Question (newer agent here)

[Valetic]

So you ask experienced agents for advice, you hear that this company underpays its front line sales force and overcharges its customers, And you don't consider that significant advice? That's sad.

Idk what makes you think I consider their advice insignificant lol. I knew that going into it, and like I was saying in one of previous comments, I’ve been to enough opportunity meetings and network events and agencies that failed to get me going.. I decided since LH training and support was so good I’d give it a shot. And my OP was about whether I could be carried financially by the company or not. That doesn’t mean I’m any less committed to doing it because of what other people say. I’ve seen other people make money in it, they’ve shown me their 1099 the first year they did it so I don’t know what the big deal is. If I had one foot out the door I might be swayed into some of this forums offers but as of now I’m fully committed and mind made up. I just wanted an outside opinion.

 

[Valetic]

Here’s the problem your facing:

LH is overpriced. FE is a lower income market. You sell a policy and get your 9m advance.

Do you think some Indy agent isn’t going to eventually market to your guy? When he offers the exact same policy for 30 dollars less a month, you’ve lost him. That’s on top of natural drop-off of buyers due to light bill vs insurance bill.

Legit, I hate advances. I get that people need them to eat, but f@ck if I want to get trapped into a chargeback that I can’t afford.

Like I was saying before, their system for chargebacks is great for new agents because it just rolls over into a debt account and a portion of your commissions go to that account but you get paid regardless, just gotta keep going to work and knocking down that debt til your good enough that’s it’s not even a thing to get it down any more. You’ll always have chargebacks and lead costs, and it doesn’t matter if you get undercut every so often if your persistency rating is good. Lincoln just credits those things and makes it easier to pay them off while keeping you able to keep working and getting paid.

 

[Travis Price]

Can you add a “Too stubborn to know better” button to your poll?

In all seriousness, I wish you luck. I think you’re going to need it.

 

[Thedude]

I’m not suggesting anything I haven’t done myself. Also, this isn't rocket science. The average person can pick up Medicare and FE to start their business. My advice is sound and intelligent.

I understand how others would have a different opinion.

You saying it doesn’t make it true ? You are not stating facts and I guarantee your failure rate is the same as everyone else’s. You are giving blanket statements to a guy asking if he can make it. He can. Fuk anyone that says he can’t. All you recruiters literally sweat trying to get a well trained Lincoln heritage producer.


This isn’t rocket science ? Of course not. Rocket scientists can’t sell FE. Come up with some of your own phrases kid.

Medicare millionair lol you the Indian guy selling a bitcoin Ponzi scheme I know ?!

 

[billyb]

I see you are from GA. I work the FL panhandle and a lot of LH agents come down here thinking it is a gold mine. I replace every LH policy I come across as long as it is not clean sheeted and the person is insurable. Lots of that goes on. Maybe we will cross paths in the future.

 

[Thedude]

Also OP you are drinking the koolaid too hard ... relax acting like they are some mythical creature in the FE world. You can make money with them. You can make the money you said with them. Unless you gulp the koolaid you won’t be there more than a few years and I wouldn’t suggest it. I also wouldn’t trust any of these recruiters at all. Be smart.

 

[Thedude]

Can you add a “Too stubborn to know better” button to your poll?

In all seriousness, I wish you luck. I think you’re going to need it.

Haha hey man you know how to reach people can you pm your method to success!?!?!?

 

[jerryrut]

Idk what makes you think I consider their advice insignificant lol. I knew that going into it, and like I was saying in one of previous comments, I’ve been to enough opportunity meetings and network events and agencies that failed to get me going.. I decided since LH training and support was so good I’d give it a shot. And my OP was about whether I could be carried financially by the company or not. That doesn’t mean I’m any less committed to doing it because of what other people say. I’ve seen other people make money in it, they’ve shown me their 1099 the first year they did it so I don’t know what the big deal is. If I had one foot out the door I might be swayed into some of this forums offers but as of now I’m fully committed and mind made up. I just wanted an outside opinion.

First, I don’t recruit and second, you didn’t come here for advice, you came here to get your decision validated; you didn’t get what you expected or wanted, sorry but you’ve been told how the cow eats the cabbage

 

[Travis Price]

I don’t know anything about the Op.. but I used to be a stubborn mule. I would do things just to spite people.

What I’ve learned (as I’ve matured) is that you should listen and consider advice. Take what’s useful, discard the rest.

I don’t think being captive is good for 99% of the agents in this industry. However, if that’s what you want.. do you.

 

[LostDollar]

Like I was saying before, their system for chargebacks is great for new agents because it just rolls over into a debt account and a portion of your commissions go to that account but you get paid regardless, just gotta keep going to work and knocking down that debt til your good enough that’s it’s not even a thing to get it down any more. You’ll always have chargebacks and lead costs, and it doesn’t matter if you get undercut every so often if your persistency rating is good. Lincoln just credits those things and makes it easier to pay them off while keeping you able to keep working and getting paid.

I am not an agent. The only reason I have responded in this thread is because I know how badly some folks dislike manufacturing shift work. I think you are letting your desire to get out of it overcome some of your logic senses.

Yes, you may have the possibility of making it. However, in my opinion, after the things I have read in this thread and elsewhere, I think there is at least a 60-70 percent chance you are going to crater out big time, within two years, and be back at that 12 hour shift work, STUCK at it a whole lot longer than you want to be working to pay off debt.

I have seen a guy locked into weekday mfg shift work plus as many weekend gun shop hours he could get because of some serious health bills. He tried to bear up under it, but when you were around him, you could tell he was really really weighed down.

One of the recurring discussions about leads over the last 2-3 years is about the "repeat offenders" that fill out lead card after lead card after lead card. There was one thread by a guy that had a bunch of unworked leads in his area given to him by another agent who quit. As I recall, the agent receiving the leads already had at least 10-15 of them in his file from mailings he had done himself.

I think Travis Price in the post above has given you pretty much the straight scoop as to what is going to happen to a bunch of your sales over a period of 12-24 months.