You are reading a page from Early life insurance marketing brochures (1900's-1920's)
Part of the American Term Life Insurance History Project
Term Life Insurance

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ANALYSIS
  Of a Canvass for
    Life
 Insurance

BY

JOS. J. DEVNEY,
      President,

The American School of Insurance

INSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT.
       Cleveland, 0.

BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.
     Louisville, Ky.
 The statement is often made
      that no two persons can be
: induced -to insure by exactly the
 same methods.   There are how-
 ever, certain general rules' of proce-
 dure which should be followed in
' canvassing.  Much business is lost
because salesmen of life insurance,
^  in  their  impatience  or  eagerness,
i  try to land before they reach the
 dock.  They fail to appreciate the
 logical  sequence  of  events  which
t must -necessarily take place before
 the person whom they are trying
 to Insure will sign his name on "the
 dotted line."
   I shall endeavor to point out some
 of the important steps which should
 be taken in most cases to convert
 the largest percentage of prospecta
 into policyholders.  -While each step;
 might easily be made the subject,of
 an extended treatise, space will-per-
 mit only the mere mention of the
 more important, with an occasional
 idea or two In explanation.
   First.  It  is  a  self-evident fact
 that the first thing which you must
 do before you can secure business
 is to get a prospect.   To be a good
 prospect, a person must possess the
 proper  qualifications  to  conform
 with your company's requirements
 as to sex, age, health, family his-
 tory,  and  moral  character,  and
 have means to pay for the Insur-
 ance.
   Second.  Learn all you can about
 his financial and social affairs, his
 personal habits, temperament, etc.
   Third.  From the data which you
, have acquired, decide what amount
! and form of policy you believe will
 be best suited to him.
   Fourth.  Arrange  tor  an  inter-
 view to be held under as favorable
 circumstances as possible.
»  Fifth.  The  interview.  There are
 really three stages which should be
 considered  in  an interview,  and
 while  their  distinctness  depends
 largely upon  the  Individual  case,
 nevertheless, I believe that enough
 difference exists to justify their be-
 ing treated, to such an extent as
 the case requires, in the following
 order:
   (a) At the beginning of the In-
 terview, endeavor to create as fa-
 vorable an Impression as possible,
 and to establish confidence. This
 Is where your personality plays  a
 very important part.
   (b) After you feel that the pros-
 pect has confidence in you, the next
 step is to create a desire on his part
 to possess more life Insurance.  It
 is absolutely essential to do this, It
 the desire does not already exist,
 because people do not usually buy
 what 'they don't want. On handling
 this point most of the difference in
 canvassing people exists.   There
 are hundreds of ways to create a
 desire, but what will appeal to one
 person may not to another, and the
 skill of the salesman Is exercised in
 doing  and  saying  those  things
 which will make the proper impres-
sion in each particular case.  This
skill can be developed by study and
practice.
 (3) The next step is to create a
further desire: to purchase now the
particular policy which you have
to offer.  To do this, of course, you
should among other things show
the  attractive  features  of  your
proposition and, by the way, save
some of the best points unt'l the
last for clinchers.
 Sixth.  Watch  carefully for  the
proper moment to secure the appli-
cation and when it arrives present
It at once.
 Seventh.  Make  the  settlement;
get the cash if you can and give a
binding receipt, but If you can not
do that make as definite and final a
s&ttlement as possible.
 Eighth.  Have  the  examination
made Immediately.
 Ninth.  Have  the  policy Issued
and  deliver  it  personally. Ex-
plain its provisions so thoroughly
that the assured will clearly under-
stand them, and know exactly what
he has bought.  This will almost
entirely eliminate the  chances of
Its being twisted. Make him so en-
thusiastic that he will not only give
you letters of Introduction and com-
mendation to some of his friends,
but will himself voluntarily  tell
them what a good contract he has
secured.                     ,
 Every man whom you canvass in-
telligently and consistently accord-
ing to these  suggestions will be
likely  to  be  a  persistent  policy-
holder, and also a repeating pur-
chaser of policies from you if you
keep In proper touch with him.