Who Are Evolve Consultants?

contents
introduction
Who are Evolve Consultants?
The Business of Selling
Prospecting Principles
26
Making Appointments
by Phone
48
Using Email as part of

the Sales Process
66
Preparation for
Sales Meetings
74
Meetings with Sales

Prospects
86
Tips for Sales Proposals
98
c h apt e r 1
c h apt e r 2
c h apt e r 3
c h apt e r 4
c h apt e r 5
c h apt e r 6
c h apt e r 7
Introduction
Who are Evolve Consultants?
e are a very commercially focused training organisation.

We work with organisations that face important
strategic challenges or opportunities
and we work with their teams to develop capability
to deal with the challenges well or capitalise on the
opportunity well.
We work in three main areas;
Sales Development
Leadership Development
Personal Development
We work mainly with Blue Chip multi national insurance

companies and their respective broker channels,
although based in Dublin, Ireland, we work all over the
world.
We are sufficiently experienced to have worked through
both good times and previous recessionary times. We
believe we can improve your sales performance.
c h apt e r 1
The Business of
Selling
Everybody lives by selling something.
- R.L. Stephenson
Selling Defined
In the world of insurance
companies, selling is the
process of analysing a
potential buyers need for the
protection provided by one
of your insurance policies and
recommending the policy
which best satisfies that need
and by persuading the buyer
that the premium price is
fair, the source of supply is
satisfactory and that the time
to buy is now.
riving demand for your

insurance products
and services and
building a solid,
predictable and extensive sales
pipeline is at the very core of
every successful B2B sale.
So before we start to look
at specific approaches for
prospecting, we need to
establish some recognised
guidelines / definitions for
prospecting and selling.
What is a Sales Target?

A target is a business person/
entity that fits your ideal target
profile, but you have not yet
managed to speak with.
marketing database listing

and who you believe are
capable of doing business
with you at some point, but
have not yet indicated their
interest.
Targeting
Regardless of the method
of prospecting potential
prospects you intend to use,
and depending on your role
and area of sales responsibility,
you have an informed mental
picture of what an ideal
target might look like. This
ideal target will normally be
determined by things like your
geographical sales territory, the
type of industry that exists in
your locality, the type and size of
customer who you have signed
up in the past and specific
businesses with the right type
of profile and profitability for
you. Based on this, you should
then create a target listing of
companies/people you intend
targeting.
> Existing Customers: They

have bought from you in
the past and they may be
able to present you other
sales opportunities or sales
referrals.

Typically, targets break into

three categories;> Suspects: are those people/
companies who are on your
* A better route to getting

better qualified leads is using
complimentary solution
providers (CSP): These are
people who target the same
suspects as you do, but who
work in non-competing
business. Typically, you
connect with a CSP to gain
market information, swap
business leads and/or to
provide sales introductions
> Prospects: are those

companies or individuals
who have indicated a need
for your products or services
either by responding to some
form of marketing or by
contacting you directly.
for each other. For example,

a CSP for someone in the B2B
insurance market might be
a fleet sales representative
from a car dealership or a
rep from a farming Co-op or
even a rep from a wholesales
company.
Associations (Local Chapters)

see appendix at back of
book
> Local Lions and Rotary Clubs
> Radio advertising
Typically, the type of places

you might find targets are as
follows:-
> Local area business

development internet pages:
(For example: - www.galway.
net, www.cork.com)
> Local and national print

media
> Kompass Directory and the

like
> Classified Ads companies

that advertise buy and sell
services
> Your existing database

> www.google.ie local search
by sector. Hotels in County
Clare
> The recruitment pages

decision makers are often
listed as contacts
> IDA Industrial Estate

directories
> Company notices - gives you

names/faces/divisions to
prospect
> Business Journals: Local

business magazines
> Local Independent

directories
> Web based local business

networks such as those
found on www.linkedin.com
> Local Chamber of Commerce

> Professional Trade
So what does your ideal client

look like?
Here are some factors you
should take into account.
management perspective
Therefore your ideal client

profile could be;1. Businesses with a retail or
warehousing presence
Your ideal should be;> Clients who have or will have

a specific requirement for
your policies
> Clients whose business relies
on customers coming to their
premises to do business
3. A business location that is

not in a flood plain or similar
undesirable location
> Clients who distribute

product from a physical
location
4. Business with a sales team/

commercial vehicles on the
road
> Clients whose business

would cease to function in
the event of their company
premises being out of action
5. A Business that uses

expensive/unique
equipment
6. Companies that place a high
value on risk management
> Clients who work in the

sectors which are most
profitable to you
7. Pubs and hotels

8. Companies that have multi
locations around the country
> Clients who are manageable

from a geographic
perspective
9. Businesses that have high

turnover and movement of
equipment, stock and people
> Clients whose size is

manageable from a sales
targeting, service support
and relationship
2. A business with a commercial

fleet on the road
exercise
What would you add to this list of

pointers on the previous page?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
What is a Sales Process?

A sales process is a structured
and systematic approach to
finding and executing sales
opportunities for you and your
company. The process is made
up of a number of systematic
steps that reflect the customer
contacts/interactions that are
required to complete a sale from
start to finish.
Table 1: Steps in the Sales Process
Targeting the Ideal

Prospect

Prospecting for

appointments with

decision makers

Qualifying the sales

opportunity

Activity
Defining what ideal customer
looks like by
a) Industry, b) Size, c) Location, d) Spend
Trying to get into a conversation with a
decision maker about a potential sales
opportunity via some of the following
options:
a) Telephone prospecting,
b) E-mail,
c) Networking,
d) Asking for Referrals
Typically, via a sales meeting with
decision makers and (sometimes) review
of previous product history (claims) etc.
Presenting the solution

Typically, via a policy proposal & pricing

quotation
Negotiation / objection
handling
Trading concessions etc
Closing the deal
Signing the contract
Client account

management

On going relationship management for

purposes of
a) Cross selling,
b) Up selling,
c) Renewals, and
d) Referrals
Step Name
> Ability to track and

measure results: When
you use a structured sales
process your outcomes can
be measured and compared.
This also leads to greater
self awareness of your
performance as a seller.
A well defined and executed

sales process brings the
following advantages to the
seller;-
> More predictable results:

A higher likelihood of
more successful desired
and predictable outcomes
because the seller is
following a set of agreed best
practice steps.
Remember, an effective sales

process, if executed correctly,
should manufacture new
prospects and customers for
you. Just as a car manufacturing
plant combines fibre glass and
steel, best practice assembly
line processes and technology
to manufacture the car; a
sales process represents the
raw materials required to
manufacture new insurance
policy holders for you.
> Winning habits: A high

likelihood that repeating
the correct structured sales
activities will lead to the
development of winning
sales behaviours. As Gary
Player, the famous South
African golfer says, The
more I practice and do the
right things, the luckier I
get.
So whilst having a sales process

doesnt guarantee success, it
should lead to you creating
more selling opportunities. And
in these recessionary times a
structure that can stand up to
the rigours of market conditions
is a must for every professional
seller.
> Improved Time

Management: It follows that
if you engage in the correct
sales activities with the
appropriate sales targets, you
will use your available selling
time more effectively and
efficiently.
10
Sales Pipeline Management

People often mix up the sales
pipeline and the sales process.
Firstly, the sales pipeline is part
of the over all sales process. Its
a sales management tool used
to track the steps the customer
takes while buying one of your
insurance policies.
Typically the steps in the sales
pipeline should mirror the
decision making steps the
prospect takes along the journey
to purchasing a policy from you.
So a monthly pipeline report
presents a snapshot of your
sales activity and the progress
you have made (or not) at a
given point in that month.
The best sales pipeline

tools have the following
commonalities;> They mirror the steps/
interactions the seller has
with the buyer.
> They focus the sellers efforts

and create urgency in the
areas that require attention.
> They accurately forecast the
likelihood of a sales closing
and when that might happen.
11
> They track the next steps

the seller must undertake to
move the sale forward.
12
50%
75 %
25 %
Zero
Contact to
obtain
verbal
agreement
Agreement
Time frame Time frame
to propose
for decision for contract
sales
making
signed
solution
Meeting to
qualify
sales
opportunity
Next
Attempted
Step
1st Contact

Probability Zero
of sales
being
completed
(As a %)
1
Contact/
Sales
Meeting to
proposal
qualify sales
opportunity
Pre
Sales
Devising
1st Contact
Activity
Target List made

Table 2: Stages in the Sales Pipeline
What are the stages in the typical sales pipeline?
100 %
Policy
underwritten
/docs
dispatched
Contract
signed /
sale
closed
The Stages in the typical Sales

Pipeline (In more detail)
sales opportunity on a certain

date.
Pre Pipeline: You have

devised/sourced a target list of
potential buyers or suspects for
your sales activities.
Self analysis questions for this

stage:
> How much time are you
dedicating to cold calling on a
daily basis?

stage:
> Have you created a profile for
your ideal buyer/ customer?
> How many people do you get

to speak with per session?
> How many targets are you

going to try and contact on a
daily basis?
> How many dials does it take

you to reach an individual
within a sales target
company?
> Can any CSP provide you with

introductions to any of these
targets?
> How many sales targets agree

to meet with you after one
telephone conversation?
> Have you identified the

individuals in the target
companies you want to speak
with?
> Why are they meeting with

you?
Stage 1- You have (typically)

to make a cold call to a sales
company, hoping to get to
speak with a decision maker
> Is there a date in the diary for

the meeting?
> What will happen if the
meeting goes well?
Next Step: Your next step is a

formal meeting to qualify the
13
> How many companies are you

targeting per session?
> Is the person you are

meeting a decision maker? If
not why not?
> Is this meeting exploratory
or have/had they something
specific in mind?
* If its a complex scenario

there may be further meetings/
contacts required. However,
if its a more traditional
opportunity the next step will
get agreement to go to sales
proposal stage (in writing).
> What will the next step be if

the meeting goes well?

stage:

there is no sales opportunity
on the table at the end of the
meeting?
> What was the purpose for the

meetings?
> Did the sales suspect the
same business agenda as
you?
> Is there a date in the diary for

that agreed next step? If not
why not?
> What movement did you

achieve at this meeting?
> What movement has there

been on this opportunity in
the last week?
> What information did you

obtain that will help progress
the sales opportunity?
Stage 2 - Meeting with

decision maker to qualify
sales opportunity
> What is their time frame for

doing business?
Next Step: Your next step is

to move the opportunity to
presentation / proposal stage
(assuming it still exists) with
a time frame for the decision
making process.
> What will it take to move this

sales opportunity forward to
proposal stage?
> How does the prospect
feel in principle about
14
the offering and pricing

proposition?
* You may have to tease out

issues or objections to get to this
point.
> What might the value of the

business be?

stage:
> Are they considering any

other suppliers?
> What criteria are being used

to evaluate the proposal(s)?
> Specifically, what do they

want in the proposal?
> What is the date for the
proposal?
> Have you already met /

spoken with all decision
makers?

they like the proposal?
> Can the individual you

are dealing with make the
decision?
> Is this sales opportunity still

on schedule with all the
calendar dates agreed with
the prospect?
> If you presented the proposal

(verbally) what feedback did
you get on the day?
> What is the next step if there

is no business opportunity at
present?
> How does your proposal

compare against the other
potential suppliers?
Stage 3 - You put a sales

proposal in writing

they like your proposal?
Next Step: Follow up the

proposal and get verbal
agreement (often in principle) to
do business.
> When will that next step take

place?
15
> When will they decide?
> How long since the last

contact?
Stage 5 - Contracts signed

1st premium paid - sale closed
> Is this sales opportunity still

on schedule with all the
calendar dates agreed with
the prospect?
Next Step: Policy documents

dispatched to new customer
stage:
Stage 4 - Contacts prospect

to obtain commitment in
principle (verbal) to purchase
service (Often verbal).
The seller may also have to tease
out issues or objections to get to
this point.
> Are their other sales

opportunities still from this
business entity?
> How accurately did I forecast
this sales opportunity
through all stages of the
pipeline?
Next Step: Contracts to be sent

out for signing
> What other companies do I

know that might have similar
circumstances to this one?

stage:
> Who can I introduce this

new customer to that they
should know?
> When will this case close?

> Are there any issues for the
underwriters?
> How many contacts did it

take me to close this case?
> When will this prospect close

or sign? (Need definite
date.)
> Could I have done anything

differently to move it along
faster?
> What will the value of this

case be?
16
Key to successful pipeline

management: Is to ensure
there is always movement
through the different stages
of the pipeline. A lack of
movement at any one stage of
the pipeline will have a knock
on effect on your sales results at
some future point.
to stages 1 and 2 of the

pipeline.
3. The seller needs to be aware
on the attrition rate that
takes place to move a sales
opportunity from stage 1 to
stage 5 of the sales pipeline.
This attrition rate is also
known as a Ratio.
4. It doesnt matter whether
you use an electronic sales
pipeline tool or a paper
based pipeline tool, what
matters is that you use it to
drive movement through the
sales process not record the
sales activity that you have
just completed.
1. The seller should report on

the movement / progress
that they have made within
the stages of their sales
pipeline on a weekly basis.
2. The seller must constantly be
adding new opportunities
17
Furthermore: -
What are the stages in your

sales pipeline?
exercise

Number of Stages
Sales Activity
Next Step

Probability of sales
being completed
(As a %)
18
Your Key
Performance Indicators
If you want to light a big fire you need to
know how many logs its going to take to get
the blaze going. John Adams
All successful sellers use key
sales performance indicators
(also known as the sales ratios)
to manage the movement of
their sales prospects through
the various stages of the sales
pipeline. So, if you have a
weekly sales target, its useful
to know how many sales
appointments you need to
be creating on a weekly basis
to make your sales target
happen. This is an example
of an appointment to sales
closed ratio. Here at Evolve, we
find that the majority of under
performing sellers we meet
on training workshops have
no idea of any of their sales
ratios. Simply put, they are not
putting enough logs on the
fire to keep it burning and they
have no idea how many logs
they will need in the first place.
Know your sales conversion
ratios:
19
Sales Ratios
Table 3: Sales activity conversion ratio
No:
Ratio
What it indicates
Key points
Telephone dial This ratio represents the

1

to Conversation number of telephone dials

you have to make to get to

speak with a sales suspect.

This figure takes into

account all the
telephone dials
where any of the
following happens:
o Gatekeeper block
o Straight to
voicemail
o Not available
o Engaged tone
2
Conversation
This ratio represents the

to appointment number of completed

conversations you need

to make to suspects on

your target list to win a

meeting

Remember, when
we say meeting, we
mean a calendar
date in the diary
agreed and
confirmed by
both parties.
3
Appointment to This ratio represents the

sales proposal
number of sales meetings

you have to attend to

move the sales opportunity

to formal sales proposal

stage

Depending on the
complexity of the
policy you are
selling it is possible
the qualification
stage and the
proposal stage
might be one and
the same meeting.
4
Sales proposal to This ratio represents the

sales close
number of sales proposals

you need to submit to a

prospect to make a sale.

This figure assumes

that an amended
or discounted sales
proposal and an
original sales
proposal count as
one proposal.
20
Sales Ratios (a worked example)

Your Monthly Sales Target: 10 Policies underwritten
Table 4: Sales Ratios: A worked example

Your ratio
(The Maths)
Telephone dial
It takes you 5 dials to get to
Your ratio
to conversation
speak with 1 business owner
here is
1:3
Conversation
Here you need to have a
Your ratio
to appointment
conversation with 3 decision
makers to get 1 sales meeting
(with a sales opportunity).
Appointment to
Your hit rate is now improving. Your ratio
sales proposal
For every two sales meetings
you attend you then make
1 formal sales proposal.
1:2
1:2
Sales proposal to Here you notice that for every
Your ratio
sales close
three proposals you put
here is
forward you win 1 piece of
1:2
business.
Conclusions we can draw:

* Start at ratio number 4 and
work backwards.
1. If your monthly sales target is
to sell 10 policies, then Ratio
Number 4 suggests you need

to put forward 20 proposals to
make the 10 sales. (1:2)
2. To be able to put forward 20
proposals, based on the above
21
No: Ratio
Your activity

ratios you need 40 partially

qualified appointments. (1:2)
Here are some ideas improve

your sales ratios
3. To get 40 partially qualified

appointments with decision
makers you need to speak
with 80 decision makers. (1:2)
Better qualified leads

> Stategic networking
> Better qualification on
telephone calls
4. Therefore, at the start of the

month you need to target 240
(1:3) ideal sales suspects to
have any chance of hitting the
above numbers
> Better qualification at sales

meetings
> Getting stronger
commitments at meetings
Notes on this example:
> Asking for the business

earlier (if appropriate)
* The above exercise does

not take into account a scenario
where the seller may have an
average policy value target
as opposed to just numbers of
policies underwritten.
* The above exercise assumes
you are only getting sales
leads via cold calling, it is not
taking into account networking,
referrals and the like where
ratios should be much more
favourable to the seller.
22
Please conduct the following self

analysis exercise based on your current
sales targets and activity levels.
Metric
Ratio 1
My Telephone dial to conversation ratio
Ratio 2
My conversation to appointment ratio
Ratio 3
My appointment to sales proposal ratio
Ratio 4
Sales proposal ratio to sales close ratio
Metric 1 My annual sales target
Metric 2 My monthly sales target
Metric 3 My weekly sales target
Metric 4 My average sale value
Metric 5 My average sale volume (if applicable)
Metric 6 The number of proposals I need to write

to hit my monthly sales target (based on

my average sale value)
Be aware most of the above

ratios are assuming that you
have to find business leads by
cold calling. While you may
have do a large degree of cold
calling, its fair to say that your
Volume
exercise
ratios and metrics will improve

drastically if you are securing
some of these appointments by
referral or via introductions at
networking events.
23
Notes/Actions:
24
Notes/Actions:
25
c h apt e r 2
Prospecting
Principles
Opportunitys favourite disguise is a troubled
economy - Evolve Consultants
rospecting for new

business is the life blood
of all professional sellers.
After identifying your
sales targets, the next step
is to get your sales pipeline
populated. When it comes to
prospecting there are two types
of sales targets
have no relationship with this

type of target. Furthermore,
you have no means of being
introduced to this buyer. This
type of target sits at the top of
your cold calling list.
A warm target is a person or
business that fits the profile of
your ideal buyer. However, the
difference between this type
of target and a cold one is that
you have found someone within
your circle of influence that is
prepared to introduce you to
this target. This type of target
> Cold targets

> Warm targets
A cold target is a person or
company that fits the profile of
your ideal buyer. However, you
26
by process, habit and a hard

neck. Attaining warm leads is
more strategic, requires time,
networking, skill and again
process. In this chapter we will
look at the key prospecting
protocols that will give you that
combination of cold and warm
targets, namely:
> Cold calling provides you

with the volume for your sales
pipeline
> Networking
> Warm leads provide you with

quality leads
> Virtual Networking via Linked

In
Every professional seller needs

to be prospecting for both types
of lead. Cold calling should be
an almost daily activity, driven
> Complimentary Solution

Providers
> Asking for Referrals
27
is called a warm one because

the target will already have a
relationship with the person
giving you the introduction, and
as such are more likely to agree
to speak with you out of respect
for the introducer.
Section 1
Networking Skills
Its not who you know, its who knows and trusts
you that counts J. Gitomer
In 2010 business development is
tougher that ever before. Buyers
are more cautious preferring
to spend their budgets with
trusted suppliers. For this
reason cold callers are finding
doors slamming in their faces
faster than ever before. On top
of this decision making process
in many organisations has
moved up a level to more senior
levels, and this may mean your
old contacts may not have the
power or autonomy to make
purchasing decisions any more.
2010 its not who you know

that counts, its who knows and
trusts you that does.
The Sales Success Equation:
Your ability to have a successful
sales year in 2010 will be
determined by the following
sales success equation.
Everyone has a circle of
influence. It may be your
family, your friends, people
you worked with, people from
past jobs, people you studied
with at school and college, your
neighbours, fellow members
To be successful in sales in
The Sales Success Equation
The business contacts that know and trust me and

buy from me now
+ / - The new / additional business contact that know and
trust me and buy from me by year end.
= My sales results for 2010

28
of sports or social clubs or

even fellow members of trade
associations. In 2010, your ability
to meet new people to sell your
products and services to will be
determined by the number of
leads, referrals and introductions
you get from your circle of
influence. Trust and avoiding
unnecessary risks are two of
the main purchasing criteria all
buyers are using at the moment.
Potential customers may agree
to meet you because someone
in your circle of influence is a
trusted colleague of theirs. They
wont buy from you if they dont
know and trust you. Its time to
network.
person you want to network

with.
(A) - Who
> Who do you want to network
with?
> What industry might they be
in?
> What sized organization?
> What level will they be

working at within their
company?
(B) Where
> Where are they most likely to
network?
What do you want from

networking?
There is a multitude of
networking opportunities
available for you to choose from.
So before you head off to attend
all and sundry, its important to
make sure the people you want
to connect with will be at the
events you are going to attend.
This means you need to be clear
on what is the right type of
networking event for you. Lets
start by looking at the type of
> What type of events do they

attend or network at?
> Where do these events take
place?
> What is the regularity of
these events?
> How do I attend one of these
events?
29
> What parts of the country are

they located?
Table 5: Networking Opportunities
Type
Example
Typical Attendee
Chamber of
Commerce
Local Chapters
nationwide
Everything from sole trader right up to

large companies
Networking
Clubs
BNI
First Tuesday Clubs
Sole trader / SME / Local sales

representatives of larger organizations
Local Business Street trader

associations
Depends of mix of businesses in locality
Professional Sales Institute of

Bodies
Ireland

CIPD

Executive Managers, business developers,

departmental managers in specific
professions (Tends to be corporate as
opposed to sole trader)
Trade
Associations
Vintners Association Owner / managers, Executive managers

RGDATA
with commercial functions
(C) What
> What am I trying to get
by investing my time in
networking and making
connections?
meet attend my networking

events?
> Apart from sales, how do

I measure success in my
networking efforts?
(D) My Networking to date

self analysis
> Who am I connected with
already and what have these
connections meant for me?
> How much planning do I

put into my networking
activities?
> Where do I network?
> Do I need to have a more

structured networking plan
for this year?
> Do the people I need to
30
exercise
Please complete the following based

on your answers to the previous
questions?
1. Describe the type of person(s) you want to meet at a

networking event?
3. Are you currently attending the correct type of networking

events?
4. Explain, how you could improve the quality and quantity of

your networking activity?
5. What will you do differently?
31
2. Which types of networking events are most appropriate for

you?
Networking Strategy
Once you have identified
what you want to get from
networking, the next step is to
target the appropriate type of
events to meet these people.
If the networking is to be at a
regular event run by a group
such as a local chapter or
networking club, you should
consider obtaining a position of
power by joining the organising
committee. This will afford you
more visibility within the group.
chapter, targets for the event

can be potential customers,
complimentary solution
providers and existing clients
who can provide you with
introductions.
Consider bringing some of your
existing clients to networking
events. This gives you an
opportunity to spend time with
them and, at the same time give
them an opportunity to network
with others. Also, they may be
able to introduce you to others
at the event.
Alternatively, if you cant join

the committee, you might need
to become a more structured
event attendee. Start by asking
the event organiser, to give you
a list of attendees in advance of
the event. This will enable you
to target the specific people you
want to meet. Consider asking
the event organiser (in advance
of the event) to provide you
with the necessary introductions
at the event. And, remember
as mentioned in the previous
Tactics for the Networking

Event
Many people find going to
networking events a daunting
proposition. Its often really
awkward to walk into an
association meeting, trade
show or after-hours event when
you dont know anybody who
is there. Everyone else seems
to be engaged in discussions
32
with friends and business

acquaintances, while there
you stand Johnny-No-Mates
drinking free beverages, whilst
desperately looking around for a
friendly face to take pity on you
and pull you into a conversation.
Here are some tips for
overcoming the awkwardness
and getting into that opening
conversation.
4. The best location for

networking is by a hightraffic area such as a main
door, the coffee dock, or near
the food.
1. Firstly, get a list of attendees

in the days prior to the event.
Check the list for
* People you want to meet,
* Existing customers who
could introduce you to others
or act as endorsees, and
people you know already
who could introduce to new
people.
5. If you dont know anyone at

the event, stick close to the
event organisers/association
officers a lot of attendees
will want to talk with them.
6. When giving or receiving a
business card, be especially
careful when dealing with
people from outside the
Ireland as many cultures treat
them with very high regard.
2. Get there early. People tend

to be open to entering
into conversations before
networking events they
tend to be in a rush to get
back to work or home after
the event is over.
7. When receiving a business

card from someone, take a
moment to write yourself
a note on it such as where
3. Think first impression.

You never get a second
33
chance to make a first

impression. When
approaching someone be
aware of the following;
Body language: Smile, look
them in the eye, and shake
hands with them. Introduce
yourself and state that you
are with [the name of your
company].
you met. If you do this while

youre still talking to the
person, it will help convey
your sense of personal
connection.
8. During the course of a

conversation, use the other
persons first name two or
three times. People always
like to hear their own
name and it will help you
to remember it when the
discussion is over.
9. Ask questions: Prepare some
general questions before
you start networking. Before
you give information it is
important to break the ice
with a question that is nonthreatening. For example, it
might be How are the road
works in front of your shop
34
effecting business?
Ask questions about
them, and their business.
Remember, the purpose of
your questioning strategy
should be to differentiate
yourself from the crowd
by asking questions that
show a genuine interest in
their business. Make sure
you listen to their responses.
Remember, networking with
new contacts is like reading
a daily newspaper. Let your
new contacts speak so as
you can discover which news
headlines are most relevant
to your agenda. Remember,
open questions work better
than closed ones as they
get people talking. Here are
some additional questions
you should consider asking:
Table 6: Sample questions to ask somebody you meet at a

networking event
> What brings you here today?

> Where else do you network?
> How did you get your start in the ABC business?
> What changes are happening within your industry?
> What does your ideal customer look like?
> Who else do you know here today?

> What is the best way to refer someone to you?
People will usually reciprocate

and ask you a few questions
about your business, but
remember you are there to make
them feel important. Since you
want to meet all the people you
identified before the event, keep
conversations to a maximum of
ten minutes and then move on
seminar or business-club
meeting, your work has just
begun. Its the follow up after
the event that moves the
relationship on and eventually
will enable business happen.
Follow up includes trading
information that is valuable
to each other via e-mail and
gaining other introductions
from your new connection
and vice versa. However, too
How to Follow Up
When you attend a networking
event, whether a conference,
35
> What separates you and your company from the competition?
many people walk away from

networking events feeling good
about the event and the number
of business cards collected but
doing nothing to move names
on business cards into potential
business associates.
Here are some ideas to

make the most of your post
networking event follow ups:
Where, these two people

take the relationship is up
to them, but you will be
remembered as the
person who made the
introduction. You should
try to this after every
networking event.
> Within twenty four hours,

send an e-mail / hand
written note.
Dont wait until you have
something meaningful to say
or dont wait until next week
for fear of looking to keen!
Chances are you wont get
around to sending a note if
you wait around, and even if
you do, the recipient may not
recall who you are. Send an
e-mail to everyone you took
a card from. Better again;
send them a hand written
note. Remember, even if
you dont see them as an
immediate connection, just
say thanks.
> After the event, use the

back of their business
card to jot a note about
something you learned
from the conversation and
the date and place you
met them. Recording the
information will give you
something to talk to them
about the next time you see
them.
> Consider introducing
someone to your new
contact.
This is a straight forward
process. All you have to do
is introduce a new contact
from a networking event to
someone else you in your
sphere of influence who
you feel they should know.
> Make notes on your

experiences.
Whenever you return from
events, take about ten
minutes to write down some
36
notes from the networking

event. Bullet-point ideas,
or write them across your
whiteboard. Just get them
down!
something to get something.

Networking takes planning
and regular practice and
execution.
Sample List of Networking
Opportunities (* Excluding
Insurance related trade
associations)
> Thank the host, if

applicable.
This especially applies to
events that are put
together by one individual.
A quick note thanking that
person for their efforts will
go a long way and they will
be more prone to respond
favourable to your request
for introductions in the
future.
> Linked In the worlds

largest online networking
community - http://www.
linkedin.com
Local Business Community
> Phone them and meet up.

Pick up the phone after
a couple of weeks and
continue the conversation
you started to explore at the
networking event.
> Chambers of Commerce http://www.chambers.ie/

index.php?id=1
Professional Associations
> Sales Institute of Ireland http://www.salesinstitute.ie
Dont pitch for business

without creating obligation by
following up in one of the ways
mentioned above. Remember,
networking is the skill of
building relationships that are
mutually beneficial.
So be prepared to give
> Irish Small & Medium

Enterprises Association http://www.isme.ie/
> Irish Internet Association http://www.iia.ie/
37
Web Based Networking
Charity Related Business

Networking Groups
> Southside B2B Referral

Network (Dun Laoghaire) http://www.southsideb2b.
org/
> Rotary Club of Ireland http://www.rotary.ie/
> Irish Business Womens

Networking Group - http://
www.irishbusinesswomen.
com/forum/
> Lions Clubs of Ireland http://www.lionsclubs.ie/

Private Networking Groups
for Business
> Galway Business Club - http://

www.galwaybusinessclub.
com/
> Cork Business Association http://www.corkbusiness.ie/
> Open Coffee Club - http://

www.opencoffeedublin.com/
/ http://corkopencoffee.org/
> BNI Networking Groups http://www.bni-europe.com/

ireland/-
http://mayo-opencoffee-club.org/ http://
opencoffeesligo.org/
> 121 Dublin Business

Networking Group http://121biznet.com/blog/
38
Try and get a list of the attendees for the networking event in the
days prior to the event taking place. This will enable you identify
who you want to meet.
Try and arrange some introductions via the event host / organiser
in advance of the event. More than likely they will already know
the people you want to meet.
Arrive early and stay late. If the networking is taking place around
a speech or formal event all the networking takes place before
and after the event. Dont miss the action.
If you dont know anyone at the event, stick close to the event
organisers / association officers a lot of attendees will want to
talk with them and you can meet new people in their company.
Avoid colleagues from work. Ascertain who you know already and
see if they can provide some introductions for you and visa versa.
You should initially acknowledge people you know already and
then immediately find someone new to introduce yourself to. This
will help keep you in the right frame of mind as to why you went
to the event.
Always have business cards and keep in a place where they are
easy to access
Stop selling and start connecting. When you meet someone for
the first time, use it as an opportunity to get to know them. Dont
try to sell them anything.
Prepare four or five questions that you can ask people that you
meet. Make sure the questions are not overly intrusive
When giving or receiving a business card, be especially careful

when dealing with people from outside the Ireland as many
cultures treat business cards with very high regard.
10
When receiving a business card from someone, take a moment to

write yourself a note on it such as where you met. If you do this
while youre still talking to the person, it will help convey your
sense of personal connection.
39
Networking Checklist 1-10
Networking Checklist 11-20

11
When in groups act as the host, introduce each new person who
joins the group to the others in your company.
12
During the course of a conversation, use the other persons first

name two or three times. People always like to hear their own
name and it will help you to remember it when the discussion is
over.
13
Know how you can help them. People dont care what you do,
unless what you can do can help them. Get to know which of their
problems and challenges you can help with.
14
Tell people you will be following up with them while you are still
talking with them. Tell them what you will be sending and how
you will send it to them. Then they will be watching out for it.
15
When you meet someone for the first time, you have 24 hours
to follow up with them before they will completely forget about
meeting you.
16
Back at the office, use the back of their business card to jot a note
about something you learned from the conversation and the date
and place
17
Send a handwritten note to your new contacts acknowledging the

fact that you met.
18
Connect with your new contact via Linked in within a week of

meeting with them.
19
Keep in touch, especially when you no longer have a specific

requirement to fulfil.
20
Review the usefulness of the networking events you attend on a

regular basis.
40
Section 2
Its almost impossible to talk

about best practice networking
skills without bringing virtual
networking or networking
via the Internet into the
conversation. Because of the
role email plays in business
and with the ever increasing
popularity of online business
networking communities like
Linked In, the professional
seller would be remiss not
to leverage this media. We
find many people place
their personal profiles on
these websites and wait for
business contacts to contact
them by the score. This rarely
happens. Virtual networking
is no different to face to face
networking as with everything
in life you only get out of it what

you put into it. So here are some
ideas to get more from your
Linked In account.
Using Linked In on the Web
Is it just me or do you wonder
whether its worth your while
linking up with someone youve
found on Linked In that only
has five contacts and no profile
information? What might other
people say when they see your
Linked In account and profile?
Could they think the same thing
about you? Are you worth
connecting with? Do you get
any useful business leads from
Linked In? Its possible to get
more from Linked In that merely
looking up contacts?
41
Networking on the
Internet
> Research your prospects

before meetings. For
example, you could try and
find out have you common
business acquaintances.
Here are some ideas;

> Fill out your profile
completely to earn trust.
> Avoid hard-sell tactics.
> Share useful articles and

resources that will be of
interest to customers and
prospects.
> Write honest and valuable

recommendations for your
contacts.
> Request a LinkedIn
recommendation from happy
customers willing to provide
testimonials.
> Post your presentations

on your profile using
PowerPoint.
> Ask your first level contacts
for specific introductions to
their first level contacts.
> Grow your network by

joining industry and alumni
groups related to your
business.
> Set up to receive LinkedIn

messages in your inbox so
you can respond right away.
> Share survey and poll results

with your contacts.
> Update everything regularly.

> Publish your LinkedIn URL on
your marketing material.
> Use the advanced search
feature to find people
(targets) by company,
industry and city.
> Start and manage a group for
your industry.
42
Working with
Complimentary Solution
Providers
Many hands make light work- Anonymous
Working with a Complimentary
Solution Providers (CSP) is a
form of networking. A CSP is
a person who sells into / (or
has a circle of influence that
includes) the target companies
and people that you want to
prospect for new insurance
business. Typically, the CSP does
not work in competition with
you, but may sometimes offer a
complimentary service to yours.
The main point is that they have
access to the people you need
to meet. So for example, at

Evolve we deal in sales training
and the decision makers we
often need to meet are Sales
Directors or Training Managers.
A possible CSP for us could be
a recruitment agency, or the
sellers of sales related software.
Therefore, if we were trying to
get an appointment to see the
Head of Training at ABC Limited
a CSP might be able to provide
us with that introduction.
43
Section 3
The advantages of networking

with a CSP
> Committee members of local

trade associations
> May know your sales targets

already
> Hotels and pubs

Tips for Networking with a
CSP
> Can provide introductions

because the target already
trusts them
> Identify three ideal CSPs and

go connect with them
> Can provide valuable

information about the
market place which may lead
to a business opportunity
> Meet/talk at least once a

month with each
> Describe your ideal target for
them
The type of professionals that

might be an appropriate CSP
for you
> Give introductions to get

introductions
> Professional Services:

Accountants, Solicitors,
Estate Agents
> Give them feedback on any

sales opportunities you make
and take
> Heavy Machinery Distributors

> Fleet motor vehicle sellers
44
Section 4
Asking for Referrals

A referral is the key to the door of resistance.
Evolve Consultants
Every business to business seller
knows that getting referrals
from existing customers or
a complimentary solution
provider is by far the best
prospecting lead to get. Yet,
we often find very few sales
people have a referral process
in place and therefore dont get
many of them. A sales referral
is not an existing client tipping
you off about the opening of a
new factory down the road. Its
not a complimentary solution
provider giving you a name and
a phone number.
So here are some ideas to help

you get more referrals from
your circle of influence:
> Ask for referrals: If you dont
ask, how do you expect to
get them?
> Ask at the right time: The
time to ask somebody for a
referral is when they trust
you, when they rate you
highly and when they are
obligated to you.
A referral is where somebody

provides you with an
introduction to a potential
sales prospect. When we say
introduction, we mean that
they have lifted the phone to
somebody in their circle of
influence and asked them to
take a phone call from you.
> At the end of your account

review meetings consider
asking for referrals (if
appropriate)
45
During the introduction they

will tell the referral who you are,
where you work, and why you
will be phoning. Typically, they
will endorse your services.
> Let the client know whos

a good referral: There is
no point asking a client for
a referral at the end of a
meeting. Typically, sellers
with one foot already out
of the door state If you can
think of anybody who could
use my service please let
me know. So firstly its a
statement not a question.
Secondly, the client wont be
inspired into miraculously
pulling your ideal looking
referral out of thin air. Early in
your conversation describe to
the client what a good referral
looks like. Tell them the type
of business you want to be
introduced to etc.
> Help them: Make some
suggestions as to people who
they might know. If youre a
builders providers, who do
you think they might know?
Builders, Estate Agents,
Publicans, Hoteliers and
Trades people. Suggest some
of those companies youd like
to get referred to they just
might know them.
46
> Give them time to think:

Dont ask for referrals and
stand there waiting for them.
When you put your client on
the spot like that they arent
going to come up with a ton
of great referrals. Ask and
then let them know exactly
when youll get back to them
to get the referrals.
> Dont get names and phone
numbers. Get introduced
to the prospect through an
introduction letter or phone
call.
Notes/Actions:
47
c h apt e r 3
Making Appointments By Phone
Making Appointments by
Phone
We control fifty percent of a conversation. We can

influence one hundred percent of it. F. Tyger
he vast majority of sales

professionals do not
like cold-calling. Yet at
the same time, it is an
activity that most of us need
to do on a regular basis. Unless
you can come up with a more
effective way of getting new sales

prospects into your sales pipeline
then you need to try and make
appointments by phone.
The three main ingredients to
making more appointments by
phone are;-
T.E.D. The key to Successful cold calling

Table 7:
T
E
D
Key skills and Traits for successful telephone selling
Technique:
The ability to design and deliver a sales message
in a way that appeals to the sales suspect.
Endeavour:
The ability to persevere and continue to cold call
even when things arent going well.
Discipline:
The discipline to do the target number of dials without
cutting corners or distracting yourself.
48
Dont ad-lib, have a call plan

If you want to sound confident,
competent and in control,
I strongly suggest that you
write out/design a call plan for
yourself. You may notice that
I am not using the phrase call
script because to use a call
script, requires both parties on
the call to have the exact same
script. Designing and then
using a call plan for the opening,
questioning and closing remarks
stage of your call will give you
the structure that is required
to hook and connect with a
potential sales prospect. It will
give you the opportunity to
ask some questions about their
circumstances and will ascertain
whether its worth both of your
whiles taking the conversation
to the next stage.
> Ensures you gather all

necessary information
> Guarantees that your call
ending has a conclusion or
next step
> Allows you listen to prospect
responses because your call
structure is clear
Call Structure Design

Have clear call objective/
result in mind.
It is important to keep in mind
that the primary purpose of
any B2B prospecting phone
call is to make an appointment,
not a sale. Many sellers make
the mistake of trying to A to
Z their product portfolio and
talking too much on the phone
call in an attempt to showcase
their expertise. Whilst the
seller will have to present some
high level policy benefits and
respond to some questions,
issues that require a detailed/
informed response become an
excellent reason to secure an
appointment.
A good call plan is essential

for the following reasons
> More people will accept your
call
> It keeps your message on
track and allows you be
respectful of the prospects
time
49
> Allows you control the call
Its a good idea to use phone

time to gather information
through the use of open-ended
questions. Your objective is to
build your prospects interest
and arouse their curiosity
through a series of well designed,
probing questions about them
and their company. So before
you make that call be clear on
what the objective of your call is.
exercise
Finish the following

statement to get your call
objective;
In the B2B Insurance Market, the

objective of the call could be to:
1. Get a qualified meeting with a
decision maker
2. Get the name and direct
contact details of a decision
maker
3. Collect information about a
target person / company and
the type of insurance policies
they currently have
4. Find out details of their next
tendering process and get
permission to take part in
same
The purpose of this call is to

qualify the sales suspect to
a point, where if everything
goes well, the next step will
be to
2. Understanding best practice

call structure
Most stories and movies have
a start, middle and an end. The
purpose of the start of the movie
or story is to get you interested
in reading or watching more of
the content. The middle of the
book or movie unravels the plot
and provides the detail. The last
few scenes or chapters bring
things to an exciting finale or
conclusion.
A best practice call structure is
50
very similar in that the purpose

of the call opening is to get your
attention and keep you on the
phone.
The conclusion of the call is to

bring things to a finale with you,
the seller, presenting the reasons
why the sales prospect should
consider meeting with you.
Asking for that date in the diary
is the next step.
The middle of the call provides

you the seller with the prospects
detail/circumstances, issues
via qualification questions and
conversation.
High Level Call Structure
Stage Structure
Objective
Call
* Exchange greetings
* Courtesy
Opening
* Results based opening statement
* Create interest
* Permission to proceed plus agenda
* Get control
Middle
* Qualify the suspects requirements
* Gain understanding
* Summarize your understanding of
* Get commitment
issues and priorities

Conclusion
* Suggest options
* Create buy in
* Obtain feedback on options
* Get commitment
* Ask for the next step
* Get date in diary
51
Table 8:
3. Call Opening
before you called. Your ability

to qualify the sales opportunity,
ask for permission to tender, ask
for a meeting, or even introduce
them to your new offering
doesnt count if they decline
your invitation to have a brief
conversation.
Nothing is more important

to an outbound telephone
prospecting call than the
quality of your opening lines.
When a sales target picks up
that phone and says hello, you
have between ten and fifteen
seconds to get them to accept
your call!
Your opening statement is

comprised of four elements
> Who you are Dave Malone
The opening lines of a call are

actually the only lines of the
call you can script 100% every
other line you use is determined
by the impact your opening
statement makes. This means
that to maximise the impact of
your opening statement, you
have to plan and practice it.
> Who you are with

> What you sell (in very simple
terms)
> How your prospect will
benefit from your product or
service
Below are some guidelines

for creating your opening
statement(s) as well as some
samples for you to rework.
> A question to gauge interest

of the prospect
a) Your greeting:
State your full name and your
role within your company. Use
the targets name in the opening
lines if you can. It will ensure
that you have the correct person
on the line. When people they
hear their name they tend to
The purpose of the opening

statement is to get the attention
of the sales prospect to accept
your phone call. You must
hook the sales prospect onto
your telephone line and away
from what they were doing
52
listen very carefully. For example,

Hello, Mrs. Phillips, this is John
Phillips, phoning you from ABC
Insurance!
youd like to explore further?
Hello Ms. Dillon, this is Shauna

Jennings with XYZ. Im calling
today because I was in your
premises buying garden
furniture, and I noticed the
amount of traffic and people you
have moving around the store
and the warehouse. Its a very
impressive set up.
b) Your opening statement how to grab interest and gain

attention:
State the reason for your call:
Your opening statement cannot
be a pitch. It must create
curiosity by focusing on a result
that might be important to
the target. It must be low on
pressure and put the target in a
positive frame of mind.
Consider starting with a benefit
statement: This statement will
suggest to the prospect why he
or she should listen further.
(Pause wait for response)

And because of the potential
claim risks to the business and
how you currently handle this
issue, theres a possibility I might
be able to help you with that
cover? (Wait for response)
Example 1
Hi Jack, This is Emmet Higgins
from the ABC Commercial
Insurance Team. You may recall
I met you at the Chamber of
Commerce lunch last month.
We provide fleet insurance in
order to help people like you
get the best possible fleet
cover at the best price for their
circumstances, and Im calling to
see if this might be something
Id like to discuss your situation to

see if this is something that you
would like to explore further?
Remember, the purpose of the
opening benefit statement is to
get you past the first segment of
a call into a qualification stage.
So:
> Keep the pressure low and
conditional by using phrases
53
Example 2
like Depending on how

your handling and theres a
possibility we might.
its an excellent product

with the lowest excess on
the market. (This is self
indulgent)
> Avoid opening statements

which are sales pitches or
self indulgent about your
company such as: Hello Mr.
Kelly I am ringing to introduce
to a new service here at ABC,
exercise
> Dont try and technique you

way past the client Would
you be interested in cheap
insurance.
Please develop some opening

statements for the following scenarios:
1. A business you are cold calling because you write a lot of

business in their locality.
2. Supermarket that was with ABC about 10 years ago, but then
they left and placed business via an Insurance Broker. That
brokerage has closed as of last month.
54
4. A new restaurant in the town centre.
55
3. A builders providers yard that your brother in law uses.
3. Getting permission to
proceed
explore and open up (If you get

the opportunity) are:
Lastly, ask a question at the

end of the opening statement
to check for the sales suspects
interest.
> Their business how it is

structured/works
> The way they deliver their
offering to the market place
Example:
> The main challenges their
business is currently facing
Okay, so as I can work out how

we might be able to best help
you, Id like to ask you a few
questions, is that okay?
> The parts of their business

they insure (Mandatory/
Optional)
In doing this you are again giving

choice and perceived control to
the suspect where as in fact
you are getting the call structure
to follow to call plan you
prepared in advance of making
the call.
> The insurable risks their

business is exposed to
> The contingency/coping
plans they have in place in
the event of one of those risks
happening
4. Middle of the call

(Qualification and
summarising the issues)
The purpose of the qualification
stage is to get the targets
permission to proceed with
questions so as you can establish
whether you can meet a
business requirement or create
an opportunity for them. The
types of areas you need to
> Changes they would like

to make to their current
insurance status
> Timeframes for renewals/
policy enactments
> How they go about
considering suppliers for
these Insurance services
56
Questions like:
For an existing business
For a new business
1. Tell me about your

business?
1. What type of insurance

services do you think you will
need?
2. What risks are most

important to you?
3. What type of fees you are
charged?
4. Apart from price, whats
most important to you
in selecting an insurance
product for your business?
3. What type of business

advice would be useful to get
on an on going basis?
4. What experiences have
you had with commercial
insurance in the past?
5. Could you tell me about the

type of insurance you need
for this business?
5. Have you any thoughts on

how we might best assist
you?
6. What aspects of their service

would you like to change?
7. What do you really want
from an insurance supplier?
8. How will your requirements
change over the next twelve
months?
9. What would your ideal
insurance partner be doing
for you?
57
2. What criteria are you going

to use to decide which
insurance company you are
going to use?
exercise
What questions would you add to these

two lists?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
58
5. Presenting, matching and

moving to the next stage:
Example:
After you have qualified and

summarised the targets
requirements and you have
established and agreed a sales
opportunity that they would like
to explore further - they become
prospects.
2. Use low pressure phrases

Put forward your benefits using
low pressure phrases such as
you might consider or might I
suggest.
It is only now that you suggest/

propose a way for you to
offer some solutions to their
challenges. However, do
remember business owners
are only interested in one tune
on the radio and that tune is
called Its all about me and
they only tune into one radio
station W.I.I.F.M - (Whats In It
For Me).
3. Get feedback on every

option you present
Ask the prospect for feedback
on all benefits you present this
will give you an indication of
whether its time to suggest the
next step.
So, when it comes to

presenting on a telesales call,
three rules apply;-
Example:
1. Focus on their issues

Focus on suggesting insurance
solutions that focus on solving
their issues. To present anything
else suggests that you are not
listening.
So, Mr Publican, given that

you have separate policies
for structural, public liability,
employers liability, and product
damage, I think we can come up
with a package that will simplify
the number of plans that you
59
So earlier you said to me that

the excess on your old policy
was 750 but your average
accidental damage claim was
only 900. So, we can reduce
the excess amount to 400 by
increasing the annual premium
amount by 25.
have, and reduce the excess

levels on all policies without
significantly increasing your
annual commercial insurance
bill. Would that be of interest to
you?
time to suggest you meet up to

move things to the next stage of
the buying process.
Example:
Given that you intend opening
the new supermarket on the 1st
of May you have to get some
public liability insurance in place
so as you can open. I think it
might be mutually beneficial to
meet up next week given that
the opening date is only 3 weeks
away?
6. Close the deal / Bring

to the Next Step- ask for a
commitment to meet up
If you have presented an
appropriate solution, your
transition to the close should
be as simple and automatic
as asking, Do you have any
questions? When they respond
with no, you simply ask them
how they feel about your
suggestion, discuss what do you
think of the insurance package?
Then its about asking for the
next step
7. The fall-back position:

You might not get an
appointment or the sale at every
prospect contact, or may be the
policy wont be up for renewal
for another six months. But you
should try to get some type of
commitment every time.
Example:
Based on what you are saying
to me, it sounds like it would be
worthwhile to get together so
I can give you a more detailed
picture as to how we might help
you?
So if the renewal is not for some

time, you should
> Stay in touch via email.
> Send them material in the
intervening period.
Remember, if the prospect likes

what you have to say, its now
> Send them a hand written
60
card thanking them for the

conversation.
> Get them to agree to have a
further conversation much
closer to the renewal date.
> Diarize a follow up phone
call with them three weeks
before the renewal date.
Rule 1: Most decision makers

delete messages after 30
seconds.
Example:
Thanks Paul for letting me
know that you have another
nine months to go before
renewal time. With your
permission Ill keep in touch and
maybe youll let me quote for
the policy next time around?
Rule 2: Most decision makers

delete messages on the first
time of listening.
The components of a good
voice mail message
Leaving Voice Mails

A lot of people dont believe in
leaving voice mail, and thats
alright however if you prefer to
leave messages here are some
best practice steps to consider.
If you intend leaving a voice mail
message, your objective is to
create enough interest so as the
customer will take the next call.
Remember, you can only get
the appointment after you have
spoken with the sales suspect.
> Your name: Frank Murphy

> Your company name
> A statement that creates
interest and intrigue:
I have an idea to run by
you that might significantly
impact the way you handle
commercial insurance at your
superstore and warehouse
> Call to action: I will call you
back Wednesday at 10am.
61
Voice mails are like opening

statements in that you can script
and practice them. So when
that voice says please leave
your message after the tone,
you have about 30 seconds to
generate a reason why that
person should call you back as
opposed to
Example:
Lucy, this is Frank Murphy over

at ABC Insurance. We have been
working with a number of the
big DIY stores in the Sligo area
like yourself, and having worked
with them I have an idea to run
by you that might significantly
impact the way you handle
commercial insurance at your
superstore and warehouse.
Sorry I missed you I will call you
back Wednesday at 10am.
Conor, this is Dylan Morris from

ABC Insurance. One of your
colleagues Patricia Rock, asked
me to give you a call regarding
how we helped them increase
their commercial cover while
decreasing their overall annual
premium this year. Sorry I missed
you. I will call you back Monday
at 11am.
Example:
exercise
Develop a voice mail message for one of

your prospecting campaigns:
* Your name
* Your company name
* A statement that creates interest and intrigue
* Call to action
62
Have a dedicated time each day to prospect
Prospect in hour blocks of time
Track your results (The Sales Ratios)
Know the reason for calling before you call: Remember the
reason must benefit the customer not introduce a great new

service etc
Leave short beneficial voice mail messages that arouse interest
and attention
May be follow up with an email
Prepare your needs qualification questions in advance
Phone calls placed to direct numbers before 9:30 AM are
the most likely to be answered by the person youre trying
to reach
Respect the gate-keeper by treating them in the same manner you

would treat the prospect
10
Anytime is a good time to make a call; dont wait for
the perfect time
Continues overleaf...
63
Checklist for running a telephone

prospecting campaign (for appointment making)
Checklist for running a telephone

prospecting campaign (for appointment making) contd...
11
Prepare your opening benefit statement in advance
12
Prepare your questions bank in advance
13
Consider sending an introductory letter first
14
State in the letter that you will be making a follow up call
15
Batch your calls in clusters of ten at a time
16
Make the calls in a quiet back office with no interruptions
17
If you can consider recording a dummy call so as you can hear what
you sound like
18
Make sure you get some type of movement on every call even if
its a no thanks
19
If you can get an introduction all the better
20
Measure your outcomes
21
Ensure you are permitted to make unsolicited calls to the business

owner e.g. that they arent on a protected database
22
If you are calling again avoid leaving phone messages for the
contact if they are unavailable, as it makes it easy to filter out
further calls. Try and call back
64
Notes/Actions:
65
c h apt e r 4
Using Email as part of the Sales Process
Using
Email
as part of the Sales Process

The one sure way of going out of business during
a recession is to try nothing new A. Sugar
ales professionals are

using emails more and
more as a sales medium.
Whether, its to deliver a
specific sales proposal or to try
cold call a potential sales target,
email is being used for it.
advertising company www.

doubleclick.com, suggested
that 55% of e-mail recipients
considered a message to be
spam if it was generic and bore
no relation to their business
challenges. This was also true
where the mails were being sent
to existing customers.
Does email prospecting work?

If done correctly it can be an
effective tool for obtaining new
customers.
Email as part of the sales

process: some key points to
remember
> Email is one way: This
means it cant be used as a
However, a recent survey

conducted by global Internet
66
> Email has no tone: Email is

interpreted by the reader and
some times not as intended
by the sender. Always make
sure the tone of your sales
email is as intended
Example:

I am the new ABC

representative in your area
and I am just contacting
you to see if you needed
anything?
What tone does this
message set for you? The
words that come to mind
for me are phrases like lazy,
presumptuous and pushy.
Is this the tone the sender
intended? It doesnt matter
what was intended, because
if the sales targets thinks the

mail is pushy, then it is pushy
and so is the seller.
> Permanent record: Once you
send an email you cant take it
or its contents back. So you
need to be very sure that;(a) You want to send the email
(b) That you are sending it to the
right person
(c) That you understand their
circumstances
(d) That you have hit the correct
note with your composition
(e) Everything that you are
suggesting is factually correct
and something you can
stand over
(f) You have no spelling or
grammatical mistakes
> Email reflects on you and
your company: If the email
has lots of spelling errors and
typos then you are deemed to
be sloppy and unprofessional
and so is your company.
67
stand alone sales tool. Email

works best when it is part of
an integrated prospecting
strategy that also includes
networking, prospecting by
phone, asking for referrals
etc. Email must be followed
up with some type of voice
conversation with a sales
target for it to work.
When should you consider

sending a prospecting email
to a sales target?
without opening it? Here are

some issues to get you thinking.
The facts of email life
> When you cant reach that

sales target by phone
1. Most people read emails in

less than 20 seconds
> When you cant get a

personal introduction to that
sales target
2. Most people only read an

email once
> When your approach is purely

speculative
3. Never send an attachment

with your e-mail. Sales targets
who dont know you are not
going to open a file from a
stranger and risk getting a
virus on their PC
> When you intend following

up the email with other sales
and marketing initiatives
> When you have their correct
email protocol
Focus on the potential buyer

needs
If you make a generic sales pitch
your email will be interpreted
as spam. Like the opening
statement of your telephone
prospecting call, your email
must have a hook or a W.I.I.F.M
(Whats In It For Me) angle in
its construction. Dont talk
about your company, insurance
products or trusted advisor
services. Instead, focus on their
issues, concerns, problems and
challenges.
While email is part of your

prospecting kit bag be aware it
is no substitute for speaking with
an actual sales target or suspect.
The rules for writing and
sending effective sales
emails
Remember, everyday your sales
target gets a lot of emails from
people just like you. So whats
going to get them to read your
mail as opposed to deleting it
68
Personalise every email

Decisions makers must know
immediately that the e-mail
was written just for them and
not sent to 100 other people.
Mention your research. Highlight
a triggering event. Reference a
referral.
website. Focus on creating the

dialogue.
Keep it short and sweet

As mentioned earlier, you have
less than 20 seconds to capture
the attention of a potential sales
prospect. After the first couple
sentences, they decide if theyll
delete it, forward it or respond.
Hook them with a compelling

subject line
Free Commercial Insurance
Health Check Up will get your
email deleted as recipients will
be thinking that there is a catch
attached to the concept of a free
offer or that your mail is just
spam. However using a subject
line along the lines of, Want to
know what your competition
are doing to their costs? might
get them to read on as its more
intriguing.
Make it readable from the

preview window
Most people do a quick scan of
their messages in the preview
window before opening them. If
your message is longer than this,
make it shorter.
Tactics for how you can use

email as part of the sales
process
Start a conversation
Your goal is to engage decision
makers in an on-line discussion.
In order to do this, you have
to give them something they
can respond to. Ask a question,
invite them to an event, and
see if theyd be interested in an
information resource on your
> Use email as a follow up

tool.
After you meet someone at
a networking event follow
up with an email. Similarly,
after you phone someone,
69
Dont send emails too

frequently
It annoys people and makes
your emails more likely to be
summarily deleted.
meet someone, or send them

a physical document by post
follow up by email. Thank
them, tell them to expect
the post, and talk about next
steps etc.
Articulated Trucks on the M50

yesterday
Example:
Subject Line: Can you assist me
with some information please?
> Use email to gather

information about decision
makers or company
protocols
Gather information about
who the correct decision
maker is for commercial
insurance; get their email
address and direct dial
contact telephone numbers
via email.
Conor,
I heard you being interviewed on
Newstalk Radio last weekend in
relation to your expansion plans
for your DIY business. It was a
very impressive interview.
Depending on your time frame
for your new superstores there
is a possibility we might be able
to help you get the best possible
insurance cover for the new
building at the best possible
price.
> Use email to get referrals

and testimonials
Ask clients to introduce you
to people in their circle of
influence who may require
your service.
Im with ABC Insurance, and we

specifically help companies in
the retail DIY sector solve their
insurance issues and manage the
level of risk these types risks add
to your business costs.
If you think it worthwhile for
your business, would you be
able to direct me towards the
person who is responsible for
> Refer to their world

I was in with your customer
at his garden centre at Naas
and I see you have all your
garden furniture on display
throughout your premises.

I was behind one of your
70
And some tips on writing style

and grammar
looking after insurance cover

for your business. Any help you
could provide would be greatly
appreciated.
> Subject line should be a

request to act
Many Thanks,
> Keep paragraphs short
Johnny Ryan,
Midlands Commercial Business
Advisor
ABC Insurance
> Watch font size
> Use boldface or underlining

for emphasis
Low pressure start asking for

help as opposed to making a
sales pitch
> Use bullet points

Rather than offering specific
solutions, the writer is trying
to grab the attention and
interest of the reader. In other
words, the e-mail is about the
receiver, not the sender.
> Be concise
> Avoid jargon
> Use spelling checker
This reinforces that the writers

company solves problems and
provides insurance solutions.
This statement expresses
the warmth of the writers
gratitude in advance.
71
> Use white space
Table 9: Checklist for running an

email campaign
1
Never send an attachment with your e-mail. Prospects who dont

know you are not going to open a file and risk a virus.
If you are sending an e-mail, send it from a named individual, not a

company.
Always have your company name, web site URL, telephone number
and name in the e-mail signature.
When sending an unsolicited e-mail, keep it short. It should be less

than four paragraphs.
When sending an e-mail, always use bullets and numbers in the

body.
Always describe in your e-mail how your offering can increase

income, decrease expenses or manage risks for the recipient.
Always name people who refer you on, providing you have their
permission to do so.
Always include an action step for the prospect to take or an action

you will take.
The subject line of your e-mail should be a short sentence and or it

should mention something that will intrigue your prospect
72
Notes/Actions:
73
c h apt e r 5
Preparation for Sales Meetings
Preparing for
Sales
Meetings
Fail to prepare, then prepare to fail. V.Lombardi
> They dont understand the

components of an effective
initial sales meeting.
hen we say face to

face meeting with
a sales prospect,
we mean an on
site meeting with a qualified
decision maker resulting from a
previous contact. Meetings are
the key to moving to the next
stage of your sales pipeline.
However there are three main
reasons many sellers make poor
use of meetings;
> They focus on their own

offering, not the prospective
needs.
Here are some guidelines for
preparing for meetings;Step 1: - Person/company
research
If its a sizeable opportunity,
learn as much as you can
about them in advance. In
> They dont invest enough

time preparing for the
meeting.
74
competition, their
geographical spread etc)
3. Their customers (have you
any mutual clients)
4. Any key strategic initiatives
(media coverage etc.)
5. The type of insurable risks
that typically occur in their
business
1. Primary business (make sure

you know what they do/area
of their business that they
specialise in etc).
Step 2: Identify possible

conversation angles
After completing your research,
identify where you might have a
positive impact on your targeted
2. Market segments (their

75
a meeting with a potential

prospect, your knowledge of
their business is the first thing
that differentiates you from
most of your competitors.
Plus, by understanding what
is important to them, youre
able to ask intelligent questions
and align your offering with
their needs. Key headings to
research/investigate under are:
Based on your knowledge of

their operation, answer the
following questions;-
> Looking at their problems,

challenges or gaps that
may be present, what are
the potential business
implications?
> How are they handling

insurance risks today without
your offering?
> What opportunities might

you be able to present to
them.
> What kinds of problems

or challenges might they
be facing because of how
theyre currently doing
things?
> If this person / company used

your services, what business
value would they realise?
What difference could it
make?
person/company.
exercise
Please list 10/12 questions you should

ask at a first meeting with a decision
maker in a law firm.
1.
2.
3.
76
8.
9.
10.
4.
5.
6.
7.
11.
12.
77
> When was the last time they

reviewed their commercial
insurance?
the meeting, youre much more

likely to achieve it. Ask yourself
what movement do you wish to
create at this meeting?
Step 3: Plan your questions

Effective questions are essential
to demonstrate that youre
committed to helping them
achieve their goals and remove
obstacles to success. Its
imperative to write out your
questions ahead of time and
take them to the meeting. If
you neglect this step, its easy
to slip into a pitch mode that
customers detest.
Step 5: Know who you are

meeting
Make sure you know the names
and responsibilities of everyone
you are going to meet.
Step 6: Preparing your
product presentation
Nothing should ever left to
chance. Gary Player, the world
famous golfer, was once asked
what the secret to his success
was. He replied, The better I
prepare the luckier I get!
Good questions uncover

information about their current
situation, the problems and
gaps theyre experiencing and
the business ramifications of
how theyre currently handling
things and the pay-off for
making a change.
So here are some tips for

preparing your support sales
material.
(a) Your sales support
material: Make sure your
support material and
examples are relevant to the
industry of the prospect.
Dont give them the old A to
Z youll lose them!
Step 4: Plan your meeting

outcome
As a result of this meeting,
what is the logical next step?
Research into sales success
shows that if youve defined an
appropriate desired outcome
for your sales meeting prior to
(b) Your brief case / folder:

Should be clean on the
78
Leaning forward
Moving closer shows curiosity
and intensity. Leaning back
demonstrates aloofness or
rejection.
outside and organised on the

inside.
(c) Business cards: Always
ensure you carry a supply
of up to date (with correct
phone numbers etc) in your
brief case.
(d) Your sales support
documentation: Should
be branded with your logo
and titled with the name of
your prospects company, if
possible.
Handshake
A good handshake reaches all
the way into the other persons
hand. In addition, match the
prospects pressure
(e) No spelling mistakes: Make

sure you spell the prospects
name correctly.
Appropriate dress code

Blend it, dont stick out! Look
professional be conservative
and polish those shoes.
The importance of body
language in sales lies in the fact
that many buyers are either
unsure of, or reluctant to openly
communicate their intentions.
So you must be able to read
their body language to tell
you what their words do not
say. What makes sales body
language so challenging is that
it must be taken in the context
of the situation and prior
relationship you have with the
person.
Step 7: Mental preparation body language

In sales, saying what you mean
isnt always enough. You have
to show it. Sales people looking
for that successful outcome
should keep the following body
language tips in mind:
Nothing crossed
Keep legs, feet, and arms
open. This translates to honesty,
saying, I have nothing to
hide.
79
Direct eye contact

In business circles, this is a sign
of strong character.
Table 10: Checklist for preparing a Sales Meeting
1st Meeting Plan for:

Sales Prospect
Contact Name:
Contact Role/Responsibility:
Desired Meeting Outcome: What is logical next step if all goes
well?
I. Getting started
> Introductions
> Who do we know in common?
> What business do we already have from their industry or
locality
> Who are they insured with currently?
80
Table 10: Checklist for preparing a Sales Meeting contd...
2. What is the agenda for the meeting?
4. Focusing on the prospect (questions I will ask)

1.
2.
3.
81
3. Which Insurance services do I think might be relevant to

this sales prospect?
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
5. Which insurance solutions do I think I will be promoting

and why?
82
6a. How would you overcome these concerns or objections?
83
6. What are the likely concerns or objections this prospect

might bring up?
Notes/Actions:
84
Notes/Actions:
85
c h apt e r 6
Meetings with Sales Prospects
Meetings with
Sales
Prospects
You miss one hundred percent of the shots that
you dont take A. Palmer
ffective sales meetings

are focused around your
prospective customers
and whats important
to them not your software
solutions and demonstrations.

Good sales meetings generally
follow a simple, proven process.
However, unless sellers stick to it,
its really easy to get off track.
86
Table 11: Best Practice Meeting Structure

Activity
What should be happening
1
Introduction

* Introductions
* Small talk around areas of
commonality
* Small talk around observations
about their business
2
Permission to proceed

with agenda

* Question to ask permission

to ask some questions
* Announce your preferred structure
for meeting
* Ask for agreement
3
Qualifying the sales

opportunity (Fact Find)

* Business related questions

* Insurance / Risk related questions
* Supplier related questions
4
Summarising the sales

opportunity

* Repeat back your understanding

of their circumstances and
priorities as it relates to your
product suite
5
Presenting the appropriate

option

* Follow their sequence of

priorities and issues
* Use their words and phrases
* Give examples
* Do the maths / present numbers
* Get agreement on individual benefits
and solutions before you move to next
aspect of your presentation
* Maximise potential financial gain
* Minimise potential risk exposure
* Ask the question Do you think

you will benefit from my proposal
Gain feedback on option

presented
7
Close / Ask for Next Step

* Great, so based on what you

have said, I think the next step
might be to
8
Objection Handling

* You may have to handle objections

or trade concessions (If you have the
autonomy)
* Ask for the business
Close the Deal
87
Step
1. Introduction
Business customers dont
always have a lot of time for
meaningless chitchat. Be cordial
and friendly, but businessfocused at all times. *Small
talk may or may not take place
depending on the prospects
style and demeanour.
club memberships via

photographs, awards and
plaques.
> Dont talk about yourself
unless it contributes to the
process.
> Respect the prospects time its as valuable as yours is!
Some pointers on
connecting with people at the
start of a meeting
> If possible and appropriate,

mention mutual
acquaintances.
> Maintain confident, open

body language.
> Match the prospects mood

and demeanour.
> When you say hello, dont

forget to smile!
Remember that prospects are

constantly asking themselves,
Why should I give you my
time? The above questions
keep prospects focused on their
needs, problems and concerns
and of your products, features
and selling style. Secondly, it
shows prospects you are more
interested in them than you
are in just selling something, to
them. Being more interested in
them than they are in you is one
of the best ways to build trust
and rapport in any relationship.
> If the prospect offers you

something (tea/water)
accept it!
> If you sit down, sit square
on to your prospect (dont
slouch)
> Look around the room
especially at pictures, photos
and trophies for some
common topics of interest.
You may be able to identify
sporting hobbies or business
88
2. Permission to proceed &

your agenda
Before you get started, double
check to see if times have
changed since you set up the
meeting. Reconfirm the purpose
of the meeting to ensure there
are no misunderstandings. Ask
permission to ask questions
next.
situation, the better position you

are in as a seller. If you dont get
enough information it ensures
you always have more meetings
than necessary or that you will
have to focus purely on price to
get the business.
So as I can work out how I

might best help you, may I ask
you some questions firstly?
1. Business questions
2. Insurance related questions
3. Supplier questions
3. Qualifying the sales

opportunity (Fact Find)
In selling, your ability to ask
qualify effectively is highly
correlated with sales success.
Good questions demonstrate
your expertise and enhance
your credibility as a trusted
insurance advisor. And, the best
questions you can ask are highly
provocative ones your prospects
cant possibly answer without
seriously considering their
business situation. Therefore,
in order to be able to present
compelling and relevant case
for moving to your suggested
option, the more information
you have about the prospects
Business questions:
> Tell me what do you actually
do here?
> Who are your customers?
> Why do people select you as
a supplier?
> I see by your website you
have been expanding since
2006 - what do you attribute
your growth to?
> What changes will take
place in your firm/company
over the next 18-24 months?
89
There are 3 categories of

questions:
> What is your competition

doing that youd like to be
doing more of?
> How would the business cope

if you lost the use of X for 3
months?
> What challenges has the

downturn brought to your
business?
> What is the likelihood of a

customer having accident on
your premises?
Insurance Specific Questions:
> What type of goods do your

delivery people carry?
> Can I just recap on the

information that you gave me
over the phone?
> What caused you to take out

that policy in the first place?
> What policies have you

currently in place?
Supplier Questions:
> What criteria for choosing a
commercial insurer?
> When was the last time you

reviewed your cover?
> If you could change anything

about your current policy what
would it be?
> What are the main concerns

you have about the different
risks that you insure?
> Apart from price what else

is important to you in an
Insurer?
> Are the insurance cover

levels on existing policies
appropriate in your opinion?
3. Summarise your
understanding of the issues
Its important to show the
prospect that you have been
listening to their answers to
your questions and also that
you understand their issues,
> Which areas of your business

give you most concern from a
risk perspective?
> What have you had to claim
for in the past?
90
> Is that correct?

> Have I missed anything?
4. Rules for presenting the
proposed offering
> Present what the prospect
needs
Your presentation should only
be based upon the problems
and needs you have exposed
at the qualification stage of the
interview. Dont information
dump.
present
During the presentation, you
need confirmation that the
product is going to meet
the prospects needs and
expectations. Ask questions
that will give you conditioned
responses as to how the
prospect feels about your
product at that particular
moment of the presentation.
Remember, positive affirmations
are like a snowball going down
hill. If the prospect agrees with
you on an on going basis, their
positive mindset about your
service gains momentum and
they will be unlikely to object
to your proposition at the
conclusion of your presentation.
5. Gain feedback on the option

presented
Example:
Based on what I have suggested,
how does that fleet policy sound to
you?
> Prioritize based on what the

prospect has said
Focus on the areas of most
importance to the prospect.
6. Close / Ask for the next step

Once the prospect has confirmed
that the policy will meet their
needs and they are comfortable
understanding its excesses, terms
> Use the words and phrases

used by the prospect
> Get on going feedback as you
91
opportunities and concerns. The

best way of doing this is to repeat
back their answers in the form of
an edited summary. This should
always be done in order of priority
and should finish with a question to
the prospect to confirm that your
summary is correct.
and conditions etc, you need to

be prepared with a commitment
(closing) question that verifies
whether or not they will take the
next step.
Make sure you summarise what
you learned about the key
challenges facing the prospect
as related to your offering. Check
with the prospect to ensure you
heard him or her correctly. Then
based on their response suggest
a next step. End by simply
suggesting the next logical thing
that the prospect and you need
to do in order to determine if your
offering is a good fit for what they
need.
the prospects right to object. In

some cases it may be appropriate
to go further and agree with the
prospect. You then need to clarify
the objection or concern before
you try and overcome the issue.
7. Handling objection
Very often objections occur
during the sales meeting. They
happen for a variety of reasons
ranging from a genuine reason
for the prospect not to buy, to a
breakdown in communications,
or even a lingering purchasing
concern. Often sellers respond to
objections too quickly and without
clarification, and this comes a
across as a rebuttal or pushiness.
To give yourself a better chance
of overcoming the objection
you must firstly acknowledge
Okay, John, I can get you a policy

with a zero excess, and that
premium will only be 90 more. Is
that okay?
Example:
Okay John, so you have a concern
about the excess on this policy.
You have a point there. We need to
make sure there are no surprises in
the event of you having to make a
claim.
Can I clarify, what type of excess
level might work better for you?
Lastly, keep in mind, that

better customer profiling and
qualification, and getting on going
feedback as you present can often
prevent objections happening in
the first place.
8. Closing the deal / taking the
next step
Many sellers find closing or
92
> How long should the proposal

be?
> What information do they
need to make a decision?
> What criteria are they using to
make the decision?
> How do you compare to the
other suppliers at this stage?
> What commercial outcome will
your offering help them attain?
> What is their budget?
> How they feel about your
price? (This means you must
tell them your price)
Sometimes you wont be able

to close the deal there and
then. Sometimes you will have
to put the proposal in writing.
Before you put the proposal in
writing you must have clearly
gotten answers to the following
questions:
> What other concerns might

they have?
> How they intend evaluating
the technical aspects of your
proposal?
> Who is the decision maker?

> Who else might be reading the
proposal?
> When will they be making

their decision?
they like your submission?
> What should be included in

the proposal? Why?
93
asking for the business a very

stressful experience. However,
as suggested in this workbook,
closure should be taking place
at each individual step of the
sales process and again at each
individual stage of the sales
meeting. During the sales
meeting you close continually by
looking for regular feedback and
on going commitment from the
prospect. So in reality closing the
deal should be the next logical
step that both the seller and
prospect want to take, as opposed
to it being a lets have a big drum
roll and go for it experience.
Following up
Sometimes regardless of
how well your sales meeting
goes, the prospect insists
upon a quotation or further
documentation being sent to
them, before they will make a
decision. While this is not an
ideal step, it is the prospects
right to ask for this additional
information. So what happens
when you send out the literature
as agreed, and on the followup the prospect appears to
have a bout of amnesia, barely
remembering who you are, and
claiming not to have received or
looked at your literature!
of the situation and with a

prospect commitment of what
will happen before and during
the next follow up conversation.
The success of your follow-up
is directly proportionate to
how specific a commitment
(in principle) the seller gets
from the sales suspect on the
initial contact. You must get a
contingent commitment at the
end of the first contact
Better again, when you make

that follow up call, the only
thing you can think of saying is
I am calling to see if you that
quotation I sent you?, or I am
calling to see if you got the
chance to read the restaurant
Insurance brochure? Does this
sound familiar?
In other words, if your initial

sales meeting ends with, So Ill
send you that brochure and Ill
give you a call at the end of next
week, virtually ensures your
demise on the next contact. And
rightfully so; theres nothing
specific here, no commitment,
no connectivity between this
call and the next, no agreed
next step other that the activity
of posting a letter, and no
confirmation of whos to do
what next.
If youve ever been in either of

these scenarios and most of
us have, chances are that your
previous meeting didnt end
strongly, with a clear summary
Assign homework
If you can you need to assign
homework to the prospect.
If they are truly interested, you
need to get their agreement as
94
to what theyll do between now

and the next verbal contact.
For example, if theyll talk it
over with their boss, find out
when they will be meeting the
boss. Ask them if they intend
recommending your policy in
the meeting. Get a commitment
that if their boss likes the cover
and the premium is acceptable,
the next step will be to put the
insurance proposal in writing
and sign contracts.
The type of questions you might

ask are as follows;
> If the proposal reflects our
conversation do you think
you will be going ahead?
> What will happen on your

end when you receive the
quotation?
This commitment in principle is

critical, since if they wont agree
to do some homework before
the next call, its a sign that they
really dont see enough value in
taking that action.
> What will happen

between now and our next
conversation?
Be specific about the follow
up:
Set a specific time and date for
the next call and link it to the
commitment that they have
given you. Angie, by when do
you think you will have met with
the Finance Department to get
figures on what you spent last
year on commercial insurance?
Not only will you set a date
and time, but you have their
commitment, again, that they
will perform their homework.
At the very minimum you

should get commitment they
will read your material and
prepare questions, analyse the
premium costs and evaluate it
according to criteria youve both
discussed. Take your proposal
to head office with their
recommendation, and so on.
This is critical. If you dont get
a commitment for action, this
person might not ever become a
customer.
95
> Are you going to

recommend the policy to
your boss?
Notes/Actions:
96
Notes/Actions:
97
c h apt e r 7
Tips for
Sales
Proposals
In God we trust, everyone else signs a contract
Evolve Consultants
undamentally, any
proposal to do business
should always reflect
previous conversations
with the prospect. The
effectiveness of your sales
proposal will depend on the
quality of information you
have gotten from the client at
your pervious sales meetings.
Therefore, lets take a step
back and look at the type of
information you must have before
you attempt to write a proposal.
98
The first point we need to make

is that there should be no
surprises in the proposal.
Effectively, a proposal is
confirmation of what you
have already verbally agreed
with the prospect at your last
meeting. As mentioned in the
chapter on conducting the sales
meeting, you must have verbally
established the following with
your prospect before you attempt
to write the proposal:
> Who is the decision maker?
the technical aspects of your

proposal?
> Who else might be reading

the proposal?
> When will they be making

their decision?
> What should be included in

the proposal? Why?
> How long should the
proposal be?
The answers to the above

questions are important because
they enable you gauge how
serious the prospect is about
doing business with you.
Furthermore, it enables you
to identify decision making
processes and time frames. It
also helps you get to objections
before they become major
obstacles. Lastly, and most
importantly, the information will
enable you write a prospectfocused proposal as opposed to
a sales pitch.
> What information do they

need to make a decision?
> What criteria are they using to
make the decision?
> How do you compare to the
other suppliers at this stage?
> What commercial outcome
will your offering help them
attain?
> What is their budget?
Your proposal must be written

from the prospects perspective,
be framed around what the
prospect sees as issues and
focus upon what the prospect
expects from a possible purchase
from you. We can safely say a
tailored proposal is based on real
expectations as opposed to a
> How they feel about your

price? (This means you must
tell them your price)
> What other concerns might
they have?
> How they intend evaluating
99

they like your submission?
business pitch. Pitches normally

fail.
what you are going to do. They

also want you to confirm that
your proposal is consistent with
what you verbally agreed at your
last sales meeting. In reality, they
need your checklist of offerings
to measure against their
requirements, their proposals
and something that allows them
to get comfortable with the
value / results they can derive
from your price.
A sales proposal should reflect

the capability and ability of you
and your company making the
proposition. Remember, for
a prospect to consider doing
business with your organisation,
they must be satisfied that you;-
> Understand their issues

> Understand their unique
set of circumstances and
structures
> Can deliver what you say you
can deliver
We suggest you consider using
the following sections as headers
for your overall structure;1. The current situation
The prospect needs to know that
you understand their structure,
culture, and marketplace
also known as their current
insurance situation. We
suggest a paragraph outlining
the situation, as you the seller
understand it to be.
2. The purpose of the proposal
The prospect wants to know
100
3. Your offering
Effectively this is where you
suggest the options / policies
/ actions / steps / services you
believe will help the prospect get
the results they require. This is
where you connect the proposed
offering with their requirement.
It should clearly state what
action you wish to take and give
enough explanation to help the
prospect make a decision on
what you are proposing.
4. Results
Paint a picture of what results
they can expect to attain from
your offering. Define success
for them. Help the prospect set
the benchmark that represents
improvement. Make it easy for
the client to see the result. Lastly,
remember the easier it is for the
prospect to visualise the fruits

of your work the easier it will be
for them to buy it.
5. Track record
The Greek philosopher Socrates
once said, The best indicator
of future performance is your
past experience. Often the
biggest fear a prospect has
about making a purchasing
decision is the fear of picking
someone who cant deliver
what he or she has promised.
This means that where a seller
can point a prospect towards
evidence of where they have
done this before and that its a
straightforward exercise for the
company, this gives the buyer
peace of mind. Dont write
testimonials. Give them a listing
of prospects (and their phone
numbers) in similar scenarios
and suggest that they phone
them up.
7. Supporting technical data

This section should detail the
specifications and detail on the
policies you are suggesting,
as in the caveats, terms and
conditions. Once again, these
should not be surprises since
you worked them out long
before you wrote the proposal.
It should also be written using
terms that the prospect can
relate to. There should not be a
surprise for the prospect. Before
you close the meeting that
precedes the proposal, make
sure to discuss your pricing
and try and get agreement in
principle before you agree to
write the proposal.
6. Time scales
Get the prospect off the fence
of indecision. There is never
a good time to start a new
project. Outline the importance
of time frames by linking timing
of the stages in the proposal
with results the client wants to
achieve. You must show that
101
you understand the importance

of target dates and show that
you can hit them with ease. Your
client may have a significant
amount of knock-on business
riding on your ability to deliver
on your proposal. This can
often mean your timing is as
important (if not more so) than
your price.
Notes/Actions:
102
Notes/Actions:
103
About the
Authors
David Malone is one of this countrys best known sales

training coaches. He has over of 15 years sales training
and coaching experience in the Irish and UK business
to business market. His clients are all well known multi
national names and he regularly works in the insurance
sector, both with the broker community and direct
insurance companies. He is a regular speaker on the Irish
sales conference circuit.
Conor Morris is one of Irelands premier sales management

coaches for over seventeen years. In that time, he has
worked with nearly all the main players in the Irish
insurance market. Conors work takes him all over Europe,
Middle Africa and the USA and he also coaches business
owners in Ireland on behalf of Enterprise Ireland. He is
Irelands only master instructor for Motorola University and
he is the current chairman of the Sales Institute of Ireland.
104

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Who are Evolve Consultants?

The Business of Selling

Using Email as part of

Meetings with Sales

Tips for Sales Proposals

Who are Evolve Consultants?

e are a very commercially focused training organisation.

We work mainly with Blue Chip multi national insurance

The Business of Selling

riving demand for your

What is a Sales Target?

marketing database listing

> Existing Customers: They

Typically, targets break into

* A better route to getting

The Business of Selling

> Prospects: are those

The Business of Selling

for each other. For example,

Associations (Local Chapters)

Typically, the type of places

> Local area business

> Local and national print

> Kompass Directory and the

> Classified Ads companies

> Your existing database

> The recruitment pages

> IDA Industrial Estate

> Company notices - gives you

> Business Journals: Local

> Local Independent

> Web based local business

> Local Chamber of Commerce

So what does your ideal client

Therefore your ideal client

Your ideal should be;> Clients who have or will have

3. A business location that is

> Clients who distribute

4. Business with a sales team/

> Clients whose business

5. A Business that uses

> Clients who work in the

7. Pubs and hotels

> Clients who are manageable

9. Businesses that have high

> Clients whose size is

The Business of Selling

2. A business with a commercial

What would you add to this list of

The Business of Selling

What is a Sales Process?

Table 1: Steps in the Sales Process

Targeting the Ideal

Qualifying the sales

Presenting the solution

Typically, via a policy proposal & pricing

Trading concessions etc

Closing the deal

Signing the contract

On going relationship management for

The Business of Selling

> Ability to track and