by Rick Blaine » Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:51 am
Just the other day I got a email inviting me to a lazy type of sales approach, yes sit in your home and sell from your sofa and make 100 to 200 grand a year! Oh my, sounds too good to be true? Yea and it is too good to be true! It just doesn't work that way, its hard work and many sales people end up burnt out and giving up even if they have success! It is I presume the emotional drain of rejection, trying to stay so up beat and constantly dealing with the negative aspect of convincing people they need what you are selling.
Now my pass life as a Home Builder with my family I never had to get up emotionally to build a home? I mean its hard work, need to be somewhat creative as you look at a piece of land and envision someone's dream home yet we did it without getting burnt out, so why is sales such a burn out occupation? Esp. Insurance Sales, 99% of all the agents trying to start this day or year will not be here in a year, they will have left to pursue other interest because they couldn't deal with Insurance Sales. Those nice commissions they keep hearing about are being paid by the insurance companies not because it's an easy thing to do but quite hard and can be quite the headache!
So I suggest this, as I have always done but never thought of it having a name or any specific title. Don't sell! Don't Educate! Don't Convince! Just walk in and state who you are and why you are there for. Now say you are peddling Health Insurance, an easy sale maybe but most can't! I walk in and hand them a Card, Flyer, Brochure it really doesn't matter to the business owner or the person there. I try too hit 50 a day when prospecting, I don't pitch them anything but I ask a question and the simpler the better! "Sir/Mam do you pay too much for your Health Coverage?” I then wait for the response. If they strike up a conversation great if not I'm out of there! Takes maybe 1 to 2 minutes at the most and if I don't get the response I'm looking I don't feel anything except to leave and do so politely! I'll be back in 3-6-9 month's maybe as obviously this time wasn't a good time; it is a matter of timing.
If they respond to me and say the likely answer "sure I do, what's new about that", I go into a 1 minute drill, and suggest this is what I do for a living, creating health coverage that suits there needs better then what they have now if possible, I never make promises and then I ask some questions. If they answer the questions (now we are in this for 4-5 minutes) I write them down and suggest I can come back tomorrow and give them quotes on their Health Coverage. If they agree I have a 75% closing ratio as I do diffently ask if I can get them better coverage for what they are paying or less will they agree to purchase. In other words I feel it's a waste of their and my time to pursue the sale if they are not willing to move their coverage with me. In other words I never give them a classic closing line, I never try to convince them or educate them on why they should buy, I simply ask questions and if they answer I ask more questions, keep them talking and they will sell themselves.
In this way of selling I never worry about being up emotionally, I just walk in and ask a question, if they answer in the affirmative great if not it's not the right time and I move on as politely as I can! I never promise anything but ask a question that is directed to fine what they want from me to get their business. If I for a moment feel as though they aren't being upfront with me as I am with them or that they say they would have to think about doing business if I do what I say I'll do I'm out of the door! In other words don't waste your time and efforts on people that are not willing to give you concrete commitments of purchase if you meet their criteria!
Rick Blaine
Have a great day!
Now my pass life as a Home Builder with my family I never had to get up emotionally to build a home? I mean its hard work, need to be somewhat creative as you look at a piece of land and envision someone's dream home yet we did it without getting burnt out, so why is sales such a burn out occupation? Esp. Insurance Sales, 99% of all the agents trying to start this day or year will not be here in a year, they will have left to pursue other interest because they couldn't deal with Insurance Sales. Those nice commissions they keep hearing about are being paid by the insurance companies not because it's an easy thing to do but quite hard and can be quite the headache!
So I suggest this, as I have always done but never thought of it having a name or any specific title. Don't sell! Don't Educate! Don't Convince! Just walk in and state who you are and why you are there for. Now say you are peddling Health Insurance, an easy sale maybe but most can't! I walk in and hand them a Card, Flyer, Brochure it really doesn't matter to the business owner or the person there. I try too hit 50 a day when prospecting, I don't pitch them anything but I ask a question and the simpler the better! "Sir/Mam do you pay too much for your Health Coverage?” I then wait for the response. If they strike up a conversation great if not I'm out of there! Takes maybe 1 to 2 minutes at the most and if I don't get the response I'm looking I don't feel anything except to leave and do so politely! I'll be back in 3-6-9 month's maybe as obviously this time wasn't a good time; it is a matter of timing.
If they respond to me and say the likely answer "sure I do, what's new about that", I go into a 1 minute drill, and suggest this is what I do for a living, creating health coverage that suits there needs better then what they have now if possible, I never make promises and then I ask some questions. If they answer the questions (now we are in this for 4-5 minutes) I write them down and suggest I can come back tomorrow and give them quotes on their Health Coverage. If they agree I have a 75% closing ratio as I do diffently ask if I can get them better coverage for what they are paying or less will they agree to purchase. In other words I feel it's a waste of their and my time to pursue the sale if they are not willing to move their coverage with me. In other words I never give them a classic closing line, I never try to convince them or educate them on why they should buy, I simply ask questions and if they answer I ask more questions, keep them talking and they will sell themselves.
In this way of selling I never worry about being up emotionally, I just walk in and ask a question, if they answer in the affirmative great if not it's not the right time and I move on as politely as I can! I never promise anything but ask a question that is directed to fine what they want from me to get their business. If I for a moment feel as though they aren't being upfront with me as I am with them or that they say they would have to think about doing business if I do what I say I'll do I'm out of the door! In other words don't waste your time and efforts on people that are not willing to give you concrete commitments of purchase if you meet their criteria!
Rick Blaine
Have a great day!
Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 01:32 pm Post Subject: Thanks !
Hi Rick,
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful thought. I really learnt quite a few things from your post.
Don't sell! Don't Educate! Don't Convince!
Will definitely try to follow this in my sales job.
Cheers,
Rodney
Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 01:46 pm Post Subject:
Whenever I try to sell by convincing, using closing lines constantly chasing them down or in other words having a combative relationship it makes me feel pretty low. In other words my time is just as valuable as their time, if they don't respect me enough to be honest and upfront then its simply not worth my time to continue. While I agree this seems to be against the normal idea of sales I suggest what is being taught about sales today is a false and wrong headed and something that has never worked. I mean lets go out and find prospects that want what we are selling then sell with honesty. Go in and find what they want, then ask yourself can you do what they want? If so before you act ask them if with all honesty if you can fulfill what they want will they buy?
More and more I share with people that have success and enjoy their sales career do basically the same thing. In other words they have moved or never was the hard sale type of person. They learnt like I that the model of sales being taught by so many today is simply not workable and never really has been!
Go get the book "Rain Maker" and "High Probablility Selling".
Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 03:53 pm Post Subject: My Own Experinces
Hi,
I agree with all you guys here...
I have been a sales guy only for the past 1 year but my experience in this short stint has taught me quite a few things in life !
During my initial days, I started out with loads of enthusiasm, but all the adrenaline that was pumping inside me was simply gone once I found out that it was not quite as easy a job as I had presumed it be to some extent.
Don't sell! Don't Educate! Don't Convince!
Now I know what went wrong with me. During my initial days, I approached quite a few people and like every other salesperson tried to educate the "might be customers" about each and every possible bit of information that was possible about the product that I was selling. In the process, I wasted my time in trying to convince even those who just wouldnt want to listen to me. What I learnt later on was that I was rather trying to just force the people into buying the thing because "I" felt it was good and so should others. We should always remember that we cant sell everything at one go.
My failure left me heartbroken and dejected and I was at risk of being thrown out of the company that I was working with. But then I got a friend who had also faced similar crisis in his career. He helped me to cope with all the pressures associated with our job. I am really thankful to him for helping me turn my life back into track which had somewhat left me shattered.
Now, I am somewhat settled into my job and learning new tricks everyday.
Go get the book "Rain Maker" and "High Probablility Selling".
I would certainly like to read those books but I hope that my pocket can afford them. :D
Thanks a lot,
Lucas
Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 04:40 pm Post Subject:
I would certainly like to read those books but I hope that my pocket can afford them.
Good news, one is 9.95 the other is I believe 19.95 with a free CD! I'm sure if you put the word out Santa might place them under the tree or your stocking.
LOL, I was making some calls about life insurance the other day and I was talking to this one lady and she was giving me the run around and I was ready to excuse myself when she appeared taken back by my refusal to attempt to sell her! She stated that Saturday would be a good day for me to go by and see her and her husband and show them what I have to offer? First thing I told her is I don't work on Saturday for initial apointments. In fact I don't work Saturdays unless its a really good A list client that has special needs for a saturday meet. She sounded kind of upset? Oh well, can't win them all, I told her to get with her husband and if they can meet me during the day M-F I would be happy to meet with them if they give me something they really want and would agree to purchase if I meet their needs. That pretty much ended the discussion, really my time is likely more costly then their time so I place the marker down, if you want to do business find I'm their with bells on my shoes if not please don't waste my time!
Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 08:10 am Post Subject:
Hi Rick,
Good to see you back. Your experience in this field would certainly help the community grow. As we all know how demanding it is to be a successful Insurance seller, or for that matter any other sales job, your words would certainly help first-timers to succeed in their task at hand.
"Little Red Book of Sales Answers"
A friend of mine had showed this book to me sometime back. It has all the recipes of becoming a better sales person.
Hope you become a regular and further share your immense knowledge and experience with the community.
See Ya Soon,
Evan
Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:10 am Post Subject:
From one of my Blogs about marketing 101, mainly this is old school stuff yet if applied correctly it pays off.
Marketing is the planning and implementation of a process dedicated to identifying specific consumer needs, isolating groups of people who have those needs, and then producing and customizing the products and services that satisfy those needs. It is the art of planning when, where, why, how and to whom to sell. Successful marketing focuses on the needs of the consumer and produces a mutually beneficial relationship between a buyer and seller.
Marketing versus Selling—Because marketing involves planning, much of marketing does not involve interaction with a buyer for the purpose of making a sale. Many believe that marketing and selling are the same, but in reality selling is a part of marketing. Selling is the end result of successful marketing. It is the transaction resulting from the encounter between buyer and seller, the exchange of the product or service for the buyer's cash.
Qualified Prospects—Successful marketing focuses on the needs of the consumer, specifically, consumers who have the means and motive to purchase a product. In other words, marketing is about finding qualified prospects—people who:
Need and value your products and services
Can afford to pay for it
Qualify for it (if applicable to the product)
Can be approached by you on a favorable basis
Need and Value—It is not enough for a prospect to need your products and services; they must want them. It is usually the "value" portion of the definition that disqualifies many suspects. Many marketers fail because they confuse need and value. In most cases, the latter is the main reason people buy. For example, why do people buy vacation packages? Do they really need a vacation to Tahiti? No, they want it. They perceive an intrinsic value of enjoyment and that is why they buy. While most people do not want life insurance in the same way they might want a vacation, many do value what it can do for them and that is why they buy it.
Afford—By afford, we are talking about two things. First, you should be careful selling a product to someone who will have a difficult time paying the premiums over the long haul. While some affordability problems can be solved with a budget, there will be times when a prospect's income will make that extremely difficult. Second, the concept of affordability is relative and is based on what the prospect feels they can afford. This ties directly into the relative value prospects place on what the product can do for them. Even if you find the money in the budget, the prospect may not agree with you. They may truly feel that other needs are more important.
Qualify—Unfortunately, there are people who need and want the products you provide but cannot qualify for them. An example of the latter is, in the case of insurance, someone who is uninsurable. What do you do? You will need to make a business decision about cultivating a relationship. While at first glance it might seem pointless, you might be able to help them out in other non-insurance ways and they may be a rich source of referrals. This is especially the case if they value your products and services. Remember, though, the relationship should be mutually beneficial. Approachable by You—The last part of the definition is critical. A prospect may have all of the other qualifications, but if you cannot approach him or her favorably, he or she is not a prospect for you. You might have a hard time accepting that but the need for rapport cannot be overemphasized. You could spend precious time convincing someone to work with you. A better usage of that time would be to find people with whom you can establish rapport and trust.
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