Is Anybody Making Real Money Out There?

[TheAnnuityCOWBOY]

PS: Cold calling does work. But it isn't an efficient use of an agents time.

This statement is a contradiction. I could probably yell from my roof and get a passerby to enroll in medicare every few days. Cold calling does NOT work specifically because it's not a good use of an agents time, as you said. Neither is managing a callcenter of Filipinos or lower level employees.

 

[Markthebroker]

I have one client that has eight auto repair shops, he constantly needs help with claims and payments. There is no way he is going to call Flo instead.

I have another client who has several apartment buildings and over six figures in premium. He wants an agent, not a cartoon lizard and a call center.

Right now I'm working on a quote for a woman with 11 rental properties, and six grocery stores. Trust me. She won't be calling the General.

 

[DecisionMan]

Another comparison in the argument between the independent agent vs call centers and technology:

The military has small units such as Seal teams that are very effective compared to large armies.

Its the difference between a broad sword and a scalpel.

I do very, very well by myself.
Travis successfully uses a few telemarketers to sort out the 'no's'

And we can still utilize much of the same technology efficiently and targeted than the big companies, call centers, and internet within the narrow market(s) we wish to serve.

 

[DecisionMan]

Alert! Alert!

TO all you agents here reading "Cold calling does not work" ! ! !

Please believe it! Cold calling does not work!

Spend all your time on your website, FB pages, email and text messages!

Work yourselves out of the business by not making any money!

(Leave the market to me and the few that know that cold calling works. We'll take up the slack for you.)

 

[TheAnnuityCOWBOY]

There's a difference between buying a TV on Amazon and speaking to an agent in a call center about insurance. That's such a weird comparison.

You see it as weird because your thinking is off. Education, shopping, comparing, and enrolling will be done online more and more, exactly like buying a TV off Amazon today.

The callcenter employee of the future will probably be texting, as that is the preferred method of conversation. The callcenter employees only sales job is to answer questions and guide the user experience. This is what ehealth calls agent-assisted. The actual selling and enrollment will be done online, or with minimal agent help.

Trust me, I'm totally fine w those of y'all who wanna stay stuck in the note card and cold calling selling of yesteryear.

Your success or lack thereof makes zero difference to me. I'm just telling you what is coming... and the big players know I'm right.

 

[DecisionMan]

Your success or lack thereof makes zero difference to me. I'm just telling you what is coming... and the big players know I'm right.

So tell me this, Annuity Cowboy: If the future is as you predict, how are you going to compete with such huge call centers? You're implying we're going to get wiped out because we're stuck in some past way of selling? Why do the carriers use agents? Why do some of the largest, financially strong companies not wipe out agents?

There's been plenty of change throughout the years, lots of handwringing from regulatory worries to technology worries to economic worries.

We're still here. With change is opportunity. I hope you're selling method works well for you with the change you predict. That's your right and your risk.

But I really wonder just how long you've been doing this to be able to make the negative comments about those who choose different methods to sell.

I have different viewpoints than Travis or others, but we all can be right at the same time with what works for us individually.

Last month I made so much money on new business coming off of AEP that it is just over half of the old MDRT qualification number (before they lowered it for COVID). And that's from phone calls.

If the Forums required everyone to first post their W2s, 1099s, or Schedule C to qualify to post I wonder how many posters would be bravely lecturing others that they're methods are foolish?

 

[Travis Price]

This statement is a contradiction. I could probably yell from my roof and get a passerby to enroll in medicare every few days. Cold calling does NOT work specifically because it's not a good use of an agents time, as you said. Neither is managing a callcenter of Filipinos or lower level employees.

It's not contradictory.

Cold calling works, and it works for new agents to do it themselves.

However, it doesn't mean it's the most efficient use of your time once you get footing. At that point, it's still useful, but gets handed off to a lower level person.

Your 1/0 argument just solidifies you're kind of full of it.

PS: I don't cold call. However, I acknowledge that most internet leads are slightly above cold calling in quality/intent.

Do you, but pretending you know something you don't and selling it all as certain shows a lot.

 

[somarco]

Since this thread is already off track, might as well throw more wood on the fire.

In the 1960's (and perhaps earlier) Sears stores had an Allstate desk in the middle of every store. Agents would answer questions and offer a quote on the spot. If you liked what you saw, you signed an application . . . all while your wife was buying a new girdle.

About the same time GEICO came along with DTC advertising alleging you never had to talk to an agent. This was before Al Gore invented the internet but you could get your questions answer and buy a policy over the telephone.

Independent agents got together after the Kiwanis meetings (since Startbucks and the internet did not exist) to discuss what they would do next since Sears and GEICO would eventually take away all their customers.

Fast forward to 1997 when eHealth was founded. Not long after that agents would come together in online forums (such as this) to bemoan the loss of clients to the huge online agency.

In 2021 there are 10,000 folks turning 65 everyday in the US. A lot of them buy from some stranger that cold calls them. Others buy from a different stranger knocking on the door. And a bunch buy from that club they have belonged to since turning 50.

The one thing all have in common is, everyone believes they got the right product at the best price.

In spite of all this competition I still manage to get my share of new clients and rarely have an excuse to complain.

 

[DayTimer]

TO all you agents here reading "Cold calling does not work" ! ! !

Please believe it! Cold calling does not work!

lol I was going to write a post just like this.

Cold calling does not work, and neither does door knocking. Nothing works better than posting to your Facebook page and aggressively waiting for the phone to ring.

 

[DayTimer]

She won't be calling the General.

There is no way he is going to call Flo instead.

There are those who forever view themselves as one peddler among many selling a commodity. Those agents will not understand your post.