How to save time prospecting while presenting

It’s easy for your supervisor to tell you to ask for referrals but how do you do it and keep the flow of the presentation going?  Anytime you can make a presentation and acquire new referrals you are prospecting and presenting at the same time.  (One of the most effective uses of your time).

The real question is how do you do it?

When you sit with a family begin your presentation by asking a few questions including:

1. Have you ever had to make arrangements?  (ask both husband and wife separately)
2. If something happened to both of you today who would be the first person to help?
3. Do you have any children?  Who is the most responsible child?

Paint a picture for your prospect of one of the children showing up to an empty home.  Where do they start?  Is there a neighbor that would help?  A best friend that would help?  Who would be the first person to help them get started?

You’ve got the potential for several names (referrals) in the first few minutes of your presentation.  All you need to do is jot down the first name(s) for now.  Keep your presentation moving and you can address those names a little later.

The real key to getting referrals is to generate names of people from your couple without directly asking for referrals.

There are several places inside your planning guide tool to get more names such as:

• “people to be notified”
• “associations you belong too”
• “Wills, Trusts”

Always use the tools available to you including some sort of personal planning guide.  Prospecting/Presenting at the same time saves you a lot of time.  And nothing beats acquiring referrals from your Prospects during the presentation.

Things not to do:

1. Don’t ask for referrals at the end of your presentation as your Prospect will be tired and ready to end the meeting.
2. Don’t think of referrals as something you do after you’ve made the sale
3. Never ask; “do you know anyone who might be interested?”

Focus on the presentation from the standpoint of facilitating a conversation bringing up questions of “who” would help if there had been a death.  Jot down the first name of the individuals as your prospect mentions them and keep moving.

Always keep the flow of the presentation moving forward but get those names of potential referrals throughout the presentation. 

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  For more on Mining Your Natural Market click here.  You can start your career from scratch by tapping into your spheres of influence and still keep them as friends.  If you’re already in the business tap into those contacts to add a new source of referrals and new business.