Insurance Sales: Akin to Green Eggs and Ham?
June 20th, 2006 by Megan Mahan
As I browsed through the archives of sales blog, LandingTheDeal, I came across this post where author Dan Tudor equates sales to the infamous Dr. Seuss book, Green Eggs and Ham. If you don’t remember the storyline, here’s the hook:
Sam-I-Am is a completely relentless “guy”, who, all throughout the book, tries to convince a no-name skeptic to eat green eggs and ham. (”Would you like them in a box? Would you like them with a fox?”) By the end of the book, of course, the skeptic caves and enjoys some tasty green eggs and ham.
Cut back to Tudor’s post, where he describes the same ad exec who calls him month after month to sell him ad space on an industry-related website.
He’ll call back again next month, I know it. And you know what? Next month, I might buy from him. I’ve been close a few times, but it just hasn’t been the right fit for our budget. [...] One of these days, because that sales rep is persistent, I’m going to give him the business. There’s no doubt in my mind.
Tudor goes on to explain the problem with most bad salespeople–they aren’t persistent.
The guy that I said no to today is a good salesperson. He’ll keep at it…he understands that it’s not him, it’s me. I’m busy, and I’m not focusing on what he’s saying. One of these days I will, and it’s his job to keep putting himself in front of me so that I can say yes.
So, is insurance sales really like green eggs and ham?
At InsureMe, we tell our agents to make the most of their insurance leads by contacting the lead right away–and if they don’t get a hold of the lead, to keep calling, emailing, etc. until they make contact. And even if the lead buys a policy from someone else, we’ve advised agents in the past to set a reminder for themselves to call that prospect down the line (perhaps six months or so) to see if they’re content with their current service or ready to shop around again. Because if they’re ready to shop again, your chances of getting the sale back dramatically increase.
So, yes. I think insurance sales can be like green eggs and ham. But I also think the line between persistence and annoyance is a fine one. So how do you remain persistent enough to nab sales, but not so persistent that you’re branded one of those stalker/jerk types?
Suggestions are welcome. 
