How is that working for you?
For those who have a decent sized book, how do you personally manage them?
- Thread starter ValeRosso
- Start date
How is that working for you?
newbie2001
Expert
- 45
Well I actually got the idea from you haha. I built out a series of automated text and email follow ups in my CRM but I decided I didn’t like that because the texts felt too intrusive and I wanted everyone on the same schedule of receiving messages.
So I just converted it into a newsletter format with the same information more or less. My CRM allows me to create it and send it from there so I can track who opens it, what time, if they interacted with anything I placed in it, etc.
The upsells are very minor. Just dental, vision, hearing, life insurance, hospital indemnity. I don’t push just leave my phone number and a button to book a meeting if they want (tracks who clicks it even if they don’t book.)
Overall I like it better than the text messages as it’s less intrusive to the customer and can track who I’m really interacting with.
You need to study efficiency and focus.
I'm being serious.
You (anyone, myself included) can spend an entire day "really really busy" but we aren't. We could get a lot more done.
I guarantee 400 clients will not generate an overwhelming amount of work for one agent.
You are checking your email too often. You are writing email dissertations when you should call on the phone and clarify verbally. You are not scheduling appointments efficiently.
I've recommended the book Deep Work on the forum numerous times - pick it up. He specifically addresses the "knowledge work" fields but you can adapt his practices to sales. His podcast is good as well as his other books.
If you are familiar at all with David Allen (GTD) then this is somewhat of the next phase.
Quick story: I used to sell roofing/siding. We had Friday meetings for the sales guys. I was a "top" guy (3 of us did 80% of the sales). Worked my tail off. Jon was also top - always beat me. And he was an Ironman. He never took a call before 1pm (literally turned his phone off). From morning until 1pm was gym and family. He'd do service work and follow up (hyper focused) from 1pm until 2:30 then stop. Took afternoons off most days.
He would run meetings - always tried to do those late afternoon (4:30-5:30) so that he could door knock starting at 6pm - prime time to prospect.
Then you had me. Up early putting out flyers. Would take appointments whenever. Knocking on doors during non peak times. Not an Ironman. Working "hard."
I did a lot of busywork. Jon efficiently engineered his day for max efficiency and made more money in less time.
Be a Jon. (I'm still trying to be a Jon years later)
A few "practical" things I try to do now is batching appts. For example - most appts come thru Calendly and rather than having 8 hours wide open and 1 person scheduled at 9am 1 at 12:30, 1 at 2:00 and 1 at 4:00 I have the availability constricted down to a 2-3 hr window so I can stack the calls back to back during non-AEP.
Usually on Thursdays or Fridays I'll "constrict" availability for the coming week.
Usually will batch work emails. People check email 7-8 times an hour. I try for 3-4 times a day. Handle everything immediately if fewer than 5 minutes. If longer than 5 it enters my work flow systems. Filter all carrier emails directly to folders (e.g. UHC, Humana, etc) then batch check those occasionally (you'll find 17 emails informing you of xyz - but you saw and processed all at once.)
Usually on Thursdays or Fridays I'll "constrict" availability for the coming week.
Usually will batch work emails. People check email 7-8 times an hour. I try for 3-4 times a day. Handle everything immediately if fewer than 5 minutes. If longer than 5 it enters my work flow systems. Filter all carrier emails directly to folders (e.g. UHC, Humana, etc) then batch check those occasionally (you'll find 17 emails informing you of xyz - but you saw and processed all at once.)
I agree 400 clients shouldn’t be hard to service. I’ve always said I only work 8 weeks a year and I’m not exaggerating much by saying it. I’ve got way more then 400 and while I do get 4 or 5 calls a day, each call takes maybe 2 minutes to answer their question. Been on 3 trips since AEP ended, took 2 days off last week and had 11 messages while gone. Texted a few while I was gone and called rest on drive home and was caught up. I send everyone a birthday card with my business card, I don’t do email blasts, etc. They get bombarded with enough.
I was one of the top 2 agents with Aetna a couple years ago and got recognized at the meeting. I talked to other top guy after meeting and he said he works til noon all Summer and golfs every afternoon. We had that in common that we don’t do a lot outside of AEP other then referrals and turning 65.
I wrote a crap load of apps during AEP but smooth sailing now until October. Work smarter, not harder.
I was one of the top 2 agents with Aetna a couple years ago and got recognized at the meeting. I talked to other top guy after meeting and he said he works til noon all Summer and golfs every afternoon. We had that in common that we don’t do a lot outside of AEP other then referrals and turning 65.
I wrote a crap load of apps during AEP but smooth sailing now until October. Work smarter, not harder.
Last edited:
I’ve analyzed my disenrollments over the yrs . Suprisingly I found a great % were people I took a lot of calls from . Ones I did service work for . I really think sending out monthly news letters is huge overkill . I think you have 4 touch pts a yr were your name is in front of them ( hand written birthday and Xmas card , April and aep letters ). That’s plenty . I’ve noticed many people don’t want to be bothered .
Off aep I’m in the field 2-3 days a week . At first it was tough as I felt I had to be in the field all 5 days as I was slacking . But I decided I wanted to enjoy what made me hyper focused to getting in this business . RESIDUAL INCOME . I know basically every 3rd week of the month I got nice 6 fig deposits hitting . I almost feel guilty . The #1 retention tool 10 times more than any other is answering your calls . I can’t overemphasize this . I can’t tell you the 100’s of “ thanks for calling me back so fast . I really appreciate it” .The utter desperation for Human contact is startling in a world of 1 hr hold times , 90% hardly English speaking cs, being transferred 10 times . People love being able to call you and get there questions answered quick . . It creates big loyalty .
Off aep I’m in the field 2-3 days a week . At first it was tough as I felt I had to be in the field all 5 days as I was slacking . But I decided I wanted to enjoy what made me hyper focused to getting in this business . RESIDUAL INCOME . I know basically every 3rd week of the month I got nice 6 fig deposits hitting . I almost feel guilty . The #1 retention tool 10 times more than any other is answering your calls . I can’t overemphasize this . I can’t tell you the 100’s of “ thanks for calling me back so fast . I really appreciate it” .The utter desperation for Human contact is startling in a world of 1 hr hold times , 90% hardly English speaking cs, being transferred 10 times . People love being able to call you and get there questions answered quick . . It creates big loyalty .
So you're now over $1.2M in annual residuals? Am I reading that correctly?
Six figures every month?? You killin it I guess.
If I remember correctly, you have an assistant too right? If people call in to schedule an appointment, does your assistant just use calendly to schedule it then?
Yes, she uses calendly to schedule. Even if I answer the phone, I'll put their appointment in Calendly. That way they get the text confirming, the text an hour ahead of time reminding them, the e-mail, etc. It's just easier to use that as the main way to book appts regardless of if they (leads/clients) book or if we book.
