Finding & Hiring Good Sales People

[djs]

It's the Limra test
LIMRA -- Assessment

It supposedly tests your aptitude, not your skills, the assumption being you can be trained but you can't change who you are.

I'm not sure it's for the average 'Joe Agent' though... I know companies like State Farm use it extensively.

Dan

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I would love to see studies that show its effectiveness. I'd be willing to bet it's on the money most of the time.

 

[RayGroupInsurance]

I give all potential new hires four tests designed by Mike Stewart to measure their sales call reluctance, their goals and motivation and their sales knowledge. Costs about $400 per applicant and might be the best money I ever spend. Pays for itself 100 times over.
Mike Stewart Sales Dynamics, Hiring and Developing High Performance Sales Teams<TITLE> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="test/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us"> <meta name="keywords" content="sales,

My agency is still very small, I'm just looking for a part time person 3-6 or 3-7 pm. Would you pay for an aptitude test for a part time position like this. I have 2 colleges near my office and most of the people I interview are students that will probably leave my agency as soon as they graduate.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

I'd be willing to bet it's on the money most of the time.

With the failure/washout rate for new agents being 98.87%...I don't think so.

 

[RayGroupInsurance]

With the failure/washout rate for new agents being 98.87%...I don't think so.

Thats kinda why I worry about spending $100's of dollars. If such a high percentage of people that do this as a career dropout, the rate is probably even worse for someone that is just looking for a part time job. I know at my training in Chicago they mentioned that you should give tests like this.

I guess if I was looking for a full time person I would definitely want to use a test but where I'm only paying the person $600/month ($10/hr X 3 hrs/day) it doesn't seem to make sense for me. I can tell in their first month if they are gonna cut it or not and they know that if they don't hit their goals that they're done.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

With the failure/washout rate for new agents being 98.87%...I don't think so.

Actually, citing an article by: IFAwebnews.com | The latest insurance industry news and resources

(This is a physical publication I have and don't have a scanner so I'll just highlight some of the article)

Article: "Agent Recruiting Process, Long, Painful, Necessary."
by Molly Greeley

"...Only 44% of insurance agents hired make it through their first year in the industry, according to a case study by LIMRA International, a company that helps agencies in the hiring process."

 

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

The really qualified candidates are too busy making sales, and will not spend time looking at Craigslist, Job Seeker Groups, or hanging out at Walmart.

These top producers are at Business to Business events, looking to expand their client base. They are networking at leads clubs, looking to expand their client base. They are unreachable, because they are using their time wisely, cultivating new business, while strengthening their existing business.

You're going about it the wrong way.

Go out into the business community, and ask, "Of all the people that call on you, who treats you most professionally, and who cares more about "you" the client, than about just making a sale?"

THAT'S where you'll find the true professionals. Get their names and numbers from these people, and call them.

Then, schedule a lunch with them, and make your presentation. If the opportunity is strong enough, they will be interested. Then, you can train them in the ways of selling insurance.

Good luck.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I remember my hiring frustrations on my first sales management position. The owner broke it down for me:

"Qualified sales reps aren't looking for work."

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

I know at my training in Chicago they mentioned that you should give tests like this.

Are those knuckleheads in Northbrook willing to pay for it?

Maybe your RVP will...

 

[MichaelJM]

With the failure/washout rate for new agents being 98.87%...I don't think so.

I would like to see where you are getting your statistical information regarding newly hired sales agents??? Since you're so solid on your information where precisely did you get this??? From Uranus?