Let’s face it - we are all obsessed with speed. From our cell phones to high-speed internet access, the infamous BlackBerry® and highly acclaimed TiVo™; our need to get information, to always be accessible and to make everything move faster is how we are most comfortable conducting our daily lives.
As we hurry through life, most people do not realize that there are two different kinds of speed: transactional speed and relationship speed. On average, the majority would agree that transactional speed can always be increased. When we speed up transactions, we make our tasks shorter and our lives easier. Unfortunately, this does not translate well into relationship speed.
When it comes to building relationships with your clients, you have to be mindful of your expectations, how fast you are driving and in which direction you are headed.
Relationship speed must be approached with caution. In the life insurance business, our relationships with clients are largely based on trust. We must pay attention to all signals and remember that these relationships cannot be rushed - no matter how quickly we would like to accelerate the process.
“The need for speed” will always exist. The difficulty lies in creating a balance between transactional and relationship speed, and knowing when to switch to a different gear.
I challenge you to slow down, evaluate your approach and stay within your speed limits. Take the necessary time to build your relationships - you will be amazed at how fast your results improve!
