SMS Senior Marketing Specialist

[Kayla Hall]

I respect your words. You can learn from everyone. and you right. I'll keep that in mind.

 

[LostDollar]

Good thing you mentioned it. The OP likely missed it on the SMS website while doing research and speaking with them directly, despite it being front and center and a big part of what they do.



..just giving you a hard time LD... I know you were just trying to be helpful

After some recent events, I was hesitant to make that post, but did so because of the nature of op's post, specifically the comment about transparency.

Medicare Cafe is conducted by forum member midwestbroker and by sms' training director. One has a door to door background, the other a phone background. They genuinely strike sparks from each other from time to time as to the best approach and then you can watch them back off a bit and work on reinforcing what the other said.

In regard to transparency, it is interesting to me because SMS (Columbia) apparently feels no need to hide behind fee based or contracted agent status restrictions for access. I can get a nice seat at a table by a window back away from the podium, where I do not block the view of the contracted agents. I have a fresh rose in a crystal vase to go with my coffee, and if I get bored I can look out the window and watch traffice for NV license plates to see if I am being stalked again.

If she is not already attending sessions, I think the Medicare Cafe would further reinforce op's impressions of the organization.

 

[rousemark]

Just my $.02 - take it or leave it here and call it whatever.

But, part of being in sales (and I tend to study and read on sales - a lot) - is making quick buying decisions.

Read what you wrote above. Great reviews about an FMO - everything said, "BUY." In a sense, the FMO's are selling their services, and we are buying them.

I've been told by the greats in sales, that if you as a salesman can't quickly make a buying decision, that you will have trouble asking your prospect to make a buying decision.

If, in the back of your mind, you believe that one can (a) do research (b) read a lot of good (c) have several conversations with them (d) like them (e) get a feeling that they are genuine and (d) believe that they are being transparent...

but you are still hesitant.... wanting to do seemingly endless research...

Then you will fully justify any hesitancy in your prospects. In your mind, you'll think, "Man, I would do the same thing and research some more before buying today. My prospect really should talk to some more agents before picking me. After all, that's what I would do if I were them"

In short, in sales, I do believe that we need to make quick buying decisions, and I do think there is some sort of psychology behind it all - that when we practice making quick buying decisions, we won't so easily justify endless research by our prospects.

Like I said, my 2 cents - I'm trying to help a bit as you may be new.

Feel free to disagree, but I figured this out a few years ago that I wasn't closing as much because, in my head, I was OK with "more research" (which is just a stall, anyway).

Hope I am wrong but I think she may be like myinsurebiz and suffering from paralysis by analysis.. Maybe she can be healed before it becomes fatal.

 

[shonceman]

Just my $.02 - take it or leave it here and call it whatever.

But, part of being in sales (and I tend to study and read on sales - a lot) - is making quick buying decisions.

Read what you wrote above. Great reviews about an FMO - everything said, "BUY." In a sense, the FMO's are selling their services, and we are buying them.

I've been told by the greats in sales, that if you as a salesman can't quickly make a buying decision, that you will have trouble asking your prospect to make a buying decision.

If, in the back of your mind, you believe that one can (a) do research (b) read a lot of good (c) have several conversations with them (d) like them (e) get a feeling that they are genuine and (d) believe that they are being transparent...

but you are still hesitant.... wanting to do seemingly endless research...

Then you will fully justify any hesitancy in your prospects. In your mind, you'll think, "Man, I would do the same thing and research some more before buying today. My prospect really should talk to some more agents before picking me. After all, that's what I would do if I were them"

In short, in sales, I do believe that we need to make quick buying decisions, and I do think there is some sort of psychology behind it all - that when we practice making quick buying decisions, we won't so easily justify endless research by our prospects.

Like I said, my 2 cents - I'm trying to help a bit as you may be new.

Feel free to disagree, but I figured this out a few years ago that I wasn't closing as much because, in my head, I was OK with "more research" (which is just a stall, anyway).

Hope I am wrong but I think she may be like myinsurebiz and suffering from paralysis by analysis.. Maybe she can be healed before it becomes fatal.

I've seen plenty of agents suffer from "paralysis by analysis". But it also seems like the worst decisions I've made throughout my career have been when I've made hasty, independent decisions without getting any advice or exercising due diligence in research. I think Kayla is wise to seek out counsel and not run on gut emotion. Living in the moment and making emotional decisions is what got many of our FE prospects into their current financial position.

A Bible proverb comes to mind:
Proverbs 11:14 "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety."

So, Kayla, don't "over"-research. But definitely exercise due diligence, as you seem to be.

 

[LostDollar]

One challenge to decision making for folks using forum posts as criteria is the strength with which some opinions are expressed. I think that can lead one to believe there are discoverable rights and wrongs for the process(es) of selling insurance.

Moving beyond a few things like "Don't assign your commissions Baby Doe", I'm beginning to think that may not be the case.

I think I am seeing that in the process of selecting IMO's (or not), choosing marketing strategies and sales techniques, and selecting carriers to represent; any agent designing a complete pattern for their business that they believe will work for them, is going to be making choices that some other agents will discount and voiciferously disagree with. It just adds to the challenge of deciding when you start making your own judgement calls.