燬elling annuities can be a difficult test if you do not first develop a solid relationship with your client. 燦aturally, people are hesitant to trust a stranger with their financial well being. 燭his is where a reference list comes in. 營 know that a person can tell me all day long how great they are and I am likely to think that they are full of crap. 營f a person is humble, but confident, in what they do and I hear from a 3rd party that the person is good at what they do, then I believe it. 營t is the same way with an annuity salesperson. 燞ere are a few tips in building a reference list.
1. 燳our reference list should consist of positive reports from past clients. 燗sk past clients if they would be willing to write a review of their experience with you. 營f the review doesn't look like something that you want prospective clients to see, simply discard that review and wait for the next.
2. 營nclude recent clients, long-term clients, your banker, your neighbor, and anyone else that can attest to your business skills. 燢eep the list at about 25 people. 燞ave a friend on the list so that they can tell you whether or not certain prospects are calling the references. 燢eep the list at about 25 contacts. 營t has been my experience that the 3rd contact in the list is almost always called. 燤ake the 3rd contact a reliable one.
3. 燚on't be afraid to add 1 or 2 failed sales contacts on the list. 燭his sounds crazy but it is actually very effective in showing honesty and developing that close relationship between the prospect and the salesperson.