Work Life Balance - the unwind side?

[WinoBlues]

Great advice, even for us P&C guys.

Oh and Wino, I know you're a strong supporter of military veterans (thank you for that), but I miss the old avatar. I found it aspirational! LOL

P&C book.

I started out with an existing book of orphans to work. In my second year at John Hancock I was offered a position with three Allstate agents as their Life specialist. A year and a half in . I learned to comb their files for information before calling the clients. I knew so much about them before we got to hello. Made convention for all three.

Then I moved to a P&C agency and learned about X-Dating, and dating my Ex. While X-dating I subtly asked Life questions and x-dated their Term life. About 7 years in and didn't even know buying leads was possible.

I learned a lot about prospecting and selling Life from P&C.

I took over serving Life books from several widows. They kept the renewals, I defended the book and kept all new business.

That Avatar is a self portrait

 

[WinoBlues]

Haha.. what a well kept secret this industry is.

10X10%

I learn the secret early on.

Work hard after coffee. Until about 10PM. That's the secret secret. The stealth smooth operator secret.

I'll explain - I was recruited into the business about 3 hours from home. Going through a divorce at about 30 years old. Oh and all I owned was a truck, a towel and a fork and my mom's Mervyn's CC.

So, I would go into the office for free coffee and donuts. Work until 10PM cuss the boy was Capital B broke. Now the secret - in that part of the Bay Area the secretaries and office workers would hit happy hour and dance clubs early. So by 10PM the Jr execs have spent their money buying the ladies drinks and are now belligerent young drunk frat boys. I slide in sober and work on my closing skills.

OK, now I'm a frail old man and married. So it is coffee, YouTube, Brunch, maybe a call, email or a text or two, a nap and maybe Happy Hour. Youth is wasted on the young.

 

[Policy Monkey]

P&C book.

I started out with an existing book of orphans to work. In my second year at John Hancock I was offered a position with three Allstate agents as their Life specialist. A year and a half in . I learned to comb their files for information before calling the clients. I knew so much about them before we got to hello. Made convention for all three.

Then I moved to a P&C agency and learned about X-Dating, and dating my Ex. While X-dating I subtly asked Life questions and x-dated their Term life. About 7 years in and didn't even know buying leads was possible.

I learned a lot about prospecting and selling Life from P&C.

I took over serving Life books from several widows. They kept the renewals, I defended the book and kept all new business.

That Avatar is a self portrait

That's great. My story is not too different from yours (minus the divorce). Around 12 years ago I was burnt out in the car biz, went and got my 4/40 (CSR) license (mostly because the course was shorter so I could start sooner, plus I didn't know any better). Then I walked into every agency in town and dropped off resumes until one brave soul took a chance on me. I had no knowledge, experience, book or pipeline, but I sure could talk good.

I figured out how to run prospect reports from the year prior and sent new quotes on spec with a nice cover letter. I probably wrote 30-40 % of those. I was earning my keep within the first month. After a year as a CSR I took the 2/20 (Agent) test and passed first try. It's been all uphill from there!

 

[Policy Monkey]

That Avatar is a self portrait

I thought as much. My avatar resembles me too (cute, hairy, smelly, prone to throwing dookie).

 

[WinoBlues]

I figured out how to run prospect reports from the year prior and sent new quotes on spec with a nice cover letter. I probably wrote 30-40 % of those. I was earning my keep within the first month. After a year as a CSR I took the 2/20 (Agent) test and passed first try. It's been all uphill from there!

Working the book and X-dating, yup.

Uphill - Yeah, same here. Up hill, but with experience the hill is more of a stroll and a better view.

 

[Policy Monkey]

Working the book and X-dating, yup.

Uphill - Yeah, same here. Up hill, but with experience the hill is more of a stroll and a better view.

As an old sales manager used to say, "That's no hill for a climber!"

 

[Elliot Becker]

all I owned was a truck, a towel and a fork and my mom's Mervyn's CC.

I thought boomers were supposed to buy houses for the price of a tissue box back then, didn't you get the memo?

 

[WinoBlues]

I thought boomers were supposed to buy houses for the price of a tissue box back then, didn't you get the memo?

So the story goes.

Also, did I mention divorce, in California?

But, I figured it out.

I am so lucky my then buddy talked me into leaving construction, moving 3 hours away, sleeping on his couch and taking 50% comp. It was a lot of fun also.

This is a great industry to be in. A client called me and asked if I could stop by to help with a form. I show up in a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops. I leave with a large container of awesome homemade salsa and homemade tortillas. Dude, it doesn't get better than this.

 

[GoPokes]

I have been feeling it lately. Been doing so much prep for AEP, now that it's here, I am already sick of it! Ha

In previous years, my business is bit slower in the non AEP months, but this year it's just been busier. Seems like I do a lot of "non selling" work, which is not as fun.

The money is good, but damn everything is a lot more expensive than it used to be! Sometimes I feel like im always "on call" since my phone can ring at anytime, and it could be a lead/referral. Seems like a lot of my sales come from "putting out fires" for people.

Wife is in sales too, has a great career, brings in a bit more than me. We have a lot to be grateful for. She has been feeling the burnout for awhile. Working from home, during the covid years, she was working even more than before in the office. There are less built in breaks throughout the day, meetings can just be back to back all day.

This year I have found starting the day at the local community gym, rather than the home gym, to be helpful. It's often the only time I interact with people in real life (rather than the phone). I also get to be myself when talking to people, whereas at work I am myself, but I am also wearing my sales hat.

Regular exercise, in the gym, or going for walks, sometimes a bike ride. Seems to be a nice source of dopamine. Using the sauna is nice too, and the cold plunge!

We do like to travel too, road trips are fun!

Sometimes, a good night of sleep can go a long way too!

 

[WinoBlues]

The money is good, but damn everything is a lot more expensive than it used to be! Sometimes I feel like im always "on call" since my phone can ring at anytime, and it could be a lead/referral. Seems like a lot of my sales come from "putting out fires" for people.

Prices always go up. But yeah, the last few years just seems like a doubling. The wife and I had busy days yesterday and decided to go for a happy hour dinner. A shared plate of chicken wings and a couple other drinks each = $100. No idea how new agents with families are making it with business cost on top of the cost of living.

I used to always answer calls regardless of the time. Not anymore. I can read my vmail messages so if it is something urgent I will call or text. Otherwise it can wait until next business day usually. Funny thing is I am making more money now.

Same. Being a fire fighter pays. Especially if it someone else's fire. I tell my people to refer thier friends that have life insurance problems or claims. I built my book of clients with other agent's customers.

Now I want to do a road trip.
But got to finish some DIY projects. That is another way for me to relax. Love working with my tools.