Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Location & Time are key factors in selling.

One of my close associate was quite disheartened not closing a life insurance case, though the prospect was highly recommended by a good family friend. On listening to her story, I understand she had failed to fulfill the most important requirements on any sale discussion.


In a sale talk, the location and time are the main factors for a proper presentation. The agent together with her friends, met the prospect at a wet market place for the introduction. There were no table and chair to seat in comfort, the place was warm and smelly, and the environment was not suitable to exchange views and sharing. Although agent had all the time for the prospect, he was quite busy because he needed to travel at the later part of that evening. Agent managed to explain the insurance plan to prospect but he was not convinced and wanted more time to think. They concluded the meeting without the sale signed.

If I were the agent, under such circumstances and environment, I would have just introduced myself as a friend to the prospect first. I will never put forward the plan to him on such unfriendly occasion but would just invite him for a cup of coffee nearby and market my potential to him instead.

Most agents missed many good cases by failing to understand these simple rules...location and time must be conducive for an effective selling. The harder one pushes a sale without considering these two main factors, the sale will be lost even more faster. Perhaps I learned these key factors when I was young...trying to win over girls whom I had the interest. I failed to ask for the first date from those girls because the location and time for asking were not appropriate and timely. I believe chasing girls and looking for sales are relatively the same. You need plenty of patience and understanding to overcome such obstacles in life. Believe it or not...is up to you!!!

He spoke the truth - "Perhaps there is only one cardinal sin: impatience. Because of impatience we were driven out of Paradise, because of impatience we cannot return." - W. H. Auden

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