The Most Common Mistakes Insurance Agents Make

Problem # 1
Prospects for sales are more than agents of resistance training are usually in the sales presentation skills.

The search for answers to insurance agents is designed to get as much information as possible and have control over the situation. Prospects for insurance agents often confusion about its intentions, if you think, who take decisions, etc.

The prospect of intent is to enable agents to unpaid consultants, to lead them until all the information they need, and often use their quotes to compare with their current agent or a competitor.

When prospects have what they need, they stop reimbursement agent phone calls.

Does this perspective make bad people?

Of course not.

We all use the system for dealing with vendors … is almost second nature.

Why prospects to do it?

It’s simple.

It works.

Stereotype agent is not a good image for most of us, and the prospects are sold afraid of something they do not want to. In order to protect themselves, the prospects need to feel a way of dealing with agents. This is an instinctive reaction to the negative stereotype of the factors causing the outlook packed defensive wall.

Like most agents do from the perspective of defense? Most of the right to play him. Many do not use a systematic approach to sales. They allow the prospect of taking complete control over the sale process. Agent willingly:

  • • make its knowledge
  • • makes not getting any commitments in return
  • • wastes resources on the implementation of deals that will never close
  • • gives quotes non-prospects who never buy
  • • misinterpret the ubiquitous “think I’ll go and get back to you” as a future sales

Like most companies involved in the sale and contribute to this problem? Often they focus on product knowledge and teaching at the circumstances of neglect or products which are concepts of the best.

Solution: Train agents on a systematic approach to the presentation, so they “track to run on.” Training should be a balance and perspective to both the agent’s best interests.

Problem # 2

Spending too much time from the perspective that they will not buy.

A manager recently assessed two of its agents in such a way: “Gary spends much time in the absence of buyers, and receives for its participation in the production does not. One is the main cause of this behavior is that he does not ask the tough questions. Amy is from the perspective of a strong, but both she and Gary have lost competitive bids, because it asks business to give quotes but to the perspective. “Why is it true?

Agents did not ask the hard questions up for fear of making them angry perspective, they are afraid they would lose something they do not have. Most agents feel their job is close to everybody.

Over the years, sales training stressed, “Do not take no for an answer.” Insurance agents, which are to be taught are persistent … handle stalls and objections process closes  … always the closure and yes, even manipulations. Not surprisingly, the prospect of sales resistance to the need to shield themselves!

Prospects for themselves agents do not want to hear “NO”, and when he does not, it will be “Hang In There” and try to turn “NO” to “YES”. When the prospect of poor really means “NO”, he / she have to be the easiest way to get rid of an agent is to tell them, ‘I’ll think it over, and I’ll get back to you. “How many “think it’s over” really turn on your business?

Solution: Agents need tools to separate tire-kickers from buyers. They need an approach that receives support in the early stage of your sales cycle. They must learn the art from the perspective of qualifying tactful, do not qualify them. In the top agents learn how to ask the hard questions up, saving valuable resources on real opportunities. “NO” is acceptable response from the buyer. “Going for NO” requires huge changes for most agents, but it may take any pressure at the agent and increase productivity. This approach allows the perspectives feel in control, and then it relaxes and allows them to buy instead of feeling as they are “sold”.

Problem # 3

Agents say too much.

A manager recently said, “My agents listening skills when they are not needed is someone says something and does not learn in a real intention or reason for the question, which leaves feeling like my search for them or their agents understand their problems.

Of course, when he sent them to the College of product knowledge, filling them with technical knowledge, and then sent them to their quotas, we should expect this outcome. ”

So what’s the problem with our history? Firstly, people buy their causes, and not agents of reasons, even their reasons for the company. Secondly, most companies sound the same presentation to the search, and when the same sound, the agent becomes simply another agent’s perspective, and then to prospect, low price becomes the determining factor in obtaining business.

Solution: Asking questions is the answer. Teach your insurance agents to stop regurgitating to prospect and start asking questions. Prospects should do at least 70% to talking about sales. The only way of achieving this is the place for the sales rep to ask many questions.

Questions concerning the collection of information. Ask questions to find out what the prospect for the “pain” is. This is the same family for no doctor during a visit to the office. They say - do not tell you anything until you have the correct diagnosis.

Problem # 4

Poor Agents focus on the price.

Price is never the real problem! Agents focus on prices, because it is often the first thing on the question of perspective. Yet study after study confirms that the quality and service are almost always more important than the price. Price is never the main reason for obtaining and maintaining a business. People buy our products, to resolve the problem or they, or improve something about their current situation or protect against occurrences in the future.

Solution: Teach agents to be more effective to ask questions and obtain the real problems. When you learn to do this, the price will not be the decisive factor in making sales.

Problem # 5

Product knowledge is too stressed and confusion. As a result, often becomes a selling nothing more than “pitching and presentation.”

Most training focuses on the sales of product knowledge. Research shows that 80% of dollars a year spent training are devoted to product knowledge training. Agents, once filled with the product knowledge, are more willing to share this information and become a professional, free educator. The focus becomes entirely on the product, rather than the outlook for the problem, which is where it belongs.

Solution: Provide training in strategies and tactics to help our agents must clearly define the perspective of their problems and cooperation solutions that best meet their needs. Product knowledge is important, but how it’s used at every stage of the process of purchasing is the key.

Problem # 6

Agents do not get a chance to disclose the budgets of the mountain. Many insurance agents are uncomfortable talking about money. Discussing money is seen as intrusive and unpleasant. Many agents avoid talking about money, power up the prospect of the problem. This is one of the five most weak, that the agents are.

Solution: Knowing whether it is from the top of the money will help distinguish the perspective of the insurance agent who is ready to solve the problem, which is the one who have not committed. Comfortable talking about money is the key to management, where resources are evaluated on the basis of the bottom line impact. Teach agents to learn two things about money:

  • • How much does it cost to this problem is perspective, in other words, the amount at risk.
  • • How much they have to be willing to invest to solve the problem.

Without a candid discussion about money, the trader is left to make certain assumptions. And we all know what happens when we make assumptions!

Problem # 7

Agents do not get from the perspective of firm commitments.

Insurance agents are often very willing to go to the opportunity to quote, presentations, etc. Such an approach is extremely time and resources.

How much is your team quotes / distribution circulated over the past twelve months, which led to nothing? How much does it cost your team / distribution on yearly quotes that go nowhere?

Solution: Agents need to find out what motivates people to buy. They must master the skills needed to help the chances to become comfortable sharing problems, and they must learn to identify prospects’ level of commitment in order to resolve these problems before they offer their solutions.

Problem # 8

Lack of sufficient search.

A quote from the director: “It is not enough to do the search, even if you are using a long stick. “All professional agents will eventually be dealing with a bout to call reluctance. You know the story - they have so much paperwork on their desk can not find time to prospect for new businesses or they are so busy calling existing customers (who incidentally are not buying anything) and in no way to add any new deadlines. The first set, to get ready. BT club (to end) sound familiar?

  • • Over 40% of all sales veterans have experienced bouts call reluctance severe enough to jeopardize their career in sales
  • • and 80% of all new agents who are not within the first year do so because of insufficient prospecting activity.

Solution: insurance agents need to develop a realistic business plan. Monitor weekly plan and implement effective accountability.

Problem # 9

Insurance agent has a strong need for acceptance.

This is a simple and common mistake. “I love people, so I will be an insurance agent.” You end up with an insurance agent, which are unlikely to “friends” from their perspective, than to business. With the development of relations are an important part of the sale, the sale is a place for people to have their emotional needs met. In fact, is the opposite: hard and demanding profession, full of rejection? People who internalize the rejection late getting out of the profession. The truth is, they should have never gotten in the business. Sales interactions are fundamentally different from social interaction. Successful professionals understand and accept that the last line selling is a professional: making money.

Solution: Evaluate yourself to determine if you have this need for approval. Managers must ask preliminary questions rent control, which helps hire stronger people and learn their system, which makes it easier to find the appropriate balance between developing relationships and obtaining commitments.

Problem # 10

Insurance agents do not treat the sale as a profession.

Professionals such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, and CPAS “all have one thing in common - they can attend continuing education to maintain and increase their skills. Yet how many insurance agents are constantly looking for new ways to increase their skills? Many of them attitude “I am in sales for years, what more can I learn?”

Solution: Top performers in every profession are always looking for ways to sharpen their skills and get a fine edge, which leads to consistent success. Managers must invest in top performers and help them develop their skills. Ego stunts their growth so that managers must be willing to set your ego aside and be willing to grow, modeling behavior shows that it is more important for the manager to be effective, than be right. We can all learn from each other.

In brief:

Rent: Distributions, supervisors and managers must complete, step by step, a formal process of profiling, attracting, recruiting, interviewing and hiring the best. Look to the hiring goal Achievers not target setters. Most hiring managers’ setters purpose and are surprised when the agents will never achieve its objectives. The truth is the agent only a wish list. Ask the agent at the interrogation or coaching describe the objectives are established and how they achieve the objective. If it was not achieved its objective, or just a wish list?

Effective recruitment and hiring is the most important task of any manager. No amount of training, coaching and mentoring will allow the hiring of a bad decision. Is it right the first time?

Management: Implementation of the sales management stresses that more effective recruitment, hiring, coaching, is growing and developing agents. Most of accepting all close to excuse poor performance from himself and his agent, to raise their expectations and implement a rigorous process of accountability. This starts with your team if you do not meet production standards. As may be expected to hold agents responsible?. In management, you do not get what you want - you only what they want and control. Please note that the administration of things - you can lead people.

Training: tapes, books and one day seminars are highly intellectual science or external motivation, but if you want to be a better player and a pianist - or better sales person, you have to practice and to develop new skills. Selling the skill that can be taught, learned over time and to learn.

Telephone scripts and rebuttals to help manage and move your career forward sales or allows you to increase the volume of activity.

Keep in mind that these are only meant to be sales tools, which do not work, they have to work.

The key to this is quite the right things enough time.

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