If you're a new producer you're all hyped up about how you're going to earn over $100,000 this year. You know almost nothing about what you're selling. And, you don't have a clue who you're going to sell it to beyond your list of 100.

If you do what the insurance industry tells you to do industry statistics indicate you're doomed. The average new producer might sell $20,000 in year one and about half-way through year two they realize they're up a creek without a paddle. So if you want to earn that $100,000 you have visions of, realize now you aren't likely to do it doing what you're told to do.

Your district sales manager doesn't have a clue how to actually help you produce results other than to tell you to do stupid things like make more cold calls. You'd be shocked to learn how much insurance some of the top producers are actually selling, and not in a positive way. And beyond helping you get your license you're on your own.

I know this is probably like a slap in the face for some of you, and some of you may think I don't know what I'm talking about. I shouldn't know what I'm talking about either because I've never sold or even attempted to sell insurance in my life. Unfortunately, I've learned these harsh facts through my clients. And LIMRA provides the solid data that validates that these are the facts.

Actually this is all good news for you because you don't have to make the mistakes that will cause you to fail out of the business in less than two years like at least 85% of the new agents entering the business. You can use your resources wisely, and develop a solid business from the start rather than trying to make a failing business survive. There's a very simple reason the current industry practices don't work.

You and the insurance company you work with have different objectives. In a sense the insurance company is no different than a manufacturer the main concern for both is selling more widgets. The insurance industries widgets are policies, but all they care about is selling more policies and collecting more premiums.

Their focus is product, product, product. The big problem is your clients don't care about products. They care about problems, results, and outcomes. And they don't want to buy products.

So the industry trains you to go out and talk product speak following the pitch they force you to memorize, and you fall flat on your face. Why? This is supposed to be a killer pitch that people absolutely can't resist.

You and your prospect are talking completely different languages and, not only don't they care what you're saying, they don't want to care. You can't win. You're doomed before you ever start.

You have the exact same problem the poor dude trying to sell Amway has. The Amway company is all about selling boxes of soap. The Amway dude bought into the idea of having their own business. And the customer thinks they can buy soap anywhere anytime, and they aren't interested in buying soap especially expensive soap sold door to door.

I hope you see the direct analogy because even though you may think what you're doing is so much more valuable than selling soap it isn't to the people you're trying to sell to. They can buy insurance anywhere anytime. They don't need to buy it from you. They've never once woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat wondering how they're going to make it until morning when they can go out and buy insurance.

So here's the first thing you should do. Make it your number one priority. Pick one and only one very specific group of people you're going to sell to. Don't shrug that off because it's the key to your success.

Don't make this choice lightly either. Consider how many people there are like that in your market. Only choose groups where you have opportunities to connect with them. Otherwise you won't exist in their world.

The next most important thing for you to do is find out the three most important things they already want, and are actively looking for a solution to.

Knowing the intricate details of policies isn't important it won't make you any money and you can't do anything with that knowledge until you have someone to sell to, and a clear reason why they need you. Then and only then are policies and policy details important.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Clausen

Why should you be selling more insurance now in spite of all the bum news outside your control? You should be selling more now exactly because of all those things that are outside of your control, and outside of your prospect's and client's control. People are people.

Even during the great depression people still fell in love and got married, had children, had medical needs, and died. When you can help people do these things well, when you can make those things easier you have opportunities. You have better opportunities now because of the very things that everyone is talking about.

The first step to selling more insurance is talking about what you can do for people not talking to them in terms of insurance products. Rather you must be talking about the outcomes people want in terms of the things your prospects are already talking about. You want to focus on an existing desire you don't want to try and create a desire where one doesn't already exist.

Use high gas prices and concern for the environment to your advantage. Make it easier for prospects and clients to do business with you without either of you having to drive to do it. How can you change the way you do business to better serve your clients?

Taxes are something everyone worries about. Nearly everyone feels their tax burden is greater than it should be. Is there a way for you to provide a tax reduction along with the outcome your prospects want?

Young adults will still attend college. The elderly who can't take care of their daily activities for living will still go to nursing homes. What can you do to minimize these costs? What can you do to protect assets?

There are still people with large amounts of liquid assets. Do you have high-yielding alternatives? Do those alternatives decrease taxes? Do those alternatives provide for a stable retirement income?

You know what happens when people get scared? They have a strong desire to regain control of their future. One of the ways they seek to regain this control is through education.

That opens the door for you to provide that education. When you become the source of knowledge rather than a sales person you put yourself in a position to sell more insurance with less effort than you've probably ever experienced.

Some of the people in your market are facing home foreclosures. Can you reduce the financial damage?

No man is an island. Who can you partner with to form a complete solution to the problems facing your prospects?

People are mad about high gas prices, their mad about rising taxes, and their mad about inadequate medical coverage. Get mad with them, and show them how to strike back. Show them how to be the victor not the victim.

When you know how to put yourself in your prospect's shoes and speak to them about what they want to hear you'll sell more insurance. They'll even reach out and contact you because you now have something they want. They'll never want an insurance product, but they'll always want to get what they want. Find out how you can make this happen for you by checking out the book below.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Clausen