Fact Finder Vs. Flip Chart FE Presentation...

[kwamster]

Most of the truly successful agents I have known over the years use some type of "canned" presentation... Some don't even realize that they do it.

In the case of the FE producers, the "presentation book" or the "flip chart" is simply a way to keep the interview on track leading in a logical order from fact finding to establishing a need to offering a solution to closing the sale. I have used presentation books over the years and have never found them so inflexible that they can't be adapted to different types of prospects. However, I am there to make a final expense sale and therefore the presentation is geared to that aspect of the business.. it focuses on what they want to happen in the event of their death.. Burial expenses paid, final medical expenses, etc. along with are there any charities of relatives they want to leave a legacy gift. I am not there trying to find out about their health insurance, car insurance. As far as finding out why they sent the card in, that is part of the warm up and is handled before you even open the "flip chart".. JD is a "pro" when it comes to asking about the "why"..

BTW.. I am a salesman..Don't know why everybody wants to known as an advisor.. An advisor is paid a fee.. I don't get paid unless I sell.

"What do you consider successful" - 4...6...12 sales per week and if so, how many presentations do these agents have to give in order to obtain those numbers?

Presentation books and coming off as "canned" can get you a few sales here and there, but you will have to work a lot harder and you usually won't close nearly as many cases as you could have, unless of course, you are able to adapt and adjust your presentation.

The problem is, however, that a lot of new agents are not taught this skill and instead are just taught to go through the script in an almost robotic fashion ("selling").

In regards to me saying that I'm not a big fan of coming across like a "salesman", I'm actually talking about the way that people perceive you.

Do they see you as somebody who's just there to sell them a policy and make a quick buck, or do they see you as somebody who's actually cares about them, and who's there to listen, provide valuable information and provide a solution to their problem(s) based on their individual needs and situation.

When people feel that they are "being sold" they tend to resist, even if they need and want the product that you are selling (unless they are a "lay down sale").

"People love to buy, but hate to be sold"!
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kwammy kid........

no presentation will sell the policy, THE AGENT SELLS THE POLICY.

A presentation will help, get your facts straight

Once again please read the ENTIRE ORIGINAL post, before leveling your criticism.

I never said anywhere in this thread that the "presentation sells the policy" or that the "agent doesn't sell the policy". What I essentially said was, that the presentation is just a tool used to discover or uncover the prospect's true problem, which then allows you to offer the solution to that problem in the proper fashion.

However, if you are using the wrong presentation or tool (presentation book/flip chart etc.), you will more than likely miss out on a lot of sales, (especially "newbies") because most of these presentations don't concentrate on building a relationship with the prospect by "asking questions" and "listening".

They are usually designed to "talk at" the prospect while they just sit there and listen to you. As a result, at the end of the presentation, you usually just get a "I have to think about it", "talk to my son/ daughter etc, or "I need to check my budget", which are nothing more than excuses.

For example, if a person already has a $50,000 whole life insurance policy, will talking about the high cost of final expenses, possible medical bills etc. really move them to purchase a final expense policy - The answer is probably not!

However, if you find out through conducting a "fact finder" that "Mary" was really thinking about leaving money to her granddaughter "Susie" to help pay for college.

You could briefly start up a discussion with her regarding her granddaughter (her grades, the college she wishes to attend, what she wants to major in etc.), and then ask her if she's aware of how much college currently cost, how much she currently have saved up, the cost of an average four year degree program etc.?...

Now that the problem has been created, you could now ask the question: "Mary If you were to die today, how would Susie get the $40,000 she needs to go to Florida State University"?

The above would be followed by the solution!..."Well Mary, let me show you a couple of different plans that we have available that can be used to cover your final expenses, that way if you were to pass, you will be able to leave the entire $50,000 policy that you already have with Met life to Susie to help her pay for college".

 

[rousemark]

"What do you consider successful" - 4...6...12 sales per week and if so, how many presentations do these agents have to give in order to obtain those numbers?

Presentation books and coming off as "canned" can get you a few sales here and there, but you will have to work a lot harder and you usually won't close nearly as many cases as you could have, unless of course, you are able to adapt and adjust your presentation.

The problem is, however, that a lot of new agents are not taught this skill and instead are just taught to go through the script in an almost robotic fashion ("selling").

In regards to me saying that I'm not a big fan of coming across like a "salesman", I'm actually talking about the way that people perceive you.

Do they see you as somebody who's just there to sell them a policy and make a quick buck, or do they see you as somebody who's actually cares about them, and who's there to listen, provide valuable information and provide a solution to their problem(s) based on their individual needs and situation.

When people feel that they are "being sold" they tend to resist, even if they need and want the product that you are selling (unless they are a "lay down sale").

"People love to buy, but hate to be sold"!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Once again please read the ENTIRE ORIGINAL post, before leveling your criticism.

I never said anywhere in this thread that the "presentation sells the policy" or that the "agent doesn't sell the policy". What I essentially said was, that the presentation is just a tool used to discover or uncover the prospect's true problem, which then allows you to offer the solution to that problem in the proper fashion.

However, if you are using the wrong presentation or tool (presentation book/flip chart etc.), you will more than likely miss out on a lot of sales, (especially "newbies") because most of these presentations don't concentrate on building a relationship with the prospect by "asking questions" and "listening".

They are usually designed to "talk at" the prospect while they just sit there and listen to you. As a result, at the end of the presentation, you usually just get a "I have to think about it", "talk to my son/ daughter etc, or "I need to check my budget", which are nothing more than excuses.

For example, if a person already has a $50,000 whole life insurance policy, will talking about the high cost of final expenses, possible medical bills etc. really move them to purchase a final expense policy - The answer is probably not!

However, if you find out through conducting a "fact finder" that "Mary" was really thinking about leaving money to her granddaughter "Susie" to help pay for college.

You could briefly start up a discussion with her regarding her granddaughter (her grades, the college she wishes to attend, what she wants to major in etc.), and then ask her if she's aware of how much college currently cost, how much she currently have saved up, the cost of an average four year degree program etc.?...

Now that the problem has been created, you could now ask the question: "Mary If you were to die today, how would Susie get the $40,000 she needs to go to Florida State University"?

The above would be followed by the solution!..."Well Mary, let me show you a couple of different plans that we have available that can be used to cover your final expenses, that way if you were to pass, you will be able to leave the entire $50,000 policy that you already have with Met life to Susie to help her pay for college".

You read little better than what you accuse RBA of doing.. I said a good "script" will include a "fact finder".... Not everybody is going to be an FE prospect and once you determine that, you would not pull out your FE script.

However, in the case of "Mary" you have just used a "script" that apparently you have used in that situation before. As, I said , I see agents using scripts all the time and they don't even realize they use them. Once Mary agrees, it is time to use the presentation book which is nothing more than a presentation that illustrates the cost of dying and then shows insurance as a solution to the problem. If you are not using some type of visual to illustrate those expenses, you aren't closing as many as you should.

As far as a script sounding "canned", I can guarantee you I can deliver word for word a middle market general needs script (Have You made Your Fortune) that I learned in 1971 and it will sound totally conversational.

When I talk about successful agents using scripts, I am not just speaking of FE agents but the Ben Feldman's of the industry.

BTW, in the case of "Mary" and others that have a "large" policy in force, I always mention that when death occurs the first thing the funeral home is going to ask for is either cash or an insurance policy. "You really don't want your family to have to take your $50K policy to the funeral home for assignment. It is none of their business how much money you leave your family." (Yep, that is a "scripted" response.)

 

[kwamster]

You read little better than what you accuse RBA of doing.. I said a good "script" will include a "fact finder".... Not everybody is going to be an FE prospect and once you determine that, you would not pull out your FE script.

However, in the case of "Mary" you have just used a "script" that apparently you have used in that situation before. As, I said , I see agents using scripts all the time and they don't even realize they use them. Once Mary agrees, it is time to use the presentation book which is nothing more than a presentation that illustrates the cost of dying and then shows insurance as a solution to the problem. If you are not using some type of visual to illustrate those expenses, you aren't closing as many as you should.

As far as a script sounding "canned", I can guarantee you I can deliver word for word a middle market general needs script (Have You made Your Fortune) that I learned in 1971 and it will sound totally conversational.

When I talk about successful agents using scripts, I am not just speaking of FE agents but the Ben Feldman's of the industry.

BTW, in the case of "Mary" and others that have a "large" policy in force, I always mention that when death occurs the first thing the funeral home is going to ask for is either cash or an insurance policy. "You really don't want your family to have to take your $50K policy to the funeral home for assignment. It is none of their business how much money you leave your family." (Yep, that is a "scripted" response.)

Good points and well taken!

The only point that I was really trying to make is that you have to use a presentation that allows you to be able to identify a person's "hot buttons" and "push those hot buttons", so that you will be able to offer a solution to their problem(s).

 

[Stephen]

I just thought I'd start this thread to start what I feel is a much needed discussion, on why a lot of final expense agents are not closing as many sales as they ought to be ...

I actually think that the "flip chart" (presentation book) style FE presentations that a lot of agents use, are actually a big part of the problem when it comes to agents "missing out" on a lot of sales.

The reason why I say this is because most of them have a "one size fits all" approach, which doesn't really allow the agent to have a relaxed and "natural" style conversation with the prospect, in which he or she is able to probe and ask the proper questions in order to discover and agitate or "push" a prospect's "hot button(s)"

"Did the prospects just lose a loved one who had little or no insurance coverage", "do they already have adequate life insurance in place", "have they already paid for their funeral and burial expenses in advance", "are they looking to provide money to a spouse for "income replacement" or do they just want to leave some extra money to their children or grandchildren.

Without having a conversation with prospects and conducting a proper fact finder, you will never really know what their true problems or "hot buttons" are and how to properly tailor your presentation to not only address those problems, but to also effectively agitate and provide the proper solutions to those problems.

Also, I'm just a big proponent of not coming across as trying to "sell" the prospect on something and I think that most of the flip chart style FE presentations comes across as being kind of "canned", which puts the prospect on the defensive.

The only purpose of any insurance presentation should be to properly identify, agitate and provide a solution to a prospect's problem and I feel that can not be accomplished with the vast majority of Flip chart style FE presentations.

What do you guys think?...

My answer is BOTH. I agree that you must gather information and find the problem.

First things first, we discover the "WHY" (are you concerned, to secure property debt, leave seed money, or Funeral and Burial costs?)

During the warm up we have already discovered the "WHO" (would be adversely effected when you pass away)

And then we discover the "WHAT" (do you qualify for, may I please look at your medications?)

After I know everything that I need to know, and have calculated their rates, I use my "canned" presentation to make sure that my prospect feels well informed about the decision that they are going to make.

It also builds anticipation because they have seen me fill out the rate sheet, and are almost ready to snatch it out of my hand before I even start visual portion of the event.

After the flip chart bit, the only thing left to do is to pick out a plan.

And one more thing about things "sounding canned". If something sounds canned, it is not canned. By definition, having something "in the can" means that you know it, believe it, and sound natural saying it every single time.

 

[rousemark]

My answer is BOTH. I agree that you must gather information and find the problem.

First things first, we discover the "WHY" (are you concerned, to secure property debt, leave seed money, or Funeral and Burial costs?)

During the warm up we have already discovered the "WHO" (would be adversely effected when you pass away)

And then we discover the "WHAT" (do you qualify for, may I please look at your medications?)

After I know everything that I need to know, and have calculated their rates, I use my "canned" presentation to make sure that my prospect feels well informed about the decision that they are going to make.

It also builds anticipation because they have seen me fill out the rate sheet, and are almost ready to snatch it out of my hand before I even start visual portion of the event.

After the flip chart bit, the only thing left to do is to pick out a plan.

And one more thing about things "sounding canned". If something sounds canned, it is not canned. By definition, having something "in the can" means that you know it, believe it, and sound natural saying it every single time.

I agree. .

 

[kwamster]

My answer is BOTH. I agree that you must gather information and find the problem.

First things first, we discover the "WHY" (are you concerned, to secure property debt, leave seed money, or Funeral and Burial costs?)

During the warm up we have already discovered the "WHO" (would be adversely effected when you pass away)

And then we discover the "WHAT" (do you qualify for, may I please look at your medications?)

After I know everything that I need to know, and have calculated their rates, I use my "canned" presentation to make sure that my prospect feels well informed about the decision that they are going to make.

It also builds anticipation because they have seen me fill out the rate sheet, and are almost ready to snatch it out of my hand before I even start visual portion of the event.

After the flip chart bit, the only thing left to do is to pick out a plan.

And one more thing about things "sounding canned". If something sounds canned, it is not canned. By definition, having something "in the can" means that you know it, believe it, and sound natural saying it every single time.

You make some valid points, but keep in mind that you are an experienced agent. A lot of new agents and some rookies for that matter, don't know or haven't been taught to merge or incorporate both into their presentation.

 

[Guest]

Kwammy, how long you been an agent??????????

 

[Stephen]

You make some valid points, but keep in mind that you are an experienced agent. A lot of new agents and some rookies for that matter, don't know or haven't been taught to merge or incorporate both into their presentation.

I agree, many new agents do not know or have not been taught how to make a complete presentation. But poor training is not what we are talking about.

During the low point of my career when I was managing new FE agents, the ones that chose not to use the presentation book would do an entirely too long or too short warm up, talk about how expensive funerals are, mention whatever high notes that they could remember, and then give their prospect a rate sheet.

It was sloppy, inconsistent, and only the lay downs were sold.

Using a presentation book helps new agents cut their playbook in half. They only have to remember to find out: F.O.R.M., WHY, WHO, and WHAT, and then get to the presentation book and close.

In addition to helping the agent be more thorough, a presentation book also shows your prospect IN WRITING:

The avg cost of a funeral
Itemized expenses
Possible additional Final Expenses
That rates never go up
That benefits never go down
That benefits begin immediately
That benefits are paid tax free

I never ran an appointment with a newer agent that could remember half of these things without a visual aid, because "they didn't want to be to salesy".

 

[Jake07712]

I've never seen an FE flip chart, but I love visuals. I've always felt that since they involve the prospect, they add interest and credibility to any presentation. (I'd really like to see what rousemark is using, so maybe I can 'borrow'some ideas.)

 

[rousemark]

I've never seen an FE flip chart, but I love visuals. I've always felt that since they involve the prospect, they add interest and credibility to any presentation. (I'd really like to see what rousemark is using, so maybe I can 'borrow'some ideas.)

Have one I use for FE and one I use for Cancer that I designed and adapted from other presentations.

I copied them onto heavy card stock and then put them in clear three ring page protectors to use in the presentation book. If you can use either of them, you are welcome to it.