4 ways to keep an open mind

Here's how you can keep your mind from inadvertently closing:

Resist the urge to over prepare. Every salesperson has a different approach, and I respect that some may need to research prospects extensively before taking a meeting. For me, I cover the basics and go in with a blank slate so that I don't fall into the trap of showing off my research instead of asking good questions. Regardless of the exact approach you take, you should be wary of the preconceived notions your process might create and be careful not to bring those notions into the meeting.
Be okay with not knowing an answer. When you enter an open conversation, you will encounter unexpected twists. It's okay to be surprised, and it is okay to admit if you do not immediately have a response to a question. Embrace those moments instead of hiding from them. You don't have to know everything, and you shouldn't fake it when you genuinely don't have the answer. Prospects respect you when you say "I don't know" if they have overall confidence in you.
Give your prospect space to talk. If you wait to speak, your prospect will often continue talking and go deeper. If you need to, a prompt of "tell me more about that" can be enough encouragement to get your prospect to share more. With this approach, your prospect will often share what truly bothers them without you feeding them a script.
Check your bias at the door. As you sell with this mindset, become more mindful of the assumptions you're making about the prospect. After years of sales experience, we can start to jump to conclusions that are not accurate and cloud our ability to have an open conversation.

Approaching sales with an open mind can be deceptively difficult. After all, most agents would consider themselves open-minded individuals. If we don't address the subtle influences that start to narrow our thinking, however, we will miss out on potentially lucrative sales.

John Pojeta

Special Reports /

How to approach insurance sales with an open mind

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