summary

PRISMS for Marketing Reps empowers marketing reps, underwriters, and marketing underwriters to get the best premium from the best agencies.

format

Learning points are provided through three interrelated components:

• Prework
• Three-day Workshop
• Detailed Action Plan

modules

Introduction & Objectives
Marketing and underwriting teams have a unique and demanding selling situation. In this unit, participants match their personal goals to company goals, and uncover the skills needed to partner with producers for the best premium and profit.

Goals Setting & Planning
Few people know the difference between mere “wishes” and well-stated, achievable goals. Participants set action-oriented marketing goals using a four-step process; outline alternative strategies for achieving their goals; and map out tactical steps for implementing their strategies in the Action Plan.

Leveraging Time
Time and self-management is critical for success in sales and marketing. Participants explore the critical difference between merely managing time for efficiency and leveraging time toward achieving goals. Participants then “grade” agency potential to determine producer priority.

Partnering
Creating business partnerships defines selling today. This unit demonstrates what it takes to be agency partners rather than insurance “peddlers.” When reps create partnerships, marketing becomes a cooperative process and the company becomes the preferred choice.

Appointing New Agents
By appointing agencies likely to generate the best business, reps leverage their efforts. This unit provides tools to help reps set appointment goals and move new agents into profitable production quickly.

Communication
Partnership selling demands excellent questioning and active — rather than passive — listening skills. By uncovering criteria and values through the use of a Needs Profile, reps can determine not only what an agent will buy, but precisely how to sell to them.

Presenting Solutions
To breathe life into insurance presentations, reps are taught how to use marketing collateral to its fullest advantage. They learn how opening statements, content and gestures affect the presentation. They’re given a specific formula to present benefits and answer the agent’s critical question, “What’s in it for me?”

Negotiating
Participants prepare for negotiations using a unique three-tiered goal-analysis process. Reps learn to apply different strategic approaches and use 13 negotiation strategies and tactics in specific insurance marketing situations.

Handling Objections
Participants learn that handling objections properly begins with understanding that objections are not obstacles but natural steps toward closing the sale. Six objection categories and a four-step process for dealing with each are presented.

Teamwork & Leadership
Partnering with agents means using skills and techniques developed for highly functional teams. Becoming and expert resource for agents often requires taking a leadership role in educating and guiding producers in profitable directions. In this unit, participants learn the principles of teamwork and leadership, and how to apply them to the real world of agency marketing.

Putting It All Together
In this final unit, skills are role-played in a relaxed yet realistic environment. Skill application is evaluated and feedback is provided. Reps leave the workshop armed with the skills, processes and practice to make marketing visions a reality.

summary

PRISMS for Agents is a dynamic personal and professional development program that empowers salespeople to increase premium, policy counts, and commissions.

format

Learning points are provided through three interrelated components:

• Prework
• Three-day Workshop
• Detailed Action Plan

modules

Introduction & Objectives
Insurance agents have an unusual and demanding selling situation.  This unit explores a sales process designed specifically for the agent/customer relationship.  Participants relate their personal vision developed in the Prework to their company’s vision and uncover the skills needed to truly partner with customers to increase premium, policy counts and commissions.

Goal Setting & Planning
The Koran says, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”  This unit teaches the difference between mere wishes and well-stated, achievable goals.  Participants set action-oriented sales goals using a four-step process: outline alternative strategies for achieving goals; and map out a sales “funnel” for implementing strategies in their Action Plans.  Using proper goal setting and planning techniques, agents can prepare sales strategies that are realistic, achievable and measurable.

Prospecting
Selling insurance successfully is heavily dependent on finding people who can and will buy from you.  Prospecting is the marketing phase of the sales plan.  This unit defines highly successful prospecting methods used to continuously locate leads.  Emphasis is placed on the more productive prospecting methods, such as third-party referral systems.  Fourteen prospecting systems are covered along with tools for productivity implementing them.  Participants learn to be more professional, more comfortable and more productive with the prospecting process.

Leveraging Time
Studies prove that self-management is critical for sales success.  The widely respected Johnson-Dauner survey determined that of the 73 factors influencing sales results, the number-one success factor is not product knowledge or even closing skills, but time utilization and planned sales effort.  Participants explore the critical difference between managing time for efficiency and leveraging time toward effectiveness.  Participants then look at their funnel and “grade” prospect potential to determine which customers will yield the highest return on time invested.

Partnering
This unit demonstrates what it takes to be true partner rather than insurance “peddlers.”  Agents learn to provide extra value by building strategic alliances for long-lasting results.  Four different personality styles are explored along with ways to appeal to each.  Agents consider ways to become trusted advisors and business partners, not bothersome salespeople.  When agents partner with customers, selling becomes a cooperative process rather than a one-sided push for business.

Communication
Communication is the heart of selling.  Partnership selling demands excellent questioning and active, rather than passive, listening skills.  By uncovering criteria and values through the use of a Needs Profile, agents can determine what a customer will buy, from whom and why.  By effectively using these productive communication skills, agents can deliver a presentation that says, “Here’s what you said you wanted!”

Presenting Solutions
To breathe life into presentations, agents are taught how to use materials and resources to their fullest advantage.  They learn how opening statements, content, gestures and eye contact affect a presentation.  They’re given the F-F-B-B-T formula to present benefits and answer the customer’s critical question, “What’s in it for me?”

Negotiating
Agents negotiate everything but premium cost.  However, there is a fine line between presentations and negotiations, and agents must be prepared for the transition.  In this unit, agents learn a comprehensive approach to preparing for negotiations through a unique three-tiered goal analysis process.  Thirteen negotiation strategies and tactics are covered along with application to specific sales situations.  Agents learn how different situations require different strategies, and they apply an appropriate strategy to their Action Plan.

Handling Objections
Objections are natural steps, not obstacles toward closing sales.  Six objection categories and a four-step process for dealing with each are presented.  Objections are golden opportunities for agents skilled in analyzing and resolving them.  Instead of accepting objections at face value, agents learn techniques for recognizing and successfully handling objections.

Closing
Closing sales is critical to success.  After all, no close means no deal.  Yet closing is the most misunderstood part of the sales process.  This unit shows what closing really is, and provides realistic methods for obtaining closure.  Agents learn 14 closing techniques.  They gain confidence, learn when to ask, and understand how to motivate that final “yes!”

Putting It All Together
In this final unit, application of all skills is practiced in a nonthreatening yet realistic environment.  Skill application is evaluated and feedback is provided.  Agents leave the workshop armed with the skills, processes and practice to make sales visions a reality.

summary

When adjusters combine their technical skills with productivity, communication and negotiation skills, they close files faster, maintain case control, produce win/win settlements, and improve company image.

format

Learning points are provided through three interrelated components:

• Prework
• Workshop or Self-paced Learning
• On-the-Job Action Plan

modules

Introduction & Overview
The opening segment tests pre-course knowledge of productivity, communication and negotiation skills, then examines the benefits of enhancing and refining these skills.  Participants take a close look at job responsibilities and course content is outlined.  Participants then select a specific claim situation around which they will build course skills and role plays.

Claims Communications
This unit carefully delineates how the elements of communication affect the claims handling process.  Participants investigate various forms of communication including active listening and questioning techniques, then explore how to overcome the negative perceptions which can adversely affect the claims handling process.

Through the Claimants Eyes
Adjusters learn that effective business communication is a skillful combination of “style” and “substance.”  Technical knowledge and skills are combined with needs profiling, empathy and persuasion so that interactions are more effective, professional and productive. Also provided are methods for establishing trust, creating positive rapport, presenting the benefits of direct settlement, and handling denials.

Time & Self Management
Adjusters learn techniques for better managing their tremendous work load.  This unit exposes barriers to productivity and how to overcome them through win/win planning, prioritizing, goal setting, and settlement range analysis.

Negotiation Strategies & Tactics
Adjusters examine the differences and similarities in the range of negotiations they conduct with claimants, attorneys, agents, replacement houses, mechanics, etc., and how certain methods and skills can improve the process — and results — of each kind. They learn to recognize, use, and defend against over 25 strategies and tactics.  Special attention is paid to plaintiff attorney interactions, many of which involve highly skilled negotiators.

Conducting Negotiations
Specific steps for leading the negotiation process are explored, including properly opening a negotiation, establishing rapport, maintaining control, making opening offers, bargaining, handling objections, closing, and finalizing the settlement.  The different skills involved in telephone versus face-to-face negotiating are examined. Adjusters also learn how to identify and use “the perception of power” in a negotiation.

Putting It All Together
Participants unite the total process by investigating three scenarios: a first-party loss; a third-party collision claim; and a third-party BI. Professional role modeling on video is followed by participant role-plays using their own settlement cases. By role-playing and critiquing, participants build confidence in their awareness and application of PRISMS principles and skills.  A post-test is administered to show how much has been learned since the pre-test.

summary

PRISMS For Underwriters empowers underwriters to improve agency relations, increase profitable premium volume, and support company goals with teamwork.

format

Learning points are provided through three interrelated components:

• Two-day Workshop or Self-paced Learning
• On-the-Job Action Plan

modules

Introduction & Objectives
In today’s competitive environment, all company personnel must be encouraged to maintain a high level of sales, service, and company image. PRISMS introduces underwriters to the idea that everybody sells, the concept that helped Buck Rodgers, former chief marketing strategist for IBM, take his company from $250 million to $50 billion in sales. A video-taped interview with Rodgers and a class discussion based on quotes from today’s business leaders show underwriters their effect on the sales process and how taking part in a totally sales-driven effort can benefit both their own success and the company’s success

Communication/Listening Skills
Since producers deal with a company for their reasons – not the company’s – underwriters must acquire good listening and communication skills to discover what those reasons are. This unit teaches underwriters to ask the right questions and actively listen for answers so they’ll learn the motivation behind the placement of a piece of business. Different producers respond to different approaches. To help underwriters deal effectively with different producers, four primary personality styles are identified and skills for handling each are discussed. Listening habits are analyzed, and underwriters are taught to communicate benefits to producers. A fact/feature/benefit workbook is included to provide participants with an essential tool for addressing producer needs. When underwriters communicate benefits, they motivate producers to place business with your company.

Time & Self Management
This unit deals with setting goals, establishing priorities, and using time effectively. Participants evaluate their current use of time and identify barriers to productivity. They learn to prioritize, allocate resources, and classify producers to better manage their work load. When underwriters determine which producers deserve the bulk of their time, they leverage their efforts and become more productive and valuable to the company. Effective time management combined with a clear focus on goals gives underwriters the personal achievement skills they need to meet team objectives.

Telephone Strategies
Underwriters rely heavily on the telephone for day-to-day operations. Productive phone use involves much more than simply picking up the phone and dialing. This unit identifies the types of underwriter phone calls, the planning and preparation required for each call, and the skills that make calls more efficient and productive. With these skills, underwriters can be most effective on the phone. The telephone becomes a useful sales tool instead of an interruption.

Styles of Negotiation
What is the best method for negotiating with agents, brokers, or company personnel? This unit reveals the characteristics of win/win negotiations. It identifies the criteria for evaluating negotiation success and examines the three basic negotiating styles. Using the correct negotiating style ensures that the agreement will be durable and durability is a critical factor used to measure negotiation success. To negotiate productively, underwriters also need an understanding of different personality types and knowledge of what techniques work effectively for each type. When underwriters are able to tailor their negotiation techniques to the individual with whom they are dealing, positive, durable agreements results.

Pre-Negotiation Activities
Statistics show that poor pre-negotiation planning is the single largest source of negotiation failure. In this unit, participants learn a comprehensive approach to preparing for negotiations that will help them determine and reach their goals. The importance of planning for negotiation is emphasized and critical issues – such as where, when, and with whom to negotiate – are discussed and resolved. Participants evaluate their present planning skills and apply preparation techniques to role-play topics. The Negotiating Planning Worksheet and Three Tiered Goal Analysis Form are provided to help participants learn to set and prioritize their negotiation goals. The underwriter who handles pre-negotiation planning well will achieve productive agreements.

Negotiation Strategies & Tactics
Productive negotiating is a process of communication geared toward a series of objectives. The plan of action negotiators select to reach their objectives is their “strategy.” Without an appropriate strategy, negotiators have no format to direct them in pursuit of their goals. In this unit, underwriters learn how to construct a suitable strategy for any negotiation. If the strategy is the overall game plan, tactics are the “plays” a negotiator employs to implement the plan. This unit provides underwriters with dozens of tactics and counter-tactics that they will use and encounter. Exercises in this unit are designed to provide participants with the ability to strategize effectively and summon the ideal tactics and counter-tactics even in the heat of a tough negotiation. With these skills, underwriters are equipped to negotiate and to achieve better agreements in less time.

Conducting Negotiations
Adequate preparation and proper strategies and tactics are only useful if the negotiation itself is well executed. In this unit, participants learn the best techniques for opening, maintaining, and closing negotiations with producers and company personnel. They learn how to overcome objections, employ flexibility, and remove common negotiation “road blocks.” Finalizing and verifying agreements is a crucial – and often overlooked – last step in the negotiation process. Also in this unit, underwriters acquire techniques to help them conclude negotiations effectively and productively. By effectively steering the course of a negotiation, the underwriter gains greater control over both the process and the result.

Putting it all Together
After learning the elements of the PRISMS system, participants tie the process together in a single unit. Video segments show the elements and problems of the underwriter’s job. Here, participants view the entire process, reviewing and defining the skills that lead to success. Following these segments, participants role-play and critique their own underwriting situations to help them gain confidence in their ability to apply PRISMS principles and skills. By directly relating skills to underwriting, PRISMS produces results not just in the classroom but – more importantly – on the job.