Increase your sales with the right attitude
As a marketing firm, we get calls everyday from agents looking to better one aspect of their business or another. One of the most common questions we receive is “What are your top producing agents doing and how can I replicate it?"
This is a good question and an understandable one. As an agent you are trying to build a business for yourself and are looking for ways to make that business more successful. The answer to this question is simple, however it isn’t usually the answer the agent is hoping for. There isn’t a perfect lead source or infallible script.
After speaking with thousands of agents over the past 15 years I’ve noticed what separates the top producing agents from the rest of the pack is attitude. This is great news because changing your attitude is free. It takes time and discipline but it doesn’t take any money.
When I speak of attitude I am not talking about simply smiling and being friendly when speaking with your clients. Top producing agents have three key attributes that defines their attitude.
Key Attributes:
- They have the drive to make their business as successful as possible
- They care about their reputation personally and professionally
- They genuinely care about their clients
If you ask any high-volume producer how they write so much business, their first answer is going to be that they work really hard. As an independent agent you don’t have a boss. You don’t have someone telling you what to do or when to do it.
Most importantly you don’t have anyone checking to make sure you did what you were supposed to do when you were supposed to do it. You have to act as your own manager, setting a daily schedule and following it. Top producers have the mindset that they are running a business and this means that they section off their day and know what they are going to be doing and when they are going to be doing it.
For example, if you have blocked off the first half of your day to call leads and the first person you call purchases a policy from you, it is easy to say “I’ve made my sale for the day” and move on to something else.
This is a mindset that many agents fall into. The best agents don’t have that attitude though. They know that those leads they purchased work best when they are fresh and that they have allotted that portion of their day to calling those leads.
They don’t give themselves an easy out or allow themselves to slow down because of an early success.
As an agent you have to have the attitude that you are going to drive yourself to be as successful as you possibly can. You must outline standards and practices that will make you successful and hold yourself accountable to those without exception.
Reputation is something that I have noticed that all high-level agents value. Your reputation not only generates referrals for you but it also directly impacts your persistency. Whether you are selling face-to-face or over the phone your reputation is important. It is vital not only for your business to be successful but also for you to be happy and confident in what you are doing.
When you know that your clients and your peers respect you and the way you conduct your business you will have more confidence in yourself. That confidence will translate through in every interaction you have and you will see clients more willing to trust you and an increase in sales.
Managing your reputation is simple, but not always easy. You will need to make sure that you are consistent in your approach and apply the same high level of standards to every client interaction.
You can and will have bad days. You can’t let those bad days be visible to your clients. Your reputation is dependent on you being professional and pleasant during every interaction. Establishing and maintaining your reputation will take a little personal reflection and effort but you will see an increase in sales and job satisfaction.
Finally, genuinely caring about your clients is paramount.
I have never spoken with a high-volume producer who didn’t have a clear passion for making sure their clients were taken care of fully. Your clients are trusting in you to help them make a decision that directly affects their health and finances.
You have a duty to make sure that their best interest is at the forefront of every decision you make. Those clients need to know that you care about their health as much or more than they do.
Seniors get post-card after post-card every month from agents who can sell them a policy. You aren’t just selling them a policy. You are giving them peace of mind. You are protecting them.
You are listening, advising and befriending them. Once you start really connecting with and taking a true interest in the well being of the people you serve you will notice a much stronger relationship with those clients.
Your sales will increase, your persistency will increase, your referrals will increase, and the fulfillment you get from helping your clients will increase.
I realize everything I’ve said to you today is basic common sense. Work hard, present yourself well and care about others. We’ve all heard these principles our whole lives. They are simple, they are basic and they are what we try to teach our children on a daily basis.
They are also the qualities that people respect the most and look for in others. The highest producing agents we speak to don’t have any magic secret that helps them write more business.
Yes, they invest in their business, organize well and are great sales people. But their real key to success is they work harder, more professionally and with more empathy than the average agent. Their clients see them as a friend to trust and depend on. Your attitude will directly impact your success in this or any industry and the good news is it is free.
Thanks for your time today. As always if you have any questions over any of this or the industry in general please reach out to one of our marketing directors at 800-998-7715.
We are happy to talk insurance and look forward to speaking with you.
