Life insurance agents learn day one, "You can't sell someone life insurance unless they love someone other than themselves." Philanthropy comes from philia, for brotherly love. Charity comes from caritas, for love of neighbor. Philanthropy is a motive, like love of family. Charity or love starts at home but does not end there. To find the giver in the prospect find the giver in yourself. As rookie insurance agents are taught, "You can't sell it if you don't own it.
So, to succeed in charitable planning find the giver in yourself. Identify what you love beyond self, family, your dog and money. Say you love TX Tech. Well, who else loves TX Tech? Of course, you love lots of things, starting with those closest to you. Reconciling many motives and limited dollars takes planning. Well, we just sold a planning case.
Walk into the prospect's office. Step one, establish rapport, or a common bond. Glance at the bookshelf, credenza, and walls. Note:
- Picture of wife, daughter, and dog
- Picture of himself as a tight end for TX Tech
- Coffee mug from TX Tech
- Calendar from TX Tech
Well, what do you talk about? How about TX Tech, the family, having a positive impact. Getting it planned out. Life insurance, estate planning, business exit strategies, retirement planning, all come into this. In the process the complex charitable tools may come into play. But it starts with love. "Looks like you went to TX Tech too. You got to love them, but what a game last Saturday....." "I am sure they are after you for money, right?" "You give, I give." "Would you do more for TX Tech is you could, if you could do it without taking away from your other goals?" "Let me get together with you and get a sense of what you are trying to accomplish overall for you, your family, and the organizations you love. When would be a good time?"
