As humans, we are social creatures. Much of what we do involves communication: the better we communicate, the more we can achieve. As an insurance agent, your communication skills are closely tied to your business results. If you want to make more sales and advance your career, you may need to assess the way you communicate. Here are four areas to improve.
Persuasiveness
You might know that something is in a client’s best interest, but you still have to convince that client of this. Persuasiveness can come in handy at other times, too, like when you want to convince someone to hire you, promote you or give you a raise.
If you’re not naturally persuasive, this is something you can work on.
- Give a reason. Ellen Langer’s experiment, described here, showed that people are more likely to do what you want if you give them a reason – even if it’s not a particularly strong reason.
- Repeat key points. A study conducted by Stefan Schulz-Hardt found that repetition can increase persuasiveness.
- For more tips, Inc. has a list of nine science-backed tactics that can make you more persuasive.
Charisma
Are you the type of person people automatically like? Do others feel drawn to you, often seeking you out for professional and personal advice. If so, it probably has a lot to do with how you communicate.
If not, don’t worry – there are things you can do to boost your charisma. Psychology Today provides nine ways to be more charismatic, which include expressing shared feelings and using stories and anecdotes.
Listening Skills
Good communication is a two-way process. It’s not all about you. It’s also about the other person. You need to listen to what that person has to say. Equally importantly, you have to make it clear that you’re listening.
To show that you’re listening, you have to give the other person your full attention. This isn’t the right time to multitask, so put your phone away. Ask questions when appropriate, or simply say “uh-huh” to indicate you’re following along.
Body Language
Communication isn’t just verbal. In addition to what we say, how we hold ourselves matters, too.
- When you talk to others, do you appear friendly and welcoming? Or are you frowning with your arms crossed?
- Do you make eye contact, or are you too busy looking at your phone?
- Do you have good posture, or do you slouch and fidget?
- Do you have a strong handshake, or a weak one?
Regardless of what you’re saying, your body language may be sending the wrong message.
Want to improve your communication skills? Register for the Five Languages of Love personal development workshop on February 16.
