As a preneed agent you may see hundreds of people a day.
Or some days, you may only see
a few people.
In either scenario, one would assume there would be plenty of people that we would consider as prospects. However, the biggest hurdle that agents face today and every day is finding qualified individuals to whom they can offer their services. Prospecting is that ugly word that ultimately drives many agents out of the business. Agents are either unable to effectively prospect or do not know ‘where to go’ to find prospects. This is a fear each agent must conquer in order to make a living — find new prospects and ultimately provide a service to these prospects — it’s called ‘making a sale’.
I have always heard that the best place to find new clients is from your existing clients. You’ve probably heard this too. However, for some reason, many agents are hesitant or even resistant to ask their clients for referrals. I will say that without any doubt, referrals are the single most important lifeline for an agent. In such a specialized business as preneed insurance, emotions and personal decisions run deeply intertwined through the process. Agents must understand that when they have helped someone through an often very personal process, this person will be receptive to the idea of ‘helping you find your next family to help’. But if you do not ask, the family cannot give you any names.
