Becoming an Independent Insurance Agent

Re: Becoming a health insurance agent

who would you suggest I go with as far as being an independent agent? I need to start making money soon, i almost want to throw in the towel cause I am so frustrated. i know someone had suggested golden rule. I have a health and life license in ohio. Please give me a few pointers on where to start.
 
Re: Becoming a health insurance agent

jayohn said:
who would you suggest I go with as far as being an independent agent? I need to start making money soon, i almost want to throw in the towel cause I am so frustrated. i know someone had suggested golden rule. I have a health and life license in ohio. Please give me a few pointers on where to start.
Click to expand...

I feel your pain. I'm a week and a half shy of having been at it for a month now, and the frustration hurts. I've not sold a single thing outside of my own family, and even then most aren't interested. Every call is either a rejection, or a glimmer of hope that just means rejection comes a little later down the road. I count the change in my ashtray before going to Taco Bell for my once-a-week "meal out," and check my bank account before putting gas in my car. The thought of running out of money and having to beg for my old $21k a year job hangs over my head every minute of every day.

I work my ass off and haven't made a dime. I'm running as fast as I can just to stay in place.I've done the math -- there's only so much money, and I've placed a ton of pressure on myself and my fiancee by going independent like this. It may come down to begging, borrowing, or stealing (maybe not stealing) to make April's rent if I don't start producing.

And I've never, ever, ever been happier. I have the love of an incredible woman who supports me. I'm self employed, even if my boss is a slavedriver. And I know that by the time I start making a decent living, I'll have just narrowly avoided abject poverty. That means that every last dollar in the bank will have gotten there by my own hard work, from pounding pavement and dialing numbers, and that I'll have built my empire piece by piece from the bricks that the naysayers threw at me. I know that when I look back on my first month from my airborne castle powered by burning $20 bills, I will laugh and call for more wine and revel in the fact that I earned every last thing I'll have.

What? No, I haven't been drinking. Mind your own business.

The moral: get down on yourself, tell yourself you're useless, that you're lower than low and that you don't deserve anything, and you won't get a thing. Tell yourself that you're working hard and that you deserve to succeed, and that because of that you will make it, and then you'll have that. Frustrated? I bet you spend a lot of time telling yourself that you're doing something wrong, that you don't know what, that you don't think you'll make it, that you'll be broke in a week and stuff like that. Try this: force yourself to smile all day for a day. You'll look like a jackass. Stop yourself mid-thought every time something negative tries to creep through your head and force yourself to say something positive. You'll feel like a complete dork who just swallowed eighty self-help books at once. And at the end of the day, I'll bet you fifty exclusive leads that you feel better. And some of that frustration will melt away. And some of the desperation in your voice will evaporate. And, suddenly...things will get better.
 
Re: Becoming a health insurance agent

Hang in there! The rewards are very much worth it. I know the hard part is surviving in the mean time. Golden Rule is a great company IMHO. Approach your prospects as a problem solver and not a sales person. People love to be helped but HATE to be sold to!
 
Re: Becoming a health insurance agent

I've placed a ton of pressure on myself and my fiancee by going independent like this
Click to expand...

There is perhaps the root of your problem.

Fear can be motivating but it can also generate an aura of desperation. That is something your prospects will sense as you, intentionally or otherwise, pressure them into buying.

The hardest thing I had to learn was to mask my real feelings and convey a sense of calm and patience to my prospects.

One who is interviewing for a job and comes across as desperate usually does not get hired. There is a difference in being hungry or enthusiastic as opposed to willing to do or say anything in order to win.

Smart managers, and wise consumers, will buck you and turn you away.

It is a paradox to be calm when you are under strain and pressure. But do what you must to alter your mood. Meditate, work out, pray . . . whatever works, but you MUST do it if you are to survive.

I am not a motivator or trainer, but you know you can call anytime.
 
Re: Becoming a health insurance agent

Wow, I feel your pain. I have seen many agents at the point you are at. Almost broke, feeling pressure every minute of the day. Here is what I would recommend:

1. Stop. Take a break for a day. Clear your head by doing something that you enjoy, a walk, bike ride, watch a movie, something. Then:

2. Re-evaluate everything you are doing. My first question is do you have a business plan? Do you have everything written down that it takes to run your business? What are you good at (making appts, cold calling)? What do you dislike the most (the actual presentation, organizing yourself)? Make a detailed list, and then make a plan on how to fix the things you need to fix. Re-evaluate everything! This is not a complicated business, but it is very easy to complicate!

3. Find a mentor. Find a local agent willing to personally work with you, especially if you are new to this business. It will not be hard to find a good agent, most are willing to take time out of their life to help you.

There is nothing worse then the pressure of failing, and in my opinion, you have to re-evaluate, re-organize and re-energize, or this line of work will kill you.

Once you figure it out, it is a great profession.
 
Re: Becoming a health insurance agent

Coming in broke and getting off the ground has been done over and over again - however you need the right set of traits. I say traits because it cannot be taught, read in a book or picked up reading motivational quotes.

You come in broke and either completely dig in cold calling or basically you're back on Monster.com

If you're broke and 2 hours of cold-calling ain't getting it then the next day it's 4 hours. If 4 hours aren't producing the results then it's 6 hours.

There are a lot of "broke" agent coming into the field -which is fine. Some will call me with great concern that "this" or "that" activity is not working for them.

98% of the time when I review their past week either next to no cold calling was done or a few hours. Typically this is what I get:

"But John, I tried telemarketing for 2 hours and didn't get much." My response is "call me back after you've done 30 hours."

A lot of time agents simply have to be bottom-lined. If you are lacking in funds, come Monday you are going to either:

1) Cold call (BtoB or telemarketing) at least 4 hours a day
2) Get cash - family, friends, whatever
3) Get out of the business as quickly as you can or you're destroy yourself financially

There seems to be some psychological problems that I have a tough time relating to. I spoke with an agent a few months back who had eviction papers filed from him landlord - court date was I believe 5 days away.

He didn't want to go BtoB - didn't want to telemarket and obviously didn't have money. I'm at a loss when I'm asked to give advice in those situations. If I was facing eviction I'd be out BtoB 10 hours a day. I'd bring my laptop and signing people up same day.

I guess to sum it up - you need to find out if you even have what it takes mentally. Here's a test if you're dead broke. If by close of business tomorrow you have not performed at least 4 hours of a cold-calling activity, quit on Tuesday - this isn't for you. You are not designed to "boot trap" it - you need to ride a desk somewhere.
 
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