Is Anyone Having "Beginners Luck"?

[TMcP84]

I am scheduled to begin the process of getting my licenses this month (Health, Life, & Accident and P&C.) I have been combing this forum for about a month now, and most of what I've read is that people aren't having much luck starting out. I'm not someone that will let that deter me, but I'm curious if anyone is finding that they have a knack for insurance and it's all roses? I'd like to speak with THAT person. =) I'm also sure that as with any business it takes time to be learned, but my philosophy is: immediately locate all the problems and then find solutions to those problems rather than throw my hands up before I begin. Am I rightfully optimistic or just naive? Thanks Guys!

 

[djs]

Well, to start any business, regardless of the industry, you have to be a bit naive, a lot passionate, and just a plain go-getter type of person.

People don't have much luck starting out simply because their expectations are higher then the plan they have developed. They want a $100K income but don't have a $100K income sales and marketing plan.

If it's beginners luck you are looking for, you will fail. If it's a passion for the work, you can do well. Olympians don't skate well because they are counting on beginners luck, they skate well because they take the time to learn how to do it well. Then they practice till they do it MUCH better than just well.

Dan

 

[theinsuranceman]

Well, to start any business, regardless of the industry, you have to be a bit naive, a lot passionate, and just a plain go-getter type of person.

People don't have much luck starting out simply because their expectations are higher then the plan they have developed. They want a $100K income but don't have a $100K income sales and marketing plan.

If it's beginners luck you are looking for, you will fail. If it's a passion for the work, you can do well. Olympians don't skate well because they are counting on beginners luck, they skate well because they take the time to learn how to do it well. Then they practice till they do it MUCH better than just well.

Dan

Very good way of putting it. Not a lot of luck in this game...mostly skill and hard work and a never give up attitude.

 

[souldeux]

As a wiser man than I reminded me earlier today, "the harder you work, the luckier you'll get."

 

[TMcP84]

Thank you for the insight. I absolutely agree with having to do
hard work, and having a "never-give-up attitude." I guess I just
wanted to hear from someone, something other than "oh god it's
horrible and I don't know what I'm doing." I'm saying this with a
light-hearted attitude of course, because like I said, these
comments of terror aren't deterring me from wanting to do it.
But, from what I'm reading, most newbies aren't liking it so
much. I want to like it. I guess I'll have to wait to find out, but,
I'm absolutely excited by the challenge. After getting my
licenses I have a mentor (lined up) with 25+ years experience in
the field, so hopefully I'm on the right track!

 

[0b1kanobee]

Some advice:
1) Don't get paralysis by analysis. Learn as much as you can but don't think you will have to know everything because you won't.

2) Fail Forward Fast. Just get out there and do it. Activity is better than no activity. You will learn this way. Practice practice practice

I'm saying this because of your first post. You sound a lot like me. You sound like a perfectionist but I could be wrong. Remember, it not always how much you know, it's how much you care. You will be learning this business for a long time and it will constantly change. I'm dealing with this myself and it is difficult being that I am a perfectionist. Realize you will forget an important piece of paper or a signature didn't get done. Just keeping failing forward fast.

 

[xrac]

This is a business in which the harder you work the luckier you get.

 

[ksigmtsu]

Stay busy. I know it sounds like stupid advice, its just that if you sit around all day reading forums and asking questions you won't really ever gather the necessary skills to communicate. The trick to success is have a good product, be honest with people, find out their problem, and make them believe that you are the solution to their problem. It isn't any more complicated than that. If you try to pitch weird sounding stuff all day and pressure people into buying it by using sales tactics, you're going to end up poor and hating yourself at the end of the day.

Also, I cannot stress this enough, learn to use a CRM. Use it 100% of the time. Log everything, you have NO idea how much value there is in that information. I want to smack myself every time I forget to log something then figure out that I forgot a key point the next time I talk to someone.

 

[Frank Stastny]

I am scheduled to begin the process of getting my licenses this month (Health, Life, & Accident and P&C.)

Have you decided what you want to sell? It appears that you are going "for everything". If that is your intent then that will be your first mistake.

One of the biggest reasons I have seen agents fail is they start out trying to be "all things to all people". It may sound logical but is very seldom successful. There is nothing wrong with getting licensed in everything, just don't start out trying to sell "everything".

Pick the one line of insurance that interests you the most. Learn everything you can about it. Start out being a "one trick pony". Master it and become an expert. Learn to do it better than anyone else. Once you have accomplished that then begin branching out and learn another product.

Once you decide what you want to sell, there are plenty of agents on here that will help you get pointed in the right direction.

Without first having made those decisions then "the hurrier you go, the behinder you will get".

 

[Full Throttle]

I agree with Frank, find a demand product, find a simple way to ask people if they want help fixing the problem your product solves, then run like hell looking for places to put it. Your racing against time to become profitable before you run out of time and money. Anything you do other than looking for new buyers in the beginning during the selling hours is screwing up.