Whether you are face-to-face or using Zoom, there are five disciplines every salesperson must follow if they want to close a sale, according to National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) Regional Vice President Sales Jennifer Kaset.

1. 1. Stick to your trusted sales presentation, even on Zoom.

Although we may have altered our communication methods to virtual meetings, your sales presentation does not have to change. Your sales presentation is a road map to success. Changing it will lead to almost certain failure. While video meetings may never replace the feeling of being face-to-face, it still gives you the advantage of being able to present yourself over a visual medium.

Success over these virtual platforms takes time. Make sure you practice ahead of time, learn how to use the technology and have all of your visuals prepared to ensure smooth transitions in the meeting. This practice will clear any presentation obstacles from closing the sale.

2. Focus on the benefit.

If you have scheduled your first meeting with a new customer, you have already conquered one of the hardest parts of the sale. Now, it is up to you to make your service or product come to life. To do this, do not focus on the product – focus on the product’s benefits. Structuring your information around the benefits will deliver real-world scenarios to what you are selling. Remember, you are providing a way to ensure well-being and peace of mind down the road. Make sure your customers know what the benefits are.

3. Share your story.

Make your meetings personal with stories that you have experienced. Stories help your messaging resonate emotionally. Let your customers know how you helped families in the past. Not only will this demonstrate your product’s worth, but it also lends credibility to yourself as someone who has guided others’ journeys. Of course, be careful about how you present your experiences. You do not want to over promise or sound like you are bragging, especially when you are talking about something as sensitive end-of-life planning topics.

4. Listen actively.

When customers talk, make sure you are listening to what they are saying. If you are not actively listening, your chances of growing rapport will diminish from the start. Keep in mind that people will talk about what is important to them. Taking the information they shared with you earlier and weaving it back into your presentation will allow you to develop a personalized pitch in real time and increase your chance of closing the sale.

5. Moderate the conversation.

The skill of controlling a meeting is key to executing a good sales pitch. While you may be the one presenting, it is always useful to get your customers talking. Go into the meeting with several questions ready. Questions will help to ensure those long silences are avoided, and it allows your sales pitch to transform into a conversation. This is one of the easiest ways to make your customers comfortable and it allows them to naturally ask their own questions. Since they are most likely hearing your product benefits for the first time. Interjecting questions can also be useful to bring the focus back to your presentation if talking gets out of hand. Time is valuable for you and your customer, make sure you spend it wisely!

Incorporating these five sales tips into your presentation will give you the tools to help connect with your customers, feel comfortable and confident during your meeting, and hopefully successfully close your sale.

More about Jennifer Kaset, NGL Regional Vice President Sales

Jennifer has more than 15 years of experience in the insurance industry. As Regional Vice President Sales at NGL, she focuses on developing and nurturing Preneed partnerships with NGL’s marketing organizations, independent agents and agencies. She also oversees partners’ service needs as they strive to achieve their marketing goals. Her expertise is in guiding funeral homeowners and counselors on marketing, advertising, competitive analysis and future planning.

National Guardian Life Insurance Company is not affiliated with The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America a/k/a The Guardian or Guardian Life. 5036 4/21