Why we do this

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I am 43 and have been selling life insurance for about 7 years.I do not approach my natural market. Never have but I should.

About a year and a half into my career my best friend of ten years, damn near my sister, a woman who was a rock during some tough times, and undoubtoubly one of the coolest women I have ever met. We went to Costa Rica together, road tripped together, and spoke 3 to 4 times weekly. She kind of got to give the yeah or neah who I was dating and I her. We trusted each others judgement.
Then she got married. Yay. I was great with the guy, hell I was even the best man.
Then she approached me about life insurance. Being recently married into a home with 2 kids. I quoted them both a term policy for 250k with ABRs ( I know they should have had more) I did not follow up because I did not want to be salesy or pushy. They did not buy.

Forward about a year. She is having surgery to remove her appendix. She is 37. She calls me post surgery sobbing; she has colon cancer. It was discovered during a scan I presume.
Next:
Chemo: Remission
Came back
Divorce
Disability income only
Chemo Remission
Came back
Chemo No Remission, terminal

She died at age 40. Today was her birthday. I brought her some flowers to her grave. Cried a bit and told her I loved her and missed her. She would have been 42 today. I wish I could have done more.
 
I did not place it. It is my greatest career regret. And no worries. Thanks for reading.(edited for clarification)
 
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Sorry for your loss. I was lucky that in the 1st 6 months of my career 22 yrs ago I had the husband of a friend pass away. Luckily they had some group life & that it was in a car accident that involved great income replacement for 5 yrs in MI. But that incident changed my career.

From that point forward, I didn't wait until end of PC conversations to talk Life Ins, it happened 1st & several more times in appointments. But most of all, I went to all my natural market who I had avoided. Not because I wanted their business, but because I owed them and their loved ones the conversation. Instead of being there for the family with a casserole, a Facebook condolence with a link to a GoFundMe for funeral costs or a bucket at the gas station collecting for a funeral, I owed them the chance to get protected.

I knew I couldn't stand at the funeral home facing the families or seeing the spouse & kids in town in the future knowing their financial struggles. I also had seen how fewer & fewer consumers were getting life insurance conversations because there were so many fewer life agents & most PC agents who they talk to most often don't do much of any life insurance. PC agents were too busy for life unless their carrier required it in contracts, independent PC rarely do it, stock brokers avoid like the plague as it is too much work for too little pay.

Anyway, don't wait another minute. Get that message out to your natural market & tell her story every chance you get. Not for you to make sales or not for you to diminish her legacy of not buying. But to use her story knowing you don't want that legacy for other families. We all see the Facebook stories that put out to the world that a provider for the family had no life insurance and we need a GOFundMe for funeral. That is no one's wish for their final public legacy.

I created the attached letter 20+yrs ago & modified when I lost another close friend with young kids. Basically just tells the story, says I am in the business & would feel terrible if I didn't ask. Says I will make 1 & only 1 call to offer to help review. Most of my natural market stated they wondered why I had not approached them sooner.

Good luck and again, I am sorry for your loss
 
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My 56 yr old sister was sitting at a red light minding her own business when a 23 yr old kid going the opposite direction crossed over the lane and hit her head on at 85 mph shoving her car under a F150 with such force it created a 6 car collision - she had term I had sold her 14 yrs ago -she was a struggling single mother with no real assets or savings but had it on auto pay and her 20 yr old son will be safe because of it - never NOT bring up a term quote from-anything can happen at any time
 
At the least get a no. My first year I had two presentations that strung me along until they died uninsured. While it has happened since those first two taught me a lesson. I always felt I should have pushed harder but was very green and afraid of getting a no. It is better to get a no, then it is on them.
 
When I prepare quote I like to come in with at least $50,000 term already in my pocket something is better than nothing and I tell them about my sister because I already know their health issues before I sit down with them and I know what I can offer them so at least they have something affordable to consider
 
When I prepare quote I like to come in with at least $50,000 term already in my pocket something is better than nothing and I tell them about my sister because I already know their health issues before I sit down with them and I know what I can offer them so at least they have something affordable to consider

Sometimes making them a client first is best. Term is inventory. Kinda like having a full pantry.
 
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