Separate Yourself From The Competition By Specializing

A big mistake, most people make, is to tell everyone that they offer every product and service. They believe that telling prospects that they offer more products and services they will get more business. They try to be all things to all people. Nothing can be further from the truth.

 The truth is that if you want more business, then you must specialize! The biggest success stories are the businesses that have a focused product line or service: H&R Block - income tax preparation; Federal Express - overnight delivery; Jiffy Lube - oil changes. 

 If you want to make more sales, then you must stand out from your competition. You must be known for helping people to fix a problem. Or known for helping people to make a dream come true. Whether you sell a product or a service, look for what you do that is unique and yours. What sets you apart? An agent that works with just teachers, to help them with retirement planning or income protection will make more sales than the typical insurance agent. 

When you deal with a specialist, you will just assume that this person has greater expertise. They will have more knowledge about the field. So, they can offer you a lot better service. Since, they cater to unique market, it implies that they will have a better understanding of your situation, needs, and concerns. 

 Dare To Be Different. 

Agents who look just like all the other agents, are like all the other agents! This is how your clients think. Your task is to find what will make you different to your clients. And then stress those in everything you do. Schick, the number two razor company, emphasizes a safe shave, which is important to teens. Teens want to avoid nicks and skin bumps. While Gillette wins the close shave race, Schick goes after a niche where safety is an issue.

Don’t Allow What You Sell to Become A Commodity

Most agents have let their products and services become commodity. They have allowed themselves to be just order takers. They just sell their products based on price. But it does not have to be a problem for you if you specialize and separate yourself from everyone else. 

Insurance agents make their products a commodity when they say, "Insurance is bought only because it is a necessity."

We have allowed our products to be promoted as commodities that can be purchased off the shelf. Because most agents sell just based on quotes. Our clients have learned how to play one broker against another to find the lowest price. They do not know enough to be concerned about product quality, exposures, convertibility, coverages, etc. 

But it does not have to be this way. If you decide to specialize and make a difference!

The basic issue in sales, now and in the years ahead, will have little or nothing to do with selling techniques. Today, the critical element in the sales process is information. What do we know about our clients? How well do we understand them? And how much we are committed to finding ways to give them the experience that satisfies their needs and wants? Specialization is the key.