"An athlete may run ten thousand miles in order to prepare for one
hundred yards. Quantity gives
experience."
The value and benefits of preparation cannot
be overemphasized. No matter how long a show plays on Broadway, the actors
continue to rehearse. They are professionals and they conscientiously seek
perfection. They practice their lines and their every move, because each has a
particular purpose. They know exactly what they are saying. They understand the
response and reaction they must receive from their audience.
Preparation means being so well-organized that you know before you
make that call or presentation, the prospect will agree to an appointment or
your recommendation.
Here's an excerpt from the book, 50 Lessons in 50 Years, by Garry
Kinder. It's Lesson 29 --
Memorize the Scripts; Ad Libs are for
Amateurs.
Memorize the scripts. I learned this from many
people, not the least of which was my brother, Jack. He preached this principle
on a regular basis.
When Jack started in the business, his first manager, Fred Holderman,
had a script that all the new agents learned and I can remember this like it was
yesterday. Jack would give me the script and in the front room of our house he
would sit me down and say, "Garry, I want you to watch this script and make sure
I don't miss one word."
The script was about four or five pages, and here was Jack having me
make sure he wasn't missing a word. Today, if you turn to page 87 in our book,
Secrets of Successful Insurance Sales, you'll find about half of that script
modernized.
I like to tell this story -- it's a true story and it happens to me
often. Invariably, when I tell young agents the importance of memorizing
scripts, one of them will come up to me after the meeting. The conversation will
go something like this:
Agent: You know you talk about memorizing scripts,
but the scripts don't sound like me.
Garry: Those scripts don't sound like you?
Agent: No!
Garry: That's good. If they sounded like you they wouldn't work! Who said they were supposed to sound like you? They're not supposed to sound like you. Here's what you do: First, you MEMORIZE, then you PROFESSIONALIZE, THEN you PERSONALIZE. Then, you know what? They'll sound like you!
Garry: Those scripts don't sound like you?
Agent: No!
Garry: That's good. If they sounded like you they wouldn't work! Who said they were supposed to sound like you? They're not supposed to sound like you. Here's what you do: First, you MEMORIZE, then you PROFESSIONALIZE, THEN you PERSONALIZE. Then, you know what? They'll sound like you!
Respect the power of preparation - Memorize Your
Scripts!
