Typical Day Selling FE

[billyb]

I work the FL panhandle and it sounds like you may too by the way you described your leads. Today I had one lady threaten to call the cops and then one cuss me out from her screened porch. Just thanked them and left. There are some real winners in this area. I don't know what your close ratio is, but I close about 20% of my leads, sometimes more. Don't give the others much thought.

 

[Debrabrkr941]

Pinellas county. Saint pete, Clearwater, largo and Tarpon Springs. Always alot of crazies on the beach. People dont understand the ratchetness of Florida. Agents in Ohio probably dont see nearly as many old drug addicts as we do.It rattles their brains by the time theyre old so we see the extra craziness.

 

[KRobby]

Youre right- my attitude was bad, Thats why Im reaching out for perspective. My only negative comment to her was only after I did all of my fact finding and spent over an hour on her porch in the 90 degree heat. Your comment seems uneccesarily harsh and I have no concept of what your garage comment means... I asked for help not a lecture. I am making some harsh statements about these people in the privacy of this forum. Not to them. These are my private thoughts and are not reflected in my presentation.

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Youre right- my attitude was bad, Thats why Im reaching out for perspective. My only negative comment to her was only after I did all of my fact finding and spent over an hour on her porch in the 90 degree heat. Your comment seems uneccesarily harsh and I have no concept of what your garage comment means... I asked for help not a lecture. I am making some harsh statements about these people in the privacy of this forum. Not to them. These are my private thoughts and are not reflected in my presentation. Thanks for the insult instead of constructive advice.

I was being harsh? I was referring to NFLs thread from yesterday...

Also, the behavior comment was in regard to what you claimed to say to your prospect, not what you're venting about on here. But it's all related either way.

 

[jdeasy]

Now THIS is a helpful comment! This is exactly the advice I needed. I can stop worrying about the 70% now. I was in a market with a much higher closing rate. If Im on track and shouldnt worry about it, then I wont. Sounds like my closing rate is fine. That was my origional question plus some ranting.Thank you!Some of us need numbers and advice from experienced agents and some of us are fools. They had no response to my questions but they had to talk about my period. Nice... by the way, am I correct that assets are frozen outside of annuity, trusts and life insurance? And of course, prepaid burials, none of which she had.But Im not treating her as a person according to one of these guys because Im telling her the truth about what SHE has left undone at age 74.Maybe I phrased it harshly but dont I have a duty to tell her that she is leaving this to her children to bear? Keep in mind, I told her this with a sweet southern accent so it softens the blow.Im not particularly scary....I believe my exact words were "Honey, you dont care about your children to leave them with this burden"

I don't present to uninterested people. I DK'ed a lady today that I haven't been able to get on the phone. 74 year old that didn't want to give me the time of day. She wouldn't sit down and talk. Tried to give me the lead card back. I told her to keep it, I don't need it. Went on down the road.

I don't know if she has it taken care of. I don't know if she has plans for her family in the event of her death. And I don't care. She had no interest.

I treat it the same way if I do get in front of them. I find their WHY and then address that WHY. No WHY, no BUY. If that WHY can't be identified then I'm out of there. I don't call them back another day. Until they send in another card, that is. And that's going to happen.

When they won't make an appointment with me the lead card goes in the trash. There's interested people to see. I don't give the non buyers a second thought.

The only ones that bother me are the ones that want coverage and would buy coverage and can't get covered.

 

[bboman23]

What would you be doing if not insurance? Would you make a lot at it? Would it be hard work?

I ask that because that is what got me through my career so far. We all have those days and see those clients. My WHY is just greater than someone that won't buy a policy. A lot of FE clients didn't become FE clients because they make smart decisions. Just move on to the next and know that one house can turn your whole week around!

This is the greatest business in my opinion so I don't let someone ruin my day when the next person could buy and put thousands into my account for just an hours worth of work.

Good luck out there!

 

[Debrabrkr941]

Great advise- thank you. What about Gerber Guaranteed Issue? Dont they insure anybody? Coming from a different market I thought I should be closing more and 3 years out from my own mothers death I really want the family to not go thru extra stress. There can be hideous consequences when the responsible child has to carry the burden. Old resentments resurface and families fall apart.I went thru it myself. I know this is business but I truly try to fix everything I can for mt clients. I quess its a big leap from retirement planning and estate conservation to Fe.Coming from my experience to find someone who doesnt even have burial insurance- I quess I freak out and treat them like theyre on fire. I like FE so far, Im committed to it but these people worry me and thats where the anger comes from.Ive been in this business long enough to know that I cant fight the numbers. I just wish more of them would make just a basic preparation and save all the tears.I quess my close ratio is great but Im feeling so pressured to hunt them down and help them that when they could care less Im sad for them. Its shocking when you first start and have people look you in the face and say they literally dont care what they put their kids thru.

 

[jdeasy]

Great advise- thank you. What about Gerber Guaranteed Issue? Dont they insure anybody? Coming from a different market I thought I should be closing more and 3 years out from my own mothers death I really want the family to not go thru extra stress. There can be hideous consequences when the responsible child has to carry the burden. Old resentments resurface and families fall apart.I went thru it myself. I know this is business but I truly try to fix everything I can for mt clients. I quess its a big leap from retirement planning and estate conservation to Fe.Coming from my experience to find someone who doesnt even have burial insurance- I quess I freak out and treat them like theyre on fire. I like FE so far, Im committed to it but these people worry me and thats where the anger comes from.Ive been in this business long enough to know that I cant fight the numbers. I just wish more of them would make just a basic preparation and save all the tears.I quess my close ratio is great but Im feeling so pressured to hunt them down and help them that when they could care less Im sad for them. Its shocking when you first start and have people look you in the face and say they literally dont care what they put their kids thru.

You can't care more than they do. I struggle with that too because I come from a union background and have been an advocate all my adult life. But you just have to let people be who they are. That 65 year old that doesn't have anything to help his family and doesn't care if he gets anything will not change who he is by you talking to him for an hour.

As for the Gerber GI, yes it will cover just about anyone. I don't write GI business. If a person has to have GI then I give them the phone number to MoO or PM and move on. I've found most don't follow through with that either.

I don't have the problems with our people that get described here regularly. Are there bad instances? Yes, but no more than when I did MP.

Most of the "cat pee" stories and such you read here come from agents that do not sell FE for a living. In fact, most of the bad storied you hear about FE comes from people that don't do it. Not for a living anyway.

You have gotten advice in this thread from some that would starve to death if they had to sell FE for a living.

This is a great career. Very rewarding and you are in charge of your schedule. But it is not for everyone.

 

[Debrabrkr941]

True about the pee- I have been in some of the nicest houses in town but if a person is old and the caretaker is old they can make mistakes and grow used to the smell. Even rich people pee on themselves when theyre old. Youre right no more pee in the fe business than anywhere else if youre dealing with seniors. houses are many times dirtier but many oldsters in florida pay for a cleaner. THEYRE not cleaner just more money to hire someone in. One of my richest clients in the past hadnt taken a full bath since she was 40. Did the spit bath thing. Her skin looked like a snake. No mobility problems, she just wasnt clean.I dont care if they are peed on, clean or not but it makes me sad when anybody ends life with nothing and leaves a last screw you to their family. Feeling much better to know that Im closing as many as I should.

 

[Todd King]

True about the pee- I have been in some of the nicest houses in town but if a person is old and the caretaker is old they can make mistakes and grow used to the smell. Even rich people pee on themselves when theyre old. Youre right no more pee in the fe business than anywhere else if youre dealing with seniors. houses are many times dirtier but many oldsters in florida pay for a cleaner. THEYRE not cleaner just more money to hire someone in. One of my richest clients in the past hadnt taken a full bath since she was 40. Did the spit bath thing. Her skin looked like a snake. No mobility problems, she just wasnt clean.I dont care if they are peed on, clean or not but it makes me sad when anybody ends life with nothing and leaves a last screw you to their family. Feeling much better to know that Im closing as many as I should.

Do listen to JD. Finding out that "why" is crucial. If they can't give you a reason as to why they sent the card in, then walk. If you can't find out their reason then you're shooting blindly.

I think another thing that JD is good at is not judging them. I mean I'm sure he thinks he runs across some idiots sometimes, but he allows them to just be an ***. No skin off of him. On to the next person that might actually accept his help.

 

[Agentguy5]

True about the pee- I have been in some of the nicest houses in town but if a person is old and the caretaker is old they can make mistakes and grow used to the smell. Even rich people pee on themselves when theyre old.

Oh heck, I pee myself just laughing at some of the stuff that gets posted on this forum!