Is a physical office helpful?

[Travis Price]

Absolutely incorrect . I have 7 figs in the bank. I don’t need to work . I do this because I love it . I help so many . I work 40 -50 hrs a week . Not more than most people. I’ve also built a great renewal base . In the next 2 years I expect to be 70% referrals .

So, this will be my last comment to you, because you don't really add much of value to this forum.

1) You work heavily on MAPD, FE, and DSNP. You spend a ton of time complaining about how DSNP is marketed to all the time and it messes up persistency. FE's persistency can be pretty meh too... bragging about all those apps today is like bragging about borrowing 600 dollars at 20% interest because you have money in your pocket. That 70% referral income is probably the weakest insurance book you can have. Literally, one bad year puts you at almost 0.

2) People with money don't brag about how much money they have.. So either you're really insecure, or spewing "alternative facts." Either way, a 7 figure nest egg isn't something to brag about in your 50's+. You should have that much money in the bank. Way to go on doing the minimum necessary to survive.

3) I 100% guarantee if you're writing 500 apps a year, you're slinging shit against the wall to see what sticks. No wonder you have to keep writing. You're also not doing it in 40-50 hours a week. Considering your doing f2f appointments, you'd need to see 1500-2000 people a year. That's an average of 30-40 appointments per week.

I believe you're on the road 40+ hours a week, but you're also not counting all the non-selling hours to your total work time.

I work maybe 20 hours a week, by choice. I don't have to throw up MASSIVE numbers because that's not what's important to me.

Finally, no one should listen to you about creating inbound leads, working telesales, opening a retail storefront, or anything of the like.. it's not what you do. You're that old time insurance agent that goes pounding the road and sitting in homes.

If that works for you, great! All I'm saying is that no one should listen to you about anything you don't have ANY experience at. I, on the other hand, do have experience with the above, including having people ask to come to MY office from 40+ miles away.. because I live in one of the most rural parts of the state and do just fine.

God bless you do and you enjoy it. But don't shit on other people because what you doesn't match. Don't assume you know anything about what other people do, because you don't. Just worry about your business and stop shitting on other to make yourself feel superior.

 

[bill3173]

S
God bless you do and you enjoy it. But don't shit on other people because what you doesn't match. Don't assume you know anything about what other people do, because you don't. Just worry about your business and stop shitting on other to make yourself feel superior.

@DonP wrote: The problem with the office is even if your working local in Medicare your probably working a 75 mile radius . I can’t see many people driving 50 plus miles each way for a medicare appt P&C offices usually work a tight 15-25 mile radius so people will come in . That said I do see many Medicare offices in small towns .

How is this sh$$ing on other people? He was giving a mildly cynical opinion, answering the OP's question. A lot of us offered a certain amount of cynicism in our posts, but that's not always a bad thing, if you can keep someone from throwing $$ away.

If you're going to open a retail store front and staff it etc, or you're in P&C or multiple lines, then sure, it's necessary, but just to have some place to go may not be a good thing.

I have a client that owns an office building for people that basically just want some place to go, and it's sort of depressing when he asks me to meet him there. He has capitalized on this very idea of work away from home.

The building has about a 100 office spaces for low rent, and half of them don't have a window. He actually makes little jokes about some of his customers, which of course I don't agree with that, since he's taking their money, but still...the point is made.

 

[somarco]

I have a client that owns an office building for people that basically just want some place to go, and it's sort of depressing when he asks me to meet him there. He has capitalized on this very idea of work away from home.

30 years ago when I worked for a carrier in a remote office, they rented an office in an executive suite for me . . . one with a window overlooking a parking deck. The inside offices were the pits.

At that time it was a good arrangement for me and them . . . but I would never do it now.

When I left corporate to strike out on my own I considered a suite, but cash was in short supply and there were better choices for my money. Even without an office I still blew through $40k of my own money . . . long distance tel, two landlines (one dedicated for fax), postage, envelopes, mileage, hotel rooms (traveled 7 states), etc.

Times change and it is all good

 

[Travis Price]

How is this sh$$ing on other people? He was giving a mildly cynical opinion, answering the OP's question. A lot of us offered a certain amount of cynicism in our posts, but that's not always a bad thing, if you can keep someone from throwing $$ away.

If you're going to open a retail store front and staff it etc, or you're in P&C or multiple lines, then sure, it's necessary, but just to have some place to go may not be a good thing

None of my comments about shitting on people were about that. I'm always open to reconsidering what I say, but it would be helpful if you read the entire context of my statements. Specifically, what caused me to make that statement.

If you have a plan for a storefront, even with Medicare, besides just a place to go.. I agree.

If you have a marketing plan that includes storefront.. then it could be worth it.

Don's statement is no one is driving 40+ miles for an appointment to you. That's simply not true in the rural Midwest. We're used to having to drive 30-40+ miles to have doctors, accounting, and other services to the next largest city.

Where Don works, which is more Metro, that's true probably an accurate statement; but you should have enough foot traffic that it could be worthwhile for the right effort.

His response to that is to make assumptions on how I run my business and production.. and because he DOESN'T have experience running in a more rural portion of our state, working in telesales where people do ask to come to your office often, or offering the products he generally does mot. Its's pretty shitty to make assumptions that are false and and that's really your one legged chair.. so it's not really stable.

 

[rousemark]

None of my comments about shitting on people were about that. I'm always open to reconsidering what I say, but it would be helpful if you read the entire context of my statements. Specifically, what caused me to make that statement.

If you have a plan for a storefront, even with Medicare, besides just a place to go.. I agree.

If you have a marketing plan that includes storefront.. then it could be worth it.

Don's statement is no one is driving 40+ miles for an appointment to you. That's simply not true in the rural Midwest. We're used to having to drive 30-40+ miles to have doctors, accounting, and other services to the next largest city.

Where Don works, which is more Metro, that's true probably an accurate statement; but you should have enough foot traffic that it could be worthwhile for the right effort.

His response to that is to make assumptions on how I run my business and production.. and because he DOESN'T have experience running in a more rural portion of our state, working in telesales where people do ask to come to your office often, or offering the products he generally does mot. Its's pretty shitty to make assumptions that are false and and that's really your one legged chair.. so it's not really stable.

Thought he was in the northern panhandle of Florida.. Nothing metro about that area once you get a couple of miles off the coast. Pure Cracker country..

 

[rousemark]

Don’t listen to this guy ??? Lol . How many you sell today Travis ? I sold 6 mapd and 2 life . 3 were true up’s . I sell more in 1 day than you do in a month . I’ll sell 500 plus in 2022 . Show me how the hell I can get 500 people within 20 miles to drive to my office and I’ll rent 1 tommorrow. When you sell at least 200 plans then give me advice .To do massive vol you have to work large areas .

I haven't worked the Medicare field since Medicare Choice and Medicare Select plans cam about. I keep hearing the expression "true up".. What in the world does that mean?

 

[sman]

I haven't worked the Medicare field since Medicare Choice and Medicare Select plans cam about. I keep hearing the expression "true up".. What in the world does that mean?

When a person enrolls in a MAPD or PDP for the very first time, you get the first year commission which is twice the amount of the renewal commission. This is what True Up refers to, them being new to one of these plans and you getting first year commission.

 

[Travis Price]

I haven't worked the Medicare field since Medicare Choice and Medicare Select plans cam about. I keep hearing the expression "true up".. What in the world does that mean?

It means that it's new to Medicare (and pick Advantage, where first year commission is double renewal) you get pro-rated initially based on months. If the person is determined to be in the first year of Medicare , you get a second payment.. the True Up payment.

Thought he was in the northern panhandle of Florida.. Nothing metro about that area once you get a couple of miles off the coast. Pure Cracker country..

The way he was running his mouth in a previous post about "getting eaten alive by the people in Detroit" it led me to believe he worked in the lower half of MI. Regardless, I've lived in the Panhandle, but it was in Pensacola.

The argument kind of still sticks though. He's still doing f2f, in people's homes. They aren't going to ask to come to the office when he tells them he wants to come to their house.

As noted in my initial post, I'm not really for an office for Medicare.. unless you have multiple agents OR you have a marketing plan that makes the office important OR if you need the office to work. However, when you're managing inbound leads in a rural area, they ask often if they can come to your office.

I had one dude show up on my porch one day at like 8 a.m. from about 30 minutes away. That was a bit awkward, but I took him at face value when he said he was in town for another reason.

I mean, I still use my address on letters, but it's harder to just "come out" to see me now..

 

[marindependent]

ou're in P&C or multiple lines, then sure, it's necessary,

Do not agree. The days of having to have an office in P&C are ending or have ended depending on your situation. Yes there are still a few insurers that require it, but that is becoming obsolete.

 

[rousemark]

The way he was running his mouth in a previous post about "getting eaten alive by the people in Detroit" it led me to believe he worked in the lower half of MI. Regardless, I've lived in the Panhandle, but it was in Pensacola.

I might have him confused with Billy?? I just noticed it indicates he in in Arizona.