You have done absolutely everything right.....and still this ONE client, who should have bought from you....did not do so. How long do you agonize about it? How much do you beat yourself up about it? How much blame do you take on yourself and how much do you dump on everyone else???
Here is what I do.
Honestly access, to the best of my ability, what I could have done better, and vow to do so next time.
Don't blame anyone else for anything, even if it is glaringly obvious what they did wrong. If they screwed up, they know it. But you will need them for the next deal. Also, whatever they DID do that was right, thank them, even if you did not get the deal. Especially if you did not get the deal.
And lastly, the best piece of advice I ever heard from a very experienced older sales man..."Don't get too high when it all goes well and don't get too low when it all goes bad, because this is sales after all, and if you take it TOO personally you will burn out too soon."
Now on to bigger and better things. After all its Friday!!!!
Sonya Lenzo
The Business Insurance Expert
At this stage in my career, it should not be a big deal. It is. I have known him for 17 years and I took this specific job because of him. He is one of the most compassionate and ethical people in our industry. I wish him well. But I grieve for ME. And I feel bereft.
Sonya Lenzo
www.sonyamlenzo.com
How many pair of shoes do you have? Out of those pairs, how many do you wear more than a few times a year?
Submitted by fightinggale.
comfort and cute seem to be the recurring theme. to clarify, Tim, I was referring to Lisa's cute jeans.....I have no idea how cute your jeans are!
Sonya Lenzo
www.sonyamlenzo.com
How many pair of shoes do you have? Out of those pairs, how many do you wear more than a few times a year?
Submitted by fightinggale.
This is a trick question, right??? As I am planning to move, I am asking myself the same question. If I haven't worn them since I last move, NO MATTER HOW CUTE, they are not making the move with me!!! I PROMISE....because the true answer is probably 10%......any woman out there who do better than that????
Sonya Lenzo
www.sonyamlenzo.com
Has anyone ever done something so horrible to you that "I'm sorry" couldn't fix it?
Yes, lied to me. Betrayal hurts and the more personal and deep the lie...the harder it is to put the relationship back together.
Sonya Lenzo
www.sonyamlenzo.com
When I was an underwriter, we had a contest to determine the Eleventh Commandment of Underwriting. I won the contest with this "Commandment" HARD MARKET, SOFT MARKET OR INBETWEEN, PEOPLE WILL DO BUSINESS WITH WHOM THEY WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH. GIVE THEM A REASON TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU.
My meaning was that price was not all important and this is a foreign concept to many underwriters who constantly hear from sales people that they did not get the order because"the price was too high". But the truth is that whenever a sale is NOT made, pure and simple, the buyer is not COMFORTABLE about something that the sales person is offering! But price is often the reason given because it is so easily accepted!
But whatever fancy terms YOU give this comfort factor (overcoming all their objectives, selling all your benefits, convincing them of your value proposition).....the bottom line is that they have become more comfortable with buying from you and less comfortable with staying where they are!
You have moved them out of their PRESENT comfort zone and into a new one!
Try thinking about your next sale in those terms. How comfortable are you making your client with you and how uncomfortable is he with his current situation? Unless there is significant discomfort with his current position, and until he feels comfortable with you, he is unlikely to risk change. Few people do. Would you?
Sonya Lenzo
The Business Insurance Expert
Whose house (besides your own) were you in last and why?
My sister's. It's warm and friendly and chaotic. It feels like home to me! Lots of kids and pets and noise and fun!
Sonya Lenzo
The Business Insurance Expert
www.sonyamlenzo.com
What most excites you about the way you're living your life right now?
I'm in love!!
What pictures does that conjure up in your mind??? Today a prospect told me." I have never met anyone who enjoyed their job as much as you do. I have never had so much fun having my insurance quoted. The best part of the whole process this year was meeting you".
Is it possible to do a seemingly boring and mundane job and make it fun? How do you do it? Well, I care a LOT about my clients. I care about their problems. I am creative about solving their problems. I am very honest with them about what is going on in their industry and in mine. I am also interested in their families, their pets, their hobblies(no , I mean it...I want to know this stuff... it's what makes MY job worthwhile and fun TO ME). I can alwo wax evangelistic about the fact that we pay claims faster than industry average and for less than industry average and we back up our service with cash back$ 500 24 hour response time written guarantee. But I am passionate about what I am sellling because I am selling what is between my ears...my knowlege and experience...and the fact that I want the sale more than anyone else and that I know I will care more about the client than anyone else will. This drives me with an enthusiasm and a perfectionism that no other agent does....end result?? the client benefits and has a ball!(and he is going to let me drive his De Laurean, too!)
Sonya Lenzo
Business Insurance Expert
Today I called a client to set up an appointment to bring out his insurance quote. He said ..."the weather is really bad, the drive is really long, why don't you just fax your numbers and I can compare them with every one elses on my spead sheet?"
And I said, You have had a serious problem with XYZ every year for the past 5 years. It's gotten worse every year. It is causing your insurance rates to go up every year. I have a solution to show you how to END that problem and its not in my pricing. Actually, I need visual aids to show it to you, and by the way, have any of the other quotes from any of the other agents addressed this problem?" He said no they had not. Then I said, Then my PRICE doesn't really matter all that much does it, because unless you get this problem solved, your costs will go up every year regardless of who you buy your insurance from, right? and he said yes. And then I said. Besides, I am bringing more home made fudge....he said you better get out here......
Face to face selling that solves the clients REAL problems....it doesn't get any better than that...and if he is a chocoholic, so much the better!
Sonya Lenzo
The Business Insurance Expert
