Of the many steps in the sales process, a lot of attention is focused on “the close.” . Typically, this is cited as the most important step. I have heard it said that a salesperson without a close is just a professional visitor. If you've seen the movie “Glengarry Glen Ross,” you heard the mantra “Always Be Closing.

This final statement might be closer to the truth. But the sales process begins in the interview with the prospect.

The interview is the most crucial step. Properly executed, it establishes whether or not you have a viable prospect in front of you and gives you the opportunity to close far in advance of your presentation. In fact, if the interview process is correctly done, the presentation will actually be the conclusion of your work prior to that moment.

In the interview, several things should take place:

  1. Establish rapport with the prospect.
  2. Explore the situation with their current broker.
  3. Uncover the needs and wants from their current broker relationship.
  4. Determine if there are any issues that suggest this is a legitimate opportunity for you.

Read on for details.

Step 1: Establish rapport with the prospect.

It is proven that people buy from people they like. It is crucial that the salesperson establish a connection with the person they are interviewing. Lots of salespeople are very capable of professionally presenting their company's competitive advantages and the benefits to the buyer of doing business with their company. We have heard many of the presentations when we go to make a purchase ourselves. But have you ever bought a car from a salesperson you did not like? Or did you go to another dealership and purchase the car there? I'm not suggesting you have to become new best friends with your prospect and want to put them on your Christmas card list, but there has to be a feeling on their part that they would like to meet with you again.

Step 2: Explore the situation with their current broker.

This too is about the relationship, but it is also about professionalism. There are lots of reasons why a prospect might be unhappy with their current broker. But here is the major question: Is their current broker doing a poor enough job that you are going to be afforded a legitimate opportunity? Remember, their current broker may represent unhappiness, but it is a known unhappiness. Until you become their broker, you may represent an unknown unhappiness. They will not know until you begin working with them. Although the prospect may be unhappy, it may not be enough for them to take a chance on you. So until you uncover the depth of the relationship with the current broker and the depth of the unhappiness, you may not have a prospect.

Questions to help clarify include:

  • How long have you been with your current agency?
  • How long have you been with your current agent?
  • In what areas are they a great help to you?
  • Why did you select them?
  • How recently have you interviewed and entertained proposals from other agents?
  • How often do you seek input from other agencies?
  • What are your goals in doing so?

Step 3: Uncover the needs and wants from their current broker relationship.

By now you have established rapport with the prospect, understand the relationship with their current broker, and know why you're there. Now you must determine if this is where you want to be– if there are areas where the prospect is hurting and where you can make a difference. Remember: during the interview, if you have a truly good prospect, you will uncover the areas where they want help. In essence, you are going to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. There are lots of reasons why a prospect should not be comfortable with their insurance program. But the only reason they are not uncomfortable is because either they have not had that uncovered claim, or because agents vying for their business have not been able to show them the shortcomings in the program and make them feel the potential for pain if a claim does occur. That's the role of a good broker and this is where you need to draw the line between you and their current broker.

A question to assist you in doing this is:

  • Are there areas where you feel you need more assistance from your broker?

Typically, someone in the company is responsible for working with the broker to ensure that the policy covers risks so there are no “surprise” uncovered claims.

  • Who at your company has the responsibility of working with the broker?

Ultimately, you are trying to uncover your main question:

  • Why am I here?
  • Why did you accept this meeting with me?

Step 4: Determine if there are any issues that suggest this is a legitimate opportunity for you.

By now, whether these questions have been answered in one or a series of interviews, you should know whether this is a viable prospect.

What have you found out that would make you feel like you do not have a prospect?

  • You do not believe they will ever leave their current agent.
  • The relationship with the current agent is too strong. Sure, they want you to “bid,” but you know the deck is stacked against you just like it was the last seven brokers that have made presentations over the past few years. Have the courage to recognize this; you may not be that special.
  • You could not find any coverage or service issues that were significant to them.
  • They are just a price buyer.

In this case, be prepared to walk away.

However, if you still think you are in a strong position to add them as a client, then you can begin closing. You can do this through market assignments, making your case for a broker of record letter, having fielded all of their objections before the presentation, and having asked for their business prior to the presentation. Or you can simply ask them, “What if anything will stand in the way of us doing business together?”

The interview sets this up—not the close.

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