Human nature is so complex that every individual’s mind has a tendency to create and maintain its own mental world. It also resists invasion. Most people have a strong predisposition against proposals that they believe will lead them to take an unusual course of action or require a reorganization of their ideas.
A person being approached for any type of proposal almost instinctively adopts a defensive posture. This defensive attitude develops over time, and the more familiar a person is with salespeople. The army language says that the more shelled a person has, the greater the number of defenses, including listening posts and barbed-wire barriers.
Prospects may refuse to think about life insurance because it is not compatible with their existing experience. If the prospect is presented with the idea as a continuation of his monthly check, which he has a habit of giving his wife, his brain travels on a track that leads to a “Yes.” response. You are the engineer running the prospect’s thoughts train. If the signals indicate that the train is heading on the “No” track, then you must be able to change his train of thought by having a good understanding of the reasons for objections.
It can be difficult to identify the true basis for objections in every case. They could be due to one of these reasons:
- The prospect fears are likely to be fear of losing too much of his surplus for insurance or of starting something that he won’t be able to finish.
- Inability to change his purchasing habits A prospect might have a specific plan that he uses when buying other commodities. He might be averse to shopping around before buying and won’t close an insurance contract until he has looked at other options.
- You may dislike a feature of the policy. This could be because you don’t know enough about the policy to make a decision.
- The agent may be dislikable. The agent may try to sell a policy that is not right for the prospect, but this can be frustrating.
- A lack of understanding about what insurance does – If the prospect’s case for insurance was not presented correctly, they may not be aware of the true purpose of insurance. This could lead to objections. A prospect might not see the need for insurance, or may feel that they don’t have the money to pay it.
- The prospect might feel that the program or type of insurance offered by the agent is not right for him. The prospect may not have identified his exact insurance needs and the agent might not be able to recommend an insurance program that will meet these needs.
- Fear of general economic conditions A prospect might fear panicking or hard times. This assumes that all other unnecessary expenses should be cut during such times. This prospect may not realize that insurance is twice as valuable in panic situations. If the breadwinner is unable to work during uncertain times, it could be the last estate that remains.
Keep in mind that every top agent is required to provide the best possible service to the community, not the highest possible commissions.
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Alen Majer is a trusted mentor and coach for insurance agents. He helps them improve their prospecting skills and handle objections.
He was voted #2 in the Top 50 Most Influential Persons in Sales Lead Management 2013; he is also one of the Top 25 Sales Influencers 2012, and a published author of five sales titles.
