New producer

[Jason Jiang]

Hello, I just started as a producer at a State Farm agency in Southern California. I hope to, in the near future own an independent agency. I am looking for advice on how to succeed at my current position as well as what I should be doing to work towards my goal of opening an agency. I know that the market is not good right now, especially in CA but I am in this for the long run. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[DHK]

Learn how to ask questions and maximize your opportunities to cross-sell your products.

Van Mueller did an in-depth training for State Farm agents over 5 years ago. I compiled the different segements into one video. Check it out.

 

[Al3x Lee]

 

[ValeRosso]

Good luck

 

[DHK]

Btw, just to add this: my daughter is taking her life insurance exam soon too. She'll be 20 in two months. My best advice for her will be to learn how to ask questions and know where to help the client lead them. Questions aren't just for finding out what they think and know. Questions are about getting the client to verbalize to you and themselves what's important to them.

Questions are the key to being perceived as someone worth listening to and heeding their recommendations.

You can learn questions from Van Mueller (as previously posted). There are lots of books on the subject. There's also my friends at Insurance Pro Shop as well.

 

[Markthebroker]

Hello, I just started as a producer at a State Farm agency in Southern California. I hope to, in the near future own an independent agency. I am looking for advice on how to succeed at my current position as well as what I should be doing to work towards my goal of opening an agency. I know that the market is not good right now, especially in CA but I am in this for the long run. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

I'm an independent commercial only broker here in Ca. I started with State Farm about 12 years ago. Today, somewhere around 50%-65% of my business comes from State Farm referrals.

State Farm is not writing p&c in Ca save for personal auto with a 2 week wait.

What are they having you "produce"?

 

[Jason Jiang]

I'm an independent commercial only broker here in Ca. I started with State Farm about 12 years ago. Today, somewhere around 50%-65% of my business comes from State Farm referrals.

State Farm is not writing p&c in Ca save for personal auto with a 2 week wait.

What are they having you "produce"?

Currently the focus is life products and auto. I would like to go into the commercial space and that was my goal, but with all the sudden changes it looks like I need to put a hold on that. What area is your brokerage based?

 

[DS4]

What are they having you "produce"?

State Farm would be completely happy if ALL their agents sold was life.

 

[Markthebroker]

State Farm would be completely happy if ALL their agents sold was life.

Yup. In the beginning I helped setup a State Farm office. They non renewed our contract because while we killed it with home and auto, we didn't sell enough life.

 

[Markthebroker]

Currently the focus is life products and auto. I would like to go into the commercial space and that was my goal, but with all the sudden changes it looks like I need to put a hold on that. What area is your brokerage based?

Bay area.

Even before SF pulled out of Ca and was writing all product lines, they were very limited with what commercial they could write. That's why I'm partnered with so many of them.