4 keys to sales meeting preparation for insurance agents

Here is a short list: Location; attendees; agenda; and objective.

1. Location

Let's start with location. First, you need to know where you are going.

Second, you need to accommodate for when you are going. Here in Baltimore, a 20 mile trip can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on the time of day. With that in mind, plan to be 15 minutes early. Why 15? Because, if you hit traffic you did not plan on you can still be there on time or maybe even a few minutes early.

Also, If you do arrive 15 minutes early, you can do a quick recap of all the information needed for this meeting. Take a few deep breaths to clear your mind and generate the focus needed. Put simply, no one will complain if you are 5 minutes early, but there are plenty of people that complain if you are 5 minutes late.

Show the customer they are important. Show up early.

2. Attendees

Who is attending the meeting? In the ground breaking book, "The Challenger Customer," the authors describe the decision process as including "5.4" people. You will typically deal with one person for the majority of the sales. It's good to know who else will be involved. It can also help you to suggest other people that might be beneficial to the meeting.

Related: 3 steps to making the sale

Once you know the players, look them up. Google their name, check out the company website, review their profiles on LinkedIn (pro tip: send them a connect request and let them know you look forward to working with them). See if they are active in the community, sit on a board, or volunteer their time. Understand them as "people" and not simply a customer. It will help them view you as a "person" and not simply a "salesperson."

3. Agenda

Why are we here? Did the customer express a specific goal? Do you have a specific goal? Are there additional ways you bring value to the customer? How much time do you have?

By creating a short agenda with 4-5 points to discuss, it gives the customer a sense of your preparation and helps assure them the meeting will complete in the time allowed.

4. Objective

What is the objective? What is the customer's objective? What is yours?

Your first goal is to identify and understand the customer's objective for this meeting. Your second goal is to qualify/disqualify the opportunity. This is often overlooked.

If the customer has a need that you cannot fill or if your solution only solves 20% of their problem, you will want to bring in business partners or move on. Figure that out now, before too many people spend too much time on a project that will simply frustrate everyone.

Related: 22 reasons why salespeople don't close more sales

Your last step is mutual agreement to the next meeting. Sure the customer wants more information. You have some homework to do. If this meeting is done correctly, the client has some homework too. Plus, the customer should have the desire to meet again. If they don't that means you did not express to them your full understanding of their problem and your ability to propose a solution that solves it.

Bingo statement: Fully understand the customer's problem and make sure they feel that you understand it.

Then, schedule the follow up meeting in a reasonable time frame. Yes, I understand that you need to check other schedules for other people, get this small commitment today. It will lead to bigger commitments later (even if the meeting must be rescheduled).

Please add comments and contact me directly with questions. Next week, we'll discuss "presence." See you then.

Mike Shelah is the founder of Mike Shelah Consulting. An admitted "LinkedIn geek" Mike loves talking: LinkedIn, sales & emotional intelligence to anyone who will listen. Mike is a frequent podcast guest, speaker and occasional guest on Fox 45 in Baltimore. You can contact Mike at 443-808-1670 or mike@mikeshelah.com.