Sorry, I know these must get old. I have been lurking a while and taking it all in. I know captive isn't a popular choice but I think it will work for me. I have been in sales for many moons and am used to excelling so a slow start is really disappointing. I am in the training phase for Farm Bureau and struggling to get my first accounts. Holy crap, I love insurance and always have, I bought my first policy over 20 years ago at 20 and I am just realizing not many people want to discuss changing. Please tell me it gets better! I have worked in the Ag industry for the last 10 years and sold my own ag business recently so I feel more comfortable with farms and animals and the things that go along with them. I started with friends and family but people seem so reluctant to change, most people my age have been with the same place for 20 years. I also have no office yet. Any advice? I can only sell P&C and some life until I am done with training. Oh and thanks for all of the great advice so far even if you didn't know I was taking it.
Yet Another New Agent Thread
- Thread starter mplsmm
- Start date
- 11,271
Welcome to the forum!
The words we use matter. If you're talking to prospects about "changing"... that's painful. Everybody resists change. So... don't use that word. You could use the word "improvement" because everybody likes improvement... but you don't yet know if you can make an improvement for them or not.
Unless you know definitively how your products are different, you are selling a commodity. I would recommend finding ways to compete for their business. Use that word to get their attention. People LOVE to be catered to and even impressed that their insurance business is worth competing for! All you have to do at that point, is make sure it makes sense for them to work with you... or not.
While I am not a P&C guy, I know some basics of it. I would prepare two kinds of quotes: 1 for the same coverage they have now, hopefully with a price savings. The other quote is for "total coverage" where you are covering everything with updated financials. You may have a multi-policy package including auto, homeowners, and an umbrella liability policy - should they have assets that require such coverage in the event of a lawsuit.
How do you get an idea of what they have? Use a fact-finder of some kind. I'd use this one, because it could help open the door for life insurance sales as well:
http://fsonline.com/Simpler_Way.pdf
For both quotes, you are looking out for the policyholder, showing that you're listening and using professional judgment.
Compete, prepare two quotes, and let them choose what they feel would be best for them.
The words we use matter. If you're talking to prospects about "changing"... that's painful. Everybody resists change. So... don't use that word. You could use the word "improvement" because everybody likes improvement... but you don't yet know if you can make an improvement for them or not.
Unless you know definitively how your products are different, you are selling a commodity. I would recommend finding ways to compete for their business. Use that word to get their attention. People LOVE to be catered to and even impressed that their insurance business is worth competing for! All you have to do at that point, is make sure it makes sense for them to work with you... or not.
While I am not a P&C guy, I know some basics of it. I would prepare two kinds of quotes: 1 for the same coverage they have now, hopefully with a price savings. The other quote is for "total coverage" where you are covering everything with updated financials. You may have a multi-policy package including auto, homeowners, and an umbrella liability policy - should they have assets that require such coverage in the event of a lawsuit.
How do you get an idea of what they have? Use a fact-finder of some kind. I'd use this one, because it could help open the door for life insurance sales as well:
http://fsonline.com/Simpler_Way.pdf
For both quotes, you are looking out for the policyholder, showing that you're listening and using professional judgment.
Compete, prepare two quotes, and let them choose what they feel would be best for them.
- Thread starter
- #3
That is really awesome advice, thank you. Do you recommend I sign up for the videos at the insurance shop also or am I too early in the game? My trainer had mentioned buying leads but I feel like I can screw up my friends and family for free still so I haven't looked into any of the leads yet.
- Thread starter
- #4
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