Friends don't let friends be their Insurance Agent....

[James]

So the double talk is alive and going strong. On one hand you shouldn't sell friends but on the hand, people you sell do should become or might become a friend via the sale of insurance? Now consider me being of a simple mind when I suggest I'm rather confused.

Personally I think you should sell friends, now I'm not saying hard sell them plus one should know their product, obviously.

 

[Frank Stastny]

So the double talk is alive and going strong. On one hand you shouldn't sell friends but on the hand, people you sell do should become or might become a friend via the sale of insurance? Now consider me being of a simple mind when I suggest I'm rather confused.

Personally I think you should sell friends, now I'm not saying hard sell them plus one should know their product, obviously.

Your mother is the only sister of your uncle who isn't your aunt.

There really isn't any "double talk".

When starting out, do not try to sell friends or relatives. Only sell them insurance when, and only when, they contact you and you become a real expert in the area of insurance you are selling.

Clients can always become friends. You meet a stranger, you find that you and he have a lot in common, regardless of what it is, cars, golf, fishing, hunting, collecting what ever.

You met him through your efforts to sell insurance. There is no difference whether you met him at a sporting event, as a potential client, in a bar, or through a friend.

You and he start talking and the conversation drifts away from insurance after you have sold him the policy. All of a sudden the two of you realize that you would like to continue the conversation at a later date. All of a sudden you have a new friend.

Oh, a stopped clock is right twice a day. There is no double talk.

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[bluemarlin08]

You got it Frank. I still need to do your system, how do you slow down enough to do it? Sounds like a stupid question but true. Enjoyed our discussion the other day.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

No double-talk. Do not solicit your friends or family. That's pretty clear.

Some of your friends may not want you to know their health details. Your think of your friend wants to disclose that his wife has herpes or other possibly embarrassing health conditions? You sister might not want you to know she had a miscarriage. But if you pressure them you may put them in an extremely awkard situation.

It's enough that they know that you're in the insurance business are become knowledgeable. Truth be told, if you have any kind of good relationship with your friends of family they will seek you out as their agent. If they don't seek you out read the above paragraph about health conditions or you just "might" not have that relationship you think you have.

 

[midwestbroker]

I agree with most in that you tell them what you do (they should know if they are your friends) and let them come to you.

Just do the "if you have any questions let me know" line and leave it at that.

I guess it depends on your friends / family as well. Some may bother you so much that the service work outweighs the commission.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

My worst client is my wife

 

[James]

Your mother is the only sister of your uncle who isn't your aunt.

There really isn't any "double talk".

When starting out, do not try to sell friends or relatives. Only sell them insurance when, and only when, they contact you and you become a real expert in the area of insurance you are selling.

Clients can always become friends. You meet a stranger, you find that you and he have a lot in common, regardless of what it is, cars, golf, fishing, hunting, collecting what ever.

You met him through your efforts to sell insurance. There is no difference whether you met him at a sporting event, as a potential client, in a bar, or through a friend.

You and he start talking and the conversation drifts away from insurance after you have sold him the policy. All of a sudden the two of you realize that you would like to continue the conversation at a later date. All of a sudden you have a new friend.

Oh, a stopped clock is right twice a day. There is no double talk.

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Your words:

In general? NO and NO. That is the best way to lose a friend.

Give advice but do not try to sell or hire a friend.

Which really match up with these words:

Yes, definitely. I consider and treat all my clients as friends. I have helped many of them with other things besides insurance. They in turn have helped me with things also.

If they own a business I try to make a special point of using their services.

Obviously you are more willing to befriend a client then to help a friend, or at least if this is straight talk, that is what it sounds like. So this is what I should say to my friend, "No I can't sell you insurance that you desperately need, you are a friend. Oh forget about the fishing trip this weekend I have a newer friend that I just sold some insurance too." Now I'm sorry if you are getting twisted with your advice but mothers (mine passed away some years ago) really should be out of bounds as subjects of poor humor.

 

[Frank Stastny]

You got it Frank. I still need to do your system, how do you slow down enough to do it? Sounds like a stupid question but true. Enjoyed our discussion the other day.

One of my favorite sayings comes to mind, "Most people are too busy working to concentrate on making money", or something like that.

When one is disorganized like I use to be, I frequently found myself going in circles "chasing my tail" most of the time. Looking for "this", forgetting to do "that" and working my butt off. Papers everywhere and notes on what ever was handy.

I developed what I thought was the end all be all program, I'd be embarrassed to show anyone the 1995 version, and took a week off and got organized. I made myself use it every day after that. Now I couldn't live without it. Today, if I lost my data I would have to go to Wal-Mart and become a greeter. I couldn't sell insurance without it.

Call anytime, I enjoyed talking to you also.

 

[Frank Stastny]

Your words:

Which really match up with these words:

Obviously you are more willing to befriend a client then to help a friend, or at least if this is straight talk, that is what it sounds like. So this is what I should say to my friend, "No I can't sell you insurance that you desperately need, you are a friend. Oh forget about the fishing trip this weekend I have a newer friend that I just sold some insurance too." Now I'm sorry if you are getting twisted with your advice but mothers (mine passed away some years ago) really should be out of bounds as subjects of poor humor.

I think you missed the most important part of my post. It is, "When starting out, do not try to sell friends or relatives. Only sell them insurance when, and only when, they contact you and you become a real expert in the area of insurance you are selling."

I'm starting a new business. I have a lot of friends who would benefit from using the product. They have come to me asking me about it. I have not solicited them. I have told them that I will give it to them to try, if they like it then they can purchase it for $75.00 less than the retail price. If they don't like it then all they have to do is return it.

The key words are, "they have come to me", and "I have not solicited them". The $75.00 savings is pretty important also.

That's how friends do business with eachother where I live.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

The "friends and family plan" is a MLM concept picked up by captive insurance companies who don't plan on providing their new agents with a single lead. The incorrect theory is you start with friends and family and like the bad shampoo ad in the 80's "they tell two friends and they tell two friends and so on and so on."

That system is taught by outfits that mass hire and if 100 agents are out there pestering (which is the correct word) their friends and family a few sales come out of it.

Even if you can muster a few sales then what? This system diverts attention and energy away from generating a steady flow of prospects. Are you gonna close 4 family members a week? Wow...how many siblings do you have? You're gonna sign up 4 friends a week? You're awfully popular!!! And none of them have health issues? Wow!

Another point is don't be "that guy." Don't be that guy who no one can be around because it's always about business, pitching, and handing out your cards at social events. If you want to watch your friends stop returning your calls or disappear then start hitting them up for insurance.