Nothing happens until somebody sells something. To make sales happen, IMMS.com Key Sales Consultant Randy Schwantz has created a comprehensive series of 43 Producer Success Lessons. Used singly or in combination, these powerful tools can help your producers build their skills - and grow their sales.
Every situation has elements of pain and pleasure. In fact, pain and pleasure are really two sides of the same coin. We live in a world of choices, and almost any choice involves moving toward something while moving away from something else. This is a very important point.
Some people are optimists, primarily moving toward pleasure. They notice a situation's pleasures much more than its potential problems. To optimists, problems are very dim and far away, almost unreal. These people are primarily motivated by their desires and goals. They need a carrot to move toward.
Other people, such as risk managers, are very concerned about the possible downside of a new idea. The fear of an unpleasant surprise is very real to them. They're very aware of potential problems. Given a choice between two options, this type of person will take the less negative option. People like this are best motivated by a stick to move away from.
Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Yet it's surprising how many salespeople ignore these basic truths. Showing a person how much money they'll make on an investment means nothing if that person is afraid of losing all their savings. On the other hand, there are people who put all their money in high-risk investments without even reading a prospectus. They're motivated by the promise of high returns and tax savings.
Listen to THE WAY They Say It
You can discern a person's primary motivation by asking them, 'What's important to you about X?' For example, ask a Commercial producer, 'What's important to you about working with me?' If the producer says, 'That you make me lots of money,' you can conclude that they're motivated by pleasure.
If the answer is 'That you don't screw up my account,' the Commercial producer is probably motivated to avoid the potential pain of this situation - they want to avoid problems. Illustrating the wonderful benefits of your relationship won't comfort the Commercial producer who's afraid you'll mess things up.
No, Thanks, I'm Fine
Many prospects are content, and it's hard to help a content person with what they have. Perhaps they feel that the pain of changing exceeds the pain of staying where they are. They may get more pleasure out of staying where they are. In either event, such a prospect is unlikely to do anything with you unless you can create some pain (or turn up the pleasure).
Watch Out For That Car!
Suppose you want to convince an executive that their car insurance limits are too low. Consider this exchange:
Salesperson: Imagine you're driving down the street. It's a pretty day, so you want to open the sunroof. You have to look for the silly button, and just as you take your eyes off the road, a huge black Mercedes turns right in front of you and you smash right into it. That's when you realize you missed the stop sign. It's your fault.
You get out, look at the Mercedes (and the paper license tag, which means the car is brand new), and realize it's totaled. What would you want to happen?
Executive: For my insurance to pay for it.
Salesperson: Your limit on this type of accident is $30,000, right?
Executive: I think so - I'm not sure.
Salesperson: No problem. Once the insurance company pays the $30,000 they're obligated for, how do you plan to handle the other $40,000 you'll have to pay about a week later?
If you're like me, this story will prompt you to call your insurance agent. If you were in that executive's seat, would you feel a little uncomfortable?
What the salesperson did was create pain. If they had merely asked, 'Do you realize that most people are underinsured relative to automobile liability?', the executive probably would've said, 'So what?' No pain there. Not even interest. If you learn to create pain, you can expect to really get things moving.
There's a specific structure here that you can use to create effective examples:
Suppose X happened. What would you want to happen as a result? Suppose what you want to happen doesn't - what would you do then? How does that make you feel? What were you hoping I could do for you?
I Just Gotta Have It
For people who want pleasure, this story isn't all that compelling. You need to try another version. Begin the story the same way, but conclude by showing the prospect how having the right insurance coverage gives them control and protects their savings. Explain how doing smart things like maintaining adequate coverage will soon have your prospect driving that Mercedes instead of hitting it.
Your Natural Tendencies
Do you know your primary motivation? Do you move toward pleasure or away from pain? Answer these questions to get a better understanding of how you operate:
What do you look for in an insurance policy? What features make one policy better than another? Do these features increase pleasure or decrease pain?
- What aspects of your job make it so attractive - income potential, security, benefits, independence? Why do you want these things?
- Do you prefer to be around dreamers who'll take on the world or practical people who always have an alternative in case things get screwed up?
- Suppose someone bets you $100 they can guess your age. Do you take the bet to get an easy $100, or do you say 'no way' because there are many ways they could have already found out your age?
If you want security in insurance policies and your job, prefer practical people, and would tell someone who bet they could guess your age to jump in a lake, you may be primarily motivated by moving away from pain.
If you see insurance as an investment, need the income potential from your job to keep you motivated, prefer to be around dreamers, and would take the bet, you're probably motivated more by moving toward pleasure.
Knowing these things about yourself helps you in two ways:
If you understand your motivation and can discern other people's, you'll be better able to maintain rapport.
- You'll be able to adjust your goals by setting them in terms of avoiding pain or seeking pleasure.
EXERCISE
Ask two people to answer the questions listed above to learn whether they move toward pleasure or away from pain.