Number of Days in Field

[NAF1138]

Everyone should pay their dues and put in as much time as humanly possible to make this business work for them.

There are no guarantees for success, but a lot of the difficulties one faces in this business can be circumvented with good old fashioned work ethic.

While I agree with Scott in the long-term, there is nothing wrong "paying your dues" and working your ass of for the first few years.

I'll say I'm in the middle. First you have to have a weekly production goal. Hitting that consistently has to be the main focus. I like to have an activity goal also to keep me honest. If I hit my production goal after 2 presentations because I landed a whale accidentally I should probably still go give a few presentations so I hit my activity goal. For me that's a daily goal.

But, if you hit your goals, take time off. I do personally spend time doing other work type stuff (I deliver my own policies, I go see every one who calls me, I write thank you notes by hand, I call the companies etc etc. Sometimes I run Medicare on my off days) but I have a problem with over working. I would suggest that most agents take the time off IF and only if they hit their other goals.

I don't have an assistant but my wife does a lot of that type of work. So I'm lucky. I also prefer to set my own appointments, but again that's because I'm neurotic.

 

[mudhound]

I do my best working 2-3 afternoons per week doing FE.
Then, i will spend 1-2 weeks doing mostly group ins
then, i might get another 3-5 days to follow back up on FE
then, i am back at group. then back to FE
It would drive a lesser person CRAZY

 

[somarco]

First you have to have a weekly production goal.

Why?

Production goals are beyond your control. Activity goals are entirely in your control. The RIGHT activity, type and level, will result in production.

Sales goals, set by you or your manager, are meaningless.

If you are not making enough money you are either not working hard enough or what you are doing is not productive.

I also prefer to set my own appointments,

The only reason to set your appointments personally is to qualify them. If the prospect has already been pre-screened and qualified you are doing work that could be handled by someone else.

If what you are doing, in this case setting the appointment, is not productive it is taking time away from earning money.

I am very good on the phone and in front of people. I hate cold calling, getting stuck in traffic, no-shows, one legs, etc. So I don't door knock, call from a list or drive to appointments. All of those are non-productive for me so they are eliminated.

But I make full use of my time when engaged in conversation. That time may not lead to an immediate sale but almost 90% of the time a qualified prospect will buy from me.

 

[NAF1138]

Why?

Because we are talking about working your butt of six days a week and paying your dues vs working two days. Neither makes sense unless you have a goal. If you don't have a number you are trying to hit how will you know when to quit?

You should not only run 2 days in the filed if you only wrote 2k ap but need to write 4k to pay your bills even if you have 20 presentations in 2 days you should probably go out for a 3rd 4th or 5th until you make what you need.

The only reason to set your appointments personally is to qualify them. If the prospect has already been pre-screened and qualified you are doing work that could be handled by someone else.

Spoken like someone who has never missed full night's of sleep because you gave your leads over to a person and don't know if they will work them correctly. Mental health counts for something. I have learned to work around my mental illness for the most part, but I tried a setter for 3 months and the stress almost killed me.

 

[DayTimer]

But most say they spend another 2-3 days doing the grunt work, making phone calls, scrubbing apps, etc.

I schedule 2 to 3 two-hour blocks during the week for policy deliveries on an as needed basis.

I will usually scrub and submit apps at night when I get home or the next morning early before I head out into the field for the day.

Monday morning is a big admin time for me. This morning, I faxed, e-submitted, and mailed about twelve policy delivery notices and several amendments to various carriers. I also submitted replacement forms to Americo for a couple of applications that were done on the eApp platform because the eApp does not include the proper replacement forms for my state.

It is 8:40 AM my time and the grunt work, other than the welcome work of scrubbing freshly signed apps, is done for the week. At 9:30 AM most Mondays we have our weekly conference call, and then out to the field I go. Depending upon where I am working, I am usually in my car for the call, parked near my first door of the day.

I hope always to be able to do the grunt work in a timely manner and maximize my productive time. Two to three days do scrub apps, make calls, and other grunt work? When would I find the time I need for the important things ... like golf!

 

[Baseball7]

Dave you shouldn't have any issues doing replacements on the eagle premier in Pennsylvania. I don't know what kind of hogwash u being fed.

 

[DayTimer]

Dave you shouldn't have any issues doing replacements on the eagle premier in Pennsylvania. I don't know what kind of hogwash u being fed.

They sent me an email telling me to submit the paper replacement form on the first eagle premier I did that involved replacement, so now I have them sign the paper replacement form and I submit it vie their website. I have noticed that many of these insurance companies are internally inconsistent.

 

[Baseball7]

The e-app has a built in replacement form odd

 

[DayTimer]

The e-app has a built in replacement form odd

I know. I was told that that was insufficient.

Here is another one they told me: If the client doesn't mail the policy delivery receipt within 90 days they will cancel the policy and return the premiums and charge back the agent. But they mail the policy directly to the client most of the time. Policy delivery receipts are easy if I'm the one delivering the policy. Not so easy if the policy is sent directly to the client.

 

[DayTimer]

The e-app has a built in replacement form odd

I just got an email from Americo underwriting requesting the PA replacement form in order to proceed with one particular case. I replied telling them I had just submitted it via the web portal, and I attached another copy to the reply. Someone in underwriting wants those replacement forms.