Every professional starts out as a rookie, and talent has nothing to do with experience. Even a seasoned veteran can get stuck in his or her own head and hit a slump because their confidence is shaken. It helps to have experience under your belt, but in the world of sales you never (ever) advance beyond the need for mental toughness. The moment you become insecure in yourself, the prospective clients will smell it on you a mile away.
Many facts about the power of confidence are probably worthy of discussion, though these two have impacted me the most: 1) you can fake it till you make it, and 2) it will take you farther than expected.
Fake it till you make it
If you don’t have knowledge, experience, or sheer self-assuredness to sell confidently then you don’t have much choice but to fake it. You’re seldom going to have voided checks placed in your hands if your clients don’t get the impression that you believe in yourself or the product.
Please don’t get me wrong, I am not promoting fakeness to manipulate a sale! What I do believe sincerely is that you should trust yourself. You know more about insurance than anyone else in the room, and you can adequately advise anyone on any life policy on the table. You don’t have to feel confidence in order to portray it.
Early on, you may be outside your comfort zone, but the whole point is to make it. (Fake it until you MAKE IT). Making it means you practice, you read, you study, you learn, you ask questions, you improve, and you talk to as many people about insurance as you physically can until you grow that confidence. Don’t settle for less than your potential.
Confidence Will Carry You A Long Way
How far does confidence take you? The answer can blow your mind. The power of confidence is only underestimated by those who lack it.
That guy who is top of the foodchain in your org chart and that gal who consistently puts up huge numbers on your team both understand how others respond to confidence. People are drawn to confidence almost involuntarily. Whether real or perceived, confidence leads to authority, trust, and likeability, which all lead to unlimited possibilities. Unlimited.
Sometimes in this business, our clients are faced with tough decisions. The difference between that going your way or no way lies in your ability to tell them confidently what to do. Chances are, you’ll be met with zero hesitation, so move forward and with conviction, passion, and integrity. You can’t get every sale, but you will blow the ceiling off of both your overall numbers and expectations.
Be confident. Try it on to see how it fits. A confident agent is a credible agent, and they’re the ones who put themselves in the best position to win.
