I got this question today from someone just finishing their insurance exams – ready to rock the world! While *some* of it applies to Insurance, specifically, most of it is spot on for ANYONE who wants to be a great salesperson in any industry.
Thanks for the questions! Keep ’em coming! I will make YOU famous, next!
“Dear Irreverent Sales Girl,
I am just finishing up my insurance exams and I am READY TO GET GOING! Just wanted to learn what you know about selling insurance and getting going quickly!
– Ready to GET STARTED!”
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Dear Ready to GET STARTED!
Congratulations on finishing your exams!
Here are my thoughts on being successful in the Insurance Industry (and most others, too, BTW!)
First: Seek to understand
Second: Recreate what your customer told you so you make sure you have it right
Then: Ask permission to share your ideas.
WARNING: Insurance is powerful. You can certainly help people with it, but you can also seriously HURT people.
If you learn your products all-the-way-through and sell them to people who TRULY benefit, you will be blessed.
(HINT: You will be taught a lot of ways to sell the wrong products for people’s needs. Be careful of this. FIRST look to see where the product is a BAD answer and find the place where the model breaks down – THEN determine if it does work. This requires using your brain, which I imagine you have, since you asked the question!)
I also know that the going can be VERY tough at the beginning.
Network well with estate planning attorneys, accountants, and financial advisors. Show THEM that you know how to use products in their clients’ best interests. Nurture these relationships and refer people to them as often as you can. Look for opportunities to refer people to them. Eventually, ask them what it would take for them to refer to you.
As you build your clientele, focus on designing systems to keep in touch with your clients often. Over-communicate. Check in to make sure that their insurance portfolio is serving their current (and changing) needs. Even if you simply send a mailing once a month with one of your favorite inspirational quotes or pictures, you will be touching their lives with your personal signature brand.
FUN FACT: 82% of insurance salespeople with the top companies quit.
It takes something amazing to be one of the top 18% (earning on average $65,000/year) and something EXTRAORDINARY to be the top 5%, which is where the real wealth happens.
FINALLY, (and it should probably be first). Always be on time. Always send a hand-written thank you note. No one can beat you if you keep this at the heart and soul of what you do.
Insurance can be a beautiful career, because clients who stay with you will pay their premiums over-and-over and your influence and resources will grow. Take care to build a solid foundation and the rest will take care of itself over time.
AVOID ROOKIE MISTAKE NUMBER FIVE…Never spend your commissions until your client is outside of their right-to-rescind period (30 days?). If they rescind, you owe the money back!
Love it UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
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