Do you have what it takes to succeed in insurance marketing? Being a topnotch agent is getting harder than ever. According to the Salespeople Perceptions and Top Performance Study 2018, 61 percent of salespeople said that sales had gotten harder over the last five years.
If you’re not meeting your disability insurance sales goals, you may need to work on these 10 essential traits.
1. Organization. If you miss appointments and lose paperwork, don’t expect clients to give you another chance. Even if you’re not that bad, a lack of organization can lead to wasted time and lost opportunities. Get things in order with a clean workspace, an updated calendar and spreadsheets for every occasion.
2. Preparation. Applications don’t prepare themselves. Handouts don’t print themselves. Even if you’re good at thinking on your feet, you need to prepare before you meet with a client.
3. Compassion. People buy insurance to protect the people and life they love. Don’t forget about this when you’re talking about statistics and numbers. Take time to put yourself in the client’s shoes.
4. Communication. You need to be able to communicate effectively both in person and in writing. The goal is to convey information in a way that’s easy to understand. While it’s good to sound professional, avoid excessive jargon that your clients won’t understand. Find quality sales scripts and practice using them until it sounds natural.
5. Responsiveness. Communication goes two ways. You may have a sales script ready to go – and that can be a good thing – but you also need to ask questions. Then really listen to the answers. This will help you understand the client so you can overcome objections before they result in rejections.
6. Conviction. If you don’t believe in what you’re selling, don’t expect your clients to believe in it. Show them that you value the product and would recommend it for yourself, your friends and your family. Own your own disability insurance policy so you can really walk the talk.
7. Sincerity. People are tired of ads. They’re fed up with fake news. They want the truth. Avoid insincere smiles and unbelievable exaggerations. You have to earn your client’s trust.
8. Ambition. Are you content with mediocrity? Good, because that’s where you’ll stay if that’s how you feel. Success takes hard work, and you need ambition to drive you.
9. Availability. If a client calls you, you should do your best to answer, or at least call back that day. Answer emails promptly and make time for in-person meetings. If you aren’t available, the client will find another agent who is.
10. Persistence. Everyone wants an easy win, but most of the time, we have to work hard for each victory. Don’t give up. Follow up with your clients. Keep looking for new leads.
Last but not least, you need a great partner. If you’re not working with DIS yet, you should be. Download our Broker Opportunity Kit to learn more.