Across all industries, financial or otherwise, it is widely accepted that skilled salespeople are skilled salespeople and that particular product knowledge does not necessarily make a better salesperson. Yet what is widely accepted is not always right, if we take today’s economic turmoil as any indication. Product knowledge and passion, along with real empathy with your product’s target market, is invaluable as a salesperson in any business. There is a tried and true method to teach people how to sell annuities and it is one that involves exactly this: building product knowledge; learning how the product you are selling is special and unique and why it is better than other products; learning who your product appeals to and how to find them; learning how to talk to them by understanding their personalities, their common goals and their common fears; and aligning yourself with a brand that is recognized as a leader both because it is the mark of a stable company and of real innovation and value-adding enhancements.

In other words, almost anyone can learn how to sell annuities; but learning how requires real learning and not just a good knack at schmoozing. It means knowing where to find the best leads and how to hedge downside risk out of a portfolio; it means learning what issues are most important and what the common concerns are about the annuity you’re selling.

This kind of education can be acquired over years of practice – if you can earn enough money to feed yourself through the trials and tribulations. A smarter idea is to align yourself with a company – an underwriter or a broker – that is willing to invest in your success by providing you with real classroom education on your product and who will provide you with leads that will translate into a commission for you and a sale for them – a sale that will propel their brand and your business into a more lucrative future.

Some people believe that great salespeople are born; they aren’t: they’re made. Knowledge of the product, a passion for it, and an understanding of how best to access and address the customer are far better foundations for success than the ability to schmooze your way into a sale. Whether it’s mortgages, insurance, or widgets, remembering that sales can be learned (and are learned on everyday basis!) will keep you humble – and well-fed.