Get a Commitment

Posted: May 24, 2012 in Network
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Get a CommitmentI ran across an old article that originally appeared in 1997, titled “In War against No-Shows, Restaurants Get Tougher,” by William Grimes, and it is especially relevant for us as salespeople with National Agents Alliance.

The owner of a restaurant in Chicago, had an epiphany a bit over 10 years ago when he began adding up the cost of no-shows and found that the grand total was $900,000 a year, a figure that got him think­ing, fast.

He made a change in the restaurant’s procedure that underlines the status of a restaurant reserva­tion, which is less than a contract but something more binding than “I promise.”

He instructed his receptionists to stop saying, “Please call us if you change your plans,” and start saying, “WILL you call us if you change your plans?”

The no-show rate dropped from 30 percent to 10 percent!

In other words, by asking a question and eliciting a response, the receptionist created a sense of obligation. Getting that soft commitment made a huge impact.  When we say “May I send you some information?” that is asking the prospect to give you permission; instead, “I’ll send you some information, will you look it over and we can talk again in a few weeks?” is ask­ing the prospect to commit to the next step. Ask for some commitment — not permission.

If they’re too busy right now, “Will we be able to talk more about this when I call back in a few weeks?” is asking for commitment and implies that they need to be ready for that conversation when you do call back. Top producers at National Agents Alliance learn to get that small commitment so the prospect will be ready for the call. On the other hand, “May I call you in a few weeks?” is simply asking for permission.

People like to honor their commitments. If the call ends and they have only given you permission, why would they care what happens next? The ball is not in their court. But if the call ends and they’ve committed to doing something, odds are good they’ll do it. And if asking for that commitment doesn’t feel right, then it probably means you’ve got more work to do in building interest. Make it your goal on every call to ask a version of “Will you?” as opposed to “May I?”

Are You Making The ‘Biggest Mistake’ of Life Insurance?

Posted: May 23, 2012 in Network
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HmmWhen discussing life insurance options with clients, there are only two things your client needs in order to have a well-rounded protection plan in place: Enough insurance and it should be active the day they die.

The first thing you need to determine when working with a client is how much insurance they need, and how long it will provide benefits to the surviving spouse.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying life insurance is only thinking of paying off the house and paying for the funeral.

Once the family breadwinner has passed, their spouse and family will not only be left without income, but a potentially large stack of bills. Many people only think about covering the funeral and burial costs, and paying off the mortgage. But, they need to look further into the future. The children may need to go to college and that lost income must be replaced to help keep the family afloat for months – possibly even years – to come, until they can start to replace that income on their own. It is even recommended that individuals purchase enough life insurance so that they will receive the same amount of their deceased spouse’s income for at least five years.

LifeHealthPro.com revealed that there are also many personal uses for life insurance like:

  • Burial expenses: Life insurance will pay for funeral expenses, and benefits can be assigned directly to the funeral home.
  • Mortgage and debt protection: Life insurance can pay off a mortgage, credit cards, a student loan and other personal debt.
  • Education: The cash value in a life insurance policy can provide funds for a college education.
  • Charitable giving: Life insurance can fund a donation or an annuity for a charity, church, foundation or nonprofit.
  • Estate creation: Buying a whole life insurance policy gives the insured an instant estate and makes him worth a lot more money.
  • Estate taxes: Life insurance can be used to pay estate taxes when taxes are due.
  • Inheritance equalization: If the son inherits the family’s $2 million mansion, what does the daughter get of equal value? How about a $2 million death benefit from a life insurance policy? This gives both children an equal inheritance.
  • Survivor income: Life insurance can provide a lifetime income to a widow or widower when the spouse dies. It’s instant security.
  • Children’s insurance:  Life insurance on a child not only guarantees a death benefit; it also ensures the child will be guaranteed insurable for future life insurance coverage.

Remember to always consider things beyond an individual’s immediate needs and begin examining what the landscape may look like down the road. Our clients need to be protected no matter what happens, and look to their National Agents Alliance representative to provide them with the information and recommendations to make the best decision.

Speed Lead Helps Crews Help Man Get Coverage

Posted: May 22, 2012 in Success Stories
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Mickey and Joanna Crews with Jon GordonMickey Crews snagged a Speed Lead for a man named Dan on May 7. Crews called several times and finally reached Dan on May 17. Crews was getting an oil change on his vehicle when he set the appointment with the gentleman.

Crews quickly referenced the email series the gentleman received from NAA President and CEO Andy Albright, which Dan remembered seeing and acknowledged that he had filled out his information and sent it in.

“I told Dan that Andy is a goofball and that he calls me ‘Agent X,’” Crews said. “That really solidified that I was an agent and not just some telemarketer.”

Crews said the man didn’t really want anybody to come to his home, but did want quotes. Crews said that Andy Albright believes that a person can die any day and because of that, Crews had to come see him as fast as possible so he was covered. Crews also told the gentleman to reply back to Andy if he got more emails so that it was clear that Crews was doing his job.

“I explained that as ugly as I am, I am still better than a needle or medical exam,” Crews said. “(Dan) laughed and booked the appointment for the next day. I explained that Joanna (wife) and I always have date night on Fridays at six, so we would have to move fast during our 5:30 appointment.”

When Crews arrived at the man’s home, he saw a mobile home park with a bunch of unmarked concrete slabs where people park their mobile homes. Crews called Dan and he came outside to meet him.

The gentleman requested $200,000 in term coverage. He was 66 and single and told Crews about his daughter, Cynthia and two grandchildren – Savannah and Giovanni – who live in New York. He wanted coverage for their sake.

Dan had suffered a heart attack five years prior, so Crews knew he would not be able to place a term policy on his client.

Like any good golf caddy would do for a champion golfer, Crews guided Dan to go in a smarter direction. Dan listened and ended up protecting his family by securing a Monumental Whole Life policy AND a new Guaranteed Advantage Accidental policy from Mutual of Omaha.

Both policies were e-apps, so Crews used the client’s computer to send everything in on the spot. Crews was paid for his efforts within 48 hours!

“I love the Speed Leads,” Crews said. “Thanks for thinking that through Andy. The best part was that Dan lived less than one mile from my house! And I made it home just in time for our date night! It really makes you wonder how many people live within a mile radius that need the coverage but have not thought to respond yet!”

Luckily for Dan, that number is one less than it was before Crews followed up on that Speed Lead that led to him protecting Dan and his loved ones.

Choose Happiness

Posted: May 22, 2012 in Network
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Choose HappinessHappiness is a state of mind.

Do you know some people who never seem to be happy and some who always seem to be happy?  You actually have the freedom to choose happiness.  Some people get up every morning and make that choice, while others choose to let any little life challenge keep them on the unhappy side of the coin.

Remember from “Think and Grow Rich,” in the first sentence of the book it says, “Thoughts are things.”  Since we get to choose our thoughts you can start the day with thoughts that promote happiness.  As you know, thoughts repeated regularly and systematically sink into the subconscious mind and become habitual. The leading American philosopher of the nineteenth century, Ralph Waldo Emerson, said, “A man is what he thinks all day long.”  Don’t allow negative thoughts, defeatist thoughts or unkind thoughts linger in your mind; change them immediately.  Clean up your thoughts and make happiness a habit!

In his conclusion to The 8 Steps to Success, Andy Albright talks about “The Feeling of Success,” and what a great feeling it is!  However great it is to be able to afford anything you want, happiness is not about things.  You can’t purchase happiness.  The joy comes from being able to help others and really loving what you do.

Speaking about achievement, Andy says, “people ask, ‘why does a guy like Warren Buffett, up in years and amazingly wealthy, not just retire and count his blessings?’  It’s because achieving is what he does.  It defines who he is.  Achieving puts to use the strengths he has been given.”

The happiness comes from the journey, all the experiences along the way. Successful people like Buffett have found the right journey for them and the wealth gained is just the “fruits of the labor,” but by itself does not define the happiness one feels.  It’s more about the challenges faced and overcome, the relationships shared along the way and the feeling of helping other people reach their potential.

Even though the National Agents Alliance business can be hard at times, our agents, because they get to live the NAA creed…Have Fun, Make Money and Make a Difference…can create a level of happiness that far exceeds anyone’s wildest dreams.

Don’t allow wrong thinking to keep you from the happiness you deserve!

NAA Wants To Know: Do You Use Any of the Top 5 Lame Sales Questions?

Posted: May 21, 2012 in Network
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Hmmm?Asking the right questions will often determine whether or not you close the deal. But, some of these lame sales questions are killing your game.

According to LifeHealthPro.com, the following are the 5 lame sales questions you need to avoid, and why you should cut them out of your sales pitch index:

 

1. “What are your needs?” Really? You seriously think this question separates you from your competitor? Using this question automatically turns you into an order-taker, not a sales-maker.

2. “Are you the decision-maker?” Although there is nothing technically wrong with this question, it usually results in a yes response. A more effective way to get this information is to ask, “Who else do you normally consult with on decisions of this nature?”

3. “What is your budget?”  Many people haven’t established a budget or don’t know what to budget for a particular purchase. Do them and yourself a favor and focus on exploring their problems and presenting a solution that addresses those issues and budget becomes less of a concern.

4. “Do you want to save (money/time/other lame benefit)?”  Don’t insult my intelligence. Enough said.

5. “Do you want this (whatever feature)?” I don’t even know what that feature is. How can I possibly tell you if I want it? Oh, wait! If I say that, then it gives you the opportunity to start talking about your product. Now I get it…

National Agents Alliance wants to know if you have accidentally made one of these question blunders. Comment below!

Infuse Psychology into Sales and Close the Deal

Posted: May 18, 2012 in Network
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Psyche you out!Many people often forget that an effective salesperson also understands that it is largely based on psychology. How you ask questions and speak to clients; the phrases you use in your email, blogs, social media content and Web content all has a lot to do with how effective your selling technique is, and sales are a very important part of your activity with National Agents Alliance!

LifeHealthPro.com’s “The psychology of selling: Using positive phrases”revealed some tips in how to infuse some psychology into your sales efforts in order to see more signatures on the dotted line:

  • People are emotionally driven: Clients decide to purchase your services based on a need, feeling or emotion — not necessarily a logical thought. This is why the content you write must express intangible benefits to the reader to persuade them to buy from you. As you write your content, ask yourself what emotions you are hoping to stir up in your reader in order to write the most effective sales copy.
  • Use positive and recognizable phrases: To let you in on a little trick, you can turn to social media to access positive phrases that entice your clients to purchase your services. Observe firsthand the type of language and phrases that they use when discussing your industry. Then use these exact phrases in your content to perfectly identify with your clients. This is a subconscious way of establishing a bond with your clients to attract them to choose you over your competition.
  • Always provide value: Value does not have to encompass a price. However, the content you provide to your clients should always be valuable to attract them to the credibility of your business. Whether this is offering a free downloadable report, online videos or compelling content, your clients must see value in order to even consider purchasing your services. And once you offer value to gain clients, these same clients are highly likely to pass along this valuable information to their own friends and family to do your marketing work for you.

Power Through Your Day with the ‘Morning Success Ritual’

Posted: May 16, 2012 in Network
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Good morning!When you woke up this morning were you on the right side or the wrong side of the bed? By choosing what side you woke up on as soon as your start your day, you will determine what thoughts and actions will proceed with the rest of your day.

According to the author of “Practice Power: 12 Steps to Take Your Business to the Next Level,” Joe Lukacs, believed that the most important “success habit” is to have a “morning success ritual.” This is where you start your day with a positive tone, which ultimately creates a positive day.

Lukacs reveals that a powerful morning success ritual includes:

  1. Positive visualization
  2. Morning power questions
  3. Review of business plan
  4. Positive mental diet
  5. Creating your daily game plan

If you start your day by tackling your inbox and to-do list, without arranging your thoughts and outlook, you will see less activity and results. Lukacs believes that if you make the morning success ritual apart of your morning routine you will be able to power through your day and achieve more results.

National Agents Alliance wants to know if you have any “success rituals” or “morning success rituals,” comment below and tell us about them!

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