Iron sharpens iron: Prospecting insights & experiences

In a star-studded panel at the BenfitsPRO Broker Expo, benefits advisors shared their prospecting insights and experiences.

From left to right: Nancy Giacolone, President, Olympic Crest Insurance; Spencer Allen, SVP & managing partner, Insurance Office of America; Erin Issac, president, Joy Benefits; Diana Miller, benefits advisor, Conner Insurance. Not pictured: Eric Silverman, founder and owner, Voluntary Disruption. Photot:  Lauren Lindley Photography

Working in this industry is no walk in the park. Between trying to save clients’ money and growing their book of business, there is a lot to keep track of and it barely leaves time to find new clients.

In a star-studded panel at the BenfitsPRO Broker Expo, benefits advisors Eric Silverman, founder and owner, Voluntary Disruption; Diana Miller, benefits advisor, Conner Insurance; Erin Issac, president, Joy Benefits; Spencer Allen, SVP & managing partner, Insurance Office of America; Nancy Giacolone, President, Olympic Crest Insurance shared their prospecting insights and experiences.

“Say ‘yes’,” Issac said. “Say curious. It’s easy for our inboxes to get covered and full, but take some time to say ‘yes’ and learn about something that is completely outside of your scope… I’ve got programs now that I provide to my clients that are differentiators. Be curious, stay open.”

“I read everything that comes across my desk, and if I don’t have it, I find it,” Allen said. “Most importantly, I go to a lot of conferences because you network with people, network with your solution partners, you get bigger and deeper relationships.”

“Don’t be afraid to pick the prospects you want to work with,” Miller said. “I think you have to be very specific of the client size you want to work with or if you have an industry you really jibe with. Pick that one because you are really going to have fun prospecting that client and it will show.”

“Put them in a position of power and say ‘who besides yourself is influential in making the decision here?’” Silverman said. “You’re not telling them they are not important; they are very important. I’ve gotten a lot of success with that. They will open up and tell you who else should be there.”

“Listen. Then listen some more, and ask some more questions,” Giacolone said. “Listen to what their pain points are because we all have a big bag of tricks and they don’t care about all of them. There is probably one trick that we have that is going to make a difference to them.”

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