QUESTIONS ASKED BY P/C AGENTS CAN LEAD TO LIFE SALES
Many large Life cases or benefits programs start with a few questions that any PC producer can incorporate into a fact-finding questionnaire. The information P/C agencies already have concerning businesses sometimes provides answers to the same questions that Life producers seek. Often Life agents invest inordinate prospecting time seeking the facts in your files.
Here are some questions you can use to urge your agency to get the answer from each Commercial account it carries or solicits, then assemble separate lead sheets with the data for Life/benefits producers. Those lead sheets are worth a fortune in Life production.
General And Organizational Questions
- What is the business structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, limited partnership, corporation, joint venture)?*
- Who is/are the owner(s) or principal stockholders?
- How did the business get started?
- What are your main products or services?
- What were your early goals and objectives?
- What do you enjoy most about your work?
- What separates you from the competition?
- What are the keys to your company's success (staff, technology, philosophy)?
- In recent years, what significant changes have you seen in your industry? In your specific business?
- What trends do you see coming?
- What are your principal operating concerns?
- Who would run the business if you were not here?
- Who will own (or run) the business when you retire?
- Do you have agreements in place regarding future ownership (or control)?
- Have you set up a retirement plan?*
- What benefits programs does the business have?
If There Is No Existing Plan
- Are your key employees, as well as the other employees, concerned about their retirement?
- What are you planning to do to meet your retirement needs?
- If you could design the ideal plan to fit your situation, what benefits would it include?
When There Is An Existing Plan
- Why did you decide on this particular plan?
- What did you most want your current program to do for you?
- What would you consider changing in your current plan?
- Has your plan been amended for recent tax laws?
- Would you be interested in information that might (or might not) confirm the quality and competitiveness of your current plan?
Several of these questions call for dialogue or narrative answers and are best left to the Life/benefits producers. Only those marked with an asterisk (*) should be added to the written questionnaire forms and relayed to the Life/benefits producer. The rest of the questions can be developed by that producer.
With this simple step -- assembling question-and-answer lead forms -- your P/C agency can build a lead file, which can become a career for your Life/benefits producer.