9. It All Leads To:
Distracted Clients
Short & Fragmented Attention
Spans
Increased Expectations
10. The Issues Become:
• How do I increase the number of
qualified prospects in my pipeline?
• How can I quickly establish a solid
connection with a prospect or client?
• How can I create a sense of urgency
and move the sale to closure?
11. Give Clients What They Want
Credibility & Trustworthiness
Relevancy
Intelligence & Insightfulness
Service Beyond Self
Persistence
12. #1 Credibility & Trust
Able to be believed, convincing
and reliable
15. Tips on How to “Quickly”
Establish Rapport
• Display understanding & empathy –
they must like you
• Find out whatever you can about
them before your meeting
• Project your sincere desire to help
them
16. Tips on How to “Quickly”
Establish Rapport
•
•
•
•
Show them you can help them
Provide several 3rd party testimonials
Leverage timeline charts
Prepare relevant questions in
advance – don’t wing it
18. Too Early to Close?
You begin setting up the close at
the very beginning of your sales
process by building CREDIBILITY &
TRUST
19. The Business Has Changed
“The business has changed from
selling product to advising clients. To
be truly credible as an advisor, you
must walk your talk and own the
products and the plan you are selling.
Jim Lambert, 32 Years w/VALIC
22. Relevance Starts With Questions
“You can tell whether a man is
clever by his answers. You can tell
whether a man is wise by his
questions.”
Naguib Mahfouz, Nobel Prize for Literature
24. 3 Types of Questions
1. Closed ended – limited information
2. Open ended – more information
3. Discovery – uncovers a high volume
of useful information
25. Discovery Questions
• “Can you please describe how you envision
spending your retirement years?”
• “Please share with me some of the things you
have not been able to do that you would like
to do in your retirement?”
• “Please help me understand your past
experiences with investing and what your
thoughts are going forward.”
26. Understanding Personality Styles
Helps You be Relevant
The Controller
• Fast paced
• Bottom line oriented
• All business and difficult to develop rapport
with
27. Understand Personality Styles to be
Relevant
The Cooperator
• Slower paced
• “Relationship” is their top priority
• They avoid conflict – they suffer from “buyers
remorse”
28. Understand Personality Styles to be
Relevant
The Expresser
• Fast paced
• Very outgoing
• They are big picture thinkers
29. Understand Personality Styles to be
Relevant
The Analyzer
• Slower paced
• They analyze everything
• Very facts and figures oriented
31. Be Creative, Relevant & Assertive
“I like to be creatively assertive. I
don’t always lead with the
product.”
Jon Michaels, Newbie w/VALIC
32. #3 Intelligent & Insightful
Having knowledge and an acute
understanding and perspective
33. Ben Feldman
• Sold 1.8 Billion in
policies from 1942-1993.
• Annual commission was
over $1 Million.
• At the time, his sales
totals were equaled only
by the entire sales forces
of other insurance
agencies.
37. Visualization Creates Urgency
Gain understanding in 4 key areas:
1. What investments do they currently
have?
2. What motivates them in life and work?
3. What are their priorities?
4. How do they feel emotionally about
retirement?
38. Questions are the Gateway to
Creating Visual Images
“What are some of the activities you do
today that you would like to do more of in
retirement?”
“What are some of the activities you are
unable to do today that you would like to
begin doing in retirement?”
39. Be Comfortable Discussing the
Consequences
“Doing something costs something.
Doing nothing costs something. And,
quite often doing nothing costs a lot
more!”
Ben Feldman
40. Questions are also the Gateway to
Discussing the Consequences
“What would happen if the way you're
currently invested doesn’t generate the
return you need to fund the lifestyle you’d
like to have in retirement?”
“How confident are you that the amount
you're saving will allow you to find the
lifestyle you'd like in retirement?”
41. 3rd Party Anecdotes
“I use 3rd party stories and
anecdotes to create visualizations
and a sense of urgency.”
Tim Towery, 23 Years w/VALIC
42. #4 Service Beyond Self
Concerned more with the needs
and wishes of others than with
one’s own
49. Are You a Referable Person?
“I ask my self if I am a referable
advisor. My objective is to increase
the level of service I provide.”
Mark Maggio, 28 Years w/VALIC
51. Ben Feldman
“You haven’t done
anything wrong. You just
haven’t done anything,
and that’s what’s wrong.”
-Ben Feldman
52. No “Silver Bullets”!
Objection Handling Formula
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Listen intently to the objection
Feed the objection back to confirm
Question to clarify their “hesitation”
Provide an answer to the objection
Confirm your answer settles the
concern
6. Close once again
53. Confidence is at the Heart of Persistence
No confidence? No persistence!
No persistence? No success!
55. Jamie
Anderson
“I choose to make a
commitment to myself.”
“I choose to see my gifts
brought into the world.”
“I choose to pay close
attention……..”
56. “Fuzzy Control”
“Do the most productive things
each and every day. You never
know exactly who is going to buy
and when.”
Tom Robertson, 26 Years w/VALIC
