Would You Like Fries With That?

Producers often inquire about how they can sell more insurance to their clients. The answer is easy but can be at times unnerving – just ask!

Have you been to a fast-food drive through in the past few years? Almost always, the first thing they say is “would you like to try the new double burger with avocado?” (or whatever is the newest item on the menu). I know most of the time I pass as I was set on a specific food item that I wanted. HOWEVER, on occasion, it piques my interest, sounds good and YES, yes indeed I want to try what you were suggesting!

Now there are two points to the above story:

By asking, they get customers to buy, and (perhaps more importantly to the insurance professional),
Asking did not make me feel like I would never buy from them again and take my business elsewhere because of the feeling “they are just trying to nickel and dime me”!

There is a difference in the approach between talking products with the sound of “you must, or else life as you know it will fall apart”, and “hey we have some other products that will solve some other financial risks for you that you should consider.”

It is not the act of “asking” that scares clients away, but the intensity of selling such products.

Now on to the next part, the regular “ask.” This is the ask that is more common and still very effective. Using our fast-food drive through once again, you drive up to the order space and ask for a burger. The next question is “would you like fries with that?” You may have been thinking “burger” but now the fries sound really good! And after you say yes to the fries, what is the next question? “For a dollar more we can make it a meal with a drink?”

Daily, our lives include interactions with businesses that simply ASK for additional business. So why are we so reluctant to do the same in the insurance business?