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What are some quality books to help benefit an insurance agent? I am new, independent and without any real training. Keep that in mind when ...


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Old 11-21-2008, 05:59 PM   #1
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Best "Sales" Books             Go to Top

What are some quality books to help benefit an insurance agent?

I am new, independent and without any real training. Keep that in mind when making recommendations.
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Old 11-21-2008, 06:18 PM   #2
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Here's a few:

"You can't teach a kid to ride a bike at a seminar"
David Sandler

"The little red book of selling"
Jeffrey Gitomer

"High trust selling"
Todd Duncan


Then there's also my e-book for insurance sales

"Sell it like it is, selling health insurance in a modern world"

Contact me for more info.



Originally Posted by That Guy View Post
What are some quality books to help benefit an insurance agent?

I am new, independent and without any real training. Keep that in mind when making recommendations.

------------------------------------
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"If you want the best, why do you settle for less?"

Rob Liano
Sales Mentor & Success Coach

1.888.379.8315

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Old 11-21-2008, 06:21 PM   #3
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Waiting for your Cat to Bark
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Old 11-21-2008, 06:31 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by That Guy View Post
What are some quality books to help benefit an insurance agent?

I am new, independent and without any real training. Keep that in mind when making recommendations.

There are a lot of good books out there. But, you still need hands on training also. You need someone to show you the ropes. There are tons of things that a book can not teach you.

Don't get me wrong, books have taught me a lot of things. But they do not compare to having another successful agent by your side showing you the way. This is the reason why a lot of new agents start off captive, until they learn the business and then they go indepentent.

The best thing that ever happend to me when I got started, was a mean boss that yelled at me all the time and forced me to not give up on myself.

I recommend this book also. Amazon.com: How I Raised Myself from Failure to...Amazon.com: How I Raised Myself from Failure to...

Mark Rosenthal
markcrosenthal@aol.com
www.realfastservice.com
------------------------------------
Mark Rosenthal aka markingriffin
IMO/Ins Agent/Agent Trainer/Free Advice
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Please visit mywebsite to learn more about me.
Email me for my Free Prospecting MP3 Tapes.
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Old 11-21-2008, 06:35 PM   #5
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"Selling Sucks", and "Cold Calling Is A Waste of Time" both by Frank Rumbauskas, Jr.
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Old 11-21-2008, 06:37 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Markingriffin View Post
There are a lot of good books out there. But, you still need hands on training also. You need someone to show you the ropes. There are tons of things that a book can not teach you.

Don't get me wrong, books have taught me a lot of things. But they do not compare to having another successful agent by your side showing you the way. This is the reason why a lot of new agents start off captive, until they learn the business and then they go indepentent.

The best thing that ever happend to me when I got started, was a mean boss that yelled at me all the time and forced me to not give up on myself.

I recommend this book also. Amazon.com: How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling: Frank Bettger: Books


Mark Rosenthal
markcrosenthal@aol.com
www.realfastservice.com

Frank Bettger is the man!
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Old 11-21-2008, 06:42 PM   #7
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You have to work on the psychology of it as well, just reading the books alone won't do it if you have "the will to fail"

Dorothea Brande "Wake up and Live" is great!

Advice from a failure, Jo Cudert

The Strangest Secret or Lead the Field, Earl Nightingale.

Still all relevant today

Also, An Enemy called Average, just recommend to me, and awesome so far.

By John mason
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Old 11-21-2008, 06:47 PM   #8
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I think reading is to salesmen what running drills is to pro ball players.
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Old 11-21-2008, 06:55 PM   #9
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You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.”

Charles “Tremendous” Jones
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Old 11-21-2008, 07:01 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by robliano View Post
Lead the Field, Earl Nightingale.
This is one of my all-time favorites.

I have it loaded in my iPod, and anytime I need a boost, I go for a long solitary walk and listen to it.

Timeless.

Plus the dude has a voice deeper than whale sh*t!
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Old 11-21-2008, 07:29 PM   #11
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Prospecting Your Way to Sales Success by Bill Good
Integrity Selling by Ron Willingham
The Wedge by Randy Schwantz
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Old 11-21-2008, 09:30 PM   #12
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I agree, his voice resonates in your bones. And his insight is simple, basic and true.

Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas View Post
This is one of my all-time favorites.

I have it loaded in my iPod, and anytime I need a boost, I go for a long solitary walk and listen to it.

Timeless.

Plus the dude has a voice deeper than whale sh*t!

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Old 11-21-2008, 10:06 PM   #13
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Normally I would say that my recommendation would go to the author's head, but I can't imagine it getting any bigger.

I strongly recommend you contact Rob Liano for his ebook on selling insurance. It is packed with great information, some humor, and absolutely zero bullshit.

Rick
------------------------------------
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Training, Community, Support, and Success
Independent Life Insurance Agents Assn
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Old 11-22-2008, 05:42 AM   #14
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Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

Selling to VITO

Question Based Selling

The Power of Focus
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Old 11-22-2008, 06:25 AM   #15
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Which head are you referring to? LOL Thanks for the endorsement, I appreciate it.

Originally Posted by GreenSky View Post
Normally I would say that my recommendation would go to the author's head, but I can't imagine it getting any bigger.

I strongly recommend you contact Rob Liano for his ebook on selling insurance. It is packed with great information, some humor, and absolutely zero bullshit.

Rick

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Old 11-22-2008, 10:53 AM   #16
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Successful Cold Call Selling by Lee Boyan
SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham
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Old 11-22-2008, 11:05 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by 77CH View Post
Successful Cold Call Selling
"Your letter reminds me very much of something I talk about often, i.e. the fact that when you put together an intelligent, organized self-marketing system, you will not merely generate leads, you will generate leads that are ready and willing to buy from you right now! No chasing, game-playing, unreturned calls, and all the other annoying things we as salespeople have unfortunately come to expect and accept as part of the sales process. Instead of treating you with that kind of disrespect, prospects show you the utmost respect. This is because YOU respected their time and dignity by not bothering them with an intrusive cold call, but instead you acted like a smart businessperson and contacted them in a way that saved everyone time and money.

The most important thing you mentioned is how short the buying cycle is with leads generated through targeted self-marketing compared with leads generated via cold calling. Cold-call generated leads typically are not pre-disposed to buy from you (if they were they would have already called you and bought). So, when you find a lead via cold calling, one or more of the following is true:

1. You're talking to someone who is bored and has nothing better to do than accept your cold call and entertain your sales pitch. 99.9999% of the time, this person is NOT the real decision maker and the appointment is a big waste of time.

2. You're dealing with a prospect who has no immediate reason or trigger event to buy, but MIGHT need what you
Have sometime in the future. This is another waste of everyone's time.

3. You're dealing with someone who actually IS in a buying cycle, but chances are, if you came into the interaction via a cold call, they've already got quotes from your competitors. Furthermore, since they probably called your competitors asking for a salesperson, your competitors are automatically in a position of power, versus the salesperson who came in on a cold call and therefore is seen as the one in need. To make matters worse, you're late to the game and they may have already made a tentative decision to go with one of your
Competitors.

In all 3 of those cases, you're facing a serious uphill battle. Let's look at what kind of situation you're in when you put the word out via a self-marketing system such as the one I teach in Cold Calling Is A Waste Of Time and the prospect is interested in buying and contacts you:

1. The prospect is in a buying cycle, recognized that you may be able to fulfill their need, and called you. Because they called YOU, you are seen as someone who can fulfill a need rather than someone who came in on a cold call trying to make a buck. You will have a much easier time controlling and directing the sales process from here on out and will likely make a sale, and very quickly at that."

From Frank Rumbauskas, Jr.
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Old 11-22-2008, 01:47 PM   #18
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This is interesting but the three points below are quite inaccurate when it comes to health insurance.

Many people (IHIAA members) are having great success cold calling. Actually getting one qualified buyer per hour (average).

Since health insurance is an ever present concern, and many consumers don't know where to turn, a cold call can work very well.

And with premiums dropping, HSA plans available, you can gain an interest through educating the client.

Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas View Post

1. You're talking to someone who is bored and has nothing better to do than accept your cold call and entertain your sales pitch. 99.9999% of the time, this person is NOT the real decision maker and the appointment is a big waste of time.

2. You're dealing with a prospect who has no immediate reason or trigger event to buy, but MIGHT need what you
Have sometime in the future. This is another waste of everyone's time.

3. You're dealing with someone who actually IS in a buying cycle, but chances are, if you came into the interaction via a cold call, they've already got quotes from your competitors. Furthermore, since they probably called your competitors asking for a salesperson, your competitors are automatically in a position of power, versus the salesperson who came in on a cold call and therefore is seen as the one in need. To make matters worse, you're late to the game and they may have already made a tentative decision to go with one of your
Competitors.

In all 3 of those cases, you're facing a serious uphill battle. Let's look at what kind of situation you're in when you put the word out via a self-marketing system such as the one I teach in Cold Calling Is A Waste Of Time and the prospect is interested in buying and contacts you:


From Frank Rumbauskas, Jr.

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Old 11-22-2008, 01:59 PM   #19
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It's a matter of maximizing your day.

If you have 8 hours to work and buy leads - great. Are working those leads taking you 8 hours?

If not, you have time to market - pick an activity:

*Community based - chamber of commerce, local events, plaster flyer ads everywhere

*BtoB

*Telemarketing

But sitting in your home office for hours a day is non-productive.

We do indeed have members who only telemarket for business - they will never buy a lead.

And who cares if it's 3 hours of calling to gain one client? That's one client per day for three hours of work? Almost zero expense? I'm in.

Get me on a dialer for 3 hours a day and put me head to head against an agent buying 10 leads a day - see who comes out with more profit.
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Old 11-22-2008, 02:13 PM   #20
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Also, some people don't know they're "ready to buy" which is one reason cold calling works, if they know they have options, then an interest can be aroused.
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