OMG....never stop when they say NO or I'm not interested!!!!!
Ask them what would make you say YES.
Ask them what stands in the way of you saying YES.
Regroup - try to close again..
FOR SURE - Go get the Little Red Book(s) of Sales answers and questions and you will have the answers to more than they will ever ask!
For what it's worth, the mantra I've heard repeated for the two and a half months I've been an agent has been to try at least 5 times to overcome an objection.
Every week we have a fact finder review. We split up the office into two groups of roughly 7 agents each and go over each others fact finders. The purpose is to discuss objections we've gotten and how to overcome them. We also help each other uncover needs that we may have missed the first time around for whatever reason and put ourselves in the clients shoes.
I've found it really helpful to do this kind of role playing. My greatest challenge so far has been setting the appointment and overcoming those cold calling objections. I can't imagine being successful in this industry if I accepted the first "no" or "not interested" and moved on.
If you're presentation isn't properly designed to eliminate "objections" before they even occur, you must know how to handle them with precision.
The most popular session I do (for Norvax or in training) has always been "Objection? Overruled!" and it's where most sales people fall short, regardless of the sales field.
How do you expect to sell if you can't turn around a stall or hesitation?
------------------------------------ "Without agents, you have no agency!"
OMG....never stop when they say NO or I'm not interested!!!!!
Ask them what would make you say YES.
Ask them what stands in the way of you saying YES.
Regroup - try to close again..
FOR SURE - Go get the Little Red Book(s) of Sales answers and questions and you will have the answers to more than they will ever ask!
That is the insurance equivalent of "What do I need to do to get you in this car today?" I don't have a problem getting clarification of what is making them say no, but there is a more subtle way in my opinion. I will say, "Obviously you have a reason for saying 'no'. Do you mind if I ask you what that is?" Then, once the objection is uncovered I will ask, "If we can remedy your concern about X, is there any reason you wouldn't want to move forward?". Ultimately though, the more full your pipeline is, the less you'll be willing to spend time overcoming objections.
Last edited by Death Cab For Tootie : 09-21-2009 at 04:48 AM.
Reason: Posts merged
Know when to stop anything can be hard. Go with your gut.
------------------------------------
Mark Rosenthal aka markingriffin
IMO/Ins Agent/Agent Trainer/Free Advice markcrosenthal@aol.comwww.realfastservice.com
Please visit mywebsite to learn more about me.
Email me for my Free Prospecting MP3 Tapes.
You don't overcome objections, that's amateur night. Most objections are the result of doing a poor job at finding out what the prospect wants to accomplish and their means/desire to do so upfront in the process (qualifying). Most people have such a poor pipeline they try to hang onto cases that never had much of a chance to leading to a sale (in other words, denial).
You don't overcome objections, that's amateur night. Most objections are the result of doing a poor job at finding out what the prospect wants to accomplish and their means/desire to do so upfront in the process (qualifying). Most people have such a poor pipeline they try to hang onto cases that never had much of a chance to leading to a sale (in other words, denial).
I'm not sure about the accuracy of your statement.
You must know how to handle "objections" no matter how good you qualify and present, people will often hesitate when it comes to reaching in their wallet.
Know when to stop anything can be hard. Go with your gut.
I think there's a lot of truth to that statement. It's amazing to me how similar prospecting is to "picking up females (if female's what you like)". If the girl jumps in my arm the moment I first approach her, that usually means something's not right. I may think I scored only to find out later that I had dug my own grave. Most of them like to play games but I really need to know instinctively whether she is playing with me or really means it when she tells me to drop dead. I don't want to chase them because that will scare them away even if they had some interest in me. I don't want to treat them too nicely, either, because they will think they have me by the xxxxs. I call her unexpectedly and right when she expects to be asked out, I hang up. I call back 2 weeks later and do the same. By this time she's really intrigued about me and wants to find out more about me. I call again and casually mention that I've got something to say and want to see her. 99% of the time she will show up. And when I finally see her, I shut the hell up and let her do all the talking. I ask lots of question about her and look very interested in what she has to say. By the end of the evening, she's already thinking about long term relationship.
Obviously this won't work if you're trying to make one product sale over the phone. Then you need the book on one night stand.
You must know how to handle "objections" no matter how good you qualify and present, people will often hesitate when it comes to reaching in their wallet.
If you qualify early in the process, this will be an rare experience. Before I present, I qualify the extent they perceive their current situation to be a problem, if what I'm selling requires more out of pocket then they are spending now, then I qualify for budget. Last I ask them when they are looking to get it inforce and who needs to be involved to make a decision. If you do that before you ever present, objections won't be all that common if you can help them solve their problem adequately. The objections come in the qualifying stage, mainly because they're not qualified anyway!
1) This is a really busy week for me. Can you call back next Monday?
2) I was actually just poking around on the net to see rates because I saw this banner saying free quotes
3) Sure, call me back tomorrow at 3 and I'll have some time for you. (call back at 3, right to VM, leave message and send email.)
4) Ummmm, eh, sure, we can do the application but will you need any banking info? You see, my checkbook's in my car oh and someone stole my credit cards so I had to cancel all of them and....
5) Well this all looks great. Right now I'm researching so I won't be making a decision this month....
In all of these cases I never contact them again. I don't convince anyone. I'm their guide. I tell my prospects "If you want a sales presentation go on a time share demo." Always good for a laugh.
------------------------------------ Health Insurance Agents: Training, Support, Discounts, E&O for $440 www.ihiaa.com
In all of these cases I never contact them again. I don't convince anyone. I'm their guide. I tell my prospects "If you want a sales presentation go on a time share demo." Always good for a laugh.
I could be wrong, but I'm convinced that sales isn't really about convincing people to do anything. The three most important elements are: first, finding a prospect (80% of the game), second, find out what they want and if they are qualified/motivated to buy it, and last, show them how you can help solve the problem. If any selling goes on, it's about selling the problem they now face instead of the solution (in health sales, they usually know the problem without having to do much here, I'm finding with life it takes more education). It's not about convincing someone to do something they don't want to do, it's about finding those who want to do something. Most won't pass round two, but who cares, that's why round one is so important.
If you screw up the order, pitch an idea/product before you sell the problem and find out their motivation level/ability to pay for your solutions, then you will get lots of objections. If you do it correctly, the objections will sound like the list above that John put together, but you will get those before you go to a presentation and waste your time putting something together (ie they weren't qualified). You usually know after a few qualifying questions up front if someone is going to buy or not before ever delivering a presentation.
By the way, I'm stealing your line!
Last edited by Full Throttle : 09-21-2009 at 04:24 PM.
The other question up front for health sales I like to ask is "what have you looked at already?"
Responses:
1. "Another agent showed me plans with BC/BS and I like the ABC plan with them.": great, now I know where to start and what I need to cover to see if I have a chance at this one.
2. "I haven't looked yet.": always a good response, but then you need to find out their time frame.
3. "I looked a little online, I really like the XYZ plan.": also love to get this response.
4. "Well I applied to GR, but they declined me due to my diabetes.": now I know I probably don't have much of an opportunity and I can help them secure coverage in the state risk pool.
If you are getting objections you have either failed to discover their real need (or even if they have one you can fill) or you have failed to establish credibility.
I don't close anyone and I almost never get objections. Rather, clients buy from me when they realize we have not only uncovered their need but a viable solution as well.
I don't close anyone and I almost never get objections.
I think closing techniques is a false premise that came out of the 80's from the likes of Tom Hopkins and Zig Ziglar. It should be a natural progression of a good job done on the front end. If feel your closing ratio is weak, work on your opening techniques rather than your power phrases. Enough time on here today, back to work!
Closing is for sales where clients either can't back out or have a very limited time to back out. It doesn't work when they can cancel for any reason at any time.
. If the girl jumps in my arm the moment I first approach her, that usually means something's not right.ou need the book on one night stand.
You've obviously never been in a band!
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Originally Posted by somarco
If you are getting objections you have either failed to discover their real need (or even if they have one you can fill) or you have failed to establish credibility.
I don't close anyone and I almost never get objections. Rather, clients buy from me when they realize we have not only uncovered their need but a viable solution as well.
And you (or I) are not the norm in the sales industry, which is why there is a need to have skills after the first attempt to conclude a sale.
Last edited by robliano : 09-21-2009 at 05:40 PM.
Reason: Posts merged
Great points! I don't easily give up and I agree that a person who said no may not literally mean he is not interested in buying the product, maybe it has something to do with the person selling it. Success in selling should come from the person offering it.
No doesn't always mean NO! Example: I walk into The Men's Warehouse to buy some ties. A sales assoc. approaches me and asks if they can help me. My REFLEXIVE answer is to say "no thanks, I'm just looking". In reality I am a serious buyer, that's the only reason I'm there, I'm not just looking, I hate shopping. 10 min. later I'm asking the sales associate to ring up the sale. Not the best ex. but you get the idea.
Sometime when people say I'm checking around with different co.'s, I need to think about it, etc. they will let you write them up if you GENTLY press forward.
re: The Amber Scherloz Thread
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