"Set-Up" Enhanced Benefits Prospects to Eliminate Common Objections for a One Call Close!

If you’re like me, getting a firm “yes” to move forward is the greatest... getting a “maybe” is the kiss of death...

Gimme a yes – YES!

Gimme a no – NO?

Gimme a Second Appointment!

Just don’t gimme a "maybe"...

“Sounds good, I’ll think about it…” - *WHAM!*

“Seems like a good idea, but we’re very busy right now…” - *BOOM!*

“Thanks for coming in, call me in two weeks to discuss…” - *SMACK!*

“I like what I hear so far, I’ll call you after I read everything…” - *KAPOW!*

Do any of these sound familiar...?

Whether I meet a prospect cold off the street, warmly through a mutual connection, or it’s a hot lead from one of my broker partners, I’ve usually found that closing a new enhanced benefits (the industry formerly known as "voluntary") case under 100 lives has typically been a ‘one-call close’ – a virtual ‘no-brainer’ for the employer. After all, the benefits are 100% employee funded, making it free for an employer to make these benefits available and they receive a tax break when employees participate pre-tax. Further, when implemented properly, the employee morale gets a boost, leading to enhanced productivity from the employees, which results in higher profitability for the employer... what’s not to love?

Of course all of this is predicated upon your first meeting being with the actual decision maker(s) and that you know how to ‘properly’ sell and install these types of benefits.

If you’re like me, getting a firm “yes” to move forward is the greatest thing ever and getting a “maybe” is the kiss of death. Believe it or not, I’d rather have a hard “no” then a soft “maybe,” so at least I don’t get my hopes up dreaming about a client that might move forward but probably won’t, which will save me a tremendous amount of time, energy, and mental anguish.

Let’s face it – the most common objections that we encounter are nothing more than a prospect’s way of saying “maybe” and, at times, these objections are simply a prospect’s way of just trying to be nice and not hurt your feelings when what they really want to say is “no.”

THE "SET-UP":

What if I could show you a proven system that I learned many years ago that works like magic to help ensure you always get one of the following three outcomes after meeting with your prospect? Would you be interested?

1) An enthusiastic “yes” with an enrollment date(s)…

2) A hard “no” so you don’t have to waste your time further…

3) A second appointment, in writing, in both your prospect’s and your schedule so you can reconvene at a future date to get their final decision…

By getting a “yes”, “no”, or second appointment you will be able to eliminate “maybe” from your prospect’s vocabulary.

How do you do this you ask?

It’s simple – you must begin each meeting by using the “set-up” script.

Like most things that are created, the “set-up” was born out of necessity. I had an old sales manager years ago who became greatly frustrated that he kept getting tons of “maybes” and he knew there had to be a better way to close deals. I always said he got all of those “maybes” because he was a poor closer and didn’t have the best presentation skills. While that may have been the case later in his career; it was originally said in jest, as I personally began using the “set-up” and found it to be an amazing closing tool, and still is to this day.

The genesis behind the “set-up” is to illustrate your expectations to your prospect from the beginning of the meeting, while in essence, serving as a verbal contract between two professionals who mutually agree to alleviate future wasted time by eliminating never-ending rounds of phone tag – typically one-sided on your part. Not only does this make your life much easier and less stressful as a sales professional, but it also serves as a thorough guide through the decision making process for your prospect if they’re not able to make a final decision after your first meeting.

There are two specific and different versions of the “set-up” script – plan A and plan B. The original, plan A, was created for meeting with the actual final decision maker(s), while plan B was designed for when you know you’re meeting with a non-decision maker(s).

Both versions of the “set-up” have a few things in common to act as the aforementioned verbal contract – getting your prospect to say “yes,” give you a firm “no,” or if they need time to consider; commit to scheduling a written second appointment where you can meet with them again, in person, to get their final decision.

Bottom Line: By using the “set-up” properly, you’ll find your prospects, often times, don’t actually need a second appointment and can give you a firm and final decision right then and there and depending upon your original pitch, hopefully for your sake, it’s a “yes.” However, for the times where a second appointment is needed and scheduled, you may be surprised to learn that after running that next meeting, 99% of the time you’re there to answer a few last minute questions or concerns and then you’ll find yourself walking out with a closed deal by getting an enthusiastic “yes” with an enrollment date(s).

Curious to read these coveted “set-up” scripts discussed above...? Please share this article on all of your social media platforms and don’t forget to leave your feedback and tag me! As a thank you and new year’s gift, I’m more than glad to email you whichever of the two “set-up” scripts you’d like – just let me know which one. Happy Hunting!

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The original version of this commentary, entitled "How to Close Deals Faster" was originally featured in the 'Views' section of the online edition of Employee Benefit Adviser magazine, January 6, 2017.

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I hope you enjoyed this article. Please consider reading and sharing my other commentary's that have been highlighted on the Employee Benefit Adviser magazine website.

Silverman, Principal and Owner of the Silverman Benefits Group, has recruited, trained, and developed more than 2,000 commission sales agents, interns, and broker partners, which has led to the securing of more than 2,500 commercial payroll accounts and the generation of more than $60,000,000 in annualized revenue. He was selected as a Rising Star in Advising by Employee Benefit Adviser magazine where he serves as a contributing monthly columnist focused on stories and lessons learned throughout his career in recruiting, sales, marketing, and leadership.

Silverman can be reached at (443) 676-0340, [email protected], on LinkedIn, on Twitter @SilvermanSBG, at his website SilvermanBenefits.com, or through his business Facebook page; facebook.com/SilvermanBenefits.