In a world of immediate gratification and multi-layered communication, we seem to always want the trick, the magic pill and the secret to sales success. Producers constantly look for shortcuts and the ability to save on effort. Well, there is a secret to sales success: structure. There is a need to have structure in our prospecting, qualifying, referring, organizing, planning, goal setting and sales process. Let's explore this concept further.

Sales process

For more than a decade we have followed the Dynamics of Selling 3-step process in all that we do. The premise is that before a sales professional gathers any information regarding the current insurance program and pricing, there needs to be diagnosis of the relationship with the incumbent agency or broker, along with in-depth research into the value system of the buyer. Everyone has a specific “buying trigger,” and it is our responsibility to identify what drives his or her motivation for change. If you omit discovering this desire for change, you help the agency reinforce its relationship with the prospect. There also must be some concern, pain or problem present in the relationship with the incumbent agency or its level of service. Omit uncovering these problems, and again we're back to being used. Then and only then is an insurance physical in order. Remember, we always diagnose before we prescribe a solution to make sure it fits the value system of the buyer. Our sales process is diagnosis, protection review and presentations of specific solutions to the prospect's problems, and always in that order.