Life Insurance

Where Am I?

Presented by Gary Peterson In our technological world, we can use our GPS system to find out where we are and how we can get to another place. Now is a good time to turn on your “Sales GPS”, using it to guide you through the remainder of 2016.  You can find a path to increase your production and obtain the goals you set back in January. Or, you can expand upon your goals that have been reached. Following are more areas you can use to fine-tune this Sales GPS:                 Client reviews                 Client anniversaries or birthdays                 Referrals from your centers of influence                 Referrals from your current and past clients                 Partnering with local agents not in your product area You may come up with others, but the bottom line is, turn your Sales GPS on and put it to use today!
Annuities

Transactional Selling vs. Solution-Based Selling

Presented by David Corwin My money (pardon the pun), is on solution-based selling; the difference being that transactional-based selling is too much related to the product itself. In other words, it means suggesting or pushing a particular product to your client before even learning that it might not benefit them. Imagine going to a car lot wanting to buy a pickup only to find out that the salesman seems to want you to take ownership of this great, totally awesome four door sedan. I find that many insurance professionals operate exactly in that manner. Solution-based selling can be defined as the process of developing an understanding of the customer’s needs and objectives, and then offering solutions that will help the customer address their unique objectives. Fact finding will not only uncover issues, but you’ll also learn things that you might not have, had you just tried to sell them a product. Here are some other benefits to adopting a solutions-based sales practice: • Cross-sales opportunities – you’ll uncover other areas where you can provide a service and/or product that will meet their needs. • Referrals, referrals, referrals – use any method you can as a reminder to always ask; you’ll get more introductions to other people. If it’s on the fact finder as a reminder, then it’s only natural that you’ll ask. • You’ll also know what other advisors and/or attorneys they have. • Wills and trusts – you will know that they have a trust or a will. • Permanent record – it’s a permanent record of your meeting documenting everything that you talked about allowing you to revisit missed items. These ideas aren’t meant to pass judgment on your sales system that you are currently using – and if it works, that’s great. The more successful long-term agents use solution-based selling and I truly believe that is the only way that an insurance professional should operate.
Annuities

Referrals – An Obvious Place to Look

Authored by John Schraut Are you looking for qualified referrals?  Every time you complete an application for life insurance or an annuity you get at least one possible referral. That’s right! Your next prospect could be hiding in plain sight in the beneficiary section. A smart producer can take that name, find out the relationship to the insured and use the opportunity to ask for an introduction or referral endorsement, something like, “Do you mind if I give (beneficiary name) a call to introduce myself? Many of my clients have found it helpful if their beneficiaries have my contact information.” This eliminates the standard objection from clients when asked for a referral, “I can’t think of anyone.” They provided the name to you. Producers who follow up to turn that into a referral find that it is an easy way to get at least one referral on every application they complete.