A Task or a Tool?

I grew up in a home where each family member had an assigned list of daily chores. Maybe you had the same experience? I was one of four children and we all had our assigned responsibilities. Whether it was taking out the trash, cleaning my room, weeding the ground cover in the front yard or washing the cars on Saturday, there were always tasks to be accomplished.

We lived in a rural, country home in a sleepy little area of Southern California. Our home was surrounded by seven acres of land. As you might imagine, there was always something to be done. I remember a summer garden that demanded constant attention and various farm animals that needed to be fed and watered as well. Surrounding the home was a variety of fruit trees that provided a refreshing treat in the warm summer months. We had a private, quarter mile private road that led up to our home. Due to the size of the property, our evenings and weekends were often spent working on and around the property.

My parents tell the story that as a young child I would often hide from them on Saturday mornings, hoping to avoid the day’s line up of work projects. Clearly, the myriad of chores and other tasks were not something I was excited about. During the summer as a teenager, it was not uncommon to wake up and find a list of tasks on my bed covers. My Dad, having left early for the office, had left a list of important items for me to accomplish during the day. It was my charge to complete these tasks and then report my progress upon his return. I guess it goes without saying, but I had a far different vision of how I wanted to spend my lazy summer afternoons that he did.

I am not sure when it happen, but as I grew up I came to realize the importance of the seemingly endless supply of tasks that needed to be accomplished around our home. If the garden didn’t get watered the delicious squash and vine ripe tomatoes would never be relished. Without careful pruning, our fruit trees would not produce the apples, plums and beautiful peaches that graced our kitchen table. Of course, we couldn’t swim until the pool had been cleaned and unless the lawns were mowed, edged and planter beds weeded, hosting an evening BBQ was slim.

As an older teenager, I realized that a clean car was a fast car, so I never missed the chance to put another wax job on my latest weekend cruiser. It made the date to the movies all the more enjoyable. I began to see that all of these tasks were not really tasks at all, but helpful tools to bring about an array of enjoyable results in my life. I slowly shifted my attitude and perspective and began viewing them, not as a lengthy list of agonizing tasks, but as useful tools that could bring about pleasurable outcomes.

Suddenly the work wasn’t really work at all, but a chance to obtain a more satisfying result! When I began to shift my perspective from “task to tool” it was amazing how differently I began to view the work product in my life.

Think of all the tasks we engage each day in our professional careers, home life and in the communities we serve. It’s an amazing list of items, and yet how do most view the tasks in their lives? Consider the tremendous amount of time and effort to keep track and manage all of these pressing items. Some use simple scratch paper or post-it notes, others grease pencil scribbles on bathroom windows or for the more sophisticated we have personal electronic devices. Computers provide even more complexity with their sorting and categorizing of what matters most! But for most, the infamous yellow pad will do!

Why are we doing all this?

For what purpose do we engage all of these tasks anyway?

From my observation, most simply drone on each day with the same ole boring daily cadence and that familiar scowl that often says, “Oh, how I wish I were doing something else!” Very few have clear objectives and are often in conflict regarding the purpose and meaning for the tasks that seem to burden their lives. Most do not see the connection of how their open items relate to the big picture.

Professionally, I am a District Manager for a national insurance company. I have observed what seems to be an attitudinal disconnect with many agents between feeling forced to do a task, for example daily prospecting or marketing, with an understanding that these activities, if effectively executed, are the essential tools for producing an on-going stream of client appointments and presentations. Engaging clients is a key to practice growth and development. Without the former you do not have the latter! I have often inquired, "Are the prospecting activities begrudgingly checked off like the task to take out the trash, or are they gladly embraced tools, executed with the vision and belief that through their repetitive use, meaningful business goals can be achieved?"

I see this "task vs. tool" perspective struggle in other facets of our lives. My son Austin is an avid runner. That's him running to the left. He runs nearly 65 to 70 miles a week during cross country season. He wears out a pair of shoes every 45 days. As a high school senior and member of the varsity Cross Country and Track team, Austin runs what are called “two-a-days”. “Two a days” comprise an early 6am workout before school matched with a challenging 3pm practice after school. He is often exhausted when he returns home in the evening. I wonder sometimes how he makes it to Fridays.

Why would anyone put themselves through this exhausting and grueling process?

No one, unless of course a person had linked up the grueling schedule with a greater desire, dream or goal. A shift in attitude or perspective would be the key!

Here's the rest of the story! Austin is focused on shaving five seconds off his 800 meter time to be considered for a college athletic scholarship. He recently broke a 2002 school record for the 800 and ran the race, two times around the track, with a time of 1:59. If he can improve his time by just a few seconds, any Division One College in the country would be happy to have him. His objective is a chance to run track for his childhood dream school, Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Suddenly, with the end in mind, a BYU scholarship, a “two-a-day” mindset becomes a meaningful tool to an exciting, rewarding future rather than a meaningless, exhausting task!

The same concept can apply to other areas of our lives. Susan and I have worked to make evening family prayer a part of our routine with the kids. I grew up in a home where this practice was observed and it has blessed my life with an increased sense of meaning and accountability to a higher power. We have struggled to be consistent, but have always worked to make this a priority. I was reflecting a few days ago, “Has this been a spiritual task or a tool all these years?” There were days I probably saw it as a task, but as the kids have grown and I have seen them grow spiritually, I have realized the importance of this tool in bringing about a greater good.

So, I ask you some inquisitive questions,

• What do you want?
• What are you trying to accomplish and what ends are you trying to reach?What tools have you selected in your life to bring about these ends?
• Do you see them as meaningful tools or as begrudging tasks?
• Is an attitude adjustment or change in perspective in order?

As we pour through our endless list of tasks, let us choose wisely and select those tools that move us closer to our highest aims. As we lay hold onto an increased level of meaning and purpose in our lives and focus on what matters most, we will claim inner peace. Of this I am certain!

Down with tasks, up with tools!

Keep Watering and Fertilizing!

Have you ever questioned a marketing strategy a few weeks after its launch and wondered if it was going to pay off? Have you ever gotten 60 days into a new prospecting effort and questioned your original intent, re-thinking if you made the right decision? Maybe you have been visiting real estate or escrow offices, apartment complexes or commercial prospects each week and by the 4th week nothing seems to be happening.

You might even be spending time on the phone making outbound cold calls or mailing another 2,000 leads to likely prospects and wonder, “Is this going to work?” We all wonder when trying something new, if our efforts are likely to produce our desired results. It’s easy to question our action plan and even consider changing course, or stopping all together, when results are not immediate. These are the times when your resolve will be tested. It’s not a time to quit, but rather a time to press on!

My advice… Keep watering and fertilizing, the results will come!

I am reminded of a story that is applicable here, when my kids were a lot younger. About 7 years ago, in the spring of 2002 we decided to plant a garden of summer squash. On an early Saturday morning we worked to prepare the soil for planting. We cultivated, removed rocks and debris, worked in some fertilizer, and prepared to plant. We planted several varieties of squash and organized them by type with small stakes identifying their scientific names. We created basins around each plant to hold a good supply of water. Squash need a lot of water! We even placed stakes around the parameter of the garden to designate our special plot of ground.

I will never forget Annie’s excitement throughout the process. She was about seven years old at the time. Watching her reactions and comments during this experience was a real treat. The next morning Annie sprang up early and ran out the front door in her pajamas to our garden plot. Once there, with her hands on her knees, she peered into the small basins of soil expecting to see squash, but there was none. She looked and looked and looked, but nothing was there. With a disappointed look on her face, she slowly walked across the yard and back into the house. Peering out the kitchen window I watched her disappointed return.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Where’s the squash?” she inquired.

This was one of those moments a parent lives for, a chance to do some real teaching. So, we talked about sowing and reaping and the process required to yield an expected harvest later in the summer. We talked about the price and the prize and discussed her role in enjoying that delicious zucchini squash. She would be involved in the watering and the weeding as well as enjoying the harvest, but it all would take time. I remember her reaction being one of childlike acceptance, but also as if to say,

“This is a lot more complicated than I thought.”

Being halfway through this earthly experience, I can agree that life is a lot more complicated that I thought. It takes a lot more time, effort, and diligence than I ever imagined, especially in the areas of watering and fertilizing. I don’t care whether you are planting summer squash, raising a child or growing and agency; it takes hard work and diligent effort to see a worthwhile plan come together.

As you work at building your individual agencies, it is reasonable to be frustrated and to tire in well doing. Sometimes the watering and fertilizing can go on for days, months, or even years. Being committed to a consistent game plan is the key! Do not be deterred. Stay focused on what you are doing, keep your head down and the results will come! Have faith and it will come together. Overtime, as we water and fertilize we will find that our efforts will take root. Often, we will not know the timing or the moment of the harvest, but it will occur. Of this I am certain.

Enjoy the watering!

Four Important Gauges for 2009!

Feeling a little distracted with a myriad of priorities and pressures in your agency? January is behind us and you might wonder, “I just set some great 2009 goals and now with one month gone I am not sure I am off to a good start. In fact, I am feeling a little bit behind already! I feel like I am trying to do a thousand things. I need clarity in this turbulent environment of change and competing forces. Amidst all that is important, what and how should I focus on my targets?”

Okay, calm down a little bit… Let me see if I can help you sort this out!

Let me share another story from my time in the Philippines some 30 years ago. Towards the end of my two year missionary experience I had become acquainted with several people at Philippine Airlines. I can’t recall exactly how it happened, but through some people I was acquainted with, I got a chance to board a brand new Philippine Airlines 747 at the Manila International Airport. The plane had arrived from the United States a day or so before. It was so new there was still plastic on the seats and protective covering and runners down the aisle ways. It had not yet taken its maiden flight with passengers from the Philippines, and so they were making final preparations for its first flight from Manila. In short, it still had that “new car” smell!

Another missionary and I got a chance to board the plane and to check it out from nose to tail. In a post 9/11 era this would never have been allowed. Oh, how times have changed! The culmination of the tour was an opportunity to sit in the cock pit. What an incredible experience it was to sit in the control seat of such a large plane. It was a beautiful work of engineering. I was overwhelmed with the number of gauges, levers, toggle switches and indicator lights that made up the controls to this large aircraft. As I sat in the captain’s chair it seemed no matter where you looked you were shrouded in navigation equipment and controls. To your left, to your right and all across the ceiling lay dozens of indicators and switches of every kind. My mind wandered to the intense training and knowledge a pilot must have to safely fly and manage such a large aircraft. As I gazed out the front window, I wondered what it would be like to be at its control and to know just what to do to guide it from destination to destination.

Sitting at the main controls, you would view a very organized main dashboard with just a few gauges and dials. No doubt these gauges were the main indicators that guided, and controlled the aircraft. I haven’t ever been trained to fly an airplane, but I would imagine that although all of the other lights, switches and toggles were very important, the main stick and that main "eye level" cluster of gauges were probably the most critical. They were the ones that captured your immediate attention, and most likely the ones that needed to be monitored most frequently to insure a safe flight.

Over the last year and certainly at our last District Meeting you have learned a variety of helpful agency building tools that if implemented can have a positive impact on the growth of your agency. Amidst all of these ideas it is easy to reach a point of overload. All of these options, initiatives, strategies and counsel might seem rather overwhelming, similar to my feelings when sitting in the cockpit of that new 747. Like the dashboard of that huge aircraft, there are also important gauges and indicators to watch as you lead and guide your agency. It’s important that you pay attention to these gauges. Their observation can determine your the success of your course.

I am not referring to the online Farmers Dashboard that we all are quite accustomed. Quite frankly, there is so much information there that a lesson in simplicity is in order after logging off each day! I am referring to a personal set of business building gauges that can guide your agency. Focusing too broadly can result in frustration and falling short of your desired objectives, and yet if you zero in on just a few indicators you will find a greater sense of confidence, a calmer spirit, and measured progress towards your goals. As you monitor and carefully monitor these gauges you will obtain meaningful feedback as you chart an exciting course in 2009. I would recommend narrowing your focus to four specific, simple gauges this year.

What are these four key gauges?


Gauge Number 1: Understand Your Sales & Marketing Pipeline

A key to your success is understanding and driving an effective Sales & Marketing Pipeline. How is it flowing? Is it producing the results you desire? Your sales pipeline will always be predictable. A certain percentage of whatever you load in the top, will most assuredly trickle to the bottom. The key is whether you want a trickle or a rushing current! Spend some time developing your marketing sources and methods. Your sources are Lead Generation, Circle of Influences, Referrals, and Existing Policy Holders. The methods that are applied to these sources are Direct Mail, Face to Face, Event Marketing, or Telemarketing.

It is really quite simple, but you must spend time planning out what specific sources and methods you elect to use and how those strategies are reflected in your daily action plans. I find that most agents do not spend the necessary time in effective planning to ensure success. The old adage, “Plan your work and work your plan” is in order. These key sources and methods are the raw material that drive the resulting contacts, prospects, appointments, presentations and closed sales.

If you are not hitting the revenue goals you expect then work backwards in your Sales Pipeline and pin point where you need to increase or improve the quality of your activity. Remember, the goal is to “See enough people and to say the right things.” When you diagnose a resulting revenue short fall from your pipeline, the cause is either a lack of people (volume) or your what you are saying (verbal expression). If you need some assistance with a volume problem, ask for my Marketing Hook Worksheet which can help you develop an effective layer of sources and methods for your agency! As you drill down, using S.M.A.R.T. Goals, you will see an added measure of detail that, when implemented with a consistent work ethic, will yield impressive results.

If you need help with improving your verbal skills, immerse yourself in the Consultative Selling Approach. There is ample training on this topic at the University of Farmers as well as online or classroom District Reserve Business Builder modules. Sometimes just a change in langage and verbal posturing can mean a huge difference.


Gauge Number 2: New Business 3:2:1

Once your sales pipeline is set, the next gauge to watch is your effort to execute on your sales and marketing plans. Driving towards this goal each day with a measured, consistent and persistent cadence is critical to success. Activity means results, but it must be the right activity! A key mental target that can keep you focused is a concept called 3:2:1. What is 3:2:1 and what does it mean? Consider its simplicity!

- Every day book 3 client appointments for the future
- Every day hold 2 client appointments
- Every day close 1 client appointment

Making 3:2:1 a daily focus will keep you on track and will yield meaningful results! Because the average closed VIP client appointment yields 2-3 property & casualty policies and 1 life policy, consider the idea of closing just one VIP sale a day. Run the resulting gross written premium and commissions on your own calculator. You will be excited with what begins to happen! Consider wrapping your staff around the 3:2:1 concept as well. Set goals and hold them accountable! At the end of each day ask yourself “Did I follow 3:2:1 today?” If not, make the necessary adjustments to your schedule and priorities for the next day. Over time you will begin to hit your goals!


Gauge Number 3: Retention

As you drive new business growth through your efficient Sales & Marketing Pipeline and use 3:2:1, don’t forget to keep your eyes on the retention gauge of your agency. There are many tools to improve agency retention, but here are just a few:

- Sell the Farmers Way! Simply said, “Do VIP’s!” As you sell more lines of business per household your retention rate will go up. It’s a proven fact!
- Don’t just have your e-CMS Campaigns turned on, work the out-going direct mail with meaningful follow-up phone calls. They want to hear from you!
- Don’t just talk about being the agent who cares about his/her clients. Implement an effective Farmers Friendly Review program to show your clients that you care!


Gauge Number 4: The Why?

I have often asserted that we spend entirely too much time discussing the "How" and never enough time talking about the "Why!" Clearly the "How" of building a successful insurance agency and most vocational disciplines is well chronicled. The last three recommended gauges fall into the relm of "How?" Although vital, understanding the "How" is not the most important element to building a successful business.

By themselves, proven business building steps and techniques will not build anything. The "How" cannot and will never implement itself! It needs the energy and passion of a spirited entrepreneur to bring it to a reality. This energy and passion comes from a core motivation, a dream or desire that becomes the high octane fuel that propels the "How."

What is this high octane jet fuel? I call it the "Why!"

You must ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?" Once you have answered this question you must develop an emotional relationship with your "Why?" There are endless strategies and details for how to become a great agent. There is no possible way to implement or emulate even a small percentage of these methods. You simply must get in touch with the core motivations in your life and then learn to push those buttons, keeping the gauge pegged to the right throughout flight! There are many ideas and tactics to keep your "why" a strong source of will, but I will leave that insight for another post...

As you watch and monitor these four important gauges you will see a measured increase in your results. You will feel an increased sense of control and excitement. You will sense that if you simply remain consistent, your desired results will come over time. And finally, you will feel a calmness that if you remain diligent, all will be well!

Have a great flight!

Who is Watching You Play?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays - 2009!

Many years ago, I heard the story of a young man who played football at a Division III New England college. It's a great story that I have never forgotten... A freinds from GAMA, Herman Dixon and also an executive with State Farm, reminded me of this story a few weeks back... I have felt impressed to share it with you and have added some personal thoughts. The player had not been a "star performer" on the football team, but one that was visible at practices and participated though he never played enough during this first three years to win a varsity letter.

At the end of his junior year, the college hired a new coach. This coach set as a goal to win the conference championship and his focus became centered on those players who possessed the talent to bring this goal into reality. Though the coach spoke with this young athlete, he really did not take the time to effectively "know" the young man in completeness. As fall practice came forth and the opening games progressed, the coach often saw the young man with a distinguished man after the games, but never took the time to properly introduce himself or find out in detail any personal information other than it was the young man's father..

As the season progressed, the team won and placed itself in position to win the conference and thus advance to the playoffs for the first time in over twenty-years. The moment came with a late season game with the prior year's champion. The home event brought much excitement throughout the campus and the week's practice began with a demanding onslaught.

Late Monday evening, the coach heard a knock at his office door. Responding for the guest to enter, the young athlete with a look of despair in his face entered the room. The coach recognized the look and stopped his work to ask the young man what was wrong. The response came that the young man's father had died earlier in the day and he wanted to go home. The coach offered his sympathy and told the young man that his absence was fine. "Your family needs you son," replied the coach. "Go on home." The young man thanked the coach and then said something that caused the coach to pause. The young man said, "I will be back for the game coach, I will be back." The coach told the young man to not worry about that obligation and ushered him out of the office. He then went back to work on the game thinking how he should have done more. Soon, that thought was replaced by his focus on the game.

Friday came forth and as the coach worked in his office later that evening, another knock was heard. As he announced the visitor to enter, he was shocked at what he saw: the young athlete had returned. "I am back coach, just as I promised," spoke the young man. "Son," replied the coach, "You did not have to do this, your family needs you," the coach conveyed. "No coach, my place is here. My family agreed, "the young man quickly responded. "But, I do have one request. I want to play tomorrow coach, please", replied the young man. "I have been on this team for four years. I have never, never asked for anything. I am now asking that you allow me to play in tomorrow's game." The coach stared for what seemed like an eternity to him but only a few seconds in reality. As he thought in this mind: "Tomorrow is the biggest game of all. I have got to have the best players on the field at all times. I will risk it all if I let this kid play, but I feel so sorry for him…" "Ok son," came the coach's reply. "I will get you in the game tomorrow." The young man departed the coach's office and walked down the darkened hallway toward the exit way and into the night.

The rest of the evening the coach stressed on what he had promised. What a mistake he had made but he could not go back on his word. He finally resolved that he would put him on the kickoff team toward the outside and away from potential danger. He would have kept his word and he then could go on with the game.

Game time came. The crowd roared with excitement! The bands played the fight song and the team was motivated as it entered the playing field. After the coin toss and the team huddled around the coach for final instructions, the coach motioned to the young man that he was to be on the kick off team and where he was to be positioned. The young man took the field without a smile or thanks. His stoic face was focused on the field and the events it beheld.

The ball was kicked and with blistering speed the young man sped to the ball carrier hitting him with such force that he fumbled the ball and the young man quickly scooped it up and rambled into the end zone for a touchdown. The coach was shocked with what he saw. The young man's effort led the coach to play him in more situations in the game. When the game had ended, this young unheralded athlete had scored three touchdowns; made ten solo tackles; intercepted three passes; caused four fumbles. It was a game worthy of a historical recognition. The team won the championship handedly.

As the press surrounded the coach asking where this great "iron man" had been all year, the young athlete was nowhere to be found. Finally after the noise of the locker room had settled and the coach searched, he found the young man standing in a darkened corner of the locker room, his face with a smile and his stature symbolic of high self-esteem. "Son", said the coach, "Where did this come from? Why have you not given more during practice?" "I just can't believe it!" The young man looked the coach directly in the eye and replied, "Coach, you know that my father was always with me at the games and walked with me after the games." "Yes I know", replied the coach. "Well coach," replied the young man, "What you and many others did not know was my father was blind and today is the first game he ever got to see me play." "I wanted him to see me play as a champion."

Who is watching you play for the first time?

Are they seeing you play as a “champion” or are they watching a passive performance? Are you getting the benefit of the many valuable tools that Farmers and the broader industry has to offer? Are you developing as an industry leader? Are you stepping forward to investigate the broadened opportunities that are available all around you? Are you the leader within our organization that you need to be? Are you providing value to others in a manner and measure that will enhance your agency’s performance?

The final question becomes,

Will you step forward and play like a champion in 2009?

As you look to this next year, I challenge you to become a champion member of our team. Step out of your comfort zone. Set your personal fears aside and be a champion. You can do it! The possibilities are endless, especially during these turbulent times. That may seem like a conflicting statement, but it is true. Your prospects, contacts adn clients are looking for your direction and a relationship of trust. In a time of uncertainty, they are looking for a competent, caring professional to show them the way. They are looking for a person who can clearly articulate a message of self-reliance and preparedness. Will you be that champion? Of course you will…

Here are six simple action items to guide your efforts:

1. Set Audacious Goals - “Where there is no vision, the people perish!”
2. Surround Yourself With Other Champions - Avoid the turkeys and soar with the eagles!
3. Protect Your Attitude - This secret weapon will determine your altitude!
4. Make Professional Development a Priority - Knowledge is power, seek it!
5. Work Like It All Depends on You – Nothing can replace hard work!
6. Be Accountable - Make your word your bond!

Agency is a powerful thing. We all have it; the power or will to act, to exercise your personal will or not. You can either choose to make it happen or not! The ball is in your court. It’s your move... At the end of the day, when the lights fade and the crowd departs, the only one that knows is you and the truth.

Give it all you can and you will come to experience the indescribable taste of being a champion. You will earn the profound satisfaction of knowing that you did your best.

There can be no greater feeling!

Back to the Basics – The Five Principles of Selling

If you are in the midst of a struggle or trying to take one’s achievement to another level, harkening back to the basics is always a smart strategy. Let me share an experience I had as a teenager where I learned the importance of “going back to the basics.” It was such an impactful experience that while I was a missionary in the Philippines I remembered it and wrote it down. This is what I wrote back then.

In the Winter of 1976 I was preparing for the 1977 Yucaipa High School tennis season. I was a junior at the time and as you might imagine was hooked on tennis. I loved the sport and played it quite competitively for several years. In preparation for the coming season, I had the opportunity to attend a three-day tennis clinic conducted by Coach Verdieck, tennis coach of the University of Redlands tennis team. If you follow college ratings in Southern California you will know that University of Redlands holds their own against USC or UCLA in pre-season competition. Needless to say, they are quite a reputable team.

On the morning of the first day, I and 15 other high school players were seated in the bleachers to receive some instructions from Coach Verdieck. He went on to explain what the next three days would entail. He began by saying, “When my team gets down, or when we lose that important set, or when everything seems a little off and doesn’t seem to click just right, the next day at practice we do something totally different, we go back to the basics.” He continued, “I teach them how to hold the racquet and how to position themselves on the court all over again. We take a look at the forehand, backhand and volley and go over them step by step.”

At the time I thought, this guy was crazy. He was coaching practically professional players and was showing them how to hold the racquet, position themselves on the court and the fundamentals of how to hit the most basic strokes. As he dismissed us to the courts, he said, “And so today, that is what we are going to do; we are going back to the basics.”

At the beginning I was thinking, “I already know how to do all of that.” I was hoping for some deep strategy session or instruction how to hit that top spin ground stroke like Bjorn Borg or that two handed ripping backhand like Jimmy Connors. Maybe we would cover the secret hand signals of some of the top doubles players or the best way to throw a toss over the back of your left shoulder to make the ball hop on your serve.

No such luck, we were going back to the basics! I resisted at first, but then quickly realized that this guy had a much better track record than I did! He was Coach Verdieck of the University of Redlands! I was a young aspiring teenage high school tennis player from a small rather insignificant school. Needless to say, I changed my attitude and followed along. It was a great clinic!

Remembering this experience brings back a lot of memories, especially all of my time on the tennis court that I enjoyed as a youth. Those were great times!

Consider these key questions:

• Do you need to go back to the basics with respect to your agency success?
• Have you gotten a little rusty?
• Are your results not like they were years ago?
• Has the environment changed and you feel a little behind?
• Is your timing a little off?
• Are more of your shots going out than falling in?

Maybe it’s time you sharpen the saw and take a stroll “back to the basics!” I have selected one area that can yield true improvement if you will ponder its effectiveness and implement its simplicity!

The topic is: The Five Principles of Selling

The Five Principles of Selling are:

• Selling is not telling; selling is asking questions
• As often as you can, turn a statement into a question
• Sales is a transference of feelings
• Give them what they want
• Stop selling and start helping people buy

Selling is Not Telling; Selling is Asking Questions – Oh, this is so true! I hate to be too direct but, most of you talk too much! If you would simply ask more questions and listen for the answers you would yield so much more success. Often times it’s not the first question, but the 3rd and 4th that uncovers the true need or client objection. But asking follow-up questions requires true listening. Consider reflective as well as emphatic listening to improve your results. How can you effectively recommend proper coverage unless you have asked a series of effective questions to find out their true need? Never forget the question that starts with the word “why”. When they say they are interested in auto or home insurance ask, “why” and then drill down further asking three more questions to make sure you understand their core motivation! In short, guide the conversation with a series of questions and you will facilitate success!

As Often as You Can, Turn a Statement Into a Question – This is true in most everything you say or do in selling. You can either tell them by making a statement or you can ask questions to guide the same outcome. It might seem the same, but asking questions is much more powerful. This is true because asking questions transforms your prospect into the role of a student. As you guide the conversation with questions you begin to educate your client. Since learning can be fun and engaging, the student often becomes captivated by the process. As you guide the educational process they begin to draw their own conclusions. Because they are their conclusions, they own them! Simply put, quit making statements and start facilitating the learning process!

Sales is a Transference of Feelings – If you don’t believe this then go to the Mercedez Benz lot and sit in a brand new E or S Class. Smell the leather and new car aroma and tell me you don’t get a little excited! Okay, so you are not motivated, then do the new model home tour in your favorite location or stroll to the end of the Newport Beach pier with that special someone and tell me the environment doesn’t move you. The reality is we are all creatures of our feelings. The bottom line is this; people make decisions largely on emotion and then justify them logically. This is why telling a story in the selling process is such a valuable skill. A great agent once said, “Put people at the point of loss, before the loss occurs.” What does this mean? Tell a great story about that tragic car accident or potential house fire. Unfortunately, we all know these terrible events can occur. Help them experience it emotionally and they will make better decisions about their future.

Give Them What They Want - Do you know what your clients want? Most agents haven’t a clue because they haven’t spent enough time asking the right questions and getting to know their clients to find out. Most agents would say, “They want the cheapest price!” Oh really? In the absence of a value conversation you might be right. Studies suggest, however, that people want value and will pay for it if value is effectively communicated. Trust me, they want much more than price. They want a combination of price, service, coverage and a relationship. Find out what they want and then help them buy!

Stop Selling and Start Helping People Buy – As you genuinely get to know your clients and effectively build rapport, you will begin to understand their needs. As you do this, you will start to see the connection between their needs and the specific benefits of the Farmers products. Help them make this connection, through the process of asking questions and you will find that your clients will ask to buy!

Getting "Back to the Basics" in selling is much like the realization of learning how to hold the racquet all over again. I thought I knew the basics only to discover that I knew very little!

Enjoy the process of getting good at the basics!

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing!

I remember a counseling session many years ago with a business mentor of mine who at a time of personal frustration said to me,

“Mark, keep the main thing the main thing?”

Oh, how this has blessed my life in so many ways. There are so many things we can focus on and yet there are typically only a few things, when kept first, that can have the biggest impact on our lives. Of course as we look at the many roles we all play in our life’s journey (father, mother, husband, wife, provider, church leader, civic organizer, teacher, coach, etc…) there are many “main things” that we need to focus on. Sometimes keeping them lined up can get rather burdensome and confusing, but that is another post!

I want to spend a few moments talking with you about what I believe is the “main thing” on being an effective agent. To do this I need to share an important organizational behavior model I first learned at a BYU Alumni Conference in 2006. The model speaks to the issue of change, more specifically how to effectively change the behavior of individuals or groups to achieve worthwhile results.

I must tell you that the application of this model has made a dramatic difference to me personally and in my business life. I have shared it with several other people and it has caused them great insight as well. Consider the following. The model suggests that our results are determined by our behavior. Our behavior is determined by our beliefs and our beliefs are determined by our experiences. In the reverse it would look like the following. Our experiences determine our beliefs, our beliefs determine our behaviors and our behaviors determine our results. Maybe it would look something like this:

· Experiences > Beliefs > Behaviors > Results

Think of this for a few moments and challenge its simplicity and straightforwardness. Think of a result or set of results you have in your life and trace it back. I think you will find that your results thus far have been largely determined by your life experience. Think about the success in your own life. Have not your successful results come from a series of experiences which drove your beliefs about your efforts and your subsequent desire to succeed? Those beliefs drove certain behaviors which led to favorable results.

Now think of it this way. Leaders are constantly trying to reach some predetermined aim. In order to reach this target you generally need others to help achieve the goal. In order to reach this destination it will take a series of particular behaviors and results that are vertically aligned toward the target to accomplish the goal. In the process, you will find that your ability to facilitate change, in the context of marshalling the resources of others, will make all the difference. You will need people, human capital, to reach the finish line.

Throughout my business experience I have watched countless management teams across a variety of industry classifications fail to understand the power of this simple model. How effective would they be if they simply understood this model on change! They repeatedly attempt to change the results of an organization by attempting to change the behaviors of key team members and line staff.

They attempt to focus on behavior rather than focus at the experiential and subsequent belief level of the person or organization. To accomplish this they often use coercive means and tactics to reach their aim. It is quite common for executive and line managers to engage in manipulative tactics to change their results, because when you fail to focus at the lower levels of the change model (experiences) you are left with a dwindling tool box of effective tactics to get results.

I detest these methods. I have seen them up close and personal, which is probably why I am presently in my own enterprise where I have more control over my own culture. Their approach or management style, if you want to call it that, can be favorable in the short run, but over time since a positive experiential factor has not changed, the desired results often fall off and revert back to pre-manipulative levels. It’s a frustrating way to go if you want true long term change! In effect, the tactics do cultivate an experience, but it is so negative that true change is not sustained.

Consider this topic’s application to the building of a Farmers agency. So much of what we do is about relationships, is it not? The process of bringing new clients into your agencies requires a change of focus and attitude on the part of the insured. Why would they change? Why would they decide to come to your agency and leave their current relationship? Of course clients can change for a variety of reasons. Price, coverage, service and relationships covers the spectrum. But, their decision to change ultimately hinges on some sort of experience they will or will not have with you!

If they have a meaningful and value-added experience with you and your staff they will begin to form beliefs about what this new relationship might mean to them in the future. This experience must be aligned to their needs and they must see a pathway to achieving what’s important to them. But at the heart of their decision process is an experience. As their beliefs begin to form out of this new experience you have provided, their related behavior and results will follow.

I see this play out over and over again… And so, the question that begs an answer is,

“What kind of experience are you providing your immediate and potential clients?”

“Is it an experience that draws them to you or drives them away?”

This is a serious question that demands careful attention!

You are either providing a nurturing, growing, attractive, professional, service-oriented experience with those you touch or you are not! You are either providing a positive, encouraging, consultative environment or you are not! Consider your physical office environment as well… This is a whole other topic that emits an experience to those you encounter. Consider your personal dress and grooming! You can see how the concept of examining what type of experience you are presenting can be far reaching and yet central to your growth!

This is a fascinating topic to me as I see it all around me in most everything I do. I see it in the world of business, parenting, and sports and in my service relationships. More importantly, however, I see it in our individual lives and with those we interact. The challenge is that it is more difficult to work at the experiential level rather than trying to use other manipulative means to change one’s results. I guess we could yell, scream and pout to get our way and in the short run that often works. Conversely, effecting long term change takes more thought, energy and creativity, and it requires one to truly connect with the person he or she is working with. Accordingly, most take the easy way out and are simply not willing to put in the work.

The work comes when we understand that the key to emitting a change driven experience with others is rooted in the personal soft skills that we exemplify. Our soft skills make up of the following abilities:

- Your ability to effectively articulate our thoughts and opinions
- Your ability to practice reflective and emphatic listening skills
- Your ability to managing our body language and physical presence
- Your ability to understanding social and learning styles
- Your ability to communicate and effectively manage conflict

In our techno-savvy world there is a demand for these important skills and maybe a heightened need to shine in these areas. As you provide a better experience for those around you, you will become an attractive magnet that the best will flock to. It will be a feeling that others will detect. It will be a value added aura that you impart. Be the person and you will become what you dream! Never forget the connection between the following:

· Experiences > Beliefs > Behaviors > Results

Focus on the experiential component of life and you will change your results. There is no doubt that this is the “main thing” in building a vibrant agency!

Reasons People Change

Have you ever wondered why people change from one agency to another or from one insurance company to another? It is really quite simple. There are only a few reasons people switch. Use your experience to compare against this list. They are as follows:

1. To receive better coverage
2. To receive better service
3. To pay lower premiums
4. To enjoy a better relationship

If this is true and it is, then wouldn’t it be safe to also conclude that the same reason a person uses for changing is probably the same reason he uses to buy from someone else? Of course! If you knew what a particular person’s reason was how much of an advantage would you have in helping him or her get what they want?

Huge!

So then, isn’t the goal to find out what people want? How do we do this? How about we ask! Could it be that simple? It most certainly is! Consider asking the following questions to determine what’s important to your client. Depending on their answers, you can then conclude what is important to them. Its been my experience that people make decisions based on what’s important to them. If clients are indifferent or lack passion in their responses, switch to a different area of questions. For example, if they seem indifferent to changing based on coverage, switch to questions to reflect their desire for a relationships and so forth. It only takes 2-3 questions to begin to conclude what a person considers most important.

The problem with most of us is that we talk to much. We might ask one question but then we either fail to listen or to ask more probing questions to truly understand. So, take a chill pill and begin to ask better questions like the following:

1. To receive better coverage…..
- What concerns you most about your current insurance plan?
- If you got in an accident and it was your fault and you got sued, do you have enough coverage?
- When was the last time you had a detailed coverage review with your agent?

2. To receive better service……
- When was the last time your agent visited you?
- What do you think makes for a good insurance agent? How does your agent measure up to this standard?
- The last time you called your agent was he prompt in getting back to you?

3. To pay a lower premium…..
- Are you willing to sacrifice protection and peace of mind for a lower price?
- How much lower does it need to be from what you are currently paying?
- Price aside, in what other areas might I be able to assist you?

4. To enjoy a better relationship…..
- When you left your last agent, what was the reason? How has your current agent lived up to that reason?
- All things being equal, what must I do to make you feel comfortable in changing your current agent relationship?
- How often do you and your agent get together?

Again, recognize that people change agencies or companies for a reason. They also buy for a reason. If we had a better understanding of these reasons we might be able to meet their needs better. By using the right questions you might learn just what you need to meet or exceed their expectations.

As you ask open, probing questions you will be surprised what you will learn. Don’t just be satisfied with the first answer, drill deeper to really understand their thinking. Don’t be so anxious to conclude, but rather use clarifying questions to truly understand their intentions and motives. The F.O.R.E acronym is such a great tool in this regard… Oh, but that’s another blog!

Seek first to understand and then you will be understood!