Knock-knock. Ring-ring. Cold-calling is an interruption; do youwant to be remembered as an interruption?

The words “insurance salesperson” conjures up images ofpolyester suits, briefcases, and hard closes. Insurance is oneof those low-interest and unpleasant products/services that mostpeople don’t want to talk about, all things being equal.

If you’re like me, you have probably felt the tension on a salescall with a prospect, as though they are holding you at arm’slength. They aren’t opening up to you. They establish therules and tell you what you must do in order to earn theirbusiness.

The reason prospects act like this is because we, as insuranceprofessionals, have conditioned them over several decades that whatwe do is quote and sell on lowest price. We have to compete withthe big boys somehow, right? Wrong. You sell onvalue and take a professional approach to client acquisition.Here’s how:

1. Prospect effectively by identifying your own personalhobbies and interests. If you like golfing and workingout, then golf courses and fitness centers would be a goodstart. You already know the lingo and ins and outs in thoseniches. Harmonizing with a prospect is key, and it’s a loteasier to do when they are someone like you.
2. Scrub the list by using your social networks and onlinetools. Google Maps and Google Earth are fairly good foridentifying a home or business and the neighborhood they arein. Facebook Pages are a great way to judge the character ofa business and gather underwriting information. Linkedin is agreat way to see who is mutually connected to your prospect – couldyou get an introduction this way? How much time wouldprospecting like this saves you for scrubbing the list?
3. Warm-up a cold-call by sending a letter. Ifyou think sending a fancy folder with several brochures about howawesome you and your agency are is going to impress a prospect, youare wrong. I would rather send a brief letter informing theprospect that I don’t know if I could help them, but I would liketo speak with them to determine if and how I can. I alsoinclude a clipping from a local paper that has a picture and storyof how I’m helping the community or other businesses, instead ofsome brochure.
4. Call the prospect to determine if they would want tomeet with you. Be a professional and respect thedecision maker’s time. Tell them you value your time too soif they want to say “no”, absolutely encourage them to say it whileyou are on the phone. Your honest approach is received muchbetter than trying to wiggle into an appointment. Prospectswill be shocked by your honest approach and no pressuretechniques.
5. Identify pains and problems in yourappointment. Most prospects will appreciate the fact that youare interested in their business and how you can try to helpthem solve problems (aside from price). Taking data andthrowing out quotes when you know you can’t compete is a waste ofyour time, your prospect’s time, and your agency’s time.
6. Stop talking so much. Ask questions andlisten. In EdLamont’s brilliant book, "Street Smart Selling," he states that“Selling by telling leads to low closing ratios,” and he’sabsolutely right. Your job is to identify problems by askingthe right questions, such as, “If I gave you a magic wand, whatwould you change about your current insuranceexperience.”
7. Be willing to walk away from an account. If you are trying desperately to identify problems and pains,but the prospect honestly doesn’t have anything they want solvedother than price, be a professional and tell the prospect you won’tbe able to help them at this time. It would be the same as adoctor who writes prescriptions for patients who have no problemsbut agreed to come in for an appointment. Stop throwing outprescriptions…whoops, I mean quotes.

Obviously, there is much more to the selling process than simplyidentifying problems and pains, but these seven strategies shouldhelp you transition from a Law of Averages salesperson to aprofessional market leader. Will you work onless proposals? Yes. But the ones you do work on youwill have a better chance of gaining the prospect’s trust becauseof your honesty and professionalism. If you earn their trust,you have a much better chance at earning their business.