Knox Tn Returning Agent ...need Suggestions on Carriers

[TristanTLC]

Tristan is (by his own admission) a whore willing to work for anyone who will flash some cash. I would not follow up on his offer.

I don't remember admitting to anything of the such or any references to "flash some cash." I have decided to not be associated with many people, and I still get to choose which group I associate with. The beauty of having free will is the ability to decide and see for myself as opposed to listening to what others believe. Just because other people find someone to be of one matter, does not mean I will find that person the same. I say the same thing to you as I said before: You choose who you work with, and so will I. No one has come here and said anything about my ethics or actions, but plenty of said things about companies I have been associated with. For the record, I've done work with many companies that are highly liked and many companies that are highly disliked. That is the beauty of being an independent contractor.

I ask you to find someone that will speak against my ethics personally. That being said, you - and everyone else - are free to pass judgement as you see fit.

 

[gittarpikk]

If all you are looking for are products to add to your portfolio, and the training to sell them; there are lots of people on the forum that can assist you. If you are looking for an agency to hang your hat that will provide you with group benefits, and still let you work the credit card business; I don't think you'll find such a place.

Perhaps best to take some contracts, get some training and then sell those products on your own. Add the products you want to your portfolio and be completely independent of any agency. If you are looking for a good mortgage term and non mortgage term product, we will be glad to make recommendations.

Actually, this is also accurate...when I have gotten the training on each product and have sufficient products in my portfolio, with hard work, the volume , RL base and personal popularity should also increase. At that point I would not hesitate to rent an office and staff it.

This point could and probably would take quite a while, or could be done earlier if things go well...who knows... but would be a good goal to work towards.

Have to start somewhere, and I have been down the road as captive agent several times before ...so I already have that experience.. SF would be a good way to achieve this, however I am not sure if it would be in >this< lifetime I would become eligible for an agency I hear the list is sort of long.

 

[Thatguy]

lol. Let me say my bit about Tristan. I've known him since his days at Miracle, and even when he was working with Ali, he was still the most honest and knowledgeable person there. I got frustrated many times asking for a release from Miracle, and he finally got it for me after what was otherwise a dead end street. I'm glad he was there, because if not then many of my contracts would still be stuck under Ali.

I'm not too thrilled about his choices either, he still works with Amerilife and Parker as well I believe. That being said, I have had nothing but good dealings with him. I still have a few contracts under him, but I make it clear to him that I will not take any contracts through him that are by way of Ali or Parker.

 

[VolAgent]

Since I am one of those unsophisticated people from Knoxville, as Somarco put it, I'll chime in.

You sell credit card services by day, B2B. You've established several spheres of influence in the community, that has the ability to send you referrals for life insurance, mortgage protection specifically. So, now you want to sell insurance at night to these referrals.

I fail to see where you have any credibility. What are you going to tell the people when they ask about the referrer, and if you've done business with the referrer? That you handle their merchant services, and you've decided to do insurance by night?

Or, is the situation such that you will be pitching insurance to someone you just pitched for CC services? To me, if you are working in two totally unrelated areas, it says you are not very successful at either one. I would be suddenly questioning my decision to do business with you on the credit card front. Now, you say you are successful with CC and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But, if I were your prospect/client, I would think you were unsuccessful in both areas.

I'd say you have three good choices. First, continue with your CC and forget about insurance. Second, dump the CC and go insurance full-time. Third, continue with the CC, get licensed and refer the insurance leads for a commission split. I'm sure you'll find plenty of agents here in Knoxville willing to do that. You'll have your two streams of income without risking your credibility.

 

[gittarpikk]

Tristan is (by his own admission) a whore willing to work for anyone who will flash some cash. I would not follow up on his offer.

You need to make a decision which road you will follow. You lose credibility when you promote one product then follow up with something else totally unrelated. The folks in Knoxville are not all that sophisticated but they know enough not to fall for a guy who comes across like a tin man.

respectfully, Please re-read my posts....

 

[DHK]

gittarpikk,

You are becoming an opportunist instead of a specialist.

Opportunist meaning: If you can sell something (anything) for a profit, you'll do it.

Specialist meaning: You know what you do and do it well. Anything that isn't in your speciality, you refer elsewhere.

The only way I can see you doing this well, is if you have your own ISO company.

Then you can position yourself as a Business Cash Flow specialist. You help businesses enhance revenue and free up cash so they can have proper protections in place, an attractive employee benefit program and a healthier business in general.

I don't see how you can do that until you have your own company and can brand yourself to do just that.

When you work FOR another company, you can't position yourself in that broad category. You're a salesrep for the company and you had probably better stay true to what the company wants of you.

But if you can start your own... or be affiliated with a company that isn't captive on your time... ?

 

[gittarpikk]

I am not interested in people casting "judgement" on a concept they do not fully understand. Fact is most people with a diversified portfolio are quite successful,(ask most doctors) and is >their< choice. I am fully aware of possibilities and pitfalls of the complex co-existence of multiple marketable goods or services , tangible or non-tangible.

I do not ask whether you >think< my concept will work... I only ask for source of a given reliable and competitive "product"

Maybe most on this forum are independent, maybe they're captive; All have a viewpoint created from a walk in "their" shoes along "their" lifeline....but... that is not the issue here.

I am >me< and I know my market and how I will approach it. BTW, my thinking , in the past, was also influenced by what the "powers that be" (read:agency manager-boss). Since I have had plenty of time to rethink those "efforts" and feel, I have a more viable option now than before .....for >me< and in no way comes across as the proverbial "tin man"

Example: non-related

I fly R/C and wish to create a park flyer club for the new electric planes. I also produce R/C aircraft of my designs and will be eventually producing them by the hundreds.

In the course of a day, I sometimes yak about the new electric planes, and see if there is anyone they know, or have been associated with that have, or has flown them...what type , etc

Does this mean I am "pushing" my R/C plane...no
Does this mean I have come across as a "tin man"....no
Does this mean I have come representing one company, and switched to another....no
Can profit be >eventually< achieved through a sale of a "plane product" to someone you found out about "out there" in the course of the conversation.....yes
Can a goal of creating the first all parkflyer model aircraft club in the area be achieved......(one that also buys my product ---although not the central point of creation)......yes

Many agents have been member of this or that organization, club, church etc....and used them for prospecting purposes... you only need to remember your "captive agent" roots and that "friends and family" list you had to fill out to figure that one out...so he who is without sin , cast the first stone...wonder where I heard this before..? I could go on for a while about this one, and how it relates to the capitalist society...and how one with multi-talents or services will have the advantage (to the good of the people) in a community setting that we may end up with in the not-to-distant future of this country and world..but let's not bring that up for now.

you only need the gift of gab...and to collect your info with some sort of organized fashion to take advantage of all your sources of inventory (people=prospects)...and that is the salesmans job.

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Since I am one of those unsophisticated people from Knoxville, as Somarco put it, I'll chime in.

You sell credit card services by day, B2B. You've established several spheres of influence in the community, that has the ability to send you referrals for life insurance, mortgage protection specifically. So, now you want to sell insurance at night to these referrals.

I fail to see where you have any credibility. What are you going to tell the people when they ask about the referrer,
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think....the truth here.........as you should always.
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and if you've done business with the referrer? That you handle their merchant services, and you've decided to do insurance by night?

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I can think of a better way to describe it.....but who said anything about only day ..or only night... one can have an insurance interview at anytime...but the CC is better done in the day
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Or, is the situation such that you will be pitching insurance to someone you just pitched for CC services?
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Pitching....?
I prefer to help people solve problems, save money and/or create a better way of life for them. If I cannot do this, why am I there?.. i can find other things to do than waste time

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To me, if you are working in two totally unrelated areas, it says you are not very successful at either one. I would be suddenly questioning my decision to do business with you on the credit card front. Now, you say you are successful with CC and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But, if I were your prospect/client, I would think you were unsuccessful in both areas.
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you've never met me...and you >know< this?

I have and will be successful in both
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I'd say you have three good choices. First, continue with your CC and forget about insurance. Second, dump the CC and go insurance full-time. Third, continue with the CC, get licensed and refer the insurance leads for a commission split.
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my apologies, I forgot to add I am licensed in L&H
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I'm sure you'll find plenty of agents here in Knoxville willing to do that. You'll have your two streams of income without risking your credibility.

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And this can go the "other" way as well... I have a friend who could set up the CC service in a pinch or cover an appointment for me.....and I've even handed off large sign sales for a split...This is called networking....something the youth have figured out works well.

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[somarco]

I should take this opportunity to apologize for the characterization made of Tristan last PM. Bad day, too much wine.

Just because someone chooses to associate with people who are unethical does not necessarily mean that individual should be painted with the same brush. Personally, I would never do business with someone who has a reputation of cheating others, but that is my choice.

As for the comment about Knoxville being unsophisticated, that one stands. I grew up there, still travel there from time to time. The business community in general is at least 30 years behind the times. Some agent/friends who work there share this view as well.

 

[DHK]

If your prospects wanted a pair of shoes, would you sell it to them?

I've already given you an idea on how you can position yourself in the market place - as a business cash flow specialist.

You need to be able to show how your products can inter-relate within certain strategies.

If you can do it, good for you.

 

[VolAgent]

gittarpikk, I suggest you get the chip off your shoulder.

I give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are successful in CC since I've never met you. Yet you take that as an insult. Now, if you fail to see how someone can doubt your credibility and success when you represent two totally unconnected products, then you have serious issues.

Your doctor example does not hold water. Yes, doctors have plenty of outside business interests, but they don't represent them. Find me one doctor out promoting his car wash, restaurant, etc. on the side. A doctor knows better than to risk damaging his credibility in such a manner.

The point is, don't risk your credibility. Pick the area you want to focus on, and then refer away the other. The fact you already have your L&H license just makes it easier to refer the insurance business.