Every insurance or financial services professional has the image of a “perfect salesperson” in mind. Their perfect salesperson consistently has a high personal sales total and loyal clients who are happy to refer business to them.
The most important trait of a “perfect salesperson” is always the ability to form genuine, close relationships with clients that result in repeat business and referrals. These kinds of sales professionals prove to be an invaluable addition to any insurance sales team, especially in the B2B insurance industry.
How is that done?
Sales professionals who are especially good at forging client relationships tend to appear to their clients not so much as a “salesperson,” but more of a sales consultant. They make it their business to learn as much as they can about the client’s business. And what they cannot learn from their research, they learn at an initial meeting by asking all the right questions about a potential client’s insurance needs. They spend the time to get to know their client.
An insurance sales professional who is great at building relationships with clients presents his or her insurance products as a solution to a client problem. This person locates a specific problem unique to the client and then presents the insurance product that is the perfect solution to that problem. This attentiveness shows the client that the product is simply something they can’t live without. The insurance sales professional answers all of the client’s questions and offers useful information, even if it is not directly related to the sale.
After the sale, they maintain contact with their clients, offering the same kind of consulting help they did during the sale. Clients are loyal to this sales professional – not because the insurance products were different or cheaper than the competition, but because of their excellent client relations skills, problem-solving ability, and willingness to take time, even if it doesn’t result in a direct sale.
Good client relationships turn into loyalty. Loyalty turns into repeat business and referrals. This is, by far, the best trait that insurance sales professionals can have as they grow in their careers.
