Confidence is the single most important factor in making sales. It’s not the prospect. It’s not the computerized printout. It’s not the interest rate or business conditions. It’s you the agent-the “key player’’-the person who assists the buyer in making the decision to act now. And how do you assist the buyer in this way? By being confident to make the prospect feel confident in what you are recommending.
Let’s face it-confidence is the fuel that powers persuasiveness. With-out it you do not sell; you just take orders. And where does confidence come from? It is the product of preparation and knowledge. To be sure there are myriad products you are selling today that are new and different-all the way from low-cost annual renewable term to vanishing-premium, universal, variable-life, and equity products. But the principles by which these plans are sold are still the age-old principles of consultative selling which are detailed in this chapter.
The ability to persuade and to close sales is still the most important factor in any agent’s career. The fundamental principle of the close is that you must be persuasive and tell your prospect that you want him or her to act now on your recommendation. If you hold back, if you are timid, if you are vague, you may have many pleasant interviews each week, but you will seldom have any sales. Even though you handle every other step of the selling process perfectly, your approach will flop unless you climax it with a persuasive presentation and strong closing actions.