Preston Diamond's Insurance Sales Tips

They count a lot.

• They count when an automated attendant answers the phone.


• They count when put on hold


• They count how often they repeat their name


• They count how many times they are transferred in your agency


• They count how many times they second/third request something


• They count how many days from claim until check arrives


• They count how much their insurance costs

So, how much can you reduce their counting?

Admit and accept insurance is complex and that buyers, for the most part, don’t understand it. Now, doesn’t it make sense that you must continually expose your buyers to how you’re different and how you turn the complex into the understandable?

Buyers gravitate toward the familiar and more “hassle free.” So, the point?

Create your 2006 marketing plan for multiple exposures built around stories of how you’ve solved problems for your clients. Stories can be about protection, claims, your services including how you treat phone calls into the agency, and any other thing that perceptually sets you apart.

Don’t describe everything in so much detail so your buyer loses interest. Offer a “White Paper,” Report or CD that your buyer can order from your Web site for further reading.

Let your buyer know that insurance is complex and your job is to know and understand the fine print and help them through any trauma they may encounter. Back up every claim you make with true stores from your files, using (with their permission) client’s names.

Remember people fear what they don’t understand. Your job is to create insurance understanding. That means no insurance terms. Be the agency that talks people terms. It’s hard to break the “insurance talk” habit, but make it an overriding goal for 2006.

Trash words like:
• Deductible-use “It’s the check you write before the insurance company takes over”
• Exclusion- use, “It’s when you, not the insurance company, write the check when you suffer a disaster.’
• Liability- use, “When you’re legally obliged and responsible the insurance company will write the checks up to the amount you choose.”

You get the idea. List insurance terms you use daily. Then create everyday words to use to turn your agency into a client centered, not “insurance” centered agency.

People understand by example. Imagine buying a camera without first looking through the lens? You try on new clothing before you purchase it. But, you’re thinking, it’s not possible to really demonstrate “insurance.” Well, maybe it is.

Take a match and burn something when in front of a buyer. Show a picture of a house/commercial building on fire, two cars colliding, (bring two toy cars with you and crash them) a person slipping, (bring a toy person with you and knock it down) and even a check made out in the buyer’s name. As the various forms of insurance flash through my mind, I see the picture I would show the buyer to fit the situation. Brainstorm in your agency.

Don’t think this is too simplistic for your “high value” clients. (Some agents think 6th Sense Proposal is too simplistic.) Don’t you crave simple today? Let your buyer decide what’s right for them. They’ll choose simple a whopping majority of the time.

So, multiple marketing touches help break the complex down into the simple. Then demonstrate insurance to really make it simple. And, isn’t it time you put 6th Sense Proposal to work?

Knowledge isn’t power unless it’s shared – Bob Noyce, Intel Co- Founder.
Let’s add knowledge isn’t power unless it’s used.

Put your new knowledge into action immediately. How do you debrief after each teleclass or seminar? Appoint one person to be the disseminator to the rest of the agency after listening to a teleclass or attending a workshop/seminar.

Then immediately create a plan to implement.

I had the pleasure to listen to an outstanding agency owner a few weeks ago as we were presenting to his 13 key people at his agency.

After various points, he said, “stop.”

” Now, Virginia that’s your department, select two of your team, put the plan together and present to management in 2 weeks. Let’s target October 1 to implement.”

Another “stop.”

“We’re not ready for that. Carol, catalog that idea to bring up at our planning session for 2008.”

This owner made decisions like that. He said, “it’s more powerful for us to create the plan as we go and get something done for the time and money investment NOW, than to hope we get to it later. No decision will cause us to lose clients, team members, or strap us financially.

So, your challenge: If you invest to attend any knowledge event., appoint your knowledge implementer, report to team members the next working day, unless its in-house, and start implementing. What a Herculean lesson.

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From USAA: ECHO - Every Contact Has Opportunity. Is that your agency mantra?
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Think wise, communicate simply. Paraphrased from William Yates
To succeed, you must fly in the face of conventional wisdom. How do you? At your next team meeting, figure out 5 ways you fly in the facer of convention. That’s how to separate you from the crowd.
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There are only three survey questions you ever have to ask clients:

1. What was your worst experience with us?
2. What experience with us dazzled you?

Confirm you’ll never let the “worst” happen again and that you’ll work hard to continue to dazzle.

More homework: Each team member must bring 3 ways to your next agency meeting on how your agency can dazzle clients.

If you like the answers to the questions, your nest question is: Would you refer a business acquaintance to us?
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Why do people buy from you? Because they want to, there is no other reason. You must create the reasons.

In addition, you must create the reasons to appeal to emotion, not logic.

Oh, oh. More homework. For another team meeting, each team member brings 3 emotional reasons why someone should buy from you.
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When you are asked what do you do, can you answer? “I sell money to solve present and future problems. Because you buy it on installments, you get a discount. (That helps cash flow) And, the contracts I sell unilaterally guarantee certain outcomes.”

Do you have what you “sell” on your business cards? Your business card should WOW the reader. Most are similar and boring. How about yours? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++