Ninety-Two Percent of All Agents Fail - Why?

[Praeter]

This specific situation did not occur while engaged with a client. It has occurred during call sessions in the past on more than 1 occasion.

Trust me, I understand and take responsibility and blame with my situation. I said to a friend today, I need to quit being soft and grow some thicker skin. I just find myself so irritated and thrown off when I seem to spend more and more time doing cs work than calling while my boss throws little jabs about my numbers.

Lately as well, our office manager, which she sells too, avoids her cs duties like the plague. Even mentioning someone calls specifically wanting her results in her demanding we handle the calls for her because she can't do it "all".

I think with my personality I may be better suited for L&H. I'm more of an empathetic person and a relationship person. Both P&C offices I've worked in are so high strung on the rat race of the office managers numbers. We'll see once I pass my test and start marketing while at my current employer.

Also, apologies for the incorrect formatting of my previous post. I didn't have some of NoScript disabled for this forum

 

[Kenek]

Customer service = $10 per hour income.

Sales = unlimited income.

I know what I focus on.

 

[Praeter]

Customer service = $10 per hour income.

Sales = unlimited income.

I know what I focus on.

I agree! That's why it's so frustrating! My office has issues. I just need to rise above it and keep positive. Keep working leads and keep focused.

 

[briko3]

This specific situation did not occur while engaged with a client. It has occurred during call sessions in the past on more than 1 occasion.

Trust me, I understand and take responsibility and blame with my situation. I said to a friend today, I need to quit being soft and grow some thicker skin. I just find myself so irritated and thrown off when I seem to spend more and more time doing cs work than calling while my boss throws little jabs about my numbers.

Lately as well, our office manager, which she sells too, avoids her cs duties like the plague. Even mentioning someone calls specifically wanting her results in her demanding we handle the calls for her because she can't do it "all".

I think with my personality I may be better suited for L&H. I'm more of an empathetic person and a relationship person. Both P&C offices I've worked in are so high strung on the rat race of the office managers numbers. We'll see once I pass my test and start marketing while at my current employer.

Also, apologies for the incorrect formatting of my previous post. I didn't have some of NoScript disabled for this forum

Two things come to mind:
1) Make sure your "softness" isn't avoidance behavior.
2) Set aside specific times where you will be prospecting and let them know (or just tell yourself) that you WON'T do any CS work during those times. If someone complains, just tell them that you're more than happy to service people any other time, but between 9 and 11 and 1:30-3:30, you're on the phone.

 

[Praeter]

Two things come to mind:
1) Make sure your "softness" isn't avoidance behavior.
2) Set aside specific times where you will be prospecting and let them know (or just tell yourself) that you WON'T do any CS work during those times. If someone complains, just tell them that you're more than happy to service people any other time, but between 9 and 11 and 1:30-3:30, you're on the phone.

Thanks for the great tips! I will put that into action for sure!

 

[JacquesWerth]

The Numbers Game

Yes, selling insurance is a numbers game. However, most agents don't know which numbers are crucial to their success.

We have trained thousands of agents. Very few highly successful agents buy "leads." They use a highly target list of suspects that are most likely to buy from them. They start with a list of 750 names and after a year, they are continuing to contact about 500 per month. That kind of list costs about 30¢ to 60¢ per name.

The most successful track their numbers daily, weekly, monthly, and year-to-date, mostly in this order.

Cold-Calls
Warm-Calls
Offers made
Appointments
1st visits closes
2nd visits closes
3rd visits closes
Closed Sales
Commissions Earned

The higher the number of all calls, the more successful they are.

The higher the percentage of Warm-Calls they make than Cold-Calls, the greater their closing rates.

The fewer appointments per closed sales, the more successful they are.

 

[Chazm]

^We get it already.....you want to promote yourself to people who don't care about you.

Congrats on making a long lasting thread though

 

[scout]

I just read every page of this thread and think it should be required reading for anyone considering a career in this field. I'm closing in on 3 months in and I can validate just about everything that's been said.

Reading it has also helped motivate me and get me pumped back up to go at it tomorrow full speed ahead! There is some great advice and wisdom in this thread and I thank those who've participated in providing it.

 

[5always]

I do it without purchasing any "leads". I generate my own. I don't go on a lot of appointments. I only schedule them when they know I'm coming to write an app and pick up a check.

I quit "dropping off valuable information" and/or "doing a Medicare Supplement review" many years ago. The way I do it I close over 95% of my appointments.

My goal has always been to write one app a day, five days a week, fifty-two weeks a year. That will generate about $75,000 in commission income. To achieve that goal I really only need one appointment a day. Many of the appointments will be with both a husband and wife. That's two apps.

The agent should carry at least 90% of that into the second year in the way of renewals and the next year do the same thing. In three or four years the agent can be making some decent money.

Frank,

What activities do you do to generate leads? I would be interested in speaking with you if you do not mind. I know your system has taken years to perfect but I like your approach.

 

[Dave020]

Frank,

What activities do you do to generate leads? I would be interested in speaking with you if you do not mind. I know your system has taken years to perfect but I like your approach.

Just FYI, Frank Stastny passed away quite a few months ago. The forum misses him and his advice and counsel.