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How to Prepare for a Successful Appointment
How many times have you set an appointment or gone through a full life insurance or college planning demonstration, and when it came time for the potential client to sign on the dotted line, they looked at you and said, “I need to think about it” or “I need to talk it over with my wife/husband”? And the whole time you thought, “I am doing great! I am going to get this sale!”?
As the more seasoned and experienced Insurance and Financial Advisors know, sales is not a combination of knowledge and luck, but about learning and staying in control of the
sales process.
In this article are 5 Must-Do's that will help you take more control over which direction the appointment goes, and spend less time giving out information for free.
1. Get the facts - You need to ask them a series of questions in order to find out if they are just seeking information or if they are serious buyers.
Start by asking how they heard of you? Then ask them if they have ever purchased life insurance or disability insurance, etc before? If the answer is 'yes', then why are they calling you, why aren't they going back to the Agent or Insurance Agency who sold them in the first place? If the answer was 'no', then why did they pick you? Were you referred by a trusted friend or family member, did they randomly find you in the phone book? Are they “shopping around”? Are they looking for quality and a long-term financial advisor/client relationship or are they only looking for an inexpensive way to get their coverage?
By asking these questions, you will prevent yourself from setting an appointment, only to find out they just wanted the free information or that your rates
are a $1 more and you just spent $8 in gas to drive to their house and back to be told 'no'.
2. Speak with the Decision Maker - This is another very important step prior to setting an appointment. If someone calls or responds to a mailing
and want to set an appointment, make sure that everyone involved with the decision making process is going to be at the appointment.
Referring again to the “I need to talk it over with my husband/wife” excuse. If both are necessary to make a decision, then don't waste your time with the
appointment, if they both aren't going to be there.
3. Act like you don't need the sale - There is a fine line between trying to sound personable and engaging, and then sounding or acting like you haven't made a sale in two months. Even if you haven't made a sale in two months…don't act like it. People like talking to and working with other successful people. If they are going to buy insurance and/or invest their hard earned money….they want to feel as if this person knows what they are doing and will be around for years to come.
4. Sense of Obligation/Sense of Urgency - Not to be confused with sounding desperate for the sale. If someone asks if you can come out to their house for the appointment, whether or not you do this is entirely up to you. Most designated Financial Planners will only meet at their office during regular business hours. Much like a Doctor or Lawyer; they are professionals. What makes you any different? However, if you are still relatively new and/or simply enjoy those early evening appointments, at least make it sound to the prospective client that you are making a special concession for them….that you are missing your weekly dinner with your elderly Mom, or your kid's soccer game to meet with them. Give them a sense that your time is limited and vital. If they want to meet next week or the week after, tell them you are going on a business trip, or a vacation next week and that Wednesday at 5:00pm is the only time you can meet them. (they are cutting into your schedule…so it is only fair that you cut a little bit into theirs). If they balk at this and aren't willing to make some minor shifts to accommodate you, then how serious of a buyer are they really?
5. Pre-commitment - This is probably one of the most important steps to take prior to
going out on an appointment. After you have gathered all the facts, after you have established that all the decision makers will be available and at the appointment,
after you have established a time and you all agree that you will set aside personal commitments to meet, you NEED to know if you are going out there to do business or if you are going out to
be a teacher! And don't be afraid to ask them if they intend to
buy from you. You have established why they contacted you,
you have established what product you will discuss and what
they are looking for. Let them know that you will certainly bring
out different scenarios and options. (for example 3 different
investment companies to house their 529 plan.) So, re-state
everything to them at this point, and get them to agree that all
decision makers will be there…that you are coming out to talk
about college planning or life insurance….and then when you
meet, do they intend on making a decision that night, or are
they going to need to think about it? If they anticipate needing
to think about it….then tell them that you will gladly email some
information or snail mail it…..they can read over the prospectus
and illustrations, and if they have any questions or are ready to
sign up, then you will set up a time to do business.
Remember your time is valuable! You do what you do to support yourself and your family. For your own sake, incorporate these 5 steps into your appointment making process. Instead of wasting your time being a teacher who gives free advice on financial security; you can be an actual financial advisor who earns a good living.
Contact Us: (407) 276-1593
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