Associations

[wrkin4christ]

Hey are there any insurance associations worth joining or are is it not worth it. I ahve been members in other associations in other jobs I have had. Just would love to get some insight on it here.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I joined the IHIAA - waiting on a refund.

 

[Steve]

After you join IHIAA... check out you local chapter of NAIFA. Great place to learn and network with others in the industry. (More Life, DI, LTC; but also P&C and Health)

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Networking is absolutely the key. I hear people talking about mentoring however your mentor has one way of doing business that works well for them.

What you will find in this business is successful agents use many different systems and you simply need to be exposed to various methods.

 

[arnguy]

If you are selling health insurance, consider the NAHU. If you focus on disability, there is a relatively new organization, International DI Society, that you can accesson the website: Web Hosting, VPS and Dedicated Servers by eBoundHosts.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Biggest is best. With 73,000 members...try this one:

Click on the link or you'll miss the fireworks!

http://groups.google.com/group/top-independent-agents?hl=en

 

[Expat]

Networking is absolutely the key. I hear people talking about mentoring however your mentor has one way of doing business that works well for them.

What you will find in this business is successful agents use many different systems and you simply need to be exposed to various methods.

.

I would hope that anyone who mentors has seen and heard (and remembered) numerous techniques for sales, and would pass them on.
If not then they have no business training others.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

True - but every successful agent has a pet method. Note Somarco buying shared leads only and Moonlight never buying a lead. The other Bob will also never buy a lead yet Chumps only buys leads.

Regardless of whether they would teach a new agent that other methods existed, that new agent will only want to know which method they are currently using.

What I suggest is speaking to both agents - talking to Somarco and Moonlight - seeing both of their systems and deciding for yourself.

That's why networking with other more senior and successful agents works so well.

This is a big advantage of my association at this point - having agents get around with agents who have been in the biz 5, 10, 15 and over 20 years and seeing many methods.

 

[Guest]

True - but every successful agent has a pet method. Note Somarco buying shared leads only and Moonlight never buying a lead. The other Bob will also never buy a lead yet Chumps only buys leads.

The reason why they are effective in different manners is that they likely know how to present (sell) insurance correctly.

I've said before, if you know how to sell like a professional, you can succeed anywhere.

I'll bet Somarco, Moonlight, Bob and Chumps (and you John) could sell any product that they believed in and had the product knowledge for.

Because you all know what you're doing, whatever the route is that you're taking to generate a client base.

And yes, I promote training not only because it's what I do but it fills a major need, due to the huge deficiency in the insurance field among indie agents and agencies alike. For that very same reason, it's also one of the most valuable components to your association.

"An insurance license legally allows you to sell, it doesn't mean that you know how to sell."

R. Liano 2008

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

But even agents with sales training click with different methods. I have a member who skunked on 50+ shared leads. Come to find he likes selling - not hunting people down. With LeadPod he's now selling.

Another member simply hates leads - period yet is now doing great with local marketing.

You can be skilled and have sales knowledge and still need to find a method that suits your personality.

Motivation is also a huge factor which some members here dismiss. That's fine....for them. Others, however, want a positive environment.