Becoming More Persuasive

What many salespeople don’t realize is that becoming more persuasive on sales calls has less to do with how hard they push and more to do with how compelling they are to their clients.

When selling to clients, it’s vital to remember that your clients would be doing you a favor by buying your National Agents Alliance product – however, it’s also important to remember that by making your product available to your clients, you are doing them a favor. It’s your job not to push them with sales jargon, but to show them through your words and your actions that they need what you are selling.

Clients often assume that salespeople are pushy and untrustworthy. Unfortunately, in some cases, this is true. It’s your job to disprove that stereotype from the beginning of the sales call. Show that you are trustworthy, not through just words, but through the way you use words and the information you share.

We’ve got a few simple tips to help you become more persuasive without being too pushy.

1. Be honest– Remember that your goal is to gain your clients’ trust.  The best way to truly gain people’s trust is to be trustworthy and honest. Think of your sales tactics as if you were the client – what would you think of the way you treat people? Would you want the salesperson to be honest with you about the service or product? Would you trust just any salesperson? What qualities make you trust others? Consider all of these things when going on sales calls. As an agent for National Agents Alliance, you are working for the greater good. You are not just working to get a paycheck – you are working to make a difference. It’s your job to make sure people get the coverage they need to protect their families – be truthful about the coverage your clients need and be genuine in your efforts to help. Your honesty will shine and people will trust you. Being trustworthy in itself makes you more persuasive in your efforts to sell.
2. Be appropriate– When selling, it’s important to think like your audience. Instead of focusing on how to “trick” people into buying what you sell, simply try thinking like your clients. Do you have a family? Tell your clients how life insurance can protect their families from financial stresses if they pass away. Was there something about insurance that you didn’t understand before you went through agent training? Be honest and clear with your clients, anticipating questions and concerns so you will be prepared to answer them. Thinking like your audience will help you be more helpful to your clients. Keep in mind that you are representing National Agents Alliance when you go on sales calls – another reason to be truthful and appropriate. Keep your audience’s perspective in mind, being constantly aware of what you say and how you say it. Rehearse your general sales script to make sure that you know what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Applying these tips to your sales mindset and behavior will help you to be more persuasive – naturally – at your sales calls. If you focus on helping your clients instead of getting as much money out of them as possible, you will see that you are working toward the greater good and making a difference by meeting your clients’ needs. Your clients will see that you are genuine and will be more likely to purchase coverage from you. Your attitude says more about you and what you are selling than your “pushy persuasiveness” does. These tips will help you be naturally persuasive, improving your skills and furthering you on your road to success with National Agents Alliance.

How To Achieve Your Dreams and Success in 2013

The champagne has been popped, the fireworks have exploded, the kisses have been smooched and the celebrating has ended, which means 2013 is officially here!

Now that the New Year is upon us, the question is, have you set new goals for your business in 2013?

You’ve got a clean slate, and now is the time to make new goals to conquer over the next 365 days. If you want 2013 to be the best year you’ve ever had personally and professionally, then you’ve got to set your sights on the next big thing.

It’s important that you set new goals to provide direction, facilitate growth and to cultivate success. Your business and team members depend on direction and the success of your business, and you can’t take your business anywhere unless you know where you want to go.

Make your commitment now to yourself, your business and your family—make the choice to commit to greater things in 2013.

Once you have set your goals, the next step is to become teachable, as Andy Albright advised in his best-selling book, “8 Steps to Success.”  Being teachable is all about being willing to learn from others who are smarter than you are and from those who are where you want to go.  By doing this you will speed up your growth, learn tips and tricks known only to those who have been there, and receive constant guidance along the way.

You can begin to be teachable and successfully achieve your goals in 2013. Andy Albright will work with you step-by-step through daily videos sent directly to your inbox to provide direction, guidance and support as you work toward your dreams. In fact, it’s like Albright pops into your life to personally coach you every day for 90 days.

To get started making 2013 your best year yet, sign up for the Albright Challenge at www.albrightchallenge.com.

We’ll even send you a free gift to help remind yourself of the commitment you have made.

Now get to work and make your dreams happen!

Motivation Burn Out? 8 Ways to You Can Stay Motivated to Reach Your Goals

Whenever you first set out to accomplish a goal, you typically have the “pedal to the metal” and are in high gear. But after a few days, you often can notice yourself down shifting and slowing down as you begin to run out of gas.

Achieving a goal is not always easily accomplished. Sometimes it can take months or even years to reach, but not before you have overcome obstacles along the way.

Here at National Agents Alliance, we know that one of the keys in achieving any goal is to stay motivated. Often times, motivation begins to wear off to due to a “burn out” or a loss of focus. Soon you’ll think of excuses, let procrastination set in and before you know it, a year has passed by and you’re still standing in the same spot.

If you’re ready to tackle a goal you’ve had your sights set on, Dale Carnegie has a few tips on how to maintain motivation to work towards achieving your goal:

• Talk: Talk to people you respect and trust to get their opinion and positive reinforcement. Also, just talking aloud about your concerns and obstacles can help you overcome them and move forward.
• Train:  Fear of failure, especially when you feel unprepared or untrained for a certain task, can quickly overwhelm you. The easiest way to overcome this to obtain training, skills and the education you need. Plus, the added confidence will motivate you to work harder towards the end goal.
• Visualize:  You should always visualize you goal, what needs to be done, and what you have to do to get there. By thinking it through step-by-step and imagining yourself completing it, you will be able to tackle even the most difficult task.
• Understand what is at stake: Having a complete picture of what is at stake can keep you motivated. What you will lose if you do not reach your goal? Will you face disappointment? Will you miss out on something great?  Will you feel regretful?
• Get Inspired: Get around people, places and things that inspire you to work towards your goal.  Keep yourself in an environment where you are happy and positive, and keep successful, self-motivated people around you. Remember, if you stay by the fire, you’ll stay warm.
• Get engaged: Don’t get complacent with where you are after achieving some progress. Always be thinking about what needs to be done next, and set continuous deadlines and goals to ensure you stay on track.

• Push yourself: You must learn to push yourself. Always remind yourself that the end result will be well worth the work, and challenge yourself to be better than you knew you could be.

NAA Success Tip: How to Make Time to Read

Here at National Agents Alliance, we put a huge emphasis on reading. We believe in learning and absorbing the teachings of the great and successful leaders. In fact, the President and CEO of NAA, Andy Albright, said, “Those who access ideas by reading will succeed over those who do not.”

Between Albright’s Book Club, the NAA booklist, the “book of the month,” and the NAA Store which stocks every book on our suggested reading list, it’s obvious that reading is very important to our organization.

But, for some people just the simple act of sitting down to read just doesn’t come as easily to them as other people. The busy work schedule, the kids, and keeping up with life can leave you worn out and unmotivated to do anything at the end of the day. Instead of reading you head to bed or turn on the television to relax before calling it a night.

If that scenario sounds like you, here are some suggestions on how you can fit more reading time into your life:

• Always carry a book with you
• Read right before you got to bed every night
• Buy audio books
• Read while you’re on the “throne” (toilet)
• Set a goal to finish a book once a week, every two weeks, or one a month
• Keep a list of books to read
• Get an e-reader to take advantage of their features and make the hassle of purchasing books easier
• Read when you’re waiting in line, sitting at the doctor’s office, or whenever you’re waiting for something
• Read during your lunch break
• Read your book instead of the newspaper in the morning

Don’t let your lack of reading stand in between you and success. Unlock the secrets of leadership, success and wisdom through books written by some of the greatest leaders. To find out what NAA is reading, please visit the following links.

To join Andy Albright’s Book Club, click here: https://www.shopatnaa.com/andysbookclub

To purchase an NAA-approved book, click here:  http://www.shopatnaa.com/

The Cost of a Earning a Gold Medal in Business

Since the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympic Games, the world has been captivated by the world’s best athletes competing for the gold medal.  Inspirational athlete Gabby Douglas, who left her family at young age in order to achieve her dream, took the gold in the gymnastics’ all-around; and swimming legend Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all-time, as people around the world were left in awe of what hard work and dedication can achieve.

While we are not all Olympians, and most of us will never know what it feels like to win a gold medal and stand on the podium, everyone can achieve the “gold” in their own right.

The common factor that every Olympian had was that they set a goal and did everything  they could to work toward achieving their dream—even if that meant leaving their family behind to train with the world’s best trainers and invest immense amounts of money into making that dream come true.

That “Olympian factor” is the same factor that can help you earn a gold medal in business.

There has never been an athlete who became an overnight Olympian, there were years of hard work, dedication, setbacks, failures and triumphs before they made it to the Olympics. The same is true in the world of business.

If you want to make it to the top, you need to set a goal and do everything in your power to make that dream become reality.

According to National Agents Alliance, the following training schedule can help you become successful in the business arena:

1. Set a goal: What are you trying to achieve and where do you want to go?
2. Work: Attend all meetings, training seminars and actively work toward your goal.
3. Associate:  Get around people that you want to be like, and lose the ones that hold you down. If you begin spending  time with people who are more successful and smarter than you are, it’s likely that over time you will begin to see your production and income begin to rise. . In fact, there is an economic theory that if you take the incomes of your five closest friends and average them, the resulting number will be pretty close to your own income.
4. Read: You need to be a lifelong learner. When you stop learning is when you’ll begin to fail.
5. Be Teachable: Don’t ever be so smart that you can’t learn something new. Let yourself be coached by people who are more successful than you are.
6. Have a Positive Mental Attitude: A positive outlook will bring positive outcomes.
7. Listen: Listen to those when are in the position you want to be in. “Many ideas are communicated only when the listener pays attention to more than just the words that are spoken,” said Andy Albright, the president and CEO of National Agents Alliance in his book, The 8 Steps to Success.
8. Be Accountable:  Be accountable to someone, whether it is to your family, employees, or someone you shared your goal with.

If you follow this training schedule, work hard and keep your eye on the prize, you too can become a gold medal winner in your business.  Don’t give up, fight, and be all that you can be!

Catch the Success Wave

The old saying, “birds of a feather flock together,” has more truth behind it than many people realize. In fact, there is an economic theory that if you take the incomes of your five closest friends and average them, the resulting number will be pretty close to your own income.

When was the last time you evaluated who you are spending your time or associating with? Determining whom you spend your time will actually make an impact on your bottom line. In fact, your reference group is more important in determining your success or failure than any other single factor,” according to Harvard professor David McClelland.

If you begin spending your time with people who are more successful and smarter than you are, it’s likely that over time you will begin to see your production and income begin to rise.

While you cannot change people, you can change your environment. Attend meetings, listen to audio, and make the effort to get around those who are in the position that you wish to be in. Catch their enthusiasm, drive and ambition; learn from them, study them and implement their advice in your life and you’ll begin to see your position in life elevate to unbelievable heights.

As Andy Albright said in the 8 Steps to Success, “if you do not believe that listening to the best people in the business telling you what they know will help you succeed, then you  have allowed your ego and arrogance to get the best of you.”

At National Agents Alliance we offer many avenues for you to associate with the right people and learn from the leaders of NAA. Through Rotational Meetings, Conferences and Conventions, Fall and Spring Forwards, you have the opportunity to associate with the right people—don’t pass up these opportunities. It may mean a six-figure income or heading back to being broke-ville.

The choice is yours—who will YOU be associating with?

Break Free From Your Rut and Build A Better Life

We’ve all hit a rut in our lives—it’s that holding place that we know we need to get out of, but you just don’t know how to go about it.

With the 2008 recession in the past and our country seemingly gaining momentum, it should serve as a sign that your days in the rut are over are there are new beginnings on the horizon. You can no longer use the “recession” as your excuse for building a better life and future for yourself.

Those goals of starting your own business, grabbing that coveted promotion or becoming successful in your endeavors, are no longer allowed to be placed on the back burner. Goals are never reached without VISION, MOTIVATION, and ACTION.

What is your vision do you see for yourself? Do you want to build a profitable business, reach the next level in your career, or create a product to change the world?

Next, what is your motivation? Do you want to provide a better life for your children, or do you want to take that vacation around the world that you always dreamt of?

Lastly, what steps are you taking in order to reach those goals and aspirations? Remember, nothing changes unless you begin to change your situation!

But, sometimes making plans doesn’t always make those plans happen! That’s where The Albright Challenge comes in.

The Albright Challenge is a 90-day comprehensive program that helps you make your tomorrow better than your today. With this program you can realize your dreams and work toward achieving them with daily videos and action steps from multi-millionaire and President and CEO of National Agents Alliance, Andy Albright.

This powerful program can transform your life both professional and personally, taking you to heights you never imagined in only 90-days. To get a taste of The Albright Challenge, just visit www.albrightchallenge.com to sign-up for a FREE trial!

Go ahead; make the decision to change your life today!

Dig Yourself Out of that Rut!

Have you been stuck in a rut? Do you have all these great plans for what you would like to do, but don’t know how to go about it, which has left you in between a rock and a hard place? The ties to your current situation can make you feel like you’re stuck where you’re at, and make it seem impossible to reach the next level.

While many people want to place blame of their current situation on others, the ugly truth is that your life is your own responsibility. It’s up to you to break out of that rut and break free from the comfort zone of your current situation – Here at National Agents Alliance, we’ve seen so many individuals do this that we know you can too!

If you want to break from the mundane, author and leadership coach John C. Maxwell has some tips that can help you climb out of your rut:

• Accept responsibility for your own life: It’s easier to blames others or outside factors for your current situation, but at the end of the day you are only responsible for yourself. Yes, things do happen to good people, but it is your choice on how you handle and rise above them.

“Take time to examine your life and how you’re spending it. Where can you take responsibility to make changes—even if your past choices haven’t led to your present predicaments? Getting out of a rut begins with the acknowledgement you must make the choices to do so,” Maxwell suggests.

• Know where you want to be: Knowing where you want to go is the first step.  You need to have a specific vision of where you would like to be, not just something broad like, “being successful.”

“You’re going to spend your life doing something. It might as well be what you really want to do. Have you given yourself a target? Have you written out your goals and described your dreams? If not, you need to,” Maxwell suggests.

• Divide your dream into manageable parts: As Andy Albright says, “Inch by inch, anything is a cinch.” The same concept applies here.

“One thing that often paralyzes people is having a dream or even a big goal with no realistic way of achieving it. How do you solve that? By breaking it down into bite-sized pieces that you accomplish with focused effort,” Maxwell says.

• Take action today: Nothing great is ever accomplished by sitting idly. Get up, and make some moves toward your goal and the position you want to be in.

“What kind of action can you take today that will start moving you out of your rut and take you one small step closer to your dream? It doesn’t have to be a big step. It doesn’t even necessarily have to be a significant step. It just needs to be a step in the right direction,” Maxwell explains.

 

• Grow into your tomorrow: With each step you take, they need to get bigger and more strategic each time.

“My one final piece of advice is to tell you to get help. Too often we are so embarrassed about where we are that we become afraid of admitting to someone else that we’re stuck. That shouldn’t be. There’s no shame in getting stuck—only in staying that way when you have a choice to change,” Maxwell urges.

The Life Insurance Questions You Should Be Asking

Let’s face it. Life insurance is not the most upbeat topic to discuss with a client, or your family. Sometimes finding the words to say and questions to ask just becomes harder and harder, because you’re not sure how you should ask about such delicate and personal things.

Instead of beating around the bush, go straight to the basics; ask who, what, where, when and why questions — questions that make the clients think before they can answer.

For example when talking to your client about life insurance options, LifeHealthPro.com offered these questions to ask:

 

• Most people do not seem to understand life insurance very well. Tell me, what do you know about life insurance?
• What is your philosophy regarding life insurance?
• What financial formula did you use to determine how much life insurance to buy?
• What prompted your most recent purchase of life insurance?
• How did you choose the company that you purchased life insurance from?
• How did you select the agent?
• What are your thoughts regarding term insurance and cash value life insurance?
• If you were going to buy life insurance in the future, why would you buy it?
• How do you feel about life insurance on your spouse?
• How do you feel about life insurance on your children?

If you need to, National Agents Alliance encourages you to take these questions (or a list of your own tactical questions that work) with you to your next meeting and write your client’s response in. This will provide an outline of their needs, which will help you to find the policies that match.

Listening

Are you a good listener?  Do you really listen when others speak, or are you focusing on what you will say next?  Do you interrupt people in mid-sentence?

I think everyone can agree listening is a skill worth developing, and can be the difference between people who achieve and people who live average or less than average lives.  Isn’t it sad that students today can graduate from high school and college without having been taught success principles?  It’s a shame that 99 out of 100 people learn no goal-setting principles and drift through life and never realize their potential.

Talent, by itself, is not the key because we know the world is filled with talented people who never reach their potential.  We also know that a lot of average people achieve greatness.  Ultimately, your success will be determined by your attitude and the action you take over a long period of time.

Agents with National Agents Alliance know the importance of listening because it is one of Andy Albright’s 8 Steps to Success, and they learn that listening is crucial to an agent’s success.

To improve your listening skills learn and follow these five tenets that Andy stresses:

1. Never interrupt.  Show respect to the speaker by letting them express their thoughts and ideas.
2. Sit down and be still. Giving your full attention to the speaker lets him know you are really paying attention and care about what he has to say.
3. Maintain eye contact.  In one-on-one, conversations making eye contact shows respect for the speaker and will help keep you focused on what is being said.  In a meeting or conference, where eye contact is more difficult, taking notes will show the speaker you are listening.
4. Acknowledge what is being said.  Nod your head occasionally to show your engagement, or say, “Yes,” or “I understand.”
5. Ask Open-ended questions. Asking questions that cannot be answered with a “Yes” or “No” improves the quality of the conversation.

Challenge yourself to improve your listening skills.  The top producers at National Agents Alliance have mastered listening skills and will tell you they now serve their clients better because they actually know what is important to the client.  The relationships built through this skill leads to more sales, more referrals and more repeat business.  It is a simple skill that you must master.