Upselling Is Not a Gouge


Whether we label ourselves insurance agents, planners, advisors, brokers or executives, most of us, in one form or another, are salespeople.  We provide services to paying customers and rightfully sell our services to make a living, to provide a means to financially support ourselves and our families.  This is not something to take lightly or be timid of.  This is how capitalism works.  We strive to provide, and in doing so, we can help our clients.  Our intentions may not be regularly heroic, but they are honorable, as we should wholeheartedly believe in the services we peddle.

As financial professionals, the products and ideas we offer assist our clientele, making their lives and their loved ones more economically secure.  The benefits we suggest and the business we transact can better lives.  Most importantly, we sell peace of mind.  But virtuous notions aside, we are after all business men and women, and we have personal goals to reach by selling more insurance policies, more annuities or more securities.  For the benefit of our own livelihoods (and ultimately for the prosperity of our clients) most of us have attempted the delicate and sometimes complex, yet industrious art of the “upsell.”

For as long as business has been transacted, interested parties have tried to sell or trade additional goods and services to earn higher incomes, making their existences more comfortable.  To be successful in upselling anything, one must walk a fine line between good customer service and good profit.  But the outcome of a cautious and diligent upsell can be tremendously fulfilling for both producer and client.

Several insurance products of the Petersen International disability line lend themselves perfectly to a natural upsell “environment,” and when the circumstances are correct and the stars align, colossal sales are imminent. 

Excess high limit disability insurance is the quintessential upsell.  As you shop your usual stable of group and/or individual DI carriers, keep in mind that not all persons are properly served by the standard one or two layers of disability insurance.  Those making in excess of $300,000 are frequently underinsured and in need of a comprehensive supplemental disability policy.  Petersen International can assist you in designing the perfect income protection plan for your individual prospects.

Another suggestion as you approach that high net worth prospective client is to be conscious that it is easy to turn one sale into many with a cohesive introduction of a multi-life excess disability insurance program.  Respectfully inquire with your attorney, physician, accountant and executive clients about connecting with their firms’ benefits managers.  All you need is the chance to get your foot in the door, perhaps a face-to-face.  From a business standpoint, the product is quite attractive, and needs little or no flash to make an impact on a board of directors.  Consider a multi-life, guaranteed issue, high limit disability insurance plan that can be written with relatively low participation requirements for groups large and small, providing significant premium discounts.  The product promises to be the upsell of all upsells.

These are simply a couple of unique ideas that will certainly improve your sales outcomes if you truly have the drive to prosper and are able to master the intricate techniques that make upselling product so effective.  Petersen International has identified these strategies for the good of your business, for the good of your clients and for the good of your family.  Call us today for more sales ideas.