Starting Frustration

[Josh]

Why not work the FE market? It's quick money and there are agencies that will provide reply cards. I hear the trick to success with FE is to just knock on their door with the reply card in your hand. Any disagreement on this plan?

FE can be a little tricky because it is a product one needs to build a need for as opposed to a commodity type product such as health insurance, auto insurance, or Medigap plans.

If this guy were to move into a different agency, the one starting him off would likely be upset and it might very well be just hitting the reset button on the learning curve.

 

[Beleriand]

The business is not simply, you know!. You try to catch a new motivation and never give up!

 

[DecisionMan]

First of all, you're not in the insurance business. You're in the prospecting business, and the sooner you admit, acknowledge, and capitulate to that thought then the sooner you'll be a professional prospector and a successful insurance professional.

Second, let's assume you're out of cash and all you have is a phone, your suit, and just one product that you know real well and for grins lets say its term life (a no brainer of a sale).

Open the yellow pages, call every business (no DNC regulations) and whoever answers say "I'm in insurance and don't suppose you're interested in any term insurance are you?" They'll say no to which you answer "Is that because you already have a lot of insurance or is it because you already have an agent taking real good care of you?"

Whatever they answer doesn't matter. You're into a conversation that you direct into an appointment and into a sale.

If it goes nowhere, dial the next number. That's the way it is.

You need as much phone time with people as possible, like 200-300 a day to get 3 or 4 appointments a day. If you're not on an appointment you're on the phone. If you're between appointments you're on the phone or door knocking.

It isn't pretty, it isn't fancy, it isn't glamorous, but it builds business quickly and builds commissions and cash flow quickly and leads to many other product opportunities.

In my opinion, don't look for the holy grail of product, price, company, lead card, etc. They don't really exist anyway, at least in the way we all hope they do. Instead, look to make as many contacts a day as possible till you can't take it anymore.

If you can do that, your wife will love it and you'll love it and all your problems will be good ones (too much business, need more help with illustrations, underwriting, product, etc).

If you don't want to do that, then my next words are with the utmost sincerity and without malice and without the intent to offend: Get out of the business now and save yourself heartache, money, and time that could be better spent looking for another job or career.

All the best to you and your success.

 

[xrac]

First of all, you're not in the insurance business. You're in the prospecting business, and the sooner you admit, acknowledge, and capitulate to that thought then the sooner you'll be a professional prospector and a successful insurance professional.

Second, let's assume you're out of cash and all you have is a phone, your suit, and just one product that you know real well and for grins lets say its term life (a no brainer of a sale).

Open the yellow pages, call every business (no DNC regulations) and whoever answers say "I'm in insurance and don't suppose you're interested in any term insurance are you?" They'll say no to which you answer "Is that because you already have a lot of insurance or is it because you already have an agent taking real good care of you?"

Whatever they answer doesn't matter. You're into a conversation that you direct into an appointment and into a sale.

If it goes nowhere, dial the next number. That's the way it is.

You need as much phone time with people as possible, like 200-300 a day to get 3 or 4 appointments a day. If you're not on an appointment you're on the phone. If you're between appointments you're on the phone or door knocking.

It isn't pretty, it isn't fancy, it isn't glamorous, but it builds business quickly and builds commissions and cash flow quickly and leads to many other product opportunities.

In my opinion, don't look for the holy grail of product, price, company, lead card, etc. They don't really exist anyway, at least in the way we all hope they do. Instead, look to make as many contacts a day as possible till you can't take it anymore.

If you can do that, your wife will love it and you'll love it and all your problems will be good ones (too much business, need more help with illustrations, underwriting, product, etc).

If you don't want to do that, then my next words are with the utmost sincerity and without malice and without the intent to offend: Get out of the business now and save yourself heartache, money, and time that could be better spent looking for another job or career.

All the best to you and your success.

This is really great advice. Especially this part:

In my opinion, don't look for the holy grail of product, price, company, lead card, etc. They don't really exist anyway, at least in the way we all hope they do. Instead, look to make as many contacts a day as possible till you can't take it anymore.

If you can do that, your wife will love it and you'll love it and all your problems will be good ones (too much business, need more help with illustrations, underwriting, product, etc).

If you don't want to do that, then my next words are with the utmost sincerity and without malice and without the intent to offend: Get out of the business now and save yourself heartache, money, and time that could be better spent looking for another job or career

.

 

[Frank Stastny]

First of all, you're not in the insurance business. You're in the prospecting business, and the sooner you admit, acknowledge, and capitulate to that thought then the sooner you'll be a professional prospector and a successful insurance professional.

I've been preaching that for years. It's nice to see that others recognize that as well.

I am an insurance prospector not an insurance seller. If prospecting is done correctly and qualified buyers are identified then almost anyone with the knowledge and a pen can fill out the app, well almost. Okay, maybe they also need a personality.

 

[rousemark]

almost anyone with the knowledge and a pen can fill out the app, well almost. Okay, maybe they also need a personality.

Uh Oh! .. Now I know what my problem is!