3 Leadership Skills for Insurance Sales
With the numerous training materials available to sales representatives these days, it’s easy to lose focus and stretch yourself too thin trying to meet abstract objectives and achieve concrete metric goals in an extremely dynamic environment. It’s important to keep in mind that though the world is ever-changing, there is always one factor which we are able to control: ourselves. Inspiring yourself and those around you is one of the simplest ways to gain success and establish yourself as a leader at National Agents Alliance, and possessing the three characteristics below will aid in garnering the respect and attention of those around you.
Optimism
One of the most glaringly obvious traits of any successful salesperson is the ability to maintain a positive attitude, no matter the circumstance. Rejection is a difficult fact of life to accept and overcome, but the ability to keep their chins up and power through the “no’s” while motivating themselves and others is what truly sets the successful salesman apart from the rest.
Self-Awareness
This quality ties directly into the above point that the only true control we possess is over ourselves. Conduct a SWOT analysis of yourself and your situation – in terms of internal factors, what are your Strengths and Weaknesses? Where do you feel you have the natural ability to excel, and what areas could use some work? For external factors, can you identify any Threats, such as competition, which you perceive to be keeping you from closing a sale? What can you do to overcome these obstacles? Or are there Opportunities, such as new markets, which you have yet to explore? Be honest with yourself and with others. Leading by example is the most effective way to establish trust and credibility with your team.
Ability to Listen
Often overlooked, the ability to listen is one of the most crucial components of any job. Without it, learning is impossible and growth in every area will certainly be stunted. Remembering to always be a student and to continuously absorb information from associates as well as experiences is what keeps a good employee from becoming stuck in a rut and inevitably obsolete.
Though this is far from being an exhaustive list of the traits of a successful sales leader at National Agents Alliance, these are stand-out qualities of those who have proven themselves capable of making the sale time and time again. If you’re stuck in a rut and are waiting for your situation to improve, just remember that there is a common denominator that you have control over – and it’s you.
Retaining Your Clients
National Agents Alliance is committed to making a difference in people’s lives through the services we provide. When you help your clients, retaining them is very important and is built on some key factors. Below are some tips to help you along the way!
Retain your clients with National Agents Alliance by following the 3C’s: Consistency, Commitment, and Communication.
Consistency: Never oversell your services; it will easily push your client away before you’ve even finished your pitch. Deliver realistically, and deliver more than expected. By keeping your work consistent, you are adding value to your business that will make you hard to be replaced.
Commitment: Don’t be shy about letting your clients know how valued they are. Train your employees to extend sincere thanks for even the smallest transaction. Spend time on a phone call, email, mail a personalized letter, whatever avenue you choose, will make your customer feel important.
Communication, communication, communication. You can’t hear this enough. By keeping the lines of communication open to your clients, it creates a great relationship built on trust and depth. Keep your customers involved. Get feedback and implement them where needed. Also remember, the better relationship you establish, the better you can anticipate their needs before they even request it. Be on top of the next step!
Doing the basics like using the 3 C’s will help you improve your client retention.
10 Tips to Keep the National Agents Alliance Team from Using E&O Insurance
As a life insurance agent with National Agents Alliance there is a good chance that you’ve had to purchase errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, as most life insurance carriers require that you have it before you can be appointed with the carrier. Like with any insurance policy, it is something you always hope that is something that you’ll never need to use.
E&O insurance is a professional liability insurance that protects companies and individuals against claims made by clients for inadequate work or negligent actions. Errors and omissions insurance often covers both court costs and any settlements up to the amount specified on the insurance contract, according to Investopedia.com.
In order to keep yourself and your business safe in our litigious society, LifeHealthPro.com has some tips to help keep you out of the courtroom:
1. Be a consummate professional: You should always be professional, which means doing your homework and being cognizant of what you’re recommending to your clients. Attend all the training seminars you can to help keep you up-to-date with product information.
2. Do your research: Make sure all products and investment programs you offer are registered with the appropriate regulatory authority and approved by your broker-dealer, registered-investment advisor and insurance FMO.
3. Stay in your area expertise: Only recommend products you fully understand and are licensed to sell. If you refer clients to other providers, make sure you can vouch for their competence and integrity.
4. Solicit business properly: You do not want to misrepresent who you are, what you do, or what you sell. Use only materials that solicit who you are that have been approved by your insurance company and/or broker-dealer.
5. Practice full disclosure: Make sure to disclose all required information and be totally up front about your track record, business practices, and affiliated advisors and companies.
6. Do thorough fact-finding: When you meet with a client, make sure you fully and completely understand the client’s situation and document all relevant facts.
7. Link your recommendations to documented needs: Make sure to present only suitable recommendations (preferably more than one). After the prospect agrees to buy, review the reasons for buying the product and get the prospect to agree in writing.
8. Educate clients about what they bought: It is your job to ensure that your clients understand what their product covers and doesn’t cover, all its fees and expenses, and any risks and guarantees.
9. Leave a paper trail: Always document everything. You should document the outcomes of key client conversations, decisions made and coverage declined. No client interaction is irrelevant. Document every call or conversation no matter how trivial the subject matter.
10. Promptly resolve client complaints: Always do your best to resolve a client’s complaint. Find out why they are unhappy with you, and then fix it before it turns into a regulator sanction or lawsuit. In addition, if you believe a client will file a formal complaint, let your compliance department know as soon as possible.
The 4 Major Life Insurance Gaps You Should Direct Your Efforts
If you’re looking for new lead opportunities, look no further as a new Genoworth white paper has released the areas where there are huge gaps in life insurance.
Large Families:
The Genoworth study found that there is a major gap in coverage in adults who have children in their households. This is also a demographic that truly needs to invest in life insurance to ensure that their children are taken care of if the unthinkable occurs. The study noted that the gap could be caused by lower incomes and the cost of have a large family.
Unmarried Parents:
According to Genoworth’s 2012 LifeJacket Study, 59 percent of unmarried women do not have life insurance, compared with 43 percent of those who are married. In addition, 69 percent of unmarried fathers lacking insurance, compared with 34 percent of married fathers.
Women:
Women have less life insurance coverage than men, the study found. With women having bigger financial roles and are working and earning more than ever, they will also need to have coverage to support their loved ones if they suddenly pass.
Consumers With Common Health Concerns:
Believe it or not, but adorable life insurance is becoming more available for those who have been diagnosed with certain health conditions, like asthma and depression. These barriers keeping consumers from receiving preferred rates on life insurance are coming down and being replaced with more affordable options.
The U.S. is still filled with opportunity for life insurance sales, but it’s all where you look and direct your efforts. Now, hammer down and get to work!
How to Kick Up Your Referrals Up a Notch
Sometimes doing what you’re supposed to do isn’t enough, especially when you’re hoping your client will refer you to their friends, family and co-workers.
If you’ve been doing exactly what you’re supposed to do and meeting your clients’ needs, but still aren’t getting the influx of referrals you’d hoped for doing a job well done, then you need to kick your customer service up a notch.
While there is nothing wrong with doing everything that you promised your client, it may not be enough to inspire them to share your contact information with their loved ones.
It’s the above and beyond things that you do for your clients that makes you stand out from the rest and prompt your clients to share their experience with you to others, who are looking for the services that you’re providing. There is still something to be said about handwritten notes, asking about their loved ones are doing and knowing a little bit about their life that you can chat with them about; calling to wish them a happy birthday, and just calling to check in with them from time to time.
In the end if you go above and beyond, and establish a good relationship you will begin to see more referrals coming your way!
Persevering Through a Sales Plummet
When you have a career in sales, hitting a few sales slumps every now and then is an unavoidable fact of life. These slumps occur because of a variety of factors, from the economy to your sales pitch, making it difficult at times to climb out of the rut and start selling again.
When you’re going through a rough patch with sales, it’s easy to get discouraged and worried that you won’t get back to a place where you are selling consistently and feeling successful. While getting discouraged seems like the natural reaction, it’s vital – for your sales career, at least – that you remain positive and continue on, making it your mission to succeed.
That said, staying positive and persevering through the rough patches is easier said than done. When you hit that low point, you will be tempted to let the negativity get the best of you. At National Agents Alliance, we are convinced that staying positive, being motivated, and surrounding yourself with people who will encourage you are essential parts of being successful. We’ve got some tips to keep you pushing forward when sales aren’t so hot.
- Stay positive- We’ve already touched on this a little, but we want to go a little more in-depth about this tip. So, you’ve been at the top of your game for a while, but lately your sales are hit-and-miss and people who used to produce less than you seem to be lapping you. You’re feeling kind of discouraged, wondering why you’re not selling like you used to. As hard as it may be, try to constantly remind yourself that “this too shall pass.” The more aware you are that this is just a “phase” of the salesman’s career, the easier it will be to work through. If you let yourself get down and discouraged, you will be so worried about your sales performance that you may blow the sales calls you do go on. Stay positive and remember your prior success – making room for negativity will only extend the life of your sales slump.
- Stay calm- In order to successfully stay positive, you have to master the task of staying calm, as well. When your sales plummet, it’s easy to instantly think of all the things that could go wrong as a result. Your mind may scroll through a list of expenses and responsibilities, or you may worry about your rank or a contest you are working toward. While these things are important, remaining calm is a surefire way to “get your ship together” and work toward climbing out of your sales rut. If sales aren’t great, freaking out will not help. The best way to get out is to keep booking appointments and going on sales calls, remaining calm and continuing to serve your clients. Your confidence and genuine care for your clients will show, and your sales will pick up. Step back – don’t overanalyze or constantly compare yourself to others. Keep working toward your goals and you will achieve them.
- Stay alert- If you have remained calm and positive and booking calls but still not selling, take a look at a few factors that may be determining your success or failure. Some things to evaluate are: your sales pitch and sales style, your clientele and the products you are pushing. Have you recently changed your sales pitch or style? Are you being too pushy, or not pushy enough? Are you trying to sell final expense to a 20-year-old? If you are not pitching the appropriate coverage to the appropriate age group, you may be experiencing sales issues because of that. Did you formerly take a personal approach to your sales pitch, and now you’re taking a more salesy approach? You may be trying a new trick that simply isn’t working for you. Or maybe your sales style is outdated. Try switching things up if you’ve used the same style for a while, or try reverting back to your old style if you’ve changed recently. Stay alert and aware of the things you do and you will be able to see what changes you have made that may or may not be working.
Reminding yourself to stay positive and calm will make the process of getting back into your sales groove easier and less stressful. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you and give you advice, and you will be moving forward in no-time. Persevere and keep succeeding – that’s The Alliance way!
Earning Credibility at Work
If you’re working toward a goal of getting a promotion at work, it’s imperative that your credibility is affirmed by everything you do. If you are developing credibility with your co-workers, keep in mind that they are likely noticing little things that you do, whether or not you realize it.
When you are with other agents, your upline, clients and even family, be aware of commitments you make and examples you set. In order to gain and maintain credibility, you must be consistent in your promises, your actions and your attitude.
Take time to get to know your clients’ needs and wants when you are on sales calls, letting them know they are your priority. By sharing stories of your family and making a connection with clients, you are showing your human side and letting them know you are not just trying to sell them something. If you say you will arrive at a client’s house at 6 p.m., don’t arrive at 6:30 p.m. and don’t arrive at 5:30 p.m. Arrive when you say you will – this shows that you are reliable and consistent. Both of these things add to your credibility and will improve your sales if your intentions are genuine.
Being a credible source means that you are a person someone feels comfortable trusting because you have proved yourself to consistently be truthful and dependable. That said, credibility is not something you are born with. Credibility is earned – you either earn it or lose it from each person you encounter. In order to become credible in another person’s sight, you have to be in a state of constant improvement, maintaining consistency dependability.
Reputation is central to credibility – let your reputation reflect who you are, and let that person be credible. Think of the kind of person you would want to work with – would you want to buy life insurance from someone who shows up late and is ill-informed on what he is selling? Probably not. Be the kind of person you want to work with – someone who is honest and consistent, and someone who genuinely wants to help you and your family.
A lot of the process of earning credibility is simply improving your consistency at work and at home. When you take time to work at becoming a better person, your attitude and credibility will improve and others will notice. It’s really that simple.
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