As New Agent Advice on Managing my Expectations.

[entrep1776]

I drove Uber a little. I was pretty frustrated initially. I thought I would be able to make $20/hour.Initially I was making about $10/hr. I would send support a message about something. Support would send back some canned nonsensical response. One thing that actually helped me from canned response said something like:

keep Driving the more you drive the more you make.

my initial response to canned response was #@$@ you.

After about 3 months and keeping driving I figured out how to pull $20/hour but only possible during 8 peak hours. I felt more relaxed/confident I had "figured" it out. Uber I think is way easier to figure out vs. insurance. Initially I felt frustrated.

Initially My earnings expectations weren't realistic for my market.

I'm taking my insurance class end of July. in Illinois have to have 8 hours of real classroom time. I'm planning to focus on selling med supps.

How to manage my expectations? Is Illinois good place with Ma% of x? Maybe I should sell over phone to Montana? I work my butt off 1st week and didn't write any AP. Maybe I should door knock. Maybe Hire high school kids to drop off prospecting packets. maybe some Telesales. maybe some DM. etc. etc. etc. etc.

Lots of squirrels running around in my head.

I've picked out the FMO I plan to use.

Any advice on how to manage my insurance expectations? maybe 1st week. 1st month. 3 months? 3 years?

was reading someones post that maybe 2 out of 100 agents are still in biz after 5 years. Guessing some responses to this will be call me & I've got system for you. Call your upline. If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you can't. I might think I can play in the NBA all day long, but in reality ain't gonna happen. So with stats I've heard being 2/100 agents stick it out.....

If I'd quit Uber after 1st month, I wouldn't have felt like I'd been successful. FYI, quit driving Uber when Uber changed to requiring 2007 car and mine was 2005. Also lots of risk. Had 3 pukers. Guy that had been shot 2 days before I gave him a ride.

little bit rambling here.

Appreciate insight advice on How to manage my expectations to be able to push through the hard part starting out.

 

[pfg1]

The biggest difference, people want and need uber right now, so they call and pay for it right now. That just doesn't happen in the ins business. If I was starting out over again, I would not have started independent, I'd go captive with a good mutual to "learn" the business inside and out. Good luck.

 

[DHK]

Insurance, by and large, is a Quadrant II business - important, but not urgent (until making claims or other problems).

The really hard part, is when YOU need money, so YOU make it into a Quadrant I business because of your own personal situation. That's when it feels like insurance is a "hard pressure sale" because they turn a planning conversation (of whatever kind of insurance you sell) into a pressured conversation because of their own needs. (Not saying you can't make one-call sales because you certainly can - particularly with med supps - but make sure you're doing it because you have laid out all the information and they can make an informed, versus a pressured decision.)

Different paths and business models have different learning curves and earning potential. Will you be consistent in building your skills while using your skills as you learn? It will take time to master this business... and you need to allow that time & industry study. This forum is a fantastic resource to help you generate ideas to accelerate the learning curve, but don't substitute this forum for business activity. It's a learning center and participation helps you learn.

 

[mr_furly]

Insurance is a slow build.
Your first year or two is going to be all about prospecting (the phase im currently in).

The reason people drop out of this biz is because they dont want to get out there and deal with the constant rejection (im putting off my cold calls by making this post).

 

[walthamny]

Most insurance agents make 30 to 50K first year. Which is about the same as UBER. And Uber is much more easier than insurance sales in the first year. In year 10, it is easy to make 100K a year working 20 hours a week if you have done many things right and built a referal based insurance business. You can build your business term, FE, permanent or Medical supplements, whatever works for you. In year 10, Uber driver will still make the same as year 1.