No one appreciates a pushy salesperson who is more inclined to make a sale than build a strong connection with the client. You can always get a sense that the salesperson is using high-pressure sales techniques and might call off the deal. Did you know 61% of buyers said they wouldn’t want to deal with a pushy salesperson?
With changing customer expectations and insurance companies coming up with personalized policies, customers prefer sales executives who can add value to the conversation and have a customized approach—one who is already aware of the client’s requirements and expectations before pitching.
The salesperson is expected to bring a natural flow to the conversation and help the client see the benefits of a policy. In this article, we've collated a complete list of things salespersons should always avoid while making a sales pitch. Read on to find out!
1. “Tell me a bit more about your company and your role in the company.”
Thanks to the internet, information is always readily available; you must look into the correct aspects. When you meet a potential client, you shouldn’t start the conversation by asking questions you can find out yourself. The client expects you to have done a background check before appearing for the meeting.
Instead, you can share selective information that you have gathered on the client and offer help in those areas to strengthen your sales pitch. You can research the client’s company and other information through social media platforms and stay prepared.
If you are armed with information, you can always leverage that and showcase the benefits the client can accrue. Asking questions that the clients expect you to know the answers to can recede your credibility at the very beginning of the conversation and lessen your chances of scoring a sale.
2. “We provide solutions to X, Y and Z. Are these going to work for you?”
No one likes to listen to agents who promote their products instead of explaining how they can benefit the customer’s unique needs. Each customer has individual requirements, so a generalized approach where you sell your products without keeping the customer’s needs in mind can go downhill.
The idea is to make the customer journey easier; hence you need to understand the areas in which the customer needs assistance and explain how a policy can benefit the customer in that particular area.
In the insurance industry, clients are only willing to sign up for a policy if they trust the agent. An agent can only build that trust and assurance when they lead with solutions instead of problems.
3. “We can discuss the pricing part later.”
In a report by the State of Sales 2021, 82% of buyers agreed that sellers must be transparent from the start about pricing. The pricing point is always a pain point that must be addressed at the beginning.
You might give a great pitch and simultaneously set the wrong pricing expectations for the customer if you don’t discuss the pricing part. This would baffle the client while you lose a potential lead. Hence, sellers mustn’t delay the discussion on the pricing and stay transparent about it from the start.
It's important to realize that every buyer has a budget, and addressing that should be a priority for the agent to build trust and credibility. If you can demonstrate that the policy's value will be worth the investment, then sharing the pricing will not be a problem.
4. “I was just checking in….”
It is a bad practice to ask the customer if they are ready to buy every once in a while, as it makes the impression that all you care about as a salesperson is reaching your target. It creates a sales-first mentality instead of a customer-first approach and could make your clients consider other providers in no time.
Personalization is about giving customers the time to make an informed decision while adding value to their prospects in every way possible. Instead of asking questions that prompt the customer to make a decision immediately, you can send articles or documents that may help your client’s cause.
This will show that you are not just offering a service but going beyond and above because you have their needs in mind.
5. “That's not within my expertise.”
Clients may bring up relevant issues in a meeting that is not directly related to the product you are pitching, but the last thing you want to tell them is that it’s not your department. You need to make an impression that you are knowledgeable, know your job prospect, and bring value to the table.
Proclaiming that something is not within your expertise might be too direct and intimidate the customer. You must take accountability to get the job done, just as much as you are willing to take the credit for the same.
If something is remote to you, take your time to learn about it and get back to the client; this shows your commitment to the client and helps you acquire a learning curve.
6. “This is the company policy.”
An absolute no-go, making this statement will take away your credibility as an agent, and you will have a hard time making sales. The company policy might often conflict with the client’s requirements- here, the trick is understanding the client’s demands and coming up with an alternative.
The client never worries about company policies- he worries about the services you can provide, which would benefit him. Hence, the more thoughtful way around it is to make suggestions that meet the client’s needs and remodel the policy structure to some extent. This will help you earn the customer’s trust without offending him.
7. “You can put your trust in me.”
Trust is sensitive and can never be asked for during a sales speech. Salespersons have reasons to believe that they might have a hard time acquiring the client’s trust due to numerous scams and broadcasts of cons that happen in the media. But no matter what, the salesperson should never ask the client to trust them blindly.
Building that trust through sufficient supporting documents and case studies to back up your pitch is always important. Clients believe in results and material proof- positive client testimonials, case studies, and supporting documents can help you make your point and automatically build trust.
Telling your client “trust me” can have the opposite effect and make them reconsider going forward with your company.
8. “This is not within your price range.”
How a salesperson pitches any product makes all the difference between a confident salesman and a novice. Customers should never be treated in a way that makes them feel they are being judged. Having presumptions and making such statements could intimidate the buyer, and they might change their mind about going forward with the salesperson.
Even though you know your client’s financial situation, budget, and prospects, it is never a good idea to let them know what is and isn’t within their budget. A wrong sales stance can cost you a potential client and minimize your chances of making sales.
9. “I can guarantee this deal if we close today.”
Nobody likes a salesperson who is too pushy and manipulates the client to close the deal in the meeting. While this is good psychology to make sales, at the same time, it takes away the element of a customer-first approach from the sales pitch. It does not make the buyer feel prioritized and creates unnecessary pressure on their decision-making capabilities.
Sales agents should reduce the pressure and make customers feel they respect the time and process. This enables the client to make an informed decision and creates a sense of reliability toward the agent.
10. “I’m on off today!”
As a sales agent, you must address the customer’s needs when possible. You might take longer to respond at times or response the day after your week off, but blatantly telling your client that you are unavailable as it’s your week off creates the wrong impression.
Business runs even when you are on a week-off or holiday schedule; hence you must make your customers feel important and respond to their queries without excuses that could otherwise close your deal.
Pitch with confidence and acquire leads.
Selling something as tangible as insurance policies has challenges- hence, sales agents must prepare and stay relevant to acquire leads. Gone are the days of constant phone calls and pushes to make the client buy a policy- the entire sales model has changed with changing customer expectations.
Customer-first approach is the sales strategy that salespeople adopt to have fluid conversations with clients and acquire further leads daily. Incorporating the element of prioritizing the customer is essential to gaining their trust and providing a flexible buyer’s journey.
For more information on accentuating your sales pitch, read Asteya’s blogs and scale heights in your career as an insurance agent.
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