How to Fail in Sales
If you are looking to begin a career in Insurance sales you have chosen a great profession. But if you start your new career off as many people do there is a great chance you will not only fail but be out of the business within a year.
Why is that? Because the typical way to work for most insurance sales jobs is to have you complete "a project 200", a "project 100" or something along those lines. Basically it is a list of all the people in your world who you can set an appointment with for you and your manager to go and sell them.
Now this seems like a great idea. You contact people you already know so it's a warm market. The chances of getting through the door with your manager is great. And many of your family and friends will buy from you if they know it will help you out.
What is wrong with this highly effective method of sales? I am so glad you asked;
You have to sell people you know and use your relationship to make a sale - Insurance companies know that one of the best ways to get clients is to hire people and have them sell who they know. Since it is a warm market the manager has a much better chance of closing the sale. And most insurance companies do not have systems in place to give agents a supply of new leads to work so it is up to the agent to contact all of their friends.
Once you have worked your warm market you will probably starve to death from no new leads - If you are fortunate you will make a few sales from your warm market. But then what? This is where new agents get burned. They have no new business because they have not truly prospected. Remember, contacting a family member who will buy from you anyway is not a good sign you are mastering the sales process.
Once you go a few pay periods with no check you will quit - It is better to focus upfront on your prospecting plans. Will you be going door to door? Business to business? On the Internet? Or will they walk in where you can service them? Devise a plan so that you can begin implementing it on day one.
There is a more effective way to begin your sales career. Begin by actually working in sales. Prospect. Learn how to go out and find your next client. Your ability to find new prospects to sell to is the only way you can hope to stay in business.
If your plan is to just focus on selling the people in your world, good luck! You will certainly need it.
