I was grazing through Twitter today and came across this gem by Miki Strong, “Transparency in biz earns you trust & respect from your ideal client and filters out those who you’re not ideally suited to help”.

It was one of those moments like when you’re in church and you have that feeling that the pastor is speaking directly to you. Thanks Miki!

The truth is that I don’t want every person looking for life insurance calling me. I have intentionally painted myself into some life insurance corners where the clients show up with a goal in mind and if they show up they already know that I can help them. They come to me because they have been wronged and treated unfairly while trying to purchase life insurance.

My average client has been declined or highly rated for life insurance at least once and they are not happy about it. They are ready to join forces with someone who can turn that around (and this is key) even if it means having to do some work. They want approved for life insurance. I don’t think I’m blowing any well hidden secret by telling you that most people in our country don’t call a life insurance agent expecting to be given a list of homework to do. Most life insurance clients actually resent the 20 or 30 minutes that is gone from their life just by filling out an application and taking an exam. “And you want me to get this and get that and ask my doctor this other thing before you can even give me a quote?” How did Miki put it? Filters out those I’m not ideally suited to help!

I am inspired to start this year by defining my ideal client, that person that I am ideally suited to help. Let me just start by saying I love my work. There is nothing, to me, more rewarding than helping someone who has been beat up get back on their feet and win the fight. Get approved! When I win a battle for someone I get the same feeling I remember when I was honored to do relief work after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. When we got through cutting trees off the tops of people’s houses, it’s not just that they were grateful, but I just filled myself up with that change in them. They had more hope. They could see the way clear to the next step in their life.

My ideal client is someone who doesn’t just take unfair licks in life and cave in. They’re not sure how but they know that the reason they were declined for life insurance just doesn’t seem right. They know, if they were approved at a higher rate class than expected, that some mistake must have been made and there must be a way to fix it rather than just roll over and accept it.

I am probably best known for my work with bipolar disorder. For those with bipolar it often seems like a very personal thing when they are declined. It’s like, “OK. I’ve lived a challenging life with bipolar disorder, but I’m in charge. I’m in control. And still this insurance company throws me in a bucket of trash that they don’t feel is worthy of life insurance.” Can you understand that feeling of, well, almost shame? My ideal client knows before they call me that I understand what they’ve been through and I don’t intend to add more to that experience. I want them to become my client and know that the first insurance agent and company were wrong.

There are a large number of areas in the life insurance industry that are fraught with mistake riddled attempts at getting life insurance. I have apologized plenty over the years for those agents and those companies who really just don’t get it. But the truth is the wrong agent using the wrong company will always yield the wrong results.

Bottom line. On one hand I feel for those clients who have had to run the gauntlet before we got together, but on the other hand, my ideal client is uniquely motivated because of that experience. It is to those clients that I say, if you have any questions or have been treated unfairly and need help, call or email me directly. Let’s talk.