By Robert A. Arzt, CLU, ChFC, LLIF
Like so many other advisors I work with, Josh knew that his peers with similar background and experience seemed to be selling more than he was, and their practices were at a higher level. He desperately wanted to break through to the next level, but was at a loss as to how to do it.
Josh took pride in the fact that he was a “student of the business.” He diligently read all the books on sales, sales techniques and practice management. He eagerly attended all of his company’s training and development programs. He had passed so many courses that all of his designations couldn’t fit on his business card. So what was missing? Clearly, knowledge alone was not the answer.
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When your goals and objectives are not clear, your day tends to consist of handling distractions and minutia. |
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Gaining clarity
Josh was suffering from one of the most significant barriers to success: goal clarity. Lack of clear goals dilutes both your focus and energy and is a key contributor to lackluster results. When your goals and objectives aren’t clear, your day tends to consist of handling distractions and minutia. It is reduced to checking off “B” or “C” level tasks—those that are easily accomplished but only marginally move you closer to attaining your goals.
Organization
Another barrier to Josh’s success was his lack of organization and time management. I had Josh develop an ideal workweek. The task proved more difficult than he imagined. First, I asked him to track his time over two to three months to determine how much time he was spending in particular categories of business activities, such as:
- administration
- phoning for appointments
- case preparation
- seeing clients and prospects
- prospecting, among others
After categorizing his time, I asked him to calculate what percentage of time he was investing in each category. Josh was absolutely shocked with his results. A minority of his time was being invested in growing his practice! [For tips on creating an ideal workweek, be sure to listen to AdvisorToday.com’s podcast with Arzt “Find the Time”]
By just focusing on getting through these two barriers—goal clarity and organization—Josh made great strides very quickly. Being clear about your objectives and organizing your efforts around them is a powerful combination that will help raise your practice to the next level.
The next step
Over the next several months, Josh and I examined other barriers that prevented him from breaking through to the next level. Some of these may be adversely affecting your practice as well:
Limiting self beliefs: You operate within your beliefs about your abilities and what you believe is possible to accomplish. These beliefs are both conscious and unconscious. Your inner beliefs control all of your actions, attitudes, abilities and habits. You will never act in a way that is inconsistent with those deeply held inner beliefs, so to enhance your results, expand your thinking and your “belief boundaries.”
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Write ‘Em Down |
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An interesting study was conducted at Yale University in 1956. The top 3 percent of the graduating class had written long- and short-term goals about what they wanted to achieve and accomplish in their lives. Thirty years later in 1986, a follow-up study showed that this same 3 percent were significantly more successful than the rest of their class. What’s more, they still were writing down their goals! |
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Lack of commitment to activity: Sometimes you know intellectually what needs to be done, but you can’t or won’t do the very things that will guarantee our success. Why? There are many reasons, but some include: fear, not feeling worthy of success, negative self-talk and disorganization. My favorite quote around this topic comes from the booklet, “The Common Denominator of Success” by Albert E.N. Gray. He states that those who are successful have developed the habit of doing those things that the unsuccessful people don’t do. He didn’t say that the successful people necessarily enjoy doing them, but they do them nonetheless. And, they do them repeatedly and on a consistent basis.
Perfectionism: Most successful producers would agree that you can’t go it alone. You (just like everyone) need help to catapult you to the next level. By having a perfectionist or controlling nature, you stunt your growth. You should always be leveraging your strengths and managing your weaknesses. One way to do this is to delegate to others activities that are neither your strong suit nor keep you in front of prospects and clients. Learning to delegate is both an art and a science, and with a little effort, you can make significant advances. [For more information on delegating, read “Mastering the Art of Delegation.”]
Destructive support systems: Negativity is very contagious, especially in commission sales. It’s been said that you become what you think about most of the time. If you are surrounded by negative thoughts, attitudes and ideas, beware, they’ll rub off on you. Surround yourself with “nutritious” people and you’ll reap the benefits.
Good luck on your journey to success.
Robert A. Arzt, CLU, ChFC, LLIF, is CEO of Polaris One and InsuranceCoachu.com. He coaches professionals who want to achieve more. Contact him at 301-610-5624, bob@insurancecoachu.com or through his website at www.insurancecoachu.com. For a complimentary coaching session, mention this article.
March 2008
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Simple Sales Secrets
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