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For those of you in sales, I applaud what you do.
And believe me, I understand how difficult it is to do your job. So much so that, consciously or unconsciously, you let other stuff get in the way of doing the hard work. Here are a few of the reasons why (along with additional perspectives to consider) you allow this to happen:
👉 You face rejection every day.
It’s hard not to take it personally, but it can’t be personal when prospecting because they don’t even know you. Think about the last time you visited a store or an auto dealer. You went in with every intention of buying, but when a salesperson approached you to see if they could help, what did you say? “I’m good; I’m just browsing today.”
👉 You constantly have competitors trying to take away what you've built.
The upside of selling employee benefits is that almost every employer must buy what you’re selling, either because they’re legally required to or it’s just a prudent part of running their business. The downside is that everyone is already buying from someone, so there is constant poaching of existing clients.
👉 Clients are more demanding and needy than ever.
It used to be that clients only expected insurance advice from you. Now, they expect legal/compliance, operational, technology, communication, and HR advice, to name a few. If you manage this one effectively, it is cause for celebration.
👉 If you don't sell, you don't get paid.
This one mostly speaks for itself, MOSTLY. The recurring revenue streams in our industry make it easy for complacency to set in. Don’t let it.
👉 Taking care of existing clients is prioritized over finding new ones.
Yes, it is easier to hold on to an existing client than it is to find a new one. But you can’t grow by only holding on to what you already have. Besides, most of you have a support team whose job is to retain clients. Your job is to add to the client list.
👉 You are constantly ghosted by prospects, vendors, and even clients.
Don’t get me started on the poor state of communication in the business world. The one thing you can control? Make sure you don’t contribute to this horrible trend.
This list could go on and on...but I’ll stop there.
Sales is a critically important role
Here are a few of the reasons why you and your sales role are important and why you must push through the reasons above:
✅ You solve some of the most challenging financial and operational challenges business owners face.
Few business challenges are more complex and complicated than managing the financial and operational impact that comes with their HR/benefits responsibilities. They need you to help control costs and get the best ROI possible on the investment by ensuring their employees understand and appreciate the programs.
✅ Your efforts mean the difference for thousands of families having access to the financial, physical, and mental health they deserve.
Study after study shows employees find their benefits program confusing and overwhelming. You help them cut through the confusion to find the medical help they need in the most financially viable ways.
✅ Your efforts create growth and financial opportunities for the rest of your team. Every business depends on financial success to grow and thrive.
Your efforts give owners/leaders the confidence to invest in new resources, training, and team members, which in turn creates financial and growth opportunities for everyone on the team.
✅ And there's no shame in this one; you can make a crapload of money!
I know this isn't the primary goal for most of you, but it's what happens because you deliver the three bullet points above. Selling may never be easy; few other efforts are more rewarding than those of producers in this industry. Again, I applaud you and the difference you make every single day. 🙏
Q4i and Goose can help
We built an online platform called "Goose: Your Ultimate Wingman" to help you implement these growth ideas. In it, you will find the business tools you need to make the greatest difference possible: tracking tools, training programs, peer community, access to coaching, and marketing assistance.
To learn how Goose may help drive your growth, check out our website at Q4intel.com/goose. Or feel free to connect with or contact me directly on LinkedIn.
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Content originally published on Q4intelligence
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