Rich Searle, ERPA
Winning business requires two things: good leads and follow up. Though the principal is basic, it can be easier said than done. Many TPAs struggle with the sales process. Referral-based services require even more sales communication than other types of businesses; so, tracking your communication can be a game changer. Rich Searle, chief executive officer of Atteberry/Searle in Sacramento, increased his close rate by 25% with one simple step.
“Better organization has been the key,” Searle said. After using PensionPro for more than a year, his firm added SalesPitch, a TPA-specific customer relationship management tool from PensionPro that tracks prospects, influencers, records interactions, stores notes, and sends blast email. “It’s definitely helped me gain business that I might not have gotten otherwise, just by being organized and timely with my follow up,” Searle explained.
Even without dedicated advertising or marketing campaigns, Searle has enough leads to keep new business flowing –– if he can capitalize on the close. Every Tuesday morning, he holds a company sales meeting and reviews outstanding proposals and prospects. With SalesPitch, he’s able to see any and all interactions he and his staff have had with potential clients and influencers. If Searle or his staff receive an email from a prospect, they simply drag it into a client’s proposal to keep an ongoing record of real-time communications. The emails, reminders, and notes are linked to each prospect’s digital file with easy access in PensionPro. It’s a far cry from the spreadsheet and paper file system he used to use. He can now sort his active leads by date and prioritize outreach based on last correspondence, customized statuses or even revenue.
On Tuesdays, he checks updates, removes cold or dead leads from his list, sends thank you notes to influencers, and follows up on a monthly basis. He can view who is bringing him the most active proposals and plans with a click of a button. The last round of follow-ups yielded two quick responses from advisors who thanked him for checking in and each sent another lead. “They can see we’re on top of it and thinking ahead, and they appreciate that,” Searle said. “Nothing slips through the cracks, we’re making the most of every opportunity.”
