Please stop selling insurance

Please stop selling insurance

When speaking to a group of agents at a workshop or conference, I always start by asking how many of them are actually in the insurance sales business. About a quarter will always volunteer their information. My response is always the same: "If you're in the insurance business, good luck." "No one wants insurance right now."

The unwillingness to purchase insurance is universal. Nothing related to house, vehicle, life, health, or disability insurance... What the insurance covers is all they care about. They're simply in it for the payoff. Trust me, if there was another way for them to obtain the benefits they sought, they would. In other words, making a living doing what is commonly known as "selling insurance" is extremely challenging. But things change if you make your living assisting others. You may argue that the distinction is just semantic, yet there are important nuances between a sales mindset and a customer service mindset.

This distinction influences not only what a person does but also how he or she performs virtually everything. Their sole concern, if they are sales-oriented, is closing the deal. Everything is done with the end goal of making a sale, from the initial contact to the presentation to the closure and the follow-up. Sales activities such as advertising, contacting, presenting, and following up are viewed through the lens of the firm or product being promoted. Helping-oriented professionals, on the other hand, know that the service they provide (helping) is what is truly important, while the insurance they supply is merely a means to an end (creating a solution).

Please allow me to give you an example of what I mean. A sales-oriented individual would introduce themselves like this: "Mr. Jones, my name is Bob Smith, and I am with the ABC Insurance Company." You may count on us to supply all of your product requirements. Please contact me so I can schedule a time to demonstrate our products and discuss how they may be able to address your needs. Selling insurance is the main goal of the exchange. But a helpful individual would introduce themselves like this to Jones: "Ms. Jones, my name is Sue Smith, and I assist people in preserving their assets, reducing staff turnover, and leveraging their financial stability." Do you find that intriguing? As opposed to a pushy salesperson, they see themselves as a helpful expert in their field.

Using a professional, supportive stance as opposed to a pushy sales stance has many additional important distinctions. Experts provide assistance instead of pushing products. Instead of customers or policyholders, they deal with clients. They focus on forming connections with one another rather than making purchases from one another. They focus on providing assistance rather than pushing products. Clients find them instead of the other way around. 

They are able to sell directly to their customers. They overcome competition by identifying and seizing cooperative possibilities. Take into account the repercussions of these differences. People are more likely to trust and cooperate with those they like and respect, and it is commonly held that consumers prefer to do business with those who are helpful. Yes, you should know what a trusted advisor is. To clarify, this is the topic at hand. Change happens when the focus shifts from making sales to providing assistance. Imagine yourself with satisfied customers who are happy to recommend your services.

Adopting a professional demeanor draws attention away from the items and toward you.You! Essentially, you'll be the product that consumers pay for. When you gain experience, your worth increases. You end up being useful, and useful means you. Expertise is achieved. Customers don't turn to insurance plans when they have questions; they come to you. One of the biggest obstacles to adopting this perspective is figuring out how to articulate your unique selling proposition to potential customers. In order to help my clients succeed in their marketing and leadership roles, I frequently work with them to define their mission and highlight their distinctive qualities. 

Our tendency to undervalue our own abilities, especially those that come naturally to us, presents an intriguing challenge. We often fail to recognize their significance and instead think that everyone possesses equivalent or superior skills. Asking five people a client knows to name five qualities that make them outstanding at what they do is a very illuminating activity. Ask folks who aren't related to you. Inquire with patrons, buddies, and cronies. 

Depending on how things turn out, you might be surprised. There are three broad categories that the comments fall into, in my opinion. You'll either hear things about yourself that you and everyone else already knew and get confirmation on, things about yourself that you knew but didn't think anyone else noticed and gain insight into what people notice and value, or things about yourself that you never knew and never would have thought others would value. These characteristics and perspectives are what make you unique. These are the reasons why people choose to work with you. You'll be more successful in reaching out to leads, pitching your ideas, and gaining recommendations thanks to these distinguishing characteristics.

Many businesses make the mistake of putting their products and services front and center when they should be focusing on what makes them unique and why they exist. They put their faith in the abilities and reputations of others rather than in their own. Every expert ought to make it their life's work to establish their own authority in their field. That doesn't mean they have to be the best in the world at what they do for a living, but it does mean they should strive to be the best they can be at assisting others in their chosen profession. 

The key is to brainstorm creative solutions to existing problems. It's possible that this assistance will extend beyond financial aid for insurance. By establishing yourself as a go-to person for advice or a hub for making connections, you can make a positive impact on those around you. Any other aspect of business or personal life in which you have expertise could benefit from your counsel (other professionals are more than happy to provide you with articles and insights you can pass on).

The goal here is to shift the focus from selling insurance to providing actual assistance to those in need. It's been stated that knowledge is nothing until people feel that you care, and that sentiment holds true. The intriguing repercussion of shifting your emphasis from selling to helping is a boost in client acquisition, word-of-mouth advertising, and ultimately, insurance sales. Everything is fine.

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