"The Stall"......how do you deal with it?

[mickeyma]

It's almost always about the money, especially if you did a good job in your presentation of showing the benefits and answering the objections. I usually come right to the point and ask: "Is it about the money. You can't fit it into your budget right now?" They will almost always say yes. Another way to do this is to say: "There's usually one of two reason people need to think about this plan. The first one is need. Do you feel you need this or is there something else you've been thinking about?" If yes, "The second reason is money. Can you fit this into your budget now or will it stretch your budget a little." The last line gives the prospect a way out without embarrasing himself.

 

[Guest]

It's almost always about the money, especially if you did a good job in your presentation of showing the benefits and answering the objections. I usually come right to the point and ask: "Is it about the money. You can't fit it into your budget right now?" They will almost always say yes. Another way to do this is to say: "There's usually one of two reason people need to think about this plan. The first one is need. Do you feel you need this or is there something else you've been thinking about?" If yes, "The second reason is money. Can you fit this into your budget now or will it stretch your budget a little." The last line gives the prospect a way out without embarrasing himself.

I think many on the forum will agree that if you actually phrase things the way you have stated (highlighted in bold) then the client will likely feel embarrassed and pressured.

Also, it's not almost always about the money, that's an excuse that sales people use to deflect fault:

• Maybe they don't like you, something you said or did.
• Maybe they're unsure of the benefits.
• Maybe they don't know prices are regulated and think they can shop around.
• Maybe they're tactfully blowing you off.
• Maybe you gave them too many choices.
• Maybe they perceive a risk.
• Maybe it's a stall
• Maybe (as Somarco quotes) you didn't take away their pain.

All of these possible reasons are the fault of the salesperson, not the client.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Excellent, succinct post.

 

[J.R.]

Well put Rob. No offense to Mickey or anybody else, but consumers are becoming more and more educated and it's NEVER a good thing to allude to lack of finances UNLESS you perceive the person as having the personality type to understand that you are communicating vs. being critical.

I still hear the saying that you need 7 no's to get to a yes. In my opinion, if you ask somebody the SAME question 7 times you are using unwarranted pressure.

Wouldn't it be easier to simply rephrase things in a way so as to not offend the person and keep their pride in place. Read Question Based Selling and find their pain..If there isn't any pain.....create it!!!!

Most people are pissed off about the health care and health insurance fields and there is nothing wrong with capitalizing off of stupid carrier tricks (thanks Bob)....

 

[somarco]

You will never have to insult or embarass your client by asking a simple question up front.

What is the minimum you expect to pay for a quality plan?

If you ask the right questions up front you will always have the right answer when the time comes.

When you present a plan that fits their needs AND budget, they have no excuse not to buy.

That does not mean they will always buy from you, but at least you know there is something else they have not revealed.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

People do things for their own reasons, and in their own time.

Too much pressure and/or poor qualification leads to "stalls". It usually occurs when there are not sufficient prospects in the pipeline, and the agent is in a needy, desperate mindset.

If you are fortunate enough to have an abundance of prospects (something we could all use more of) you have the luxury of forgetting them when they stall, and moving on to the next one.

Case in point: I wrote an app this week on a realtor gal that had first contacted me and I had quoted back in January - 7 months ago. I've never chased, or even called her again. I did stay in touch via emails, etc.

If you become a nuisance (calling repeatedly to ask, "did you make up your mind yet?"), it'll send them back in to the market for an agent.

As Michael Jordan used to say, "Don't press, let the game come to you."

 

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

Question Based Selling and Selling to VITO are the two books I do recommend.

It's because the whole premise of the discussion is based around THEM, not you. You get to know their schedule, their needs, their wants, their misunderstandings, what they perceive to be fact.

In other words, the focus is off of you, the product, the carrier, the commission, the bonuses, all of that. What a concept.

In looking at the title of this Thread, "The Stall", it really isn't a stall at all. More of a schedule. If we first understand their schedule, we'll better know how to serve them.

I have a few contacts at the Ga. Dept. of Labor, and they schedule mock interviews for the interviewees. This helps them not sound canned, or rehearsed, or too slick. Employers know all those answers, and will weed people out immediately, if any of those responses are given.

I believe the same is true for sales. While we always hear of Mega, and UA drilling their new recruits on how to interview, it is not something that we carry on into our future years in sales, and that's a shame.

I tried, very unsuccessfully, many years ago to create a leads group, where we incorporate that into the meeting, thereby helping all the sales people in the room, no matter what their industry.



Didn't work.

That is something I'd like to see a CE class for.

 

[Expat]

QQQ SSS

Those are the golden letters, use them and you will not have any "Stall" or other B/S excuses.

QUALIFY
QUALIFY
QUALIFY


SIT
STILTUS
SIMPLEX.....aka KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID.

I would not even dream of running an appointment (on-line or in person) without adhering to this. In my time I have seen a lot of agents lose sales by not qualifying the prospect, and also by trying to air their extensive knowledge of the health insurance business. It does not make an agent look any better to the prospect, just bores and confuses him.
If your presentation is adequate, you will have foreseen any objections, brought them up, and dealt with them.
If you have done this properly, a close is not necessary, filling out the application is merely a logical extension of your presentation....also if you qualified them properly, they will have a checking account, and enough money in it.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

...and then qualify them again.