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[James]

Then I know you can't be talking about ACA because the website give plenty of info and Jerry Policastro makes himself plenty available. ACA operates nothing like Primerica or NAA. After 18 months with NAA, I can testify to that fact.

Sorry I'm confused, the last two sites I posted are indeed Jerry Policastro sites and ACA all over them? You stated this was not the company, what you might be doing is comparing what we see to the Agent half of the site which obviously we wouldn't have since we're not agents. Yet, the last two links I provided are indeed the ACA Agency that you speak of. Now if you have a more pertinent site of ACA please post a link, because I nor anyone can get much of a feel for this agency with any site I can find.

As far as ACA once being owned by Primerica? I don't know about that, but Somarco ususally gets these kind of facts pretty straight from what I notice in the past.

 

[TimLett]

Sorry I'm confused, the last two sites I posted are indeed Jerry Policastro sites and ACA all over them? You stated this was not the company, what you might be doing is comparing what we see to the Agent half of the site which obviously we wouldn't have since we're not agents. Yet, the last two links I provided are indeed the ACA Agency that you speak of. Now if you have a more pertinent site of ACA please post a link, because I nor anyone can get much of a feel for this agency with any site I can find.

As far as ACA once being owned by Primerica? I don't know about that, but Somarco ususally gets these kind of facts pretty straight from what I notice in the past.

What I was saying is that ACA is nothing like Primerica. There was one site up there that was not an ACA corporate site and another that was. The one that isn't an ACA corporate site is just something that someone threw up as a recruiting tool. At least, that is what I saw. I think that is where the confusion came into play. ACA is not owned by Primerica. There are several folks in ACA who were in A.L. Williams when he started and some who were in Primerica. The point that I was making is that ACA operates nothing like Primerica or NAA. ACA teaches a focus on real and legitimate insurance products that work for the good of the client, not just what is a quick and easy wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am drive-by sale for the agent. After 18 months of NAA, I have had to re-learn how to do this business properly to keep pace with what is expected. Either way, if you want to know about ACA, or any other company for that matter, reading websites is not the best way. Talk to a real person with experience. Crap...you can read websites all day long and only know what a web designer wants you to know. Remember the line from Tommy-Boy with Chris Farley, "I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take a butcher's word for it." Well, reading websites all day is like sticking your head up a bull's ass. Talking to someone, like me...well, I guess that would be more like talking to a butcher about a cut of meat. Happy to talk anytime...just "p.m" me if you want to talk privately or I'll answer any questions here in the open.

 

[James]

What I was saying is that ACA is nothing like Primerica. There was one site up there that was not an ACA corporate site and another that was. The one that isn't an ACA corporate site is just something that someone threw up as a recruiting tool. At least, that is what I saw. I think that is where the confusion came into play. ACA is not owned by Primerica. There are several folks in ACA who were in A.L. Williams when he started and some who were in Primerica. The point that I was making is that ACA operates nothing like Primerica or NAA. ACA teaches a focus on real and legitimate insurance products that work for the good of the client, not just what is a quick and easy wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am drive-by sale for the agent. After 18 months of NAA, I have had to re-learn how to do this business properly to keep pace with what is expected. Either way, if you want to know about ACA, or any other company for that matter, reading websites is not the best way. Talk to a real person with experience. Crap...you can read websites all day long and only know what a web designer wants you to know. Remember the line from Tommy-Boy with Chris Farley, "I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take a butcher's word for it." Well, reading websites all day is like sticking your head up a bull's ass. Talking to someone, like me...well, I guess that would be more like talking to a butcher about a cut of meat. Happy to talk anytime...just "p.m" me if you want to talk privately or I'll answer any questions here in the open.

Timlett,

I know nothing of ACA, never heard of them before you posted the name and I was simply trying to find out a little information about them. I was just confused when I posted sites and you stated it wasn't them. Okay we are on the same page now, no I'm not interested in signing up with them, but often people want to know about the products, commission level and support that an agency or company offers. None of which is clearly stated in any site I can find by ACA, this is pretty much common among most agents that I know. IMHO this information should be easily found on the agency website. If not then I can only consider it's of the agency opinion not worth promoting.

That is not to say that anyone agency is not worth signing up with. If it works for you great! If you want to offer up why that would be great to, I'm always interested in hearing success stories!

 

[TimLett]

Timlett, I know nothing of ACA, never heard of them before you posted the name and I was simply trying to find out a little information about them. I was just confused when I posted sites and you stated it wasn't them. Okay we are on the same page now, no I'm not interested in signing up with them, but often people want to know about the products, commission level and support that an agency or company offers. None of which is clearly stated in any site I can find by ACA, this is pretty much common among most agents that I know. IMHO this information should be easily found on the agency website. If not then I can only consider it's of the agency opinion not worth promoting.

That is not to say that anyone agency is not worth signing up with. If it works for you great! If you want to offer up why that would be great to, I'm always interested in hearing success stories!

Glad we are on the same page now. Simple misunderstandings happen from time to time. And that's cool if it does not work for you. Like I said, we are not about recruiting "everybody and their brother", as is the manner of some. And its not just in the insurance industry. When my wife was in Mary Kay, her managers wanted their recruits to recruit everyone, even if its a terrific customer who needs to be "selling" only as a last resort. That is one thing I hated about my former company. There was so much pressure to recruit that you can lose sight of the things that are really important...such as product knowledge and what is really best for the client. With that approach, you end up with an organization that is a mile in width and an inch in depth. Don't get me wrong here...I believe in sales and recruiting...as long as there is a balanced approach and you don't start recruiting people just for the sake of recruiting. I saw a lot of folks in NAA who had no business even holding an insurance license.

I totally understand what you said about people wanting to know portfolio information, contracts, support, and such. That is a valid point. As for portfolio info: Its primarily LSW, Mutual of Omaha, Americo, and Lincoln Heritage. Personally, I concentrate on LSW and Omaha because I find that those two will provide a good product for a large majority of my clients. Contract info is not out there in public view because a cookie-cutter approach if not always followed, like it is with other companies. Its not that it isn't worth promoting (and I can testify that it is worth promoting), its just that the focus should be on valuable products and doing business the right way. My philosophy is that if we focus on those things, then the rest will fall in line. And as for support...my biggest fear is that I will fail to give the level of support to my team that has been given to me. In my former company, "agent support" was an oxymoron, unless you were being sold something. I have been blown away by the level of support that I have received in 4 short months. I am not a super-star producer or recruiter...my personal numbers are what I would consider modest and not worthy of fame. But, I am treated like an MVP by those with whom I work. Its an amazing thing. The fact that I am shown respect does more to foster loyalty than an additional 5 or 10% on my contract ever could.

So, with that said...something like this does not work for everybody. That doesn't mean it can't work for everybody. It just means that we are not all the same and that our various personalities and characteristics work better in various types of systems and parameters. I realize that even with all we have posted back and forth that there are still a lot of questions that have not been answered. But, there is a remedy for that. We have a weekly web-based presentation (no strings attached) of our system that concludes with an open-floor Q&A session. If anyone would like to have a spot reserved, just shoot me a PM and I will get with you to schedule a time.

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

So timlett, are you an agent or are you running the show?

 

[TimLett]

So timlett, are you an agent or are you running the show?

Running the show? I've gained so much weight over the last year that I can barely walk the show. But seriously, no...I am not running the show. I am an agent who is happy to be here. As I have said in several previous posts, I am a guy who spent around 18 miserable months in naa and am just happy to be somewhere where the legitimate practice of insurance is known and valued. I am an agent who is working to get his product to a respectable level. Also, I have a few members on a small, yet very talented, team.

 

[somarco]

ACA once being owned by Primerica

Nope, never said that.

I said the founders and many of the top folks came from PFS.

ACA came thru Atlanta 3 - 4 yrs ago in a big recruiting gig. Probably not the first time, probably not the last. I was exploring different areas of insurance preparing for re-entry into the industry.

The folks who came here made no secret of the fact many had gravitated to ACA from PFS. Many of them proselyted agents from PFS.

There was lots of talk about bonus checks, recruiting & building teams. They did a presentation on how to show the product in such a way as to get your client to buy "junk" add-ons.

When questions about the products were raised they were told not to worry about that. Your job is to sell.

As for portfolio info: Its primarily LSW, Mutual of Omaha, Americo, and Lincoln Heritage

What is the starting commission level? How do you advance to higher levels? What kind of production (personal and/or downline) is required to move to a higher level?

I believe in sales and recruiting...

So there is recruiting & "team" building. Just because they may not emphasize the downline as much as NAA or PFS doesn't mean they aren't cut out of the same mold.

Of the top folks in the organization, or even just the ones above you, how much of their comp comes from overrides & how much from personal production?

 

[TimLett]

Nope, never said that.

I said the founders and many of the top folks came from PFS.

ACA came thru Atlanta 3 - 4 yrs ago in a big recruiting gig. Probably not the first time, probably not the last. I was exploring different areas of insurance preparing for re-entry into the industry.

The folks who came here made no secret of the fact many had gravitated to ACA from PFS. Many of them proselyted agents from PFS.

There was lots of talk about bonus checks, recruiting & building teams. They did a presentation on how to show the product in such a way as to get your client to buy "junk" add-ons.

When questions about the products were raised they were told not to worry about that. Your job is to sell.

What is the starting commission level? How do you advance to higher levels? What kind of production (personal and/or downline) is required to move to a higher level?

So there is recruiting & "team" building. Just because they may not emphasize the downline as much as NAA or PFS doesn't mean they aren't cut out of the same mold.

Of the top folks in the organization, or even just the ones above you, how much of their comp comes from overrides & how much from personal production?

Yes, there are some folks here who were with A.L. Williams and Primerica. However, ACA is not owned by, not does it have affiliation with either company. -- As for "junk add-ons", there is no pressure for those kind of things and the riders that we offer, we ask the client what is important to them. If DI is important, then we offer. If ROP is important, then we offer. If base coverage is all that is important, then that is what we do. We will advise and ask probing questions, just like we should...but we do not go high-pressure...we do not twist arms...we do not scare...we treat folks like we would want to be treated.

On the published commission/promotion guide the entry level is 50/55%, but I wasn't started at that level and I have never started a rep at that level. As you would expect, you move up via production. There is a schedule for producers and a schedule for builders. So, a someone who wants to only produce has advancement opportunities just like a builder.

Yes, there is recruiting and team building...just like there is any almost every aspect of American business-life. However, I would differ in your statement about being "cut out of the same mold". To me, that implies all of the negative crap that we read about NAA on here. I have lived it and experienced it with NAA. I can tell you, without apology and without feeling the need to backup one step, that ACA is nothing like NAA. Are there similarities in the business model that involves production and recruiting? Yes. Is that where the similarities end? Yes. As I have said in previous posts, in the last few months I have learned what it means to be involved in a legitimate (not drive-by) insurance business and how to uncover what is best for my client.

As for the folks over me, they have led the way and out-produced me and most of the rest of the team every month since I came on-board.

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

 

[TimLett]

We're having a "face-off".....get it??? Face-off...... HA!