Nights/Weekends

[kfcraigie]

I have decided to step into the insurance world. I have a particular set of circumstances and some questions in getting started (naturally, as anyone else would). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Very forthrightly, and against the grain from what I can tell reading other threads, I am going to be doing this on nights and weekends. I've already read enough people saying that it can't be done and it's a waste of my time, and conversely enough people saying that it is at least possible, to know that it is within the realm of plausibility to do. I am not a dilettante/dabbler, and I recognize that it is going to take a large amount of effort to become a fully fledged professional in this field. I intend to do this with what time I have- namely from 6-10 Mon-Fri and Full-time on weekends.

Now, getting that out of the way, here's my first question:
How would one get started with these parameters? From the research I've done, I have deduced that my likely-hood for success lies in finding a GA that I could jump-start off my career with, as I can't imagine directly working for any insurance carrier who would hire for the limited hours (please correct me if I'm wrong).

Any tips on where/how I should get started with this? My immediate plan is to register for an online licensing program, and concurrently start prospecting local agencies. But is training out of the picture because of those hours? What else should I be taking into consideration? Any and all help/comments are greatly appreciated.

 

[pomfin]

If you have made your decision to get into this field, go and get the license first. It only take a few days of study to get it licensed. You can find web course like ExamFX Online Prelicensing easy and flexible at your study time. Then find a local GA who is willing to help you. You will always find remote GAs who are willing to recruit you.

 

[LGilmore]

First off, you are thinking of this as a hourly job, an 8-5 gig. It isn't. Your hours are what you want them to be. How many you work will depend on how successful you are and what you want financially.
The hours are yours to use in any way you want. A couple of things though....

Make sure you know your state's solicitation laws. In mine, you cannot call after 9 p.m.
Approach your clients in the same way you would accept being approached. If you don't like evening calls, what makes you think somebody else will?
Good luck in your efforts as to whether they'll work or not, no one has an answer. People fail in this business everyday for a variety of reasons. Just keep it simple and be consistent and you may be OK.

Good Luck.

 

[kfcraigie]

Thanks for the support so far. That I'm entering the field is definite. How I'm going to go about it is why I've come to this forum. From what I can see, the only real chance I have is finding a GA that is willing to hire me on with those hours. Should I disabused of this notion? Are there better routes that I might take to get started than this? For example, for you veteran agents: knowing what you know now, if you were limited to a nights/weekends-only schedule and starting anew in this field (not that you would be, but just entertain the scenario for my sake), how would you go about it?

 

[LGilmore]

"how would you go about it?"

Honestly?

Not the way you are approaching it. not at all. It's an RX for failure. The problem will be in your failure how many families will you possibly harm?

9 out of 10 full time agents fail in this business in the first two years. Approaching it with a part time mind set probably means you won't be around to renew your license for the first time.

This is not an easy business, it chews and spits out people as the norm.
I would tell you if you're really going to be an agent, commit to the business. Find a company that offers excellent training, a full line of products and become a career agent. This is probably the best way to start and learn the business. Then if you want, become an independent and go for it.

The biggest thing to always remember is families are counting on you to know what you're advising. Never forget that.

I wish you luck, but after 20 years, I cannot see what you're attempting as being successful.

 

[theinsuranceman]

In my 11 years experience I know of only 1 agent who was successful part time selling FE. He's now full time. His name is Charlie Speller. He's a terrific person and has been on this forum before.

 

[Josh]

First off, you are thinking of this as a hourly job, an 8-5 gig. It isn't. Your hours are what you want them to be. How many you work will depend on how successful you are and what you want financially.
The hours are yours to use in any way you want. A couple of things though....

Make sure you know your state's solicitation laws. In mine, you cannot call after 9 p.m.
Approach your clients in the same way you would accept being approached. If you don't like evening calls, what makes you think somebody else will?
Good luck in your efforts as to whether they'll work or not, no one has an answer. People fail in this business everyday for a variety of reasons. Just keep it simple and be consistent and you may be OK.

Good Luck.

No calling after 9pm, aside from just being a good idea, is a federal law.

You should have no problem finding someone who will give you contracts (on most lines) if you're trying to do this part time, in fact Primerica or NAA will tell you you can do it part time and make $60-$100k. Aside from the yahoos at organizations like that, you'll be able to find other folks that will give contracts, but odds are the training and support a GA would put into a part-time agent likely wouldn't be much. One way you may want to go would be to getting life contracts from rick and joining ILIAA if you're looking for training and support.

What type of lines are you looking to market? Why aren't you going to do this full time? What type of a marketing budget do you have?

 

[souldeux]

Thanks for the support so far. That I'm entering the field is definite. How I'm going to go about it is why I've come to this forum. From what I can see, the only real chance I have is finding a GA that is willing to hire me on with those hours. Should I disabused of this notion? Are there better routes that I might take to get started than this? For example, for you veteran agents: knowing what you know now, if you were limited to a nights/weekends-only schedule and starting anew in this field (not that you would be, but just entertain the scenario for my sake), how would you go about it?

Are we talking health/life here? Because there's no way this is going to work as a P&C agent.

With health/life, you're not really looking for a GA who will "hire" you so much as you're looking for a GA who will give you decent contracts and train/support you. You can get contracts for life and health without too much trouble (once you've gotten your license, that is) - the support and training are going to be your problems.

If I were selling only on nights and weekends (aside from the fact that I'd have to completely change my target market), I'd run appointments all day Saturday and Sunday. Set them with a service, by cold calling, or through direct mail - whatever. I'd spend Monday through Friday dialing in the evenings and maybe even running internet leads. 6 PM - 9 PM is a good time to use shared leads because nobody else is calling them.

I don't know, man. You're going to be walking a fine line here. If you're working a full-time job during the day and busting your ass hard enough in the evenings and on the weekends to make this work then you're going to run the risk of burning out. This is not a recipe for getting rich - this is a recipe for brining in extra income on the side. And, like LGilmore said, this is a job that can make or break the families you work with - never ever let that slip your mind. You've got to be at the top of your game when you're working with these people, because if you're not careful you can screw them hard.

I had a full-time job once, working in a doctor's office. Everyone told me I should do insurance in the evenings and ease into the sales career, not making the switch until I had my book built up and could support myself. Instead, I quit and did this 110%. If I had to do it all over again, I'd have quit my job sooner for this. There is absolutely, positively no way that I'd have had any level of success in this industry without fully dedicating myself to it - maybe that's just me, but I suspect it isn't. I'm not trying to piss on your parade, I'm just telling you my experience.

All that having been said, if you're dead-set on going this route and you're planning on doing any life insurance work, consider the ILIAA as an alternative to finding a regular ol' GA who will be available at your odd hours.

 

[xrac]

.....I had a full-time job once, working in a doctor's office. Everyone told me I should do insurance in the evenings and ease into the sales career, not making the switch until I had my book built up and could support myself. Instead, I quit and did this 110%. If I had to do it all over again, I'd have quit my job sooner for this. There is absolutely, positively no way that I'd have had any level of success in this industry without fully dedicating myself to it - maybe that's just me, but I suspect it isn't. I'm not trying to piss on your parade, I'm just telling you my experience........

I wholeheartedly agree. I have not done well in this business because of not being completely committed. The best way to succeed is to burn your bridges. Julius Caesar, destroyed the bridges that allowed his troops to cross the Rubicon, while saying the phrase "Alea jacta est" (the die is cast).

 

[kfcraigie]

Wow! You guys have sincerely been of help so far - thanks! Just to satisfy any curious minds and to dispel any mystery, I volunteer my time helping people at a religious institution during the daytime Mon-Fri. So that it's totally clear, it is of immense value to me and we'll leave it simply at that. Now, naturally, I will NOT be cross-selling from either activity as that would be a flagrant conflict of interest that would spell disaster for either. But you should now understand, insurance will be my career and my only real source of income, and as such, I intend to become successful as a professional in this field. "Burning out" or "working too hard" doesn't exist in my dictionary.

The above data is completely irrelevant on this forum, and I do NOT want this thread to drift onto some silly tangent on religion. I am simply imparting the above data so that I can impress upon you that my circumstances are such that I simply have nights and weekends, hence the title of this thread. That I am embarking in this field is a surety as well. Now, if I fall flat on my face, I'll start a new thread and agents from across the country can say "I told you so".

But until then, I don't particularly need more reasons why I shouldn't do this or why it wouldn't work (even though I understand these suggestions are proffered with the greatest of intentions to advise me well). Fortunately I haven't failed yet, because I haven't yet begun. What I would particularly value are informed suggestions from knowledgeable, experienced agents such as yourselves so that I do have the best chances for success.

So let's get down to business: Yes, from the spectrum of types of insurance, health/life seem the most realistic unless I'm mistaken. P&C from what I'm told takes a fair amount of servicing, etc. that I simply will not be able to accommodate. Is that the same with health? I was thinking Life-Only might be my only real option but I'd do more if it was real enough.

I don't have much of a marketing budget - I'm not starting with any capital or anything, but I do recognize the need for a means of marketing, so I'll have to put something together to that effect.

ILIAA - that's a new one for me, I'll have to check it out. What would be the virtue of going through this association?
Oh, and "getting life contracts from rick" - is this from Primerica you mean?

The responses so far are very welcomed! Please keep them coming!