5 Qualities of A Good Teacher

Selling financial services (or any services) is hard work. Clients must trust you before they buy from you.

In the past, the primary training model for many professions was the apprenticeship. By observing accomplished professionals and working with them, trainees would gain valuable knowledge and insights.

An important part of the apprenticeship education was an understanding of how to attract new business.

Training: a change of focus

Mainly due to legislation and licensing regulations, the way we train professionals has changed. There has been a shift from apprenticeships to accreditations from universities, certifying groups and industry associations.

Along the way, we have lost our focus on a crucial aspect: how to engage with clients.

For professionals, learning how to sell insights, expertise and advice successfully is something that cannot be done in the classroom.

Here’s an example, from a Diploma of Insurance Brokering course.

There are six units of study:

Delivery insurance brokering

Brokering skills

Claims handling

Insurance product and policies

Record management skills

Compliance requirements.

You will notice there is nothing about selling or business development. Other professional training courses – in Engineering, Accounting and Law – also ignore sales.

The best technical education will not make you a good salesperson.

Quality teaching is the key

Any professional can learn anything and everything there is to know, to be successful, if an excellent teacher is available.

I believe a training program based on a one-on-one teacher-trainee relationship is the most effective way to learn.

The 5 qualities of a good teacher

The best type of teacher is someone who:

Can show you what is important and what isn’t and what works and what doesn’t

Has been a successful salesperson and knows how to sell

Is willing to invest a lot of thought and study into you as an individual and the most suitable training method for you

Will tell you things that no one else will

Is readily available on a daily basis.

If you work in a small firm, this person would, ideally, be the CEO, owner or founder. In larger businesses, someone would be designated for this role.

If you don’t have a dedicated person or if you are a solo or freelance professional, you will need to find a teacher, coach or mentor.

If you have talent, it will eventually surface, provided you have the determination to stick with it. If you also have good training, your talent will surface faster and with less stress.