Selling with Belief

Why do you sell the products that you do? When you meet a prospective client, how do you see them?

Do you look at them and think, “Gee, I think he might need what I am selling. I hope he does.” When they raise and objection, do you think, “Oh well, guess I’ll try someone else.”

Or do you feel, “I’m happy I met this person. He needs me, he just doesn’t know it yet.”. When they raise an objection, do you feel, “Great! Another opportunity to prove how much he needs me!”

Most are of the former type. Very few are of the latter. Who do you think is more successful? Better yet, who do you want to be?

Ephemeral and permanent

What do you spend your time on? 

Do you spend your time focused on things that will change in the next year, month, day or shorter? Things like the market, the news, opinions of industry pundits and the momentary fears these things create in both you and your clients? 

Or do you focus on the things that will not change over a lifetime or beyond? Things like eventuality of birth, work, retirement and death and the needs these create? Processes that recognize the ephemera and keep short-term fears from guiding decisions, like diversification, rebalancing, and buying the right type and amount of insurance as early as you can? 

One choice leads to fear and uncertainty. The other leads to hope and calm for you and your clients. 

Choose wisely. 

Belief

You are an expert and designing and implementing financial plans. You use the best products to make the plans work for your clients.

And they still don’t buy. Why?

It is likely a question of belief – a question of the underlying ‘why’. And I am not talking about, “This policy provides tax-effective growth with unparalleled protection.” That is a ‘what’.

I am also not talking about, “We use a comprehensive process to design a unique financial plan.” That is a ‘how’.

People do things that ‘fit’ with their beliefs. What they believe dictates how they think, which in turn dictates how they act. It is not about you trying to figure out every client’s unique ‘why’. You have your own ‘why’, what you fundamentally believe to be true and important. Be true to your own why, start out by letting everyone you meet know about it, and you will begin to attract clients who share your why, clients who believe what your believe. After that, the how (the process you use to move from belief to logical thought), and the what (the tools you use to turn thought into reality) are easy.