The All Aboard Newsletter

Hey everyone, and welcome back to this week’s edition of All Aboard Weekly Tips!

I’m excited to bring you something a little different today. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Michael Weaver, my friend and owner of Weaver Sales Academy.

We talk about some crucial topics for agency owners looking to boost their sales team performance.

The format of the video is simple: I ask Michael five questions to get his opinion on how to raise sales numbers, and then I give my own opinion. As a result, you should walk away with 8 to 10 different ideas to increase sales in your agency.

Note, this video is longer than the typical all aboard recording as it sits at 40 minutes. Pop it on while you run errands, get some work down around the house, or on your commute.

Lets dive in!

8 Tips to Improve Sales - A conversation with Michael Weaver

If the embedded link doesn’t work, you can access the video here: Click Me

For the best experience and most information, I highly suggest you click the video!

1.) What is the #1 area people overlook when training their salespeople?

Michael’s Take: Agency owners often overlook the importance of delegation in training. They try to do it all themselves – from training new hires to managing day-to-day operations, and as a result, something has to give. Usually, that means that the leader gets caught up dealing w/ all the day to day minutiae and sales training falls to the side.

The solution to that is to recognize when you don’t have the desire, skill, expertise, or time to train your team. If that happens, working with a specialist is the way to go. Whether thats hiring an outside coach, or a full-time sales trainer in your agency.

The other area he mentions people overlook is consistency. People will get a lot of training at first, then nothing for months. It tends to be that when people are struggling they get focus. But thats no good. Why? Because it causes your team to ebb and flow.

Consistency is key, and even your best people want extra time and help to get better.

Andrew’s Take: The number one thing that is missing from sales training programs is a consistent follow-up process.

So many people are focused on “closing the sale” and thats great. Why follow-up if we can just close it right? But thats not always going to happen. A large majority of our sales, and probably most people’s sales come from following up. Yet so few people talk about it.

So, thats my opinion. Make sure you’re teaching people effective follow-up processes and use the technology to your advantage. Phone isn’t the only way to communicate, even if its what we prefer. Use emails and texts too. We have a saying in our agency that goes something like: “We don’t email quotes, we email policies” and what that means is we’ll text you the quote so we can look at it together, but there is no way in hell we’re sending an email of the quote! How many people keep their personal inbox clean? Almost nobody.

2.) What is an intangible you look for when hiring salespeople?

Michael’s Take: The number one intangible trait he looks for in salespeople is optimism. Why? Research shows that optimistic salespeople outperform their more pessimistic peers by a large margin, often up to 50% over the first couple of years in sales.

Optimism fuels a salesperson’s drive to push through challenges, keep learning, and stay motivated even when things aren’t going perfectly. And, naturally, people focused on self-development tend to be more optimistic, making them a great fit for a sales-driven role.

This is because having a long-term goal to shoot for helps people deal w/ the short term challenges. The more people a long-term view, the easier it is to deal with the short term day to day problems.

Andrew’s Take: I love the optimisim/hopeful trait in salespeople and could not agree more. I’ll go another direction though, because I’ve made a lot of bad hires over the years in sales and I’ve noticed a common trait.

When it comes to hiring, I think it’s important to look for someone who’s not just competent, but interesting. Someone who can engage in conversation about their hobbies, interests, and experiences. People who are well-rounded and can offer unique insights tend to build rapport more easily.

When you ask people their hobbies, how many people say they like to read and hike? From my experience, almost everyone and thats ok, those are awesome things. But can they tell you their favorite books and why? Do they talk with detail and interest about the trails they’ve trekked? Or is their answer shallow and boring?

A boring conversation won’t sell anything – it’s important to make a connection and stand out to potential clients. It’s all about creating interest and being engaging. It also indicates if people have any interests outside of work.

In our system, it can be a hell of a grind. If all the salesperson is going to do after work is go smoke some pot and watch t.v (not that there is anything wrong with that), they’re probably not going to have a very satisfying life. So hobbies, interests, community, and more is important not just for rapport, but longevity in the role.

This week’s edition of All Aboard is brought to you by:

Weaver Sales Academy

Training your sales team is the highest ROI activity that you can invest in….

So why do so few agents do it?

Whether its time, skill, or not knowing where to start, I highly recommend you check out Weaver Sales Academy.

We talk below why you should consider using WSA, but something that was a huge unlock for me in my agency was their 10 day “hire to binding” timeline. It helped me rapidly accelerate our training timeline and the program is worth it for that alone (and there is so much more as well).

If you want to chat with Michael directly: Click Me

3. What is your opinion on Customer Service selling from their seat?

Micheal’s Take: This is a hot topic, especially in industries like ours where customer service teams are traditionally seen as just problem solvers. Michael is a big advocate for turning customer service teams into producing units. He believes every interaction is an opportunity, and customer service reps, who already have a relationship with clients, are perfectly positioned to drive more sales.

It doesn’t matter whether service reps directly close the deal or pass leads to the sales team – the important thing is that they’re always looking for opportunities. This mindset shift can drastically increase your team’s overall production.

Andrew’s Take: I couldn’t agree more. We implemented production goals for our customer experience team in 2023, and even though it initially met some resistance, it’s been a game changer.

The big challenge that we’ve run into is that customer service people often say that “they don’t want to sell” and thats fine. We don’t really want them to “sell” either. But what I DO want is them to identify gaps and make recommendations.

This year, we’re leaning more heavily into customer service as more of a “sales function” than a “reactive service function.” One small tweak we’ve made is that our customer service people are asking people they help for referrals, and they’re getting them!

If we’re adding value and helping the client, why wouldn’t they want to refer more people?

So whether or not you want your service team to sell, or just drive more sales, there is a path! Happy to tell anyone more on this if they’re interested.

4. What’s the #1 Tip to Close More Deals?

Michael’s Take: Assume the close. This means going into every conversation with the mindset that the customer will be a paying client by the end. Instead of asking passive questions like, “Does this make sense?” or “Do you want to think about it?” lead the conversation towards a close. Ask for the sale confidently.

Michael explained that when salespeople stop hesitating and assume the sale, they see an immediate uptick in conversions. It's not about being pushy – it’s about taking control of the process and helping the client make a decision.

Andrew’s Take: I will go a different route on this question with the goal of being a bit out of the box.

A tip that I got early in my career was just to talk to people in the way that you would talk to your grandparents, your loved ones, or your best friend. By mentally framing the conversation that way, you’re going to be more empathetic, more educational, and people are going to feel that.

If you wouldn’t speak to your grandma the way you speak to some customers, it’s time to rethink your approach. Authenticity and empathy go a long way. When you genuinely care about your customers and their needs, it shows. And it helps build trust and loyalty, which ultimately leads to more sales.

That doesn’t mean you don’t assume the sale, or go for the close. You do, but you do that AFTER you’ve given them exceptional care.

5. Why Should Agents Consider Working with Weaver Sales Academy?

Michael’s Take: Weaver Sales Academy and the team has helped over 10,000 insurance professionals improve their sales over the last With a structured 100-day plan for new hires, and a curriculum that boosts production by 40% for seasoned agents, it’s designed to get your team selling faster and more effectively.

Weaver Sales Academy also provides consistent training, roleplay opportunities, and dedicated support, ensuring that your team not only learns the skills they need but stays engaged and motivated along the way.

Andrew’s Take: Having worked with Michael and his team, I can confidently say that they provide the tools and systems that take the guesswork out of sales training.

Whether it’s their tech platform or their commitment to ongoing support, it’s an investment that pays off quickly.

Their 10 Day Training plan to get new hires writing business changed our approach to training at Peachy Insurance and their “30 in 5 Life Insurance Challenge” is one of the best ways to drive more Life Insurance and Financial Services in your office (if you’re focusing there).

They even offer a 7 day free trial to test out the program yourself.

Michael is great at what he does, but more importantly, he’s a great person too.

Connect with Michael Weaver:

• Website: Weaver Sales Academy

• Podcast: The Insurance Buzz (Available on all major platforms)

• Social: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram

Andrew x Michael Podcast #1 - Click here

Andrew x Michael Podcast #2 - Click here

7 Day Free Trial: Click Here

What is the 30 in 5 Life Insurance Challenge? - Click Here

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