Networking Events for New Agents

[JTylerH]

So like the title states, I am a new agent and researching networking events near me in a bid to not rely totally on immediate friends and family. I am located in North Jersey about 30 mins from NYC and have found a bunch that I plan to check out. They seem to range from tacos and drinks to chambers of commerce and town hall meetings.

Being new, I am not ruling anything out until I get a feel for what my niche and target demo will end up being. Plus, I may be the odd one in thinking this, but watching people get drunk and karaoke and then pitch their goods/services could at the very least be a new form of entertainment. Still, I felt warranted to see what out of the box ideas the creative minds here can muster up... sarcastic comments included (not like I have a choice anyways )

 

[DHK]

"Having something to say is far more important than having someone to say it to." - Thomas F. Love

Most 'net'-working events end up being more 'not'-working events. I won't say not to do them, but you certainly already have the mentality of just seeing what can happen.

Just make sure you're prepared to say something on what you do and have it not just be about what you sell.

 

[Newby]

So like the title states, I am a new agent and researching networking events near me in a bid to not rely totally on immediate friends and family. I am located in North Jersey about 30 mins from NYC and have found a bunch that I plan to check out. They seem to range from tacos and drinks to chambers of commerce and town hall meetings.

Being new, I am not ruling anything out until I get a feel for what my niche and target demo will end up being. Plus, I may be the odd one in thinking this, but watching people get drunk and karaoke and then pitch their goods/services could at the very least be a new form of entertainment. Still, I felt warranted to see what out of the box ideas the creative minds here can muster up... sarcastic comments included (not like I have a choice anyways )

I think you have a really really wrong idea of how this industry works. Just make sure that you’re contracted through an up line that had a lot of success selling what you want to sell.

then have him show you exactly how he does it. He will not charge you anything for this because he will get an override on your success. I’ll give you 100 to 1 odds that he did not do it by going to drunken bars or events and trying to strike up conversations with people who aren’t there to talk about insurance.

 

[JTylerH]

I would definitely go in with an agenda and plan to market myself.

So far my up line, which is captive, is pushing project 200. I understand the logic behind it but I will eventually run out of friends and acquaintances to call. I’m trying to stay ahead of the game and keep the pipe line full, without spending a lot of money on buying leads…yet.

With all of this in mind, are you both still suggesting it’s a waste of time? Even if I only come away with one or two prospects from each event? I guess the days of joining your local chamber of commerce are dead haha

 

[Newby]

I would definitely go in with an agenda and plan to market myself.

So far my up line, which is captive, is pushing project 200. I understand the logic behind it but I will eventually run out of friends and acquaintances to call. I’m trying to stay ahead of the game and keep the pipe line full, without spending a lot of money on buying leads…yet.

With all of this in mind, are you both still suggesting it’s a waste of time? Even if I only come away with one or two prospects from each event? I guess the days of joining your local chamber of commerce are dead haha

Your project 200 is not for your income. It’s for your training. Your project 200 is to profit the person who recruited you those are his leads. He is to leverage your relationships to make sales.

Once yours are all run through your training is over and you need to train an agent and work through his 200 list. Those are your leads.

That’s basically how captives work.

 

[Tahoe Ray]

I’ll give you 100 to 1 odds that he did not do it by going to drunken bars or events and trying to strike up conversations with people who aren’t there to talk about insurance.

Ricky Roma disagrees.

 

[Tahoe Ray]

I would definitely go in with an agenda and plan to market myself.

So far my up line, which is captive, is pushing project 200. I understand the logic behind it but I will eventually run out of friends and acquaintances to call. I’m trying to stay ahead of the game and keep the pipe line full, without spending a lot of money on buying leads…yet.

With all of this in mind, are you both still suggesting it’s a waste of time? Even if I only come away with one or two prospects from each event? I guess the days of joining your local chamber of commerce are dead haha

You don't have to go to networking events unless you like going to networking events (and then I'll question your sanity).

Just do stuff you like doing and make sure people know what you do for a living (but don't be annoying about it). Being a captive can be hard but some of the largest producers in our industry are captive.

 

[goillini52]

"Having something to say is far more important than having someone to say it to." - Thomas F. Love

If you don't have someone to say it to, how are you going to sell anything?

 

[DHK]

If you don't have someone to say it to, how are you going to sell anything?

You need something to say first... then go find someone to say it to.

Most of the industry is backwards. "Give me 200 people you know." As if that means anything.

Find me people who have a problem and want to solve it. I'll market the problem I solve and look for people who want help in solving it.

 

[DHK]

I would definitely go in with an agenda and plan to market myself.

So far my up line, which is captive, is pushing project 200. I understand the logic behind it but I will eventually run out of friends and acquaintances to call. I’m trying to stay ahead of the game and keep the pipe line full, without spending a lot of money on buying leads…yet.

With all of this in mind, are you both still suggesting it’s a waste of time? Even if I only come away with one or two prospects from each event? I guess the days of joining your local chamber of commerce are dead haha

I think 99% of our industry does the Project 200 wrong.

Stop thinking about them as people to sell to. @Newby touched on it, but he's wrong too.

Your Project 200 is for people to practice on... but NOT sell. Let them say that they want your help, but your intention is to showcase how you do what you do... and (ideally) get professional introductions from them to other people.

Imagine if you have 200 people... and they each gave you 5 introductions.

That's 1,000 referrals.

Now, if you have the right mindset and you know how to set up your meetings... can you do it? It's possible.

I believe that should be your focus. Leveraging your existing network into THEIR network to find the people you should be working with.