Insurance Agent Forum

[OkWhy]

Hello and Thank you for reading this thread!

I will be taking my 2-15 test in the very near future and then building my insurance career. I have no experience in selling insurance at all.

Can you please share with me and the other readers what you wish someone had shared with you when you were starting out?

If you knew then what you know now... What would you do differently? What advice did you get that helped?

This is what I've been told so far:

• Be impeccable with my word!
• Always dress professionally.
• Act as if hidden cameras were recording (ethical).
• Keep my car washed and clean.
• Never park in the driveway.
• Put a smile on my face on the phone because it will come out in my voice.
• Always be prospecting (carry business cards at all times).
• Never try to sell on first introductions (walk in cold calling), just introduce myself. Then the next time we meet, we are not strangers.

[HomeService]

Find a niche and own it. Be #1 --in your area of expertise.

[bill3173]

I wish someone had told me to loosen up my first year in the biz:

If you walk around handing out your business card to everyone you that you know, your friends and close acquaintances will run when they see you coming.

My advice, be confident, be yourself, and have a great deal of product knowledge, know it well enough so that it doesn't sound rehearsed. ex. I have a stockbroker friend, who has had my account for over 10 years, and when he talks to me about the stockmarket, it still sounds like he's using a script.

My third year in the biz, I was selling life and health to current p&c agents that didn't care to fool with that end of the bizness, not even for themselves, and sent me referrals.

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Although they didn't have phrases such as "SEO" when I started, I would highly recommend (at some point during the first 12 months) you become website-savvy and learn how to bring prospects to you...not the other way around.

It works. Well...they say it does. Check back with me in a few years.

[The Rabbi]

Take control by telling them which chair to sit in. The main buyer to your right and the spouse next to him or her. Don't spend too much time schmoozing.

Learn to close.

Write a good application.

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Originally Posted by The Rabbi

Take control by telling them which chair to sit in. The main buyer to your right and the spouse next to him or her. Don't spend too much time schmoozing.

Learn to close.

Write a good application.

What do we have to do to get you in this car TODAY? How much can you afford on a MONTHLY basis? If we can meet your price - and I'm not saying that we can - are you ready to drive this home TODAY? What have you got for a trade? Did you bring your title with you?

I'm not sure the car business is the one to emulate.

[bill3173]

Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas

What do we have to do to get you in this car TODAY? How much can you afford on a MONTHLY basis? If we can meet your price - and I'm not saying that we can - are you ready to drive this home TODAY? What have you got for a trade? Did you bring your title with you?

I'm not sure the car business is the one to emulate.

Oh come on. The Rabbi's posts are fun and informative, I was picturing myself doing that very thing.

[xrac]

Originally Posted by OkWhy

Hello and Thank you for reading this thread!

I will be taking my 2-15 test in the very near future and then building my insurance career. I have no experience in selling insurance at all.

Can you please share with me and the other readers what you wish someone had shared with you when you were starting out?

If you knew then what you know now... What would you do differently? What advice did you get that helped?

This is what I've been told so far:

• Be impeccable with my word!
• Always dress professionally.
• Act as if hidden cameras were recording (ethical).
• Keep my car washed and clean.
• Never park in the driveway.
• Put a smile on my face on the phone because it will come out in my voice.
• Always be prospecting (carry business cards at all times).
• Never try to sell on first introductions (walk in cold calling), just introduce myself. Then the next time we meet, we are not strangers.

If you will search and read on this forum you can find better advice this this.

[OkWhy]

Originally Posted by xrac

If you will search and read on this forum you can find better advice this this.

Absolutely! But this still has the potential to be a wonderful and informative thread for people like me who are just starting out. There is a wealth of information here but I didn't want to just lurk and search. I did want to become a participating member and have enough posts to private message and post pictures etc.

[Frank Stastny]

Originally Posted by The Rabbi

Take control by telling them which chair to sit in. The main buyer to your right and the spouse next to him or her. Don't spend too much time schmoozing.

Learn to close.

Write a good application.

I agree that it is important to "suggest" where they should sit. I would never presume to "tell" them anything.

I do not want either one sitting next to me. I want both of them across the table from me. If you don't give them guidance where to sit they will want to sit on either side of you. That presents an impossible situation. There is no way you can direct your attention to both of them when one is to your right and the other on your left side.

I want them across from me so I can look at and speak to both at the same time. Eye contact is very important. But, most importantly it gives me a chance to watch both of their eyes and body language. Many times what they "aren't saying verbally" will be evident by the way they are responding to you and what you are saying.

Being able to interpret their body language will let you know when to back off a little, possibly take a different approach and when to close.

Learn to listen with your eyes as well as your ears is what has always been suggested to me.

[Delta76]

My simple list would be:

1. Focus on generating leads. Lead generation is more important than sales skills, although both are important. You need a consistent system of getting in front of people on a favorable basis. Figure this out and it gets much easier.

2. Actually work 8 hours a day. Working means seeing people or fighting to see people.

3. Don't take yourself too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself.

[HomeService]

Yep, having a bunch of people to talk to, is correct. The other day I was screwing around with all my leads, organizing stuff, some are 15 years old!! I had to go into reverse address look-up and see if these people are still living where they did 15 years ago. Bottom line is, I have about 250 names and numbers of folks that I know or I have talked to, or they requested info. Does not mean they are all good leads, but the numbers are good. Get about 200 good prospects going, even if it is by knocking doors, get some names and numbers.

[TXINSURANCE]

2. Actually work 8 hours a day. Working means seeing people or fighting to see people.

The number of agents working 8 hours a day is very small compared to those that think they work 8 hours a day.

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Originally Posted by TXINSURANCE

The number of agents working 8 hours a day is very small compared to those that think they work 8 hours a day.

Anybody in this business that's actually counting the number of hours that they work has an "employee" mentality, and doesn't belong in this business.

If it takes four hours a day, great. if it takes sixteen hours a day, so be it. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to reach the goals you've set.

[HomeService]

I really only put about 4-5 hrs a day in - when I used to sell full time. Long lunches and messing around between appointments and just plain being lazy. So, yeah, 8 hrs. a day would be nice- for the paycheck.

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Originally Posted by HomeService

I really only put about 4-5 hrs a day in - when I used to sell full time.

Is this the quintessential "oxymoron", or more of a "Yogi Berra-ism"?