You’ve got your appointment agenda in hand.
You have time blocked your meeting to insure the best possible use of the advisors time.
And then the one question comes your way that puts you on the defensive and blows the whole meeting.
Questions such as:
- “Explain the recent under-performance of your fund relative to it’s benchmark/sector/peers”.
- “Help me understand why this “new and improved” rider is better than the last version – because I don’t see it.”
- “Why is your company killing me and my clients with crap service?”
What can you do to get the conversation, and appointment, back on the offensive?
1. Listen with empathy – it doesn’t matter that you have heard this same complaint 20 times already this month.
You need to look the advisor square in the eyes, shut up and listen, and acknowledge what they say via non verbal agreement (head nod etc.).
Let them know you feel their pain.
2. Don’t dance around any issues – address the question/concern in a clear, transparent and direct way.
ANY attempt to bullshit your way out of this difficult question will have you playing defense for the entire meeting.
3. Find a solution point – figure out a way to get the advisor on a path to resolution.
- Schedule a call with a PM or product specialist.
- Get an actuary scheduled to walk the advisor through the rider change.
- Find a leader in Service than knows how to communicate with producers and connect the advisor with them for a call.
4. Ask if they are satisfied with the resolution/information/outcome – if only until the next sequence of events takes place.
5. Move on with the offensive portion of the appointment – the one in which you move the sales process forward.
Great wholesalers do not allow the appointment to be derailed by being placed on the defensive.
They figure out how to navigate their position and bring the appointment back around.
Wholesaler Masterminds® coaching covers an enormous array of topics to make you a better wholesaler tomorrow than you are today.
Wholesalers and High Concepts
9 What Ifs: The Great Wholesaler’s Approach To National Sales Meetings
Survey Results: What Motivates You To Be A High Performing Wholesaler?
2013 UPDATE: (More Than) 24 Great Ideas Wholesalers Use to be More Productive – and Memorable
Four Important Messages For New(er) Wholesalers
Steve Newhouse says
If ONLY sales managers did not forget that they once carried the bag and had these conversations, too.
Too often, sales managers have been drinking the “home office KoolAid” and forget what it is like to be in the chair and have these conversations with valued friends and clients.
Unfortunately, employment decisions are made by these same sales managers in their state of forgetfulness.