The single most effective yet under-utilized tool in asalesperson's arsenal is “The Agenda.”

While other time-tested and effective tools includefact-finders, surveys/audits, and sales proposals, learning the proper use of anagenda is the one essential process that satisfies all interestedparties: producers, CSRs, agency management, E&O attorneys, andmost of all, the customer. Careful thought and preparation of theagenda in advance of meeting with the client or prospect is key tothe success of that meeting.

This is especially true with insurance.

Producers should first review the previous meeting's agenda(provided one had taken place) to refresh their memory on what wasdiscussed, what decisions were made, what items were to beresearched, who was in attendance, and — this is critical — whattopics were deferred to be revisited at the next meeting. Thosetopics should now be at the top of the agenda, as the customer hasalready agreed to talk about them.

As an example, you might have raised the topic of reviewing andfunding the customer's shareholder agreement and the life insuranceneeded to fund it, but they chose to defer the discussion untilnext time. Well, this is next time. Many future sales come from producers puttingthe deferred topics on the agenda.

Next, send the agenda to the customer about a week in advance ofthe meeting with any other information for their review inpreparation for the meeting, such as schedules of insurance and alist of autos and drivers. Be sure to find out who will attend themeeting and provide the agenda and related material to them aswell. Providing the agenda a week in advance is the besttiming.

Put up your prospecting antenna

New sales opportunities also often arise from those inattendance at the meeting. They frequently become interested andstimulated to think about topics and situations that are not listed on the agenda. They love tojump in to participate and make great suggestions such asincreasing limits, broadening the scope of coverage, andtransferring or reducing risk. Over my five-plus decades of sellinginsurance, I can't tell you how many new customers I gained justfrom this process alone.

Agency CSRs love an agenda, too. Leave enough space between eachitem to make notes on the discussion, what decisions were (and werenot) made, future business sales, payroll projections and otherrelevant information. The entire agenda, with the producer'snotations, should be scanned into the agency management system.

Your Errors & Omissions/Professional Liability carriers alsolove the agendas that have notes to memorialize meetings with thecustomer. E&O attorneys will tell you it is one of the bestdocuments to defend an E&O action. One never knows howimportant these notes can be later.

Customers probably benefit more than you may realize from theuse of agendas. I have seen agendas from years past retained incustomer's files. Customers appreciate the time and care producerstake to prepare them for insurance meetings. So many timescustomers tell you that shortly after an insurance meeting, theyforget most of what was discussed, but thanks to the agenda youprovided they can easily reference everything that wasdiscussed.

You can create any kind of agenda you need for any givensituation. I created the one below for a recent meeting in New York City with ahospitality customer (a growing restaurant chain). My notes are notprovided. How many new sales opportunities can you find on thisagenda?

Sample Agenda:

Insurance Meeting Agenda June20, 2017

• |
  • |
    • |
      • |
        • |
          • |
            • Review Insurance Schedules
            • Discuss Umbrella & Excess limits of insurance
            • Liquor Legal Liability – no coverage – discuss
            • Cyber Insurance – open quote pending
            • Business projections balance of 2018|
              • Sales
              • New locations to open
            • Food Delivery / Catering exposures
            • Key Man Insurance – discuss need
            • Funding Shareholders' Buy-Sell Agreement – discuss
            • Other issues

Barry Seigerman is a longtime businessman and independentbroker/producer based in Long Island, N.Y. He can be reached bysending email to [email protected].