Listen to the client. This is an age old truth we all live by. With this business becoming more competitive every year, it becomes more difficult to differentiate myself. By listening, I make my prospect feel heard and gain his trust. Secondly my listening skill will allow me to better understand the prospect's needs and problems. This allows me to build a benefit solution that better fits his business than what he now has. And let's face it, most groups don't know what possible plan designs exist that could be a better fit for them.
Give clients attention. A small client reminded me not too long ago that everyone has a story to tell: It's a small jewelry shop that represents very little revenue. This year's renewal required additional time and effort, including a Saturday meeting. I was a bit put off by at first.
The business owner told me about the sacrifice of 17 years she and her husband gave to this business. It was everything to them. It had such a powerful effect on me that it gave me a new perspective on what exactly it is I'm entrusted with daily. And it inspired me to look on the mundane client base with more gratitude and commitment to work harder to engage more.
Introduce new trends. I'm a big believer in consumer-driven solutions. I believe continual education is critical to surviving and succeeding in this business more now than ever. I read trade magazines, sit on legislative boards, visit with carrier partners, compare notes with colleagues in other markets and regions and meet new vendors at industry events.
The great thing about our business is that it's so large and diverse, we can find our own niche and market. I've found it helpful to pick an industry or two and learn about its special challenges, and then find special niche carriers and products that satisfy these businesses better than the main stream, core carriers. This background work has paid off.
Make prospecting a habit. No matter how long I've been in the business and how big my book of business becomes, prospecting always remains. I'm reminded of something an old sales manager would say, more often than I wanted to hear, “Prospecting is like shaving, miss a day and you're a BUM!”
I try to make cold calls at least an hour per day. Some are more productive than others. But if I miss a few days I always feel like my day was somehow incomplete.
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