Much like Seth Godin, Kim Klaver is able to aptly and succinctly get to the heart of the sales/marketing matter.

The most recent sales tip from Klaver:

Be the human voice you'd want to hear whenever you talk about your business or product. Skip the bombastic boasts and puffed up language no one understands or cares about. Tell your authentic personal story as you would to a friend over coffee, where you are not trying to sell it, just tell it.

"Puffed up language" is a veritable no-no for insurance sales agents, where it's essential to spare prospects and clients the industry jargon. So how do you find the happy medium between talking down to a customer and talking over them?

Asking some open-ended questions about their previous insurance coverage is a good way to gauge a client's knowledge of insurance. What were their previous auto coverages? What was their previous health insurance deductible? What did they like best about their previous insurer? Your client's answers to these types of questions will reveal their savoir-faire about insurance, as well as their purchasing motivations—both of which will help you tailor your pitch accordingly.

Of course, by "pitch", I'm referring to Klaver's suggestion of talking to a client as you would a friend...tell it. Don't sell it.

[More insurance sales tips from the InsureMe Resource Center]:

• Educating Your Clients...One Step at a Time


• The Telling Information Behind Consumer Choices


• Superior Customer Service: The Key that Unlocks the Door to Client Retention