THE LAST WORD

WITH LARRY BARTON

Beware the sales guru who says, “You need to get your clients to follow all of your advice.”

The Arrogance of Sales Gurus Makes Pariahs of Us All “There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?” - Woody Allen, Screenwriter, Film Director

By Larry Barton

O

ur culture has branded the individual who sells insurance as a pariah. Why? Insurance protects millions of families from financial devastation. Life insurance in particular makes sure that families keep their 54

homes and that children go on to receive a college education if the primary breadwinner meets an untimely end. I’m proud to be affiliated with our industry. The individuals I know who sell insurance make an important difference in the lives of their clients by providing them with financial security. Need proof? Ask any agent who has ever delivered a death benefit check to a struggling widow or widower thanks to the deceased’s forethought in purchasing a life insurance policy.

InsuranceNewsNet Magazine » December 2012

So then why does the public loathe the idea of spending time with a life insurance professional? There are several possible explanations: Insurance professionals remind individuals of their mortality and that bad things can happen to them. Most people prefer to focus on the positive instead of protecting against the negative. Insurance can be complicated. There are definitions, exclusions, provisions

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