Question about door knocking

[goillini52]

I do get offered meals and drinks in homes. But I never partake.

I was taught that early on, “have pie and coffee with your family, not theirs”.

Some of the homes we go into, there's no way I'd eat or drink anything in there.

 

[Lvm82]

While I agree I would not want my wife doing what I do it's just one opinion. I can name 5 ladies with FEX that are out there just killing it. And a few more doing very well. Working anywhere from Phoenix to Indianapolis to Birningham to Chicago and also some in rural areas. Doing far better than many men have done in the same areas.

My wife agrees with me on it. She told a couple of those ladies last week that she would not do what they do.

I've been doing this a long time. It is very different for females and an extra challenge. But I've also seen that the ones that do make it are far above average agents.

I was selling Life Insurance for a captive agency but I got tired of selling for other people for little commission so I decided I would never put that much time and energy in selling for anyone else again. So I applied for an entry level Underwriting position with State Farm which I'm supposed to start in October. However, I am considering rethinking it because I already have everything ready and certified to start Medicare and I want to get into final expense independently. I was going to see if I can work both at State Farm while working independently in the business but State Farm said I couldn't have any appointments, which I thought was the rule for sales agents, not underwriting. Although, I'm not fond of a 9-5 whatsoever, it is a comfort zone financially to fall back on, then I think of recession and inflation. Just weighing my decision.[/QUOTE]

 

[Jccwell]

I was selling Life Insurance for a captive agency but I got tired of selling for other people for little commission so I decided I would never put that much time and energy in selling for anyone else again. So I applied for an entry level Underwriting position with State Farm which I'm supposed to start in October. However, I am considering rethinking it because I already have everything ready and certified to start Medicare and I want to get into final expense independently. I was going to see if I can work both at State Farm while working independently in the business but State Farm said I couldn't have any appointments, which I thought was the rule for sales agents, not underwriting. Although, I'm not fond of a 9-5 whatsoever, it is a comfort zone financially to fall back on, then I think of recession and inflation. Just weighing my decision.

[/QUOTE]

One foot out the door, sounds like. Wish you the best, but you're far better off joining an IMO, plugging into their system, and working your ass off.

Who cares if they take 10% off the top, as long as you can still get a 120% contract and access to training, support, and mentorship?

 

[DonP]

The lady I know working the southside of Chicago maintains over 90% persistency and has been RNA's agent of the year at least twice. And they factor in persistency to their award.

You seem to struggle with persistency. I don't know of a single agent with FEX that really has persistency problems. There's been a few over the years but they were on their way out of the business anyway.

The guy in Detroit will have been in the FE business 1 year come November. I would bet his persistency is very good.

He certainly didn't mention any problems with persistency.[/QUOTE]

My persistency in my career is 90ish . Unlike 99% of agents I 80% door knock every nsf in the first yr . Few agents in the country are as aggressive as I am on persistency on mapd or fe . If you or any agent tried to replace my business you’d find out . Jd hell inner city , Detroit, Baltimore , la it’s all easy to you . Maybe being robbed by 10 gang bangers in the projects will wake you up . I only know what I’ve seen in 15 yrs doing this . I should have said single males in general . They suck for fe overall as most don’t give a damm . My best customers are African American woman .

 

[WinoBlues]

Or, like @WinoBlues just said, change up your activity a little.

Changing it up.

My morning office today in Morro Bay, CA. Add a huge breakfast burrito, large coffee and the forum.

 

[shonceman]

Detroit is a really good market and area to sell in...it is really needed and especially for younger adults considering the crime rate up there. I'm pretty sure he got quite a bit of referrals out if it as well. Honestly, as a woman, I wouldn't set foot up there...too many random crimes against women. Probably why he's making a killing, not many will step foot up there. But yes, he picked a very good location.

Where in Texas are you located? There are probably some small, semi-rural towns within driving distance. I’ve heard that East Texas small towns are fertile ground for FE.

Good location ? Lol. In 12 months I want to see a print out on his persistency. That’s a ton of African American single males in Detroit inner city . The absolute worst fe people to sell to . Inner city you’re talking a ton of direct express business . I’ve knocked as many doors as anyone on this site . I’m speaking from vast experience. #1 it’s very dangerous to be working inner city .I know guys that have been mugged 3 plus times . A woman double hell no .#2 . Personally what I’ve seen I’d never let my wife wife or girlfriend door knock period anywhere . There’s some weird sick lonely people who fill out direct mail . As a woman I’d either run appts or get in fe telesales . Some woman kick ass in telesales .

I’ve been working in predominantly African American communities for over 30 years. Persistency can be a problem for younger policyholders, but age and immaturity are the driving factors, not ethnicity. Younger white buyers also have trouble keeping their policies. If you focus on a working class senior population persistency’s not an issue.

Lol , I agree. As an African American female now is the worst time for a woman to go to certain parts of the inner city, particularly the mid-west. I would never step foot in Milwaukee, Detroit and some area of Chicago. Forget muggings, people are just shooting in cars for absolutely no reason. I was told if I ever was to go into the inner city in my area that I would need to know someone from that neighborhood that knew everybody, could serve as a lookout as well as word of mouth. I was also told the urban population is what funnels and keeps life insurance in business.

Again, I don’t know what part of Texas you live in, but I frequently see female agents working around inner city Dallas. Most of them don’t seem to last long. But I know of a couple female debit agents that had a 30+ year career working here.

I believe this. I was watching MTV years ago and their was a rapper showcasing his life growing up in the inner city. He quickly introduced his insurance agent on camera writing life insurance policies. He said in the projects or urban areas it is a known fact or written rule that they keep life insurance agents around where he was from because there were so many deaths thru gang violence. I was actually surprised.

I’m a debit (Home Service) agent. You know, the kind that physically picks up the premium in person every month. I work in the inner city 3-4 days every week. I used to have several clients in a rough, high crime, apartment complex. One time I needed to catch a client who was only home after 7 for about an hour before she left for her second job. As I was getting out of my car, a guy came up to me and told me I shouldn’t be there after dark. (At the time, I was a young white guy with a coat, tie, and satchel. So, obviously the insurance man!) He gave me his name and apartment number, and told me that if I ever needed to be in there after dark, I should knock on his door so he could walk around with me. He turned out to be the neighborhood drug dealer! Otherwise, though, a really nice guy!

These days, I’m an old white guy wearing jeans and polo shirt, so not as obvious. But my clients in the rough neighborhoods usually watch until I’m safely in my car and on my way, as they always have.

 

[WinoBlues]

I was selling Life Insurance for a captive agency but I got tired of selling for other people for little commission so I decided I would never put that much time and energy in selling for anyone else again. So I applied for an entry level Underwriting position with State Farm which I'm supposed to start in October. However, I am considering rethinking it because I already have everything ready and certified to start Medicare and I want to get into final expense independently. I was going to see if I can work both at State Farm while working independently in the business but State Farm said I couldn't have any appointments, which I thought was the rule for sales agents, not underwriting. Although, I'm not fond of a 9-5 whatsoever, it is a comfort zone financially to fall back on, then I think of recession and inflation. Just weighing my decision.

[/QUOTE]

Have a heart to heart with yourself. Figure out what you want to sell, if you want to sell. How _You_ want to sell it. Talk to agents that are doing it that way and see if it fits for you. I would also talk to agents doing it a little differently to check if you are missing anything or have a misconception. There are always people that will tell you it can't be done.

And yeah, as a female you have different challenges. But they could become advantages also.

Me personally I am not an employee type. Not really a captive type either. There are a lot of people doing it that way that are killing it. However, there are also a lot of happy lone wolves as well.

Do you.

 

[goillini52]

At the time, I was a young white guy

What are you now? Do you identify as Asian....black?

 

[WinoBlues]

"He sings a different tune in private though."

I don't think anyone would doubt that either.

 

[DonP]

Where in Texas are you located? There are probably some small, semi-rural towns within driving distance. I’ve heard that East Texas small towns are fertile ground for FE.



I’ve been working in predominantly African American communities for over 30 years. Persistency can be a problem for younger policyholders, but age and immaturity are the driving factors, not ethnicity. Younger white buyers also have trouble keeping their policies. If you focus on a working class senior population persistency’s not an issue.



Again, I don’t know what part of Texas you live in, but I frequently see female agents working around inner city Dallas. Most of them don’t seem to last long. But I know of a couple female debit agents that had a 30+ year career working here.



I’m a debit (Home Service) agent. You know, the kind that physically picks up the premium in person every month. I work in the inner city 3-4 days every week. I used to have several clients in a rough, high crime, apartment complex. One time I needed to catch a client who was only home after 7 for about an hour before she left for her second job. As I was getting out of my car, a guy came up to me and told me I shouldn’t be there after dark. (At the time, I was a young white guy with a coat, tie, and satchel. So, obviously the insurance man!) He gave me his name and apartment number, and told me that if I ever needed to be in there after dark, I should knock on his door so he could walk around with me. He turned out to be the neighborhood drug dealer! Otherwise, though, a really nice guy!

These days, I’m an old white guy wearing jeans and polo shirt, so not as obvious. But my clients in the rough neighborhoods usually watch until I’m safely in my car and on my way, as they always have.

I call a spade a spade . In my yrs that’s were I’ve had the toughest persistency . Much of it is single male wether white or black . The urgency and need not there . Perfect example . Had a single dude a few yrs ago I wrote Medicare and fe . He was kidney dialysis and I wrote him Gi . He nsf’ed the first premium .3 weeks ago I get a call from ex wife .” Was this policy active “ . No I said . Before she called she knew in her heart he never kep it