Selling More, Selling Better: A Microinsurance Sales Force Development Study

This study provides lessons for microinsurance providers about the four main steps in sales force development: recruit, train, incentivize, and monitor. It recommends strategies and tools to microinsurance providers on improving the performance of their sales force. It profiles recommended practices through in-depth case studies and references useful tools. The study builds on findings from interviews with 18 microinsurance practitioners from 13 organizations. It focuses on improving the performance of staff that sells directly to clients. Conclusions include:

• There is no one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment;
• Experiential training is an effective approach for sales staff with basic levels of education and little prior exposure to sales or insurance;
• Good practices involve role-play and games to give sellers a safe space in which to understand concepts, practice selling, obtain targeted feedback, and build confidence;
• Good quality sales increase the likelihood of renewals, protect clients against risk in the long term, and enhance the sustainability of the insurance scheme;
• Integrating feedback from monitoring into ongoing training allows organizations to diagnose issues and equip staff with the tools they need to be successful.