Six steps to get a girl will also get you insurance sales

Insurance adviser Andrew Smith finds that the six steps to get a girl also work a treat when it comes to insurance sales. Speaking to delegates at the Newpark conference Smith outlined the following steps:

Wednesday, February 2nd 2011, 6:55PM 13 Comments

1. Make her laugh

Smith says if you make your clients laugh, a lot of barriers are broken down and the client isn't worried about a "scary" salesperson.

2. Get her talking about herself

"You have two ears and one mouth - use them in that proportion," says Smith.

He believes once you start listening to a client, they open up more.

He suggests using open questions and TED: "Tell me about your.... Explain to me... and Describe for me what would happen if...

3. Be confident

"Don't be the pussy cat. Be the lion," is Smiths advice.

He believes all you need is knowledge.

"If you are on the date and you are not confident in your own abilities the date will fail.

"Likewise if you are in the appointment and you are not confident or if you are not the expert you will fail."

He says advisers know more than the client so they need to be assertive with their recommendations.

"Be confident in your presentation no matter what form it takes."

4. Be friends first

The girl will be expecting an ulterior motive to your date. While we all know that she thinks you are only after one thing, as true as that might be, we must be a friend first.

In insurance we are only after one thing really and in our terms it is the sale.

But at the date we must remember that we are in her space and at that moment all we might be doing is taking up her time. She might not want the same outcome as you do, at the start of the date anyway, so don't mention it. So how do we be a friend first? We are informative. We smile. We are friendly. We ask TED questions.

We listen twice and talk once.

5. Find out what's important to her

You have made her laugh, you have listened to her stories, you are confident, you are in charge and you are guiding the date's progress so now is the time to show empathy with her story. With a client you must first create the story or the pain. Remember the TED questions?

Tell me more about your family? Describe what would happen to them if you were to not come home from work next Monday?

Then you understand their pain if no insurance was in place. Sympathise with them if the pain were to happen.

Now what can you do alleviate their pain. Insurance maybe? Use your story to explain how to alleviate the pain. Then transfer that to their story and listen to their fears, listen to their needs, listen to their needs.

Now you might like to ask a closed question where you know the answer. "Would you like to have the same opportunities for yourself and your family if John didn't come home Monday"? "YES". And if "No" then you say "Tell me more why you think you won't need those same opportunities for you and your family".

If you are making your recommendations then now is the time. Show them how it will save their bacon. You made them laugh, you are their friend, you understand their needs, you have taken control now close the sale or book your next appointment. Wherever you are in the sales process now is the time take control and move the process forward.

6. Take her out for icecream

Smith says he had a friend who would finish a date with a girl by taking her out for icecream and then the next day asking again how the icecream was.

"Sweetness releases endorphins and a feel good factor, the though of which, makes a girl smile."

Similarly, every time Smith has a client he gives them a box of chocolates, then when he does a follow up call a couple of days later he asks how the chocolates were, knowing they will be smiling on the other end of the phone.

This also starts the conversation off in a positive manner, helping with the sale.

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Comments from our readers

On 3 February 2011 at 2:50 pm Hermy said:

Well said mate!!!

On 3 February 2011 at 4:19 pm John said:

And I thought having a girl friend was all about relationships?? Kiwi girls are not interested in the hard sell approach!!

On 3 February 2011 at 4:45 pm Geoff said:

Good ideas, Your approach is a natural one and friendly & open at the same time. - cheers.

On 5 February 2011 at 9:30 am denis said:

This sounds like Swiss Tony from the Fast Show. For those that don't know the character, he's a slippery used car salesman whose opinion about anything starts with the phrase "..it is like making love to a beautiful woman".

Aside from all that, it's a little bit 1970's isn't it? You don't need to seduce people or play games.

On 8 February 2011 at 8:36 am Incredible said:

I think Mr Smith you have implied that you are a scary salesperson and your trying to hide that?

What books are you reading, life is Tremendous?

On 8 February 2011 at 11:34 pm larry said:

Sorry but this is why insurance advisers are at the bottom of the rung in public perception..box of chocolates...please!

On 10 February 2011 at 6:09 pm simon said:

I heard Andrew’s presentation, it was amusing, slightly tongue in cheek and very apposite. He is a professional and successful insurance adviser with a good track record. I suggest his critics should be less precious!

On 10 February 2011 at 7:30 pm walter said:

Don't forget to give her a disclosure statement, scope of service and other mountain of paperwork. Call her the next morning, send her the bill after the servicing and hope for a follow up appointment. All of the above should kill the passion but cover your butt when the Wellington mop and/or the courts put their oar in.

On 10 February 2011 at 8:37 pm Andy said:

Every fish in the ocean is different, and depending on the fisherman, different techniques will be needed. Today's insurance consultant needs to learn how to analys the client, THEN their needs, and taylor a package and presentation accordingly, while staying within the boundaries of legislation and bombarding them with paperwork and disclaimers.

On 11 February 2011 at 9:21 am o_O said:

You had me at cadbury roses..

On 11 February 2011 at 10:48 am Paul said:

Is this some sort of joke? Or an extract from Mad Men or something? Does Andrew want to boast about his success with the ladies or something?

On 11 February 2011 at 12:13 pm Bazza said:

John - hard sell, wheres the hard sell? Andrew is describing relationship building which all good advisers should have a process for. Hard sell would be not listening and telling people what they want. Denis all business people need to be able to sell, everyone is selling and all clients have to decide to buy! Larry - Investment advisers are the ones that now have a regulator giving them a code and telling them how to operate, because they lost everyones money. Insurance advisers help people protect what they have and there is no systemic industry issue with the advice, so they are not regulated by a code! Who is on the lowest rung?

On 19 April 2011 at 5:15 pm Kate said:

As the only female adviser commenting among this bunch, I think I'm qualified to judge that this sales approach would probably work on me (very similar approach used last time I bought a car). Build the relationship first and work WITH me to meet my needs. My only comment is be careful not to be too patronising (believe me, it does happen). @ Denis - I don't see where the playing games part is in this article?? @ Walter - If we're smart we can use all the regulation documentation as a tool in our sales kit to make her feel comfortable about dealing with us. Finally, chocolates don't do it for me but something else might.....normally Main Divide Reisling

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