Small Sphere of Influence

[bill3173]

Contrary to what you guys post here, the recruiter, manager, and trainer where I am interviewing says calling/buying leads, using a good dialer, door knocking, flyers, seminars, etc......all have a very low return and will probably result in failure for a new agent. These 3 senior guys have combined about 50-60 years experience, all SVP, all were successful in insurance sales and are now in management. Office is very well run and there are currently 20 or so MDRT people on the wall for 2008. Company is very well known, has excellent training, and is well spoken of on this forum for a captive company. I do not have a wedding list of 250 California contacts. I would like to sell life, LTC, and annuities.

Obviously it's much easier starting out to know alot of people.....but a very slim chance of success without that??????? What do people do after they have contacted the 250??? I guess wait for the checks to roll in.

If you listen to them, you will not make it. They have no desire for you to be wildly successful selling, because it's not likely that you'd stick around very long and make them money.

All of the things that you mentioned you've read here are important for building a client base. Buying leads is the easiest way to do that initially, then you can move on to other marketing techniques.

Don't pay too much attention to those company rankings, they don't mean as much as you think. Some of the guys posting on this forum could put the people you talk about in their top pockets.

 

[the mayor]

how old are you? i am having the same problem, i am 20 years old, and i have had that problem since day 1. shoot me an email and we can chat about it. Since I joined a networking group called BNI it hasnt been as much of a problem, but it still comes up sometimes. I am trying to network with everyone and be everyones friend, and i am finding that to be working in overcoming the age barrier.

To you young guys on here:
Your youth is an ADVANTAGE! Use it!
You have more energy, your life and experience is an open pallet. You have plenty of time to make mistakes ( and you will make a LOT) and you 're not jaded yet. Use that!

I'm 51 now...but believe it or not...I used to be your age. I was lucky enough to have some older people help me out along the way with great advice. Yes...there was some not so great stuff...but it's all part of the learning curve.

 

[bill3173]

Don't listen to older people, most of them have mental problems and are miserable failures and want you to join them.

 

[the mayor]

Don't listen to older people, most of them have mental problems and are miserable failures and want you to join them.

Hey! I resemble that remark!

 

[DJM]

LOL

 

[deeddata]

My company is working with some DM's that actually buy our data on a district level and give it out so the newer agents to help establish their book of business. So while I'm aware of the sentiment out there that leads are not productive, it depends very much on your approach. The managers, dm's, trainers, etc, tell new agents to pound the pavement. What we do is help newer agents take a sniper's approach, by providing information on families that are most likely to want to hear from them, namely first year homeowners that are on the verge of their first renewal date.

These families have no lasting relationship with their agent, and many can't even cite who their current agent is because their first policy was chosen by the bank or builder. The timing is perfect to contact them to capture their home, with the auto hopefully to follow.

Compare these families to settled homeowners that are getting multiple discounts and have a good relationship with their agent.

Jim
Deed Data
deeddata dot net