I have a running joke with an old friend. We often go extended periods without connecting, so when we finally do, it's common for her to talk at length about what's been happening in her life. After several minutes, she'll say, "But enough about me. Let's talk about you. What do you think of me?"

It's a Bette Midler line from the movie Beaches. And no, I didn't know that. I had to be told. Don't go revoking my Man Card just yet.

It's more than just a funny line, though. I've taught my sales teams this for years: Every decision maker with whom you meet is Bette Midler's character. They love to talk about themselves. In fact, the more you let them talk about themselves, the more they will like you. And they're not even sure why.

Continue Reading for Free

Register and gain access to:

  • Breaking benefits news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical converage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.