Tapping The African-American Market

Take the time to listen. You may find out that your potential customer needs a better understanding of the benefits of your products and services or how the process works. By listening, youll also find out concerns and objections that will give you the information you need to begin to build trust. Whats more, your willingness to give a service that takes time with your potential client confirms the message that you are trying to deliver: you can be trusted, and you are in the relationship for the long term. You become a benefits counselor, not a salesperson.

Get involved in the community and be ready to support community organizations and events. Youll not only be in a position to meet more prospects, but youll also be visible as a friend and supporter of the community.

Building trust in turn helps build loyalty. And loyal customers may also help you advertise your business through word of mouth. When they refer you to colleagues and friends, you will find it even easier to build trust and close business, helping you to quickly grow your business.

Learn The Facts

You can also increase your opportunities by learning as much as you can about the specific challenges and concerns faced by the population you are marketing to. For example, a group with a large employee population of African-American women may be receptive to a cancer or critical illness plan. Statistics from the South Carolina Central Cancer Registry 1997 annual report show these women have a higher-than-average incidence of mortality from breast cancer. A type of insurance that includes a benefit for yearly mammograms, for instance, may be valuable to this group and meet its specific needs.

African-American men also may be receptive to buying this type of coverage. According to a 2001 report by the American Cancer Society, Chicago, African-Americans have the highest prostate cancer incidence rates in the world and are twice as likely to die from this disease as other American men. Having one or more close relatives with prostate cancer also increases a mans risk of developing this disease. Talking with your customers about these concerns can both educate them and uncover their needs.

Family Matters

Understanding family dynamics can make the sales process much smoother and more effective. Consider who traditionally makes the financial and insurance decisions in the household. The Census Bureau reports that the number of households headed by single African-American women grew by 2.3 million people in the 1990s. If your market includes African-American single-parent households, our sales representatives often find them very receptive to purchasing disability and other products that will provide income-replacement coverage and protection for their children. Asking the right questions is crucial in helping you determine your clients needs.

Every recent study shows the minority population and business community in the U.S. will continue to grow quickly in the coming years. Those who want to succeed in the long term will take time now to learn about these markets and develop the techniques necessary to compete in them. Whether you are a member of the minority population you are marketing to or not, youll find that a willingness to listen and learn coupled with a commitment to building a relationship of trust can bring you the success you seek.

is the public sector manager for the Colonial Supplemental Insurance office in Detroit, Mich. Colonial is a worksite marketing unit of UnumProvident Corp.

Reproduced from National Underwriter Life & Health/Financial Services Edition, June 10, 2002. Copyright 2002 by The National Underwriter Company in the serial publication. All rights reserved.Copyright in this article as an independent work may be held by the author.