Many community bankers struggle with getting all of their staffers to feel confident with business development. That’s because staffers are afraid of the *S* word.

Don’t tell them to SELL, teach them to LISTEN.

Use our “Business and Baby” rule as your internal rallying cry.

the business and baby rule
Nearly everyone has a business or baby. For some, the business is the baby. For others, it's the pet. Or maybe the baby is her sports car. The baby is simply what they love.

ask what's near and dear to their hearts
When you greet a customer, don’t talk about the weather or how busy you are. Instead, ask a question about the customer’s business or baby. When you ask with interest, she'll light up. Once she starts talking, listen for clues:

Is the business celebrating an anniversary? Ask about future expansion or succession planning, then think about financial products that can make those things easier.

Is the child going to need college? Ask about what he wants to be when he grows up, then think about ways to help fund that future need with today’s investments and offer that information.

Is everyone at home missing work or school and using lots of Nyquil? This is a prime time to talk about the benefits of an HSA.

biz dev isn't just for loan officers—it's for everyone
Selling is hard. Listening—then recommending something that helps a customer—is really pretty easy.

Teach your staff that if they listen, customers will let them know what they need. The rest is just about being helpful. That's win-win, baby!

If you need help with a branded sales protocol and training employees for better business development, call Martha direct: 785.969.6203.