The best way to get better at selling senior insurance products is simple: practice your presentations.
We call it roleplaying, and it can be intimating. However, it's the most valuable thing we can do as insurance agents to get better at our craft.
When you're familiar with your presentation, you become comfortable. When you're comfortable, you gain confidence. And when you're confident, you can enter into any presentation with a client, and it's all because you've practiced.
Do I Seriously Need to Practice My Presentation?
It sounds easy when you hear someone else go through their sales presentation. You think... "I can do that."
But then it's your turn. And you start. And you go brain dead!
It has happened to me – in front of a client I might add – along with many of the agents I've trained. Some people are so intimated by roleplaying a presentation that they don't even show up to those meetings, but I'm here to tell you: practicing your presentation is one of the only ways to get better.
When you're familiar and comfortable with your products and presentations, it gives you great confidence. And how do you get comfortable? Through repetition and practice!
You can hear someone else go through a presentation and try to repeat it, but it's not going to work. I haven't had anyone yet who can do a presentation just by watching me do it. It takes repetition.
Never Practice In Front of a Client
I was the guy who didn't practice my presentation. I flew by the seat of my pants, and I learned the hard way by screwing up on a lot of presentations. So many opportunities were missed, and I'll never get them again – all because I wasn't prepared.
If your first time presenting a product is in front of a client, you'll look like a fool. I know this, because I did it so many times.
What's worse is you don't get a do-over. You can't just call up your client and say you didn't know what you were talking about, so you'd like to try again. You lost that sale, and you can't get it back!
My mission is to prevent people from making the mistakes I did.
Practicing helps you remember your statistics, share heartfelt stories during insurance presentations, and have the sales materials you need when you're in front of a real client.
Who Should You Practice Presentations With?
Finding a good practice buddy is really important – you can't just roleplay with a 16-year-old who doesn't know what questions to ask.
You need to find someone who is as close to your actual prospect as possible. Age doesn't necessarily matter as long as the other person understands what questions your future clients will ask.
If you have a neighbor who's on Medicare or will be soon, that's perfect. It could also be a family member, but it needs to be someone who can ask legitimate questions during your practice session.
Typically, the same questions you encounter during roleplaying will be the same ones you'll run into in real life. And that's the kind of practice that'll help your presentation leaps and bounds.
If you can't find someone to roleplay with, practice your presentation in front of the mirror, record yourself and watch it back, or both.
Watching that recording will reveal any nervous habits as well as areas where you need to improve.
What Makes a Good Presentation?
A good product presentation follows a series of four steps:
- Address the need: why is there a need for this product? What statistics and facts back up what I'm saying?
- Make a recommendation: since there's a need, what's a good solution? What exactly am I recommending?
- Give pricing: provide pricing options for your client to choose from.
- Let them decide: be quiet and let them choose which option is best for them.
Trust me – when you get done with a presentation, you know if you did well.
If your client is confused, you didn't do so hot. If they say, "Oh my gosh, that finally makes sense!" you did a great job.
The questions a client asks after your presentation shows you how well they're staying with you.
Conclusion
The best way to get better at selling senior market insurance products is to practice. It really is that simple!
Here's my action plan for any agent looking to add a new product to his or her portfolio:
- Get product training
- Understand why there's a need for the product
- Learn your presentation
- Roleplay!
