An insurance agency's lifeblood is its sales. Increased sales equal agency growth. Agency principals will struggle to survive if they don't have a solid sales training program. Here are five reasons why insurance producers need a sales training program. A sales program for insurance agents is crucial if they want to grow their business.

Reasons 1

Producers can benefit from a good sales training program that helps them master the skills necessary to help the agency achieve its goals and grow. Principals of forward-thinking agencies want to see growth. They desire to build an agency that is focused, productive, and motivated. They desire to create a sales culture that increases revenue, puts more money in the bottom line, and generates more income for their employees and their producers.

Without the ability to sell insurance, they won't be able to achieve these things. Many producers don't know how to sell. Many times agency principals assume they know how to sell, which can lead to poor performance.

Sales training programs or sales trainers in New York teach producers how to sell effectively, and how to turn those selling skills into new business opportunities and growth.

Reasons 2

Good sales training programs are essential to the success of the agency's business process. They provide the framework for new business, new prospects, and new growth opportunities.

A business plan is a process that outlines how new business will be generated by successful insurance agencies. This plan or process, also known as a "playbook", outlines the rules for producers and teaches them how they should play.

Good sales training programs are essential for advancing the business plan and giving the playbook its scope of play. To acquire the necessary sales skills to generate new business and find new prospects, producers must practice every day. Training is continuous and consistent in a well-designed sales training program. Producers are taught to (1) follow the 80/20 rule; (2) write service agreements; (3) prospect and master the art of making new contacts; (4) distinguish themselves from the competition or the "incumbent; and (5) establish specific, concrete, and measurable goals that they will achieve and hold them accountable.

Reasons 3

A great sales training program will give producers the tools to not only pursue new business but also to take on the competition and win their game. Three people are involved in insurance sales training: the buyer, seller, and incumbent. Producers must be able to build a relationship with the buyer and be able to beat the incumbent.

Producers learn to distinguish themselves from the incumbent through a sales training program that uses proactive services to their advantage. These are services that the incumbent does not provide, and they give the producer and agency their competitive edge and service identity. Producers will have a better chance of selling if they can distinguish their agency from the incumbent.

Sales trainers in New York teach how to be an expert in pre-call strategies. They are taught how to think about the incumbent before each appointment and help them answer key questions like "Who is this person?", "Why do I need them?", "What makes you different?", "What makes you better?", "What makes me better?" and "What's my competitive edge?"

Reasons 4

A great sales training program trains its producers to become highly competent and confident to go out and make things happen. Training producers to sell effectively and turn those skills into action is the best way for an agency principal to get a better return on their investment. This action, this learned behavior, is what they use to prospect for new business and get an appointment.

Good sales training programs teach producers how to make introductions. They are taught by trainers to meet clients, ask them questions and find out who they can introduce you to. Produces learn how to use these accounts to make introductions. They are taught how to distinguish themselves from the incumbent and what pre-call strategy is.

A good sales training program includes regular sales meetings that put these skills to the test. These meetings encourage continuous improvement and rapid progress in the sales process. These meetings are where trainers highlight the specific behaviors that they want producers to excel at, and then they create a plan for each producer.

Reasons 5

Good sales training programs require that producers set goals and hold them accountable for reaching them. Sales would rise if producers were more productive, motivated, and focused. The agency would grow in leaps, bounds. This is the problem that agency principals have to deal with when they are dealing with 80% or more of their producers.

This is where a good sales training program can help. It teaches producers how they can set concrete, specific goals and hold them accountable for them being achieved. Produces learn that there can be consequences for high and low performance. However, they also learn that accountability is essential and that accountability will make it possible to achieve little if any, success.

Training is the most important thing. A good sales training program is even more effective. Agent principals want to increase sales and grow their agency. This is why sales training for producers must be a priority. A good sales training program for insurance producers is essential. How can an agency achieve its goals if it doesn't have one?