Question (newer agent here)

[Newby]

Yessir! I just changed my vote from "maybe" with LH, to "yes" with DD. But it's a yes with a qualifier: yes, if you follow Dave's instructions to the letter. It reverts to "maybe" or even "no" the day you decide to get a better idea! Once you've done it his way for a couple of years, MAYBE you can innovate. The main reasons I see new agents fail in the first year or two: 1) not working the system they've been taught, 2) just not working! (usually by allowing other things to distract them from putting in the full effort daily), and 3) getting a "better" idea about how to do this

That is exactly right. The #1 reason an agent should go under anyone is to learn how to work the system that has proven to be successful for the agents that are there. You will find the agents that are top producers within any specialized agency will all work basically the same way. There is no reason to tweak a successful system until you have a lot of success under your belt and can afford to experiment.

 

[Valetic]

I am not an agent, sorry I haven't thought to put that in most of my posts in your thread. Any comments I would make about lead cards (other than I have received them in the mail) would be hearsay from forum reading. Others need to give you those comments.

I came to the forum for different reasons, but in the Spring of 2017 I considered FE sales for awhile. In that time frame there were a group of threads with comments by goillini, agentguy5, jdeasy and others that pretty much laid out a system for FE sales if you read them carefully. I also spent a week or so going through old forum posts and made a choice about who I would consider as a primary choice for an IMO.

It was in that process that I decided about buying the old leads. I think that probably has some significant downsides for a new agent too, and I would not suggest it to another. For me personally, I know I have problems with selling at the door, and I'd just as soon work on that with less expensive leads than more expensive leads.

Ultimately I decided that was something that was unlikely to work out for me and did not go further with it.

I understand the idea of thinking about insurance as interesting and wish you the best as you go forward with your selling.

This was a good one
https://insurance-forums.com/community/threads/set-appts-vs-door-knocking.91594/

 

[shonceman]

I know LH leads never had a phone number. Are (real) FE leads different? I've never called an FE lead, I got 1 or 2 with a number on them but didn't bother just went and knocked.

I'm a door knocker. I will occasionally sell over the phone if I get a Lead or referral who lives at a great distance from me, and I do call to set an appointment when I get a home office referral from a call-in. But on DM leads, I get into more houses by showing up at their door than I ever did by setting appointments. So, phone numbers are mostly helpful for calling the people I haven't been able to catch at home. That's just me, though. More persuasive in person. Other agents are better on the phone.

 

[jerryrut]

I'm a door knocker. I will occasionally sell over the phone if I get a Lead or referral who lives at a great distance from me, and I do call to set an appointment when I get a home office referral from a call-in. But on DM leads, I get into more houses by showing up at their door than I ever did by setting appointments. So, phone numbers are mostly helpful for calling the people I haven't been able to catch at home. That's just me, though. More persuasive in person. Other agents are better on the phone.

I do knockers as well, wait, never mind

 

[myinsurebiz]

I recently joined Lincoln Heritage and attended the UBI boot camp. I have a normal job working 12 hour days and haven't had time to go work any leads ( For example: I won't have but one day off for the next 2 weeks). I told my superintendent that I was leaving sometime at the beginning of August so I could take a leap of faith and do this stuff full time. I am a bit nervous as I'm not where I want to be to make that kind of hard transition, but I have been feeling more confident as I try to receive counsel from my friends and colleagues on the subject, paying particularly close attention to those that have past direct sales experience. Why am I doing this? I hate my job and I hate that my bank account looks the same year after year.

My question though... I have heard people say even if you suck at the sales aspect but excel in the work aspect, as in putting in abserd amounts of time, you'll make it regardless in this business. Also I believe in this product, know a bit about it, and have one of my own. So I'm just wondering what you, the reader, think? Will I have a shot at matching my 70k income if I put in say, 12 hours 6-7 days a week for the next year? With no prior sales experience, other than my mentor taking me out on the field with him.. Thanks in advance for any responses!

Don't quit your normal job.

Do insurance sales part-time until you're making money.

But - I'd find another agency to sell for where you aren't limited to one carrier.

Holler at me . . .

 

[myinsurebiz]

Not sure how many people know about LH leads and chargebacks. Basically give you a producer account which is nothing but a debt account. They front you the leads and whatever sale you make they take half of your gains and put it towards your debts. So it's easy for the new agent to jump in without having to invest in leads out of their own pockets to pay for leads or payback chargebacks. Plus I'm not gonna be worried if I can get a high enough persistency. And I'll have plenty of people to help me get my debt down if it gets too high until I get the hang of it.

How?

 

[Valetic]

Don't quit your normal job.

Do insurance sales part-time until you're making money.

But - I'd find another agency to sell for where you aren't limited to one carrier.

Holler at me . . .

Already getting things taken care of. You'd have to read the rest of this thread. I've been trying to do insurance part time for a couple of years. With my job, it just doesn't work, I got one day off in 14 days, on 12 hours. I have enough stashed in my 401k to last me 6 months so I'm going for it (without lead costs, so leads will eat into it. I have some credit too.). I don't plan on going back to my job. Been here 5 years and have hated every moment of it.

 

[Valetic]

How?

I mean kind of not really. Mentor and his manager said they'd go with me and help me make some sales if the debt started getting too high.

 

[myinsurebiz]

I hope it's not racist because the group I'm in is predominately black. The boot camp I went to had 80 recruits attend, and I was one of 3 white people there. Ironically when the founder of UBI showed up and gave a speech, he made a comment about that and said when he first started he was the only black man in the room. I don't mean anything by this, it just is what it is.



I'm basically one or 2 people under the president. My team is great from what I can tell.

LH is also predominately black . . . But - that matters none.

 

[myinsurebiz]

K this comment really hit home with me. No I haven't done my research on final expense, i used to watch Dave duford when I did warm market life insurance sales and realized I would probably be better off cold knocking prospects instead. That's when a connection of someone I know was introduced to me. And now I'm going for it. But once I build up my confidence and skill set and see I can do this to live on, I can just opt out right?

Yeah they starting me out on a 75% contract. Don't really know if that's good. I forget how big the renewals are. I think like 10% or something, I'll ask again. Btw, don't companies usually stop giving renewals after like 10 years or something? Or decrease them over time?

Also I'm just a bebe, I'm only 26 years old

Doubtful . . .