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Here are hundreds of agents who are either new to FE or wanting to get into FE soon. My website alone draws hundreds of new hits every week. These agents are trying to find the info they need to feel confident to take the plunge. I am an agent first and recruiter/trainer 2nd so I don't have the time or resources to respond to all the inquiries I get. But I see the same questions and mistakes made over and over.
I thought it might help to post some written in stone facts to help new guys get started. Hopefully this will open some discussion and be a good thread between recruiters and those who need them without turning into a spam thread.
5-Sins Of NEW agents.
1. Thinking you have to be ready for EVERYTHING.- All you want in your first year is to be laser-focused on final expense. You don't need term-life, critical illness, Medicare, dental, annuities, etc. If you chase ONE rabbit, you will catch it. If you chase every rabbit darting in front of you, you're going to starve. you will make more money by NOT letting yourself get sidetracked until you really have your FE business humming along nicely.
2. Not selecting ONE FMO and marketing plan and giving it 100%- Many agents contact me and have one company with Chris Westfall, 2 with Todd King, 3-with Mark Rosenthall, 4- with Brad Aden and want to pick up 5- with me and need some training. AFTER your business is humming along it's fine for an independent agent to have contracts here there and everywhere BUT not when you are new and need help. I give a LOT of time to agents who put 3-core companies under me and focus entirely on those companies. I can help you write just about anything you get the opportunity to come across using Monumental, 5-Star and Royal Neighbors. Other FMOs have their mix which is fine too. But when you call me and want lots of my time to figure out deals and you don't have your core companies with me, you are taking my time away from agents who DO have them with me and that doesn't work. So the bottom line, figure out if you are just looking for contracts...or looking for help. Any of the FMOs I listed here are good. Just pick one. Any of these FMO's I've mentioned are fine. Choose one and make him earn his over-ride. If you need MORE training and turn-key business model (and many agents do) you can't do better than Travis Tubbs at Equita. But remember, if you go the Equita or Securis route, your experience will be very good or bad depending on the manager above you. Choose wisely and do your research.
3. Chasing free or discounted leads- Leads aren't free to anybody. I don't care what anyone tells you. The best way to get the best pure unfiltered leads is to place the orders yourself and pay for them. A good FMO is going to be able to teach you where and when and how and avoid the many rip-offs that will rob you blind. FREE leads are for suckers. Free leads with chopped off commissions are for fools. If you can't afford to be in business and/or aren't willing to hit the streets and door knock to generate your own leads with hard work and proven methods, you will fail. There is no point starting if you need free leads handed to you.
4. Not understanding that renewals and unadvanced commissions are KEY to success. If you don't build up reserves of passive income you are going to crash and burn. I've had agents tell me they took 80% contracts with 80% advancing because they can't budget on 6- month advances. This is fool's math. 50% of 115% gets you only slightly less initial income as 80% of 80%. But with the first one you get the other 50% over the 2nd half of the year. You can build your business upon a rock or build it upon sand...your choice.
5. Over-thinking everything.- this is a simple business. You can learn everything you need to know by reading this forum, selecting and upline (mentor) and jump out of the nest. Will you screw some things up and blow some opportunities? Sure. But that's how we all learned.
It's as simple as this, you have to get in front of some people, present what you have, some like it. Some don't. Some can afford it. Some can't. That's it. That's what I've done for a living for over 16-years. It's not complicated.
I thought it might help to post some written in stone facts to help new guys get started. Hopefully this will open some discussion and be a good thread between recruiters and those who need them without turning into a spam thread.
5-Sins Of NEW agents.
1. Thinking you have to be ready for EVERYTHING.- All you want in your first year is to be laser-focused on final expense. You don't need term-life, critical illness, Medicare, dental, annuities, etc. If you chase ONE rabbit, you will catch it. If you chase every rabbit darting in front of you, you're going to starve. you will make more money by NOT letting yourself get sidetracked until you really have your FE business humming along nicely.
2. Not selecting ONE FMO and marketing plan and giving it 100%- Many agents contact me and have one company with Chris Westfall, 2 with Todd King, 3-with Mark Rosenthall, 4- with Brad Aden and want to pick up 5- with me and need some training. AFTER your business is humming along it's fine for an independent agent to have contracts here there and everywhere BUT not when you are new and need help. I give a LOT of time to agents who put 3-core companies under me and focus entirely on those companies. I can help you write just about anything you get the opportunity to come across using Monumental, 5-Star and Royal Neighbors. Other FMOs have their mix which is fine too. But when you call me and want lots of my time to figure out deals and you don't have your core companies with me, you are taking my time away from agents who DO have them with me and that doesn't work. So the bottom line, figure out if you are just looking for contracts...or looking for help. Any of the FMOs I listed here are good. Just pick one. Any of these FMO's I've mentioned are fine. Choose one and make him earn his over-ride. If you need MORE training and turn-key business model (and many agents do) you can't do better than Travis Tubbs at Equita. But remember, if you go the Equita or Securis route, your experience will be very good or bad depending on the manager above you. Choose wisely and do your research.
3. Chasing free or discounted leads- Leads aren't free to anybody. I don't care what anyone tells you. The best way to get the best pure unfiltered leads is to place the orders yourself and pay for them. A good FMO is going to be able to teach you where and when and how and avoid the many rip-offs that will rob you blind. FREE leads are for suckers. Free leads with chopped off commissions are for fools. If you can't afford to be in business and/or aren't willing to hit the streets and door knock to generate your own leads with hard work and proven methods, you will fail. There is no point starting if you need free leads handed to you.
4. Not understanding that renewals and unadvanced commissions are KEY to success. If you don't build up reserves of passive income you are going to crash and burn. I've had agents tell me they took 80% contracts with 80% advancing because they can't budget on 6- month advances. This is fool's math. 50% of 115% gets you only slightly less initial income as 80% of 80%. But with the first one you get the other 50% over the 2nd half of the year. You can build your business upon a rock or build it upon sand...your choice.
5. Over-thinking everything.- this is a simple business. You can learn everything you need to know by reading this forum, selecting and upline (mentor) and jump out of the nest. Will you screw some things up and blow some opportunities? Sure. But that's how we all learned.
It's as simple as this, you have to get in front of some people, present what you have, some like it. Some don't. Some can afford it. Some can't. That's it. That's what I've done for a living for over 16-years. It's not complicated.
