DedeauxAbr00
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Lack of training is the one issue that insurance agent face all the time. Also there is not much that can inspire them working so long.
What is the Biggest Difficulty an Insurance Agent Faces?
- Thread starter harry123
- Start date
Lack of training is the one issue that insurance agent face all the time. Also there is not much that can inspire them working so long.
Surviving long enough to master the business.
Where do I start? LOL.
Seriously, in my opinion, this entire issue comes down to one thing and one thing only...getting in front of people. Period. Sure, you want to add the overcoming of perceptions and preconceived attitudes, etc., that's fine -- but that is not an issue if you get in front of enough people.
Seriously, in my opinion, this entire issue comes down to one thing and one thing only...getting in front of people. Period. Sure, you want to add the overcoming of perceptions and preconceived attitudes, etc., that's fine -- but that is not an issue if you get in front of enough people.
- 1,227
In the beginning: leads. It takes tremendous effort to get the ball rolling, and keep it rolling.
- 1,411
Making calls. No doubt about it.
The key to the business is getting yourself in front of people who are candidates for what you sell.
Most people don't like to talk to life insurance agents. Given the option of talking to a life insurance agent, or making a trip to the dentist for a root canal, it would be a toss-up decision as to which is worst. Remember, "Ned" from "Ground Hog Day"? I remember another movie where a coroner asks Jim Belushi to help him turn over a burned corpse, Belushi eyeballs him like "you're kidding", and the coroner says, "Don't worry, he won't sell you insurance".
If you don't understand the consumer views about life insurance agents, you won't understand the volume of rejections that you get when prospecting and you will take it personally. Don't take it personal!
Even for good agents, who are successful at prospecting (making calls), and understand the basis of the rejection (it's not them personally), the high level of rejection can be a downer.
No one can make more cold calls than I do, or do it much better. While I no longer sell life insurance, I do make a lot of political cold calls as a volunteer. I dialed about 20,000 people in the 2012 election cycle, and probably talked to 15%. In that election the objective was a four question political survey (internal poll for my candidate) and my ratio of closing surveys, versus rejections to do the survey, was higher than anyone else.
In the 2014 election cycle, it was just over 10,000. Same numbers, about 15%. That was a tougher close because I was asking for voter email addresses, and I got about 500.
So here are some tips.
First, set aside a specific block of time to make calls.
Second, make the first call ON TIME. The first call is the hardest.
Third, do not get sidetracked. Some people want to "chat". Be polite, but once you have what you called to get, motor on. Do not allow a "chat" to distract you from the mission.
Fourth, obviously this means you must have an objective. Make it simple. When I called I sold the appointment, I didn't attempt to sell the case at that time. Arrange a time to get back to the person, during a period when cold calling is a bad idea. You don't cold call at 9 pm. When I was making calls, prime time for those calls was between 5:30 and 8:30 at night. I made calls 4 nights a week, Monday through Thursday. I sometimes made calls on Saturday, morning is usually better.
Fifth, if you are going to call or meet to discuss insurance, schedule a time during the daytime or after 8:30. Do not be distracted during your prospecting hours. If you fill up your schedule with appointments, then you can use those hours but only as a last resort.
Sixth, stick to the script. You can change the script, and improve it, but I always read my script. NEVER depart from it. I know, after you have read it many times, it starts to bore you, but your callers will have never heard it before. One of the reasons you read it, is so you don't think about trying to remember the words, you focus on the delivery. Be cheerful, be friendly, and for crying out loud, DO NOT READ IT LIKE AN AUCTIONEER. I always get a kick out of people who give me their phone number, it's like listening to a machine gun. You may know what your number is, but the guy you're talking to doesn't. Speak slowly, as if you were talking to a 6 year old, or a Golden Retriever (not my line, that's from a movie).
Hope that helps someone.
It helps me, I have taken my own advice.
The key to the business is getting yourself in front of people who are candidates for what you sell.
Most people don't like to talk to life insurance agents. Given the option of talking to a life insurance agent, or making a trip to the dentist for a root canal, it would be a toss-up decision as to which is worst. Remember, "Ned" from "Ground Hog Day"? I remember another movie where a coroner asks Jim Belushi to help him turn over a burned corpse, Belushi eyeballs him like "you're kidding", and the coroner says, "Don't worry, he won't sell you insurance".
If you don't understand the consumer views about life insurance agents, you won't understand the volume of rejections that you get when prospecting and you will take it personally. Don't take it personal!
Even for good agents, who are successful at prospecting (making calls), and understand the basis of the rejection (it's not them personally), the high level of rejection can be a downer.
No one can make more cold calls than I do, or do it much better. While I no longer sell life insurance, I do make a lot of political cold calls as a volunteer. I dialed about 20,000 people in the 2012 election cycle, and probably talked to 15%. In that election the objective was a four question political survey (internal poll for my candidate) and my ratio of closing surveys, versus rejections to do the survey, was higher than anyone else.
In the 2014 election cycle, it was just over 10,000. Same numbers, about 15%. That was a tougher close because I was asking for voter email addresses, and I got about 500.
So here are some tips.
First, set aside a specific block of time to make calls.
Second, make the first call ON TIME. The first call is the hardest.
Third, do not get sidetracked. Some people want to "chat". Be polite, but once you have what you called to get, motor on. Do not allow a "chat" to distract you from the mission.
Fourth, obviously this means you must have an objective. Make it simple. When I called I sold the appointment, I didn't attempt to sell the case at that time. Arrange a time to get back to the person, during a period when cold calling is a bad idea. You don't cold call at 9 pm. When I was making calls, prime time for those calls was between 5:30 and 8:30 at night. I made calls 4 nights a week, Monday through Thursday. I sometimes made calls on Saturday, morning is usually better.
Fifth, if you are going to call or meet to discuss insurance, schedule a time during the daytime or after 8:30. Do not be distracted during your prospecting hours. If you fill up your schedule with appointments, then you can use those hours but only as a last resort.
Sixth, stick to the script. You can change the script, and improve it, but I always read my script. NEVER depart from it. I know, after you have read it many times, it starts to bore you, but your callers will have never heard it before. One of the reasons you read it, is so you don't think about trying to remember the words, you focus on the delivery. Be cheerful, be friendly, and for crying out loud, DO NOT READ IT LIKE AN AUCTIONEER. I always get a kick out of people who give me their phone number, it's like listening to a machine gun. You may know what your number is, but the guy you're talking to doesn't. Speak slowly, as if you were talking to a 6 year old, or a Golden Retriever (not my line, that's from a movie).
Hope that helps someone.
It helps me, I have taken my own advice.
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That advice is as good as it gets.
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Right on!!!! You hit the nail on the head.
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It seems this section of the forum really gets it, you sir have it down to an art.
