Three gifts advisors can share this holiday season
December 10, 2014 by Daniel Steenerson, CLU, ChFC, RHU
The holidays bring out the best in all of us. When we interrupt our lives to give, socialize and celebrate, a funny thing happens. We become more sentimental and more grateful for our everyday blessings such as good health, a loving spouse and spirited grandchildren. However, the holidays don’t always bring out the best in our insurance sales results. Many insurance agents have been tempted to relax efforts amidst all the joy. After all, no one wants to buy (or sell) insurance during the holidays, right?
Today, I’d like to challenge that assumption. In fact, the holiday season may be one of the best times to offer paycheck protection. Here’s why:
While the holiday season is uncovering a kinder, gentler you, it’s also inspiring a little introspection for many of your prospects. They’re making their lists, checking them twice, and discovering there aren’t that many tangible things they really need. If you don’t believe this, watch and see how many gift cards are exchanged. More than stuff, what people really yearn for is peace of mind — the contentment that comes with knowing the family will be financially secure no matter what happens.
Let me guess… You agree that peace of mind is important, but you’re still squeamish about the idea of selling during the holidays? You’re not alone. To clear this mental hurdle, you need to re-categorize the important work you do. You’re not just selling; you’re sharing an essential gift. You’re not just earning a living; you’re saving a financial future. Emergency room doctors don’t feel bad about saving people because they happen to get paid for it. Neither should you.
Take a closer look at how much you give every time you sell a insurance policy.
Gift No. 1: Insurability — Everyone is invincible until the day they’re not. And, everyone is insurable until the day they’re diagnosed. Getting income protection and long-term care protection aren’t things that should be delayed until old age. Every day of delay could easily turn into the day they’re no longer invincible or insurable.
Gift No. 2: Financial security — It can be difficult to get prospects to slow down and think about what’s at stake in the daily hustle and bustle. However, during the holiday season, your clients are already in a more reflective state of mind. They’re more aware of their blessings and their vulnerabilities. They’re also more generous (just ask charities and nonprofits). It’s an ideal time to ask them to consider protecting what matters most.
Gift No. 3: The feel-good factor —When you buy things like shoes or smartphones, the warm feeling may last a day, or maybe even a week. When you buy experiences, the satisfaction lingers for years. Think about the time you took your family to Hawaii and swam with the dolphins. It’s a feel-good tale that is shared for years to come. Not as exciting as Hawaii, but equally heartwarming, is the feel-good feeling of securing income protection. For your client, it evokes the personal pride of doing the right thing — and that’s worth telling friends about.
While you’re thinking about gifts for your prospective clients in a sparkling new light, take a moment to think about two gifts for yourself. First is the gift we already discussed. Allow yourself to appreciate and fully embrace the important work you do. You may not be an ER doctor, but you’re saving lives in a different and equally important way.
Second, if you haven’t already done so, get an income protection policy for yourself. As with your clients, you will gain insurability, financial security and the feel-good factor. More importantly, you will finally have conviction. Once you believe in income protection enough to buy it for yourself, your business will skyrocket. As the old saying goes, you have to believe to receive.
