Making the Transition to Aflac (How would you deal with this?)

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 05 May 2015 08:52:05 -0400

In the world of "Failure is not an option" when your sales call doesn't go the way you had prepared and hoped for, how do you deal with the disappointment that comes with it, especially when you know you did everything right to set the appointment up for success and the real problem was that your client was either not honest, lazy, or had no concept of acting honorably?

Response by Capt Richard I P. made May 5 at 2015 9:31 AM

Capt Richard I P. — Tue, 05 May 2015 09:31:22 -0400

On to the next one. Like water off a duck's back.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2015 10:08 AM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 05 May 2015 10:08:57 -0400

Don't take it personally..There will be other clients out there for you. I had a web design firm for 12 years and if I let the rejections or blow offs get to me, I would have never gotten ahead. A better client is on the horizon for you. Good luck sir!

Response by Capt Byron Chen made May 5 at 2015 4:16 PM

Capt Byron Chen — Tue, 05 May 2015 16:16:45 -0400

1) Reflect -- any worthwhile takeaways? What worked, what didn't, what did you like -- always be learning.

2) Fuggedaboutit -- You never can be sure why someone says, "No," in sales. Maybe they are having a bad day, maybe their budget is up for the month, maybe they hate the color blue and you were wearing a light blue shirt. Did you control what YOU can control? Then you did your job. Of course, forgetting something like this can be tough. I'd recommend meditation, working out, or a reasonable amount of whiskey.

3) Build a system. A "loss" like this sucks when you don't have something to move on to. Your sales system should include moving on to the next client that you've got lined up, and how you are going to follow up with the ones you don't close. With a system, your day isn't filled with arbitrary "wins" and "losses", but a consistent set of actions that leads to results.

Response by SGT Richard H. made May 5 at 2015 5:27 PM

SGT Richard H. — Tue, 05 May 2015 17:27:12 -0400

CPT Private RallyPoint Member Not sure if this helps, as I am patently unfamiliar with the insurance industry (but keenly aware of what it costs me). Generally, the "litmus" test for estimating projects (my arena) is that you are hitting a 7:1 ratio. I think this is fairly accurate for most sales. Generally speaking, if you're hitting that ratio on average...1 sale for every 7 quotes written...you're pretty much doing your job. This is far from an exact science, but it generally works and tells you that you aren't pricing to high or low, and generally hitting other indicators such as relating to customers, educating them sufficiently on your product, etc.