Considering a Career with MassMutual Have Some Questions for anyone that Has or Currently Works for

[Vbarone23]

Okay thank you ktmorgan, I would probably start by focusing on the middle market families homeowners etc. Then I would go into businesses, even though one of the managers said to also cold call and knock on businesses. And thank you Justin, I will do that through prospecting at networking events, and they do give you a list to start with leads, so I will use that as well, even though they say they are not a lead generating type of business. Then I will probably move onto friends and family, by talking to them and getting referrals of people they know as well as seeing if I can help them with life or DI, since that is initially what I will be able to sell.

I would then try out the LinkedIn approach you said by connecting with people by state and zip code, as well as if I find someone who can be of service to me at a networking event. Also do you suggest asking these people of who they know that I can get as referrals, and then talk to them about what they are looking for, if I cannot be of service to them?

Thank You

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Hitting up cold prospects for referrals is like selling annuities via cold calling - hard to do. A way to position yourself to earn referrals is to simply let everyone know who you want to do business with and how you can help them:
"I help business owners save on their employee benefits, while simplifying paperwork hassles which decreases HR payroll hours."
or
"I help couples protect their mortgage so that if something happens to them their loved ones are left with a home and not a loan."

Who and How, once you have that and you stay top of mind the referrals will come in. Many of the top sales and systems trainers recommend "seeding" the prospect with the idea of referrals constantly, here's 5 ways:

1. Back of the business card
2. Tell people who you're looking for
3. Tell prospects the two ways you get paid (three if you charge a fee for financial planning); via commissions and referrals
4. Ask clients to affirm your service after a sale, and then ask them for people that fit your niche to get introductions to
5. Follow up referral cards throughout the year

This business is all about meeting new people and staying in contact. Businesses will be easier than homeowners, just cold call or cold walk. Homeowners you will need a homeowner list to send direct mail to either directly after they purchase a home, or within the last 3 years. You can also do a cold survey approach similar to Edward Jones (Insurance Pro Shop has one that parleys permanent life insurance into the mix).

 

[Vbarone23]

Okay yea I will probably focus on that as well as at least starting with the leads that they give me, and then talking to friends/family on Facebook or when I see them about what I do and if i can help the, and then getting referrals from them with people who I want to do business with. I will also do the business market in the places you suggested, and really any business I can find that I think will benefit from my services. As well as looking for the proper people at networking events and doing the linkedin thing that you suggested. Since I am not familiar with the linkedin approach, again how are you searching for business owners by state and zip, and who in particular that you think can benefit from the services that Mass offers, everyone you mentioned above?

 

[LGilmore]

OP before you sign on with anybody visit the office you'll be working out of and simply observe while you're there.

REMEMBER THIS!

Even great companies have shitee offices. While the company name may be great, the office in Podunk, USA may be gawd awful.

An agent can be a success just about anywhere provided they start in a good environment. Training is important, turnover is important. How many 1st through 4th year agents in the office? None? run.

Try to remember a sales manager is like a teen guy on a date with a hot girl (you). They will say anything to score.. anything. After they "get" you they expect you to put out on a regular basis or they have no need for you.

Pay attention to what you see and what your gut tells you, more than what you hear.

I'm not saying this because I did this, I am saying this because I didn't do it. Wisdom is surviving your mistakes. I do wish I knew then what I know now.

 

[DHK]

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Okay yea I will probably focus on that as well as at least starting with the leads that they give me, and then talking to friends/family on Facebook or when I see them about what I do and if i can help the, and then getting referrals from them with people who I want to do business with. I will also do the business market in the places you suggested, and really any business I can find that I think will benefit from my services. As well as looking for the proper people at networking events and doing the linkedin thing that you suggested. Since I am not familiar with the linkedin approach, again how are you searching for business owners by state and zip, and who in particular that you think can benefit from the services that Mass offers, everyone you mentioned above?

Get a datalist for prospecting (search on here), on linkedin just use the city or state as the search term in the My Network tab and connect with your 2nd level connectionns.

 

[Vbarone23]

Okay thank you Justin. If I ever have any more questions I will ask. I will see how the meeting with one of the agents that has been in the office for a little over a year I think, I will keep everyone on here updated.

----------

Thank You LGilmore, I asked the managing sales director if I could talk to someone who has been in the business for a while 1-4 years, and he put me in contact with someone who has been there a bit over a year, so I will see how that goes.

On another note, another option I have is for Liberty Mutual, and while I am not excited about a 57K salary that drops to 25K when on plan officially selling as and agent and 1% renewals, I feel that as being a graduating senior in a few weeks with a small loan to pay off, as well as a car payment, that doing that for 6 months to a year (depending upon how I like it), would also be good because I can meet those obligations, and hopefully sell enough life, even though it may be a different type than Mass (even though Liberty is concerned with Auto/Home, Life commercial insurance and whatever else they offer), to gain some experience with the product, but I will see how things at Mass go.

 

[Vbarone23]

Hello everyone,

So I met with Massmutual today. The financial planner was very honest with me in telling me everything, he asked why I want to be in this business, how I feel about cold calling etc. He also told me that for at least 12 months that I will be giving away my soul because I will have to work hard cold calling and getting in touch with business owners. He said there are infinite numbers of leads to call on, and that I would be placed on a team where everyone would work together and that I would be calling on some of their clients to help them with things or help them find more ways to help themselves, and I would be paid from that as well.

He also said that he would teach me the system of how to do everything, so that I know what I have to do, and be successful at it, I would be in a small office downstairs from the main office, and overall both people I met with were nice and honest, He told me to take some time to think about what I wanted to do.

 

[VolAgent]

I go back to what Larry said.

How many 1-4s are in the office, and not only that, how about 5-10s? Can they train people while on subsidy and do they stick around once all the training wheels are gone?

Mass has subsidized contracts for newer agents. While the details have almost certainly changed, it declined and went away completely around year 3. So, can they keep people beyond that point, are they helping them not just survive but thrive?

 

[DHK]

Hello everyone,

So I met with Massmutual today. The financial planner was very honest with me in telling me everything, he asked why I want to be in this business, how I feel about cold calling etc. He also told me that for at least 12 months that I will be giving away my soul because I will have to work hard cold calling and getting in touch with business owners. He said there are infinite numbers of leads to call on, and that I would be placed on a team where everyone would work together and that I would be calling on some of their clients to help them with things or help them find more ways to help themselves, and I would be paid from that as well.

He also said that he would teach me the system of how to do everything, so that I know what I have to do, and be successful at it, I would be in a small office downstairs from the main office, and overall both people I met with were nice and honest, He told me to take some time to think about what I wanted to do.

Let me translate that for you: They want YOU to do all the GRUNT WORK of bringing in new contacts for your "TEAM" and then they'll all "split" the commissions with you.

They want you to be their b****, but they sure are smiling about "the opportunity" with you.

Will you be TRAINED? Will your group help you with a STRUCTURED training process? This is different than "knowing how to "do everything". That, to me, means they'll teach you how to run illustrations, do stuff on the agent portal, etc. Data entry can be learned as you go.

Will they teach you how to SELL and be successful in doing so?


I hope my assumption is wrong, but it is important to view from the negative perspective.