Training new producers?

[smilingnomad]

With attrition rates so high among new producers and many agency’s being small operations, I’d be interested to get a thread going on how everyone trains new producers. How do you prepare your folks for the reality of their roles? What tools and resources do you provide them with. What expectations do you set for the first 30, 60, 90 days and beyond?

 

[goillini52]

I’d be interested to get a thread going on how everyone trains new producers.

That's a great idea. You should start a thread.

 

[Life Hawk]

How do you prepare your folks for the reality of their roles?

I've often wondered if it's in the training or the genes...

 

[WinoBlues]

I've often wondered if it's in the training or the genes...

That is a good question. Nurture v Nature.

I vote Nature.
I spent my first year and a half at a large mutual. We all went to the same requred classes. We all had the same few products. Most (not I) were recent college grads. Most (not I) had warm markets. Most of the rookies did not last a year. Only a couple of us made convention. You can almost sense the killers.

Eye of the Tiger.

 

[somarco]

I really struggled in my first agency life insurance experience. Did all the training. One on one training with my manager, including in the field.

I quit after a few months when my manager said I was better suited for bagging groceries.

That wasn't the first time I quit this business. Nor was it the first time this business quit me.

Eventually I found "my voice" and learned how to engage people in a way that was comfortable for me. No more canned pitches, although I still retain some of the concepts in those pitches. No more trying to figure out what kind of prospect I have and how to adapt my pitch to their style.

I could still probably find a job bagging groceries, but I think a store greeter is more suited to my style now.

 

[WinoBlues]

Eventually I found "my voice" and learned how to engage people in a way that was comfortable for me. No more canned pitches, although I still retain some of the concepts in those pitches. No more trying to figure out what kind of prospect I have and how to adapt my pitch to their style.

That is gold right there.

 

[DHK]

Eventually I found "my voice" and learned how to engage people in a way that was comfortable for me. No more canned pitches, although I still retain some of the concepts in those pitches. No more trying to figure out what kind of prospect I have and how to adapt my pitch to their style.

That's the summary of the professional agent career development path right there. Learn, adapt, create, craft, and engineer your process that works FOR YOU, your style, your skills, and your professionalism.

Five Ingredients of Superstar Insurance Professionals

The Great Mr. Mehdi Fakharzadeh said this:
“Most financial advisers use a system that actually works against them. Why would you actually support a system that works against you? Failure is certain if you use no system at all. Limited sales results are assured by using a sales system that is wrong for you. Using the wrong sales system, (a sales system that does not work well for you), makes your life and your sales far more difficult.”

Having abundant interest, a positive attitude and energy is great, but without the right system you will not find insurance sales success. It is much like a million-dollar computer without the right software (or a hyper-car with the wrong gasoline).