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
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.
Too many of our counterparts spend time focused on the process of selling a product and not nearly enough time on uncovering the client need. You have to not only make the client thirsty, but also find out what the client likes to drink.
Very well stated Edward, it is all about being a solution to an issue, not cramming product down someone’s throat. Thank you for sharing.
Great post Tim Wilhoit What ever excuses you may have for not buying life insurance now will only sound ridiculous to your widow….
Great article Tim–very insightful. Thanks for posting.
Glenn what a great line! Thank you for sharing it.
I can tell you for fact, if someone comes to me about helping them get fit, stronger and lean. I do my best to convince them if they don’t start getting in better shape now, what they will experience late in life will not be pleasant! However, to make your point, they have to CARE about how they look and feel and WANT to make a change, or I am wasting my time. Most people don’t care unfortunately, so I believe in my profession the horse statement is accurate..John
John, you are exactly right. Unless they recognize the problem, there is no solution. Stay thirsty my friend!
Good article Tim Wilhoit. Now I have to find my bottle of water!
Thank you for your kind words Michael, glad you enjoyed it.
Well said!
Such wisdom, Tim. I love it.
I have to horses. Hot cold it don’t matter you can make them drink. Just rub the water in on their muzzle, then up there nose, and then splash them. Stand there and do nothing, finally they will look around and drink.
Some for us. Needs analysis, great. Hit them with the
Truth. Great. But unroll they look around and see for themselves everything you just said was as great as water, they may stick their nose in the trough,”buy then drop”. You have to let them realize this is the only place, and wait them out. Make them want it and you can’t pull them away.
Very interesting take Jason. You may be able to force a horse to drink water and you can force a client to buy. However, the client will cancel the sale after you leave, whether the horse throws up or not. Thanks for sharing that perspective.
Great analogy. Intuitive but powerful. I always tell agents that the goal is to make clients for life. A big part of that is listening. Good salespeople are better listeners than talkers.
Thank you for your kind words Corban. Feel free to share it with your team if you believe it may help.
Tim,
Great advice! Thanks for sharing.
Chris, thank you for your kind words.