Communication

Most of us take our ability to communicate with others for granted. In fact, it would be a blow to our ego if we were to admit that it was really our fault that "people just don't understand us." Yet the truth of the matter is that many sales representatives are losing sales because of their inability to communicate with their prospects.

The income of sales representatives depends directly on their ability to persuade others to part with premium dollars. Since persuasion depends on the ability to communicate! you will want to learn to communicate effectively.

Too often communication breaks down because of assumptions that are not necessarily true. For example:

·          We assume that things are either one way or the other - that they are either "black" or "white" when in
reality they may be "gray."

·          We assume that words mean the same to our prospect as they do to us.

·          We assume that we understand everything about our prospect's situation

·          We assume that our prospect's completely "open-minded."

·          We assume that the prospect is listening when he is silent.

The psychology of communication

If you are to communicate with your prospects, they must want to listen to you. To do this you must gain and hold their attention. In general, your prospects are interested in something

·          when they participate,

·          when it relates to their needs, wants, and values so that they can see a possible benefit from
listening,

·          when it relates in any way to their egos or feelings of self-importance.

Furthermore, effective communication includes the conveying of feelings and emotions. Such things as enthusiasm, conviction,

knowledge, confidence, interest, concern for the prospects' welfare are conveyed by your actions and the tone of your voice.

Since your prospects' action will primarily be determined by a feeling or emotion toward you and your recommendations, you must get them emotionally involved. To do this you must relate the insurance you want to sell to their personal jives in a meaningful and significant way.

 The purpose of your sales presentation is to get results-to make a sale. Since you can't force your prospects to buy, you can only present ideas and attempt to make them so attractive that your prospects will want to buy. To do that your prospects must believe what you say and believe that it applies to them

Your prospects might think you area good person, but may not believe that what you say applies to them. Too often we fail to establish credibility because:

·          What we say does not fit in with what the prospect already believes.

·          What we say sounds too good to be true.

·          Our personality is not convincing to the prospect who perceives us to be too "glib" or "tricky."

·          Cur physical appearance, dress, manners, and apparent knowledge of our business do not confirm what we say.

·          We offend their ego so that buying from us is about the last thing they want to do.

The prospects you call on will already have certain beliefs and convictions which may be psychological roadblocks to your motivational effort.

To persuade prospects to change their beliefs and convictions requires a great deal of tact, but it can be done by convincing them that these are not in their best interests.

Beliefs can seldom be changed by facts alone, since they are emotional in nature. You must, therefore, give your prospects "emotional reasons" for changing by showing that your plan is

·          a more effective method of meeting a need,

·          more in conformity with your prospects' other beliefs,

·          more up to date.

(This is not done by arguing. As our cassette on Psychology of the Sale states, "Let him argue with 'noted authorities' or 'third party' facts.'')

Your prospects will tend to believe only when they are convinced that you have their best interests at heart. Make everything personally applicable-make it their program, their retirement, their financial security, and their wives and children. (Always use their names when you can.) Your prospects are only interested in those things that affect them personally-things which involve their egos.

In spite of the fact that most decisions are based on emotion, all of us want our actions to appear logical. In your presentation, then, you will want to demonstrate the logic of your recommendations so that your prospects can feel they are acting in a reasonable and consistent manner.

 Verbal communication

Words are the building blocks of your verbal communication. An understanding of the capabilities and limitations of words is of great importance to you as a sales representative since your success is intimately bound up with your ability to affect the behavior of your prospect through words.

The problem of verbal communication is clearly illustrated by the following.

A famous labor arbitrator recalls the seminarian who went to his superior and asked, "Father, may I smoke while I pray?" "No, my son, you may not." A follow seminarian said, "Fool, you put it the wrong way. Watch this." He went to the superior and asked, "Father, may I pray while I smoke?" "Of course my son," was the answer

Two lovers once were more poetic than precise: "Meet me at the rise of the moon," said the girl. But in vain did she wait. For she lived on a plain where the moon rises early and he in the bills whore the moon rises late. Result: no date.

Of the 600,000 words available to you, take time to choose them carefully and string them with precision. They can win you more than smoking privileges or romance. They can help you to achieve that most elusive goal-turning a "no" into a "yes."

Once you have established the prospect's problem, you are faced with the job of creating acceptance and conviction in your prospect's mind that your proposed solution is really the most suitable and desirable from the prospect's point of view. In this process of gaining acceptance and conviction you should use words that emphasize "specifics" rather than abstract generalities. That's why the sales procedures in professional Sales Development use language and techniques which are specific.

We are all guilty of letting poor speaking and listening habits creep into our sales interviews and contacts with others.

Poor

"I lust happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in to show you a plan we have called The Life Insurance Needs Analysis."

"Do you understand what I mean?'

"Do you follow me?"

"See what I mean?"

'You must not have understood me when I said. -

"You probably already have plenty of life insurance! But my plans brand new. It .

Better

"I've seen your place several times on my way over to the Ellisons'.

"They're clients of mine."

OR

"I'm doing some work for them.

"I just wanted to stop by and meet you for a moment. We have a service called Life Insurance Needs Analysis , which has been of value to many people in this area. I'd like to arrange a time when it would be convenient for you to spend about ten minutes to see it."

"Am I making myself clear on that point?"

"I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear on that, Mr. Ellison. What I meant was.-.

"I'm sure a man in your position undoubtedly owns life insurance. However, our service concerns itself with planning, and particularly advance planning.

Non-verbal communication

Not only do we communicate through words, but we also communicate through our physical appearance, posture, facial expressions, and bodily movements.

From your standpoint as a sales representative, these nonverbal forms of communication are exceedingly important. People can and frequently do use words to conceal their true feelings. However, it is almost impossible to cover up non-verbal communication. For Instance, any change in the emotional feeling of a person will be reflected in some muscular movement. In many cases these movements are small-a slight tremor of hand, a blinking of the eye-but they can be readily noticed by an alert sales representative.

Your prospects tend to put a value on you and your service on the basis of what they see. For this reason your clothes, your grooming, your briefcase, and your sales material are all part of

the impression you create.

You can use non-verbal communication in two ways. First, through your appearance and actions you can create the type of impression you want your prospect to have of you. Second, by carefully observing your prospect you can pick up true reactions to your presentations.

An agitated, irregular or jerky movement such as finger tapping or frantic puffing on cigarettes may be a sign of tension. In effect, the fidgety prospect is telling you, "Either change the subject to something more interesting to me or please leave." Bodily movements frequently are directed toward what is desirable and away from what's distasteful. If your prospect is leaning forward as you describe your plan, it may be a sign of interest. On the other hand, if the prospect pushes your proposal form away during your presentation, it is usually a sign of disinterest. Hesitation in speaking is another signal that may indicate the person has something to hide. There are many other examples

PROBLEM 2-Poor listeners start by mentally criticizing the sales representative's delivery. They don't tune in on the subject because they are too busy adding up physical faults and wondering how the sales representative rates their attention.

SOLUTION 2-Dress conservatively and in good taste. Note what other professional people in your community wear! and dress accordingly. Be neatly groomed. Don 't let your physical appearance detract from your presentation. Look like someone important enough to rate your prospect's attention

PROBLEM 3-Poor listeners get over stimulated when speakers question or pose an idea, and consequently, they hear only part of it. Instead, they're busy thinking lip answers or posing arguments.

SOLUTION 3-Organized selling procedures on a sound psychological basis can overcome this problem. Life Insurance Needs Analysis presented with empathy and enthusiasm, is the answer.

PROBLEM 4-Poor listeners listen only for factual data and want to be spared the 'detail."

SOLUTION 4-Remember, there is a difference between detail and specifics. The prospect doesn't really give a hoot whether you are funding Life Insurance Needs Analysis with a Whole Life or combination plan. The prospect is interested in the specific income produced for the family and life income available at retirement. Life Insurance Needs Analysis sales track deals in specifics and benefits

not details of contracts

PROBLEM 5-Poor listeners try to outline everything they hear in a conference or a convention. In their busy efforts to outline what is said, they hear only one third of it.

SOLUTION 5-The great advantage of presenting Life Insurance Needs Analysis on a graphic Work Sheet is that you have an outline already prepared. The prospect can then devote full time to listening to what you say.

PROBLEM 6-Poor listeners permit people to speak inaudibly or to give fragmentary information.

SOLUTION 6-You are the only control here. If the prospect is investing valuable time in listening to you, you should prepare a clearly audible and precise presentation. Don't mumble! talk "behind your hand," slur phrases and omit salient facts. Speak up and speak clearly.

PROBLEM 7-Poor listeners tune out any message that borders on the technical.

SOLUTION 7-Similar to 4. Don't talk insurance 'jargon"! Sell benefits, not technical data.

PROBLEM B-Poor listeners are allergic to certain words or phrases that they find distasteful.

SOLUTION 8-Watch "slang" and negative phrases. Best way? Selling procedures in Professional Sales Development!

 PROBLEM 9-Blind wondering is labeled as the worst habit of all.

SOLUTION 9-During your presentation, watch for non-verbal communication which tells you the prospect is "tuning you out" -eyes off the Work Sheet, tapping fingers, fidgeting in general. If this occurs, attempt to bring the prospect back verbally: "Is there anything I haven't made clear so far ________?" Some sales representatives simply stop their presentation, catch the prospect's attention with their eyes or their pen and bring it back to the Work Sheet.