Talking Shop with Car Enthusiasts

Agents entering the collector car world may face a unique challenge. How do I start a conversation with a car enthusiast? If you don’t consider yourself a “car person,” the idea of talking torque, engine size, or body modifications may seem daunting. But fear not, Hagerty is here with some easy tips for kicking off the conversation. If all goes well, you’ll shift a prospect to a client in no time.

Car talk: easy conversation starters

Don’t overthink it.

Any prospect showing off a collector vehicle is going to want to talk about it. Your job is simply to ask questions. Beyond the year, make, and model, try these conversation starters to help build rapport with a lucky prospect.

• Ask about the car’s history. Is it handed down from another family member or a fresh purchase? Does it have a fun pet name? You can tell how close the owner is to their car by how excited they are to share.
• Learn what’s stock and what’s not. If the owner mentions any modifications, ask if he or she did the work themselves. Modified vehicles can be tricky to insure, but Hagerty can provide coverage to eligible vehicles meeting our guidelines.
• Find out if the vehicle is part of a collection. You’d be surprised how many enthusiasts have more than one classic in the garage or have plans to add more in the future.
• Share your own favorite manufacturers and dream cars. Sometimes you have to give to get. If you bring up any cars on your bucket list your potential prospect will probably do the same.
• Ask if the driver is part of any car clubs or organizations. This might lead you down any number of fun rabbit holes. If the driver belongs to a car club, you may get an introduction – which can lead to a big batch of new leads. If the driver mentions a racing organization, you might consider sharing information about our motorsports coverage.

No topic is too obscure for a car enthusiast, and there are no stupid questions as long as you’re genuine. In fact, showing enthusiasm is the first step to winning over future clients.

Why Hagerty?

When a conversation goes well, you’ll want to share exactly why Hagerty is the best place for your prospect and their vehicle(s). Here are a few quick and easy talking points to get you started:

• It’s a real community of car lovers. Hagerty Drivers Club® and the Hagerty community is home to over a million people for you to meet, connect with, and share in the love of cars.
• We offer Guaranteed Value® coverage. We’ll work together to agree on a fair value for clients’ collector vehicles, and if there’s a covered total loss, we’ll pay that amount.* Guaranteed.
• We make sure it’s fixed right. Clients always choose their repair shop or even get paid to do the work themselves. Our claims team and parts specialists focus solely on finding the best replacement parts, not the cheapest.
• Clients actually get to drive their cars. Our flexible policy allows for pleasure and hobby usage. That means more Sunday drives, ice cream runs, and, yes, cruising to car shows.
• We do more. Our commitment to collector vehicles includes insurance for cars, boats, vintage motorcycles, race cars, tractors and a long list of others — but it doesn’t end there. We fuel the automotive passion with Hagerty Valuation Tools®, and so much more.

One quick caveat: Don’t start a conversation just for the sake of a sale. Enthusiasts will know right away if you’re more interested in their wallet than their Wankel engine.

Hagerty can help you close

A car nut’s energy is infectious. It won’t take long for you to build a fun set of questions that you’re comfortable asking and that lead to more business. Check Hagerty Agent Resources for a downloadable Fact Finder and other coverage one-sheeters that can make your prospecting easier.

The more you chat with enthusiasts, the more you’ll learn about the cars, the automotive lifestyle, and all the client assets available to protect.

As your expert partner in all things automotive, Hagerty is here to help. Visit the Hagerty Agent Business Center to find resources on quoting, earning, and keeping collector vehicle insurance business. You can also call us at 800-747-5348 or live chat at hagertyagent.com.