Originally Posted On: Expert Advice on How to Deal With Anxiety in Insurance Sales | TRKingIM

You can prepare yourself to succeed in your sales job when you focus on becoming the best version of yourself. If you’re like 40 million other people in the United States, you also have anxiety.

Anxiety is an issue that several people deal with and happens to be one of the worst situations to have if your job is to talk to people convincingly each day. But fear not — there’s hope.

When you look into some anxiety management tips, you will be better able to serve your customers without this condition getting you down. So what are the best ways to fight anxiety head-on? We’re glad you asked.

The tips below will teach you how to deal with anxiety to become the best salesperson possible.

First off, you have to treat anxiety as the holistic issue that it is. If you only focus on one part of it, you are likely missing some glaring points that can help you become better, in addition to a better salesperson.

Beating your anxiety is something that requires a mindset shift, improvements in health, and an understanding of why you have anxiety in the first place. Become a better salesperson by following these anti-anxiety tips:

step 1

This is the old jump into the deep-end tactic. You are ripping the band-aid off and becoming more comfortable at sales by going on more sales calls.

Pro Tip: For many people, anxiety is rooted in fear of rejection.

By facing the potential of rejection time after time through sales calls, you will likely find that the fear of rejection is far worse than the rejection itself. What’s more, you will also learn that rejection is part of the job, so it doesn’t pay to take it personally.

Many of the best salespeople know to play the numbers game, rather than getting so caught up in one particular sales call or another. This is the right mindset to have and will carry you far in this field.

step 2

Improving your confidence is another excellent way to fight anxiety. You can do this by knowing first and foremost what kind of personality you have and how to sell yourself.

By understanding your quirks and owning them, you will have less anxiety about them and work with matters that could otherwise be considered faults. Motivational speaker Eric Thomas regularly talks about how it took him 12 years to get a 4-year degree.

He then went on to get a master’s and Ph.D. Because he had to adopt a blue-collar work ethic, Thomas has an everyman appeal that connects with people in ways that few can.

Barack Obama is hailed as one of the best orators in modern presidential history. But if you were to grade many of his speech patterns on a technical basis, you’d undeniably knock a few points off for the “ums” and “ahs” that he sometimes uses.

Rather than cutting them from his speech patterns altogether, Obama uses them for effect and emphasis while thinking about what he’s about to say next. A would-be fault ends up creating endearment and engagement.

When you know your personality and quirks, you can use them to your advantage to get past anxiety as well.

You will also be better able to market yourself when you understand your personality and selling points. The better you understand yourself, the easier time you will have to improve your brand and grow your sales prowess.

step 3

Don’t just accept anxiety is who you are. There is always a reason that you have anxiety, even if you don’t readily know it. In this regard, you will have some homework to do to get down to the bottom of the issue.

Fear is usually at the root, but fear of what?

Some people might have speech impediments that they feel embarrassed about when they go on sales calls. Others might have trauma from the past that makes it difficult to talk to strangers with confidence.

The more you get to the root of your anxiety, the better you can empower yourself not to let it stop you.

step 4

Going to the therapist is one of the best things you can take to have a positive headspace as you beat anxiety.

Just about every field today strives to take a mental approach. Even professional sports teams have sports psychologists on the payroll available to the athletes whenever they need them.

Booking sessions once per week can help you more than you know. The therapist will help you unpack everything from your current day or week to your past traumas and mental loops. Taking care of your mental health will help you build a strong foundation for the future and put you in the right headspace to handle every sale you’re on.

step 5

By adding meditation to your life, you will have clearer thoughts and the ability to live in the present moment. The more you can do this, the more space you will have when anxiety triggers manifest themselves.

The process of meditating is quite simple but will revolutionize your life in several ways. It helps activate your brain’s parasympathetic nervous system, improving your ability to relax and be at ease. This makes you less likely to jump onto every anxious thought that pops into your mind.

To meditate, you should start by setting a timer. Meditating for 10 to 20 minutes per day can have a substantial impact. Close your eyes and breathe in through your nostrils and out through your mouth. Breathe deeply so that your belly expands, similar to the way infants breathe.

Focus on nothing but your breathing and the sensations that come up. Please don’t get too caught up in the thoughts that come into your mind, but allow them to come and go. That way, you build your ability to allow your mind to do what it does without becoming a prisoner to it.

When you set up a meditation routine, you can also rewire your brain to work as a tool for you rather than a hindrance that works against you. You can start your morning with meditation or make it the last thing you do before you go to sleep at night. Other people like taking a mid-day break to refocus and recenter with a meditation session.

Pro Tip: 

You should also regularly journal and explore your thoughts on the page. This is a form of meditation that can help you think clearly and be at peace during your workdays. Find what works for you and stick to it.

step 6

It would shock you to find out how much you get in your own way by simply failing to get enough sleep at night. Your brain doesn’t fire on all cylinders when you fail to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep.

By taking the time to get lots of sleep each night, you can arm your body and brain to hold strong against your anxiety triggers. You will also have more energy, improvements in memory, and less brain fog.

step 7

The better you are at your job, the less likely you are to have crippling anxiety problems. Preparation is the best step you can take to curb your anxiety.

Anxiety is often rooted in worry or concerns about the future. You will decrease this worry when the work that you do becomes second nature.

Learn as much as you can about insurance sales, and hold yourself to growing your competence and skills across the board. Grow your skill set through training, continuing education, diction exercises, workshops, and lots of repetition. Find mentors and ask for critiques so that you can quickly fix your faults and strengthen your talents.

Resources used to make this article:

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As you can see, anxiety is a problem if you don’t. The better you learn how to deal with anxiety, the better you’ll become as a salesperson. The beauty of it all is that the power is entirely in your hands to do this.

We would be glad to help. Take the time to book an appointment with us to help you with all of your insurance sales needs.