Biggest Problem New Agents Have...

[1manshow]

Gaining Credibility With New Prospects...

Here's a tidbit for new and old agents who want the lead pipeline full and overflowing...


Certainly you all have clients who think you're "godlike" in the insurance world ! Ask them for their testimonial ! Then compile these testimonials into your brochure, back of your business card, whatever...and watch your credibility/close ratio climb.


Check out my site and see if there are any pages that don't have testimonials sprinkled in there! The gal that's doing our senior markets is getting a testimonial from practically every client she writes ! That will be some powerful marketing material and it's all free !!

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Good information. Something else that builds credibility is joining your chamber of commerce and putting the chamber link in your email.

 

[Mark]

I was going to say the biggest problem new agents have is:

FEAR

 

[theinsuranceman]

And a lack of prospects/leads.

 

[Josh]

And a lack of prospects/leads.

I'll second that.

 

[Frank Stastny]

1. Totally relying on "leads" and refusing to learn to prospect.

2. Constantly looking for an "easy" to be successful.

3. Looking for someone else to do the work expecting to reap the benefits.

4. Constantly trying to reinvent the "wheel".

 

[Mark]

I still say it is fear...They are afraid to try anything and they are afraid of failure. They think that they can't do something, and then they don't do anything.

Also a lot of new agents don't know this is a real job that requires lots of work. Some of them think this is a easy, get rich type of business that only requires a few hours a week and that you can stay home in your boxers and sell tons of insurance and get rich.

 

[Frank Stastny]

I still say it is fear...They are afraid to try anything and they are afraid of failure. They think that they can't do something, and then they don't do anything.

Also a lot of new agents don't know this is a real job that requires lots of work. Some of them think this is a easy, get rich type of business that only requires a few hours a week and that you can stay home in your boxers and sell tons of insurance and get rich.

The reason they are afraid is that they don't know what they are doing. How fearful are you of doing something that you are an "expert" in?

You forgot to add, "Make $150,000 first year commission.".

 

[1manshow]

Can't agree with the lack of prospects,,Mark has proven that anyone who is walking is a prospect


Would you agree that the fear dissipates when you have confidence that you can turn most any prospect into a client ?
Many of my client testimonials do part of the "closing" for me I simply need to get in front of a prospect who has already seen my clients testimonials....the sales job becomes much easier for myself at least

Frank, your spot on with buying leads. I have considered a lead generation site and selling leads to insurance agentsvery lucrative business

 

[alphawave2k]

The reason they are afraid is that they don't know what they are doing. How fearful are you of doing something that you are an "expert" in?

You forgot to add, "Make $150,000 first year commission.".

Right on and excellent point Frank...I am guilty of most of the above points mentioned. I read a lot of posts on the forum, and one common thread from SOME of the veteran agents....not all... is to deride or denigrate the newbies who come on this board and ask some basic questions, and about what it takes to succeed in this business.
It seems some of them have short memories and might have forgotten how it felt when first getting into this business, unless they were too young and dumb to know any better. It seems the younger you are, the less fear you have about attempting anything new. As you get older, you get set in your ways and tend to form biases and become more analytical.....at least I have. Everybody is different, and maybe younger works better for some, older better for others, but you are where you are and need to go forward from here.
Here is what I think it might take to be successful in this business:
1. Decent contracts and great product knowledge
2. Good training, by self-teaching and through an agency in exchange for lower commissions through a decent and fair FMO or GA
3. Tons of leads (hopefully relatively inexpensive or free) to burn through until you get the F-ing fear factor out of your system, and learn to accept rejection and say....next
4. A supportive mentor
5. A supportive wife and family--if you have them
6. Some cash reserves to pay your bills for several months (some have argued just the opposite), but that's generalizing as I am here as well....and also ability to invest in the business.... No marketing, no prospects, no commissions. Yeah knocking on doors is "free" you just need to keep paying your car payment, car insurance and gas, not to mention your business cards, fliers, etc
7. Building your self-confidence to the point that you are not fearful of being "found out"....After all if you say to someone, I am just starting in this business, how credible will you be? So need to learn to "bend" the truth if someone were to ask you point-blank. Say, oh I've been doing this for a fair amount of time? And immediately divert the conversation to your agenda.
8. Working tirelessly
9. Staying away from internet leads. Sure way to demoralize someone just starting out in the business and going 0 for 30 or higher.
10. Setting realistic expectations, but setting them and working to achieve them.
Outside of that, it's a piece of cake.