Would you believe you could double your sales in less than three months? The way to jump start your business is by getting more leads and closing more sales, of course. The fast track to do that is to look at how the top producers in our business set records for success.
Though many people never officially take on a mentoring role, they can't help but lead by example. I know I've been inspired myself. One of my biggest turning points came from meeting Mark Victor Hansen. He showed me how to focus mentally to achieve personal and financial goals that I would have never have thought to be possible otherwise.
I spent the next three years handling more leads and closing more business than I ever imagined possible. It was truly a "quantum leap" and I have continued to discover, through experience and study, many more of the "secrets" that have led to lasting success in this business.
I think Andy Rooney got it right when he said: "I've learned that the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am." By combining the knowledge I learned from Mark and other greats with the success I've had building an agency into a top producer with several carriers, I've trained and hired a number of agents who have created their own extraordinary success.
In this piece, I'm going to share two of my best tips. I know if you really focus on these simple steps, you'll find it becomes easier to get leads and close sales, and you will find it's less stressful. As you build your confidence, it'll not only become easier, you'll go from feeling like you have to make a sale to enjoying the thrill of succeeding with ease. Here's my best tip:
Build your reputation as "the expert."
In my report Top 10 Tips to Double Your Sales in Three Months, I made "Decide to master your craft" the very first tip. Once you can confidently guide your prospects to the plans that will best meet their needs, closing sales becomes second nature. Believe me; I had to know my products "inside out" to be able to write over $100,000 in annual premiums in a single week. It's not magic – it's focus. And if I can do it, so can you.
When you're studying the people that set the records in our business, you're bound to read about Ben Feldman. He set a lot of records, like selling more than $1 billion of life insurance. He was the first man to sell $100 million in a single year, and he actually outsold entire agencies on an annual basis.
Feldman took becoming an expert above and beyond his competition. He said, "Read. Study never stops because publications never stop coming in. It's read and study. And think about what you're studying. Take it apart and put it together. Ask 'why?' And know the answers."
Why do you think only a small percentage of agents regularly outsell the vast majority? In Feldman's time, he — one man alone — could outsell 1,500 of the 1,800 existing life insurance agencies. Once you put yourself in a position to be perceived by your prospective clients as an expert, you are guaranteed to stand out from the crowd. Instead of chasing leads, prospects will be calling for your professional advice. Here's how you can get started:
Action step no. 1: Track where most of your sales are coming from and which products are in greatest demand. That can show you where to start developing your expertise. If you're just starting out, look for the biggest markets, like Medicare plans. Nearly 3 million people are turning 65 every year!
