Who do you like to work with? Clients.

[WinoBlues]

So I am having my car washed this morning.

I go next door to grab a chicken street taco, dang it was good, in comes a contractor and his 6 man crew. All of them are dusty. They order, he pays cash. I can hear his cell phone conversations. He has several jobs going. Mid 40s or so.

Back at the carwash I am sitting behind a couple middle aged farmers waiting for their big white Dodge and Ford trucks. By their conversations thier families are long time, 100 years, local farmers. They are both dusty and their boots are are a bit muddy.

The contractor and farmers were super courteous to the people serving them. Both farmers stood up to offer their seat to a young mom and her little girl.

These are the kind of people I prefer to work with. There is just something different about people that get their hands dirty from time to time.

I don't do well with upper management types. The 'suits' if you will.

As I move into my cherry picking phase of this business I want to work with people that I enjoy talking to. The high maintenance people need someone else as their agent.

 

[DHK]

I value authenticity and those who also value it.

Upper-management types... can sometimes have a very entitled mentality... but it also depends on the basis for getting together. That's why I like holding the value of solving their problems as opposed to just trying to sell a product. (Not saying you're doing that, just showing that positioning makes a difference, even with 'executives'.)

Frankly, I enjoy the challenge of solving high level problems... but I want someone who will appreciate the solution, not just challenge me back.

It's all about the title of one of Dan Sullivan's books: "Who do you want to be a hero to?"

 

[Al3x Lee]

The high maintenance people need someone else as their agent.

In my experience, the people you just described are the high-maintenance people in my book lol

 

[shonceman]

A phrase I learned from @jdeasy - “Not My People”.

I used to be pretty religious about canvassing every door in neighborhoods where my debit clients live (mostly inner city). Well, the inner city has suddenly become hot property for young professionals. So, I was calling on a lapsed client yesterday hoping to bring her back. I was about to knock on the house next door, as is my habit. But i could tell it was a “Not My People” house. Back in the day, I would have knocked it anyway in high hopes of MAYBE uncovering a need I could address. But not anymore. I skipped that one, and noted “NMP” by that address in my file.

 

[rousemark]

A phrase I learned from @jdeasy - “Not My People”.

I used to be pretty religious about canvassing every door in neighborhoods where my debit clients live (mostly inner city). Well, the inner city has suddenly become hot property for young professionals. So, I was calling on a lapsed client yesterday hoping to bring her back. I was about to knock on the house next door, as is my habit. But i could tell it was a “Not My People” house. Back in the day, I would have knocked it anyway in high hopes of MAYBE uncovering a need I could address. But not anymore. I skipped that one, and noted “NMP” by that address in my file.

When I doorknocked I looked for the neat places with flowers on the porch, etc and avoided the dumpy places with trash pilled up in the yard. It was my experience that if tey did not take any pride in where they lived, they would not take any pride in owning insurance.

 

[WinoBlues]

In my experience, the people you just described are the high-maintenance people in my book lol

Yeah, not me.

For me - u ask them what they want, I come back to them with that and any other recommendations I believe they should consider. They pick, we script paper, done. Maybe, a call or two from a spouse or assistant to change banks or address. But that's about it. No lapses, no changing banks every quarter, no competition with other agents. Once you are their guy, you are their guy. Oh, and mostly done by phone. They want to see a couple of options, make a decision and forget about it. They understand problems have a cost.

I guess I should say small business owners in general.

 

[WinoBlues]

A phrase I learned from @jdeasy - “Not My People”.

I used to be pretty religious about canvassing every door in neighborhoods where my debit clients live (mostly inner city). Well, the inner city has suddenly become hot property for young professionals. So, I was calling on a lapsed client yesterday hoping to bring her back. I was about to knock on the house next door, as is my habit. But i could tell it was a “Not My People” house. Back in the day, I would have knocked it anyway in high hopes of MAYBE uncovering a need I could address. But not anymore. I skipped that one, and noted “NMP” by that address in my file.

Yeah, the 'Yuppies' are not mine either. I have written a lot of term on them though. The only savings grace is they eventually grow up.

 

[WinoBlues]

I value authenticity and those who also value it.

Upper-management types... can sometimes have a very entitled mentality... but it also depends on the basis for getting together. That's why I like holding the value of solving their problems as opposed to just trying to sell a product. (Not saying you're doing that, just showing that positioning makes a difference, even with 'executives'.)

Frankly, I enjoy the challenge of solving high level problems... but I want someone who will appreciate the solution, not just challenge me back.

It's all about the title of one of Dan Sullivan's books: "Who do you want to be a hero to?"

Exactly. I am normally invited in. Asked to solve a problem. I am not there to wrestle with anyone.

 

[Tahoe Ray]

I don't care what they do or where they're from, I like people who know what they want and are decent with numbers/math.

I'm not a big "maybe this could happen" or "what if this happened" guy so I like to work with people who approach insurance with logic and intent.

Some people hate working with engineers, they're probably some of my best clients. Mortgage brokers, self-employed folks, mid-level medical professionals (CRNA, NP, PA, etc.) are all great in my book (and IN my book...ha!)

I never wanted a business where I had to hang out with all of my clients (some very successful people do that but I don't like mixing the two) so I focus on the ones that I find easy to work with and that fit my ideal client profile.

 

[theinsuranceman]

A phrase I learned from @jdeasy - “Not My People”.

I used to be pretty religious about canvassing every door in neighborhoods where my debit clients live (mostly inner city). Well, the inner city has suddenly become hot property for young professionals. So, I was calling on a lapsed client yesterday hoping to bring her back. I was about to knock on the house next door, as is my habit. But i could tell it was a “Not My People” house. Back in the day, I would have knocked it anyway in high hopes of MAYBE uncovering a need I could address. But not anymore. I skipped that one, and noted “NMP” by that address in my file.

I thought JD said "they were his people"? Maybe I'm wrong?