We are all familiar with the old expression you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink? Sometimes as sales people and insurance agents this can be a ready-made crutch as why not to make a sale. While the statement is true for the most part there is an old story about an old sales manager and his young sales apprentice that overcomes this excuse.

The story goes, a young salesman who was just cutting his teeth in selling had a tough week and did not make any sales his first week in the field. Feeling sorry for himself, he was confronted by his old but experienced sales manager, who had heard every excuse in the book. The young apprentice laid out his week appointment by appointment and ended with you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. The old sales manager looked at the young apprentice with his crooked smile and said it is not your job to make the horse drink, it is your job to make the horse thirsty.

Too many times we so want to make a sale we forget to take the steps to make our horse thirsty. What I mean is no one loves to be sold. You may have heard the expression “people love to buy but hate to be sold”. As a matter of fact, when a consumer feels an insurance agent or salesperson is “me” focused versus “them” focused, they shut down with the famous “I need to think about it”. If an insurance agent or salesperson hears that objection often, he or she should look in the mirror. Reality is if you are offering a product or service that solves a problem or issue and your solution is perceived as more affordable than their issue, they buy every time. In order to be a great life insurance agent or great salesperson, you must listen to the prospect, find the need and use your products and services to eliminate their problem or issue. After all, isn’t this what you want when making a purchase? Make the horse thirsty, don’t force the horse to drink. To lead the horse to water is setting the sales appointment, but making the horse thirsty is closing the sale. If you try to force the horse to drink or force a sale, this almost never works. Even when these types of sales are closed, there is always and early cancellation and no further referrals given for the next appointment. Closing the sale properly makes for a happy client who will refer you more business and you get paid.

Remember the old sales manager, “it is not your job to make the horse drink, it is your job to make the horse thirsty”.

“Become the person who would attract the results you seek.” – Jim Cathcart

Image courtesy of Kittikun Atsawintarangkul at www.freedigitalphotos.net

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Tim Wilhoit is owner/principal of Your Friend 4 Life Insurance Agency in Nashville, TN. He is a family man, father of 3, entrepreneur, insurance agent, life insurance broker, salesman, sales trainer, recruiter, public speaker, blogger, author and team leader with over 28 years of experience in sales and marketing in the insurance and beverage industries.