Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter September 2009 Issue 45
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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
Copyright 2009 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this September 2009 issue:
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Coming this fall! My new book and
audio - Great Service Sells – How CSRs Turn Service into Sales.
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1. Thoughts from the road
“What does it cost you to be nice?”
That thought is one of my mother’s many wise beliefs and has been imparted to me
on numerous occasions. So when I heard an XM Public Radio interview with British
author Adam Phillips about his book (co-authored with Barbara Taylor)
On Kindness, I listened with great
interest.
Adam Phillips is a psychoanalyst and Barbara Taylor a historian, making an
interesting team to explore the topic as to why kindness is in such short
supply. Kindness is defined as the ability of seeing and bearing the
vulnerability of others. Contrary to my mother’s sentiment, Mr. Phillips
explained that for many people there is a cost to being nice. It can be
construed as weak, un-macho behavior; being nice can leave you open to be taken
advantage of (giving money to the street person who actually has a home); or
it’s thought that the recipient is undeserving of having kind behavior bestowed
upon him (the pushy or rude driver who blocks the intersection).
While many withhold being nice because of its perceived cost, there is a great
argument for its virtue. Being kind to others feels good and can lead to
personal happiness and communal well-being. Demonstrating real kindness “is a
way of knowing people beyond understanding them.”
For those that do believe there is a cost to being nice, here’s more direct
advice. When given a choice of being right or kind, choose kind.
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It’s easier to give good customer
service now, than handle complaints later. EH
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2. Thoughts from the office
Clear clutter for clarity
Feeling overwhelmed, boxed in, unfinished, piled up, messy or stressed?
Many people needn’t look any further than their personal space to
pinpoint a key reason for these energy-draining emotions.
Even though excess stuff accumulates over time, it may only take an hour or two
to undo the disorder and confusion.
Gain vitality, clarity of thought, purposeful focus, and a lighter attitude by
taking charge of the energy in your workspace.
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The Energizer Minute
This month, tune in to hear Create Career
Security, which offers ideas to enhance your long-term prospects in the
workplace. Go to the
www.sellingstrategies.com home
page and click on the Energizer Minute.
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3. Emily’s mailbag
Personal lines growth strategy
Dear Emily,
I’m the personal lines manager at a small town, main street agency. We don’t
have a full time personal lines producer and struggle with ways to bring new
customers to the agency. Any suggestions?
Sincerely,
Personally Challenged
Dear PC,
There are opportunities right in your office!
As opposed to the direct response companies who mainly sell only one line
of business through the Internet or national call centers, you are housed in the
community as a one-stop shop for all personal lines coverages. Your personal
lines in-house agents can join forces with your agency’s business insurance
producers and create an enormous sales opportunity.
Conduct complimentary personal lines lunch and learn seminars at the worksites
of your commercial lines and benefits clients. Suggest that employees bring
their personal lines policies in for a no-cost account review.
Begin with a brief fifteen-minute talk such as, “Will Your Next Claim Be
Covered?” citing examples of how bad advice, reduced coverage, decreased limits,
increased deductibles, etc. play out at claim time. As soon as someone shouts
out, “I didn’t know that!” you have their attention!
Have a question and answer period for 15 minutes.
Ask people to sign up for 15-minute one-on-one meetings that immediately follow.
If a review will take longer, schedule it in your office or at their worksite
for another time.
What a winning strategy this is!
You are taking care of a business insured who seeks to add ways to help his
employees; their employee receives accurate personal insurance information; and
you’re providing one-stop, local, personalized service.
Happy selling! Emily
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What people are buying from Selling Strategies to help their people and grow
their business.
Success Strategies for Women
– a CSR audio seminar
Handle Sales Objections
– a CSR and producer audio seminar
How to Compete with Direct Writers
– a Personal Lines agent seminar
How to Create a Sales and Marketing Plan
– a producer self-guided program with workbook
Go to www.sellingstrategies.com
for information and to purchase.
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On the road in 2009
Here are my currently scheduled public speaking engagements and conferences:
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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily
Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact
emily@sellingstrategies.com.
© 2009 Emily Huling. All rights reserved. Feel free to share our newsletter if
copyright and credit are always included.