Buying insurance can be a reassuringly normal thing to achieve

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What Russell Hutchinson learnt from his nutritionist that insurance advisers could use.

Monday, August 24th 2020, 2:22PM

by Russell Hutchinson

Not being able to get things done is a major pain in lockdown. I don’t know about you, but I always struggle with being unable to do the things I like. Meeting people in person is one of the big ones.

Don’t get me wrong, I stick to the rules, and I wear a mask when I am going to be around other people. But the problem of ‘life on hold’ really gets me. I know this is shared by other people.

Some people – probably most of us – can still earn money. We just can’t do as much as we would like.

So, it was a great relief when my wife and I were able to keep a regular appointment with a nutritionist. Sure, it was online, but it was progress. We could still do this.

I think our nutritionist demonstrated great professionalism in the balance of skills that she brought to the meeting – and they are transferable to any advice setting.

Here were the skills that made the appointment worthwhile:

• Empathy - empathising, but not fuelling the fire. Acknowledging the challenge of lockdown but keeping that right-sized and not getting stuck on it. After all, the point is the advice, not getting stuck in our frustration.
• Focus – getting on with the consultation, focusing on what can be done – collect data, ask about goals, question, challenge, and give advice.
• Guiding – of course a consultation online is different, things must be done differently. Plainly, practice helps. Knowing the new routine and being able to firmly and effectively communicate what needs to be done so that advice can be given.
• Optimism – holding a belief in the future is one of the most valuable things that we can do for others. Insurance advisers have one of the most difficult tasks in this regard – you often have to offer a vision of the future where things are alright even after the death of a loved one. That is quite a vision to sell.

That was a nutritionist, you’d think they would struggle the most online. If they can do it, I thought, I can do it.

Selling the idea that things will be alright in just a few weeks’ time should be easy. Keeping on, one day at a time, trying to make as many things normal as possible. These are good objectives.

Tags: Russell Hutchinson

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