TBagent
New Member
Hello all! I am new to the forum and I just want to start by thanking all of you for providing such a tremendous resource for the insurance industry. I am really happy I found out about this site! I am new to insurance, although I have had exposure to it all throughout my life. My mother has been selling Life Insurance products ever since I was born and still does now even though she is semi-retired. Growing up, I was always observing her conducting business and she has been quite successful. Naturally, she wanted me to get into the business and has always tried to make me realize its lucrative potential. After I graduated college in NJ, I got my license for Life and Health and went out on a few appointments with mom. Unfortunately my heart wasn't into insurance back then and I pursued other sales jobs and let my license expire.
Fast forward to today, roughly 10 years later. I now live in FL and work for an accounting firm doing customer service. I didn't fare very well in sales and so I relegated myself to cust svc. I did, however, obtain my Life/Health/Var Annuity license in FL and am now seriously considering selling Life insurance part time initially with the hopes of going full time if it supersedes my income at my job.
I would like your opinion on my plan for selling insurance and want to know, based on your experience, if it is feasible. I'm pretty good on the phone as far as customer service is concerned. I also am a member of Toastmasters and have given speeches and feel comfortable doing so. I intend to invite prospects to some venue, let's say a hotel conference (an inexpensive one), give a presentation about a product (probably start with simple term), hopefully get appointments, and follow up during the week when I'm not at work. Now, I've had some experience to this tactic before. Over a year ago I teamed up with another agent selling Medicare Supplement insurance doing the same tactic and it was disastrous. We would rent out a space at a buffet and the carrier would usually advertise the event. Hardly anyone showed and the few that did were only there for the free lunch. We did about 5 of these events before giving up.
I must say, however, that I wasn't doing any of the presenting that time since my friend was more experienced. I feel pretty confident now in my speaking skills and I'm sure I can connect. I'm just not too sure if they'll sign up. So I ask you insurance pros what do you think about this method? Have you ever done this before? Is it worth the expenses of advertising and buying lunches just to be heard?
Thanks in advance for reading this. I know it's a bit long, but I've been thinking about this initiative for a while and want to give it an honest effort. I'm getting real "thirsty" and customer service just isn't cutting it.
Fast forward to today, roughly 10 years later. I now live in FL and work for an accounting firm doing customer service. I didn't fare very well in sales and so I relegated myself to cust svc. I did, however, obtain my Life/Health/Var Annuity license in FL and am now seriously considering selling Life insurance part time initially with the hopes of going full time if it supersedes my income at my job.
I would like your opinion on my plan for selling insurance and want to know, based on your experience, if it is feasible. I'm pretty good on the phone as far as customer service is concerned. I also am a member of Toastmasters and have given speeches and feel comfortable doing so. I intend to invite prospects to some venue, let's say a hotel conference (an inexpensive one), give a presentation about a product (probably start with simple term), hopefully get appointments, and follow up during the week when I'm not at work. Now, I've had some experience to this tactic before. Over a year ago I teamed up with another agent selling Medicare Supplement insurance doing the same tactic and it was disastrous. We would rent out a space at a buffet and the carrier would usually advertise the event. Hardly anyone showed and the few that did were only there for the free lunch. We did about 5 of these events before giving up.
I must say, however, that I wasn't doing any of the presenting that time since my friend was more experienced. I feel pretty confident now in my speaking skills and I'm sure I can connect. I'm just not too sure if they'll sign up. So I ask you insurance pros what do you think about this method? Have you ever done this before? Is it worth the expenses of advertising and buying lunches just to be heard?
Thanks in advance for reading this. I know it's a bit long, but I've been thinking about this initiative for a while and want to give it an honest effort. I'm getting real "thirsty" and customer service just isn't cutting it.
