER NOW:  HERE

Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE

What's in this episode:
Most insurance agents are texting their prospects the wrong way - and losing deals before the conversation even starts. In this episode of The Insurance Buzz, Michael Weaver breaks down the exact texting strategy that turns cold leads into live phone conversations. The approach is simple, repeatable, and starts working the same day you implement it.

Michael Weaver walks agents through the step-by-step process of crafting that first text, engineering a response, and immediately converting that response into a phone call. Whether you are a new producer or a seasoned agent losing leads to voicemail, Michael Weaver's "text for dollars" framework gives you a clear script that creates curiosity, gets a reply, and gets you on the phone - where real sales happen.

[00:00] Why your initial text is costing you the sale
[01:00] Shoutout to Ashley and the problem she raised
[01:45] Text Michael directly - how to get your question on The Buzz
[02:30] Why texting from start to finish is a losing strategy
[03:00] Keep it simple - the first text rule that changes everything
[03:45] The exact opening text that gets a response every time
[04:30] What to do the second they reply - press send, press dial
[05:15] What if they decline the call - the follow-up text that works
[06:00] The ad Michael is running for life insurance producers
[06:30] Why selling by text hands your job to AI
[07:30] Hopium is not a strategy - what separates closers from texters
[08:00] The full recap - how to go from text to conversation every time

Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO
Stop guessing. Start closing.
24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use.

TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY
Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot.  Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610

FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy
Try it: CLICK HERE

Tools + Free Resources
 https://www.weaversa.com

Connect with Michael Online
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa
YouTube: @michaelweavertraining
Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver
Instagram: @michaelweaver

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

How do we get that initial text? So you've called them, you've emailed them. How do we get that initial text? So you've called them, you've emailed them, now you're texting them. What should that initial text message look like? Now you're texting them. What should that initial text message look like? This is the insurance buzz, and we are your host, Michael and Courtney Weaver. We coach insurance professionals, business owners, and people just like you every day on how to live a life and have a business you are excited about.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

Here on the insurance buzz, we share the wins, the losses, and everything in between that comes with being married business partners, training in the insurance space, and growing our business side by side. We also connect with other business owners and leaders making their mark in the world and hopefully inspire you to make yours.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

Hey, welcome to the insurance buzz. I am your host, Michael Weaver, and I'm flying solo today, and I am addressing another question. Shout out to Ashley, and she is having a problem or issue, just like many of you. Michael, I am having a hard time getting prospects to either return my text messages or they do text me back, but they're not willing to get back on the phone so I can do my job. I need your help, Ashley. This is for you. For any of those that have questions, any struggle areas, any issues. Look, if you want us to address them on the buzz, make sure you text me right now. 816-727-7610. Again, 816-727-7610. Shoot me a text. It is me, it's not my AI bot. Tell me your problem, tell me your issue, and we will make sure that we address it on the insurance buzz because we do this for you. This is the whole reason why we do the insurance buzz is to be able to give free value, free knowledge, free training to help you out and what you do every single day. And so thank you right now. If you're if you are a listener of the buzz, if you're on right now, I just want to say thank you so much. If you have never given us a five-star rating or review, if you could just do that real fast, that would be incredible. We were the number two insurance podcast in the country last year. I hope we end up being the number one insurance podcast in the country this year because of you and your support. So let's get into today. Today, I want to talk about how we're going to text four dollars, how we're gonna turn a text message into a conversation so that you can do what you do best, and that is have conversations with people solving their problems, turning conversations into paid customers. Now, the very first step is how do we get that initial text? So you've called them, you've emailed them, now you're texting them. What should that initial text message look like? Number one, I will tell you it needs to be simple, it needs it needs to be like just create curiosity. You don't need to go into detail with the text message. The shorter, the better. So, tip number one when it comes to text messaging, keep it simple. What I mean by this is hey, is this Ashley? So if you have their number, you're not gonna you're not gonna say, hey Ashley, this is Michael. What's up, girl? I'm from XYZ Insurance Company. I'd receive some information you're looking for, an auto insurance quote. Man, I gotta tell you, girl, everything's looking good. No, you're not gonna do that. You are not gonna do that. If it is longer than they can read, if they have to actually open up their phone, you're smoked. You're done, you're toast, it's not gonna happen. They need to be able to read it in the two to three sentences. Hey, is this Ashley? What are we looking for? We're looking for a yes. And right when they respond with a yes, you're gonna respond with giving you a call now. Boom, you send it, you call them. Hey, is this Ashley? Yes, giving you a call now. Pick up the phone and do what you do best. Does this make sense? I hope this makes sense. Is this Ashley question mark? Hey, Ashley, question mark. Ashley, question mark? We're just going for a response right here. That's all we're trying to do. Because if they respond, that means that they have their phone in their hand. When they have their phone in their hand and you say, giving you a quick call, boom. You know that they have the phone in their hand. Now, when you call, they may say, deny. They may decline the call. They might. But we're gonna deal with that after, and that's what I'm gonna lead into right now. So the very first step to getting somebody on the phone is keep it simple. Ashley question mark. Hey, Ashley question mark. Is this still Ashley's phone number? Question mark? Yo, Ashley, question mark. We're just going for the simple yes. We're going for a simple response, and right when they respond, giving you a quick call, boom. In which Ashley's gonna be like, who is this? When she answers the phone, yo, who is this? Then you do your spill, you go into it, but you have to get them on the phone. This is how you create curiosity, this is how you're gonna lead into a conversation. Now, let's pretend like she's like, deny, decline, and she texts you, hey, I'm busy right now. Busy right now, what's up? Who is this? What are you gonna respond now? Now you'd respond like you were uh doing an elevator pitch or leaving a voicemail for somebody to get you called back. Ashley, this is Michael from XYZ Insurance Company. Have a really important question for you. Need to talk. That's it. Now that's worst case scenario. We're at least getting a conversation going. Where most of you struggle is the initial text and what that looks like to actually get somebody on the phone. Because you're making the real dollars when you get them on the phone, not by texting. When you are texting someone, if you do a process from start to finish via text message, there is no value there. All you're doing is selling off of price. You're not figuring out what's important to them, you're not figuring out anything about them, you're just getting the information needed to put the quote together and you hope that they save money. And you know what hope is? Hopium. Hopium is not a strategy. Hopium is the quickest way for you to no longer have a job in the insurance profession. Because if you are selling based off of text messages, AI can text people rates all day long, faster than you, more consistent than you, they don't take days off. No, no, no, no. That is not a winning strategy. That is hopium. That is, please let me save somebody money, please, please. That's that's not a winning strategy. What I'm talking about today is getting people on the phone so you can do what you do best. And so, Ashley, you asked a really great question. I know a lot of you struggle with this. Michael, I don't know what that initial text looks like. Michael, I never get text back. Michael, I can never get people on the phone. Hey, is this Ashley? Yo, Ashley, is this still Ashley's phone number? And whenever they respond, what do we say here? Boom boom, giving you a call? You pick up the phone and just call. Giving you a call right now. Giving you a call, Ashley. Ashley, you just need to talk. I'm giving you a call now. Boom. Ashley, you just need to talk. Very important. Call in now. That's it. And you call them. You don't wait to see if it's okay. You send, you pick up the phone and you dial. Press in, press dial. Press in, press dial. That is how you do this. So if you're looking to take more people from text messages to conversations, follow this strategy. If you struggle with this and if you implement this today, you will see immediate success. Other than that, as always, time and attention are by far our most important assets. I appreciate you spending time with me today on the buzz. Now go out and make a grid. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Insurance Buzz. If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, and leave a rating and review. If you want to take your insurance agency to the next level and join our community, simply check out Weaver Sales Academy at www.weaversa.com. Again, that's www.weaversa.com or visit the show notes on our new and current programs we have available exclusively for you. As always, time is the most valuable and important asset that we all have, and I appreciate you spending it with me. See you on the next episode.