Daily Archives: July 10, 2012

An interesting sales training technique.

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A friend of mine has been in the car business all her life. As a teen, then a showroom manager and, finally an owner. The economy and “the life” caused her to change careers recently. She is now selling insurance for a large company.  Once a salesperson, always a salesperson I guess.  She passed her insurance tests, learned the products and services, contacted a lot of friends and rolodex contacts and is now onto what she believes a demeaning chapter in this job evolution.  She goes to malls, sets up a table, blows up balloons and fingerprints children as a service to parents. “May I have a smaller balloon… and this time yellow? And can you make it so my hair stands up?”

I’m sure she is going through the 5 stages of grief.

I’m not sure how common mall sales training lessona are in the insurance business, but with the right mindset, I bet it’s great a learning ground. You have to engage customers who otherwise don’t want to be engaged, for starters.  Then you must undertake meaningful conversation about something about which customer cares deeply — their child.  Then introduce a negative concept into the selling process…child danger. And then talk about mortality on the off chance someone might be ready to buy life insurance.  “Balloon anyone?”

If you can learn from all this activity, even if you don’t sell a policy, I bet you will emerge a stronger sales person. Peace!