I Need Your Help Getting Started....

[xrac]

I been a professional appointment setter for insurance agents around the U.S. for the past 2 years, and the company sends out post cards to generate warm leads along with making some cold calls. The most successful agents were the ones who generated leads through post cards and had an appointment setter. My opinion is based on experience, so before you said something do not work, you need to base it off of experience or offer another solution.

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Keep in mind, that regardless if you send postcards, go door knocking or buy leads you will have to send money.

My point still stands. Mailers should be targeted to the market one is targeting and should have an attractive offer and call to action. It takes a large budget to do the type of mailings that generate an impact. New agents can blow a lot of money on marketing that will not generate one lead.

Sthomas what type of insurance was the company you were working for selling?

 

[Insurance_Dude]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

I want to stick to calling, mainly so I can practice but to also build my list of potential customers.

I recently purchased a list of names and started cold calling. I mainly got hang ups or no answers.

Need your advice on my script. This is what I'm using:

"Hi my name is _____. I'm opening a new (Company's Name) Agency in your area this January. I love to save people money on their insurance. Could I contact you in January to give you a quote?"

I also came up with this:

'Hello, this is a courtesy call to let you know you are getting a new (company's name) agent in your area this January, and it's me! I wanted to introduce myself. My name is _____. I was wondering if I could provide you with a quote this January to see if I can save you money on your insurance?"

What do you think? I can use your honest opinion.

Thanks!

 

[smokin goose]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

I want to stick to calling, mainly so I can practice but to also build my list of potential customers.

I recently purchased a list of names and started cold calling. I mainly got hang ups or no answers.

Need your advice on my script. This is what I'm using:

"Hi my name is _____. I'm opening a new (Company's Name) Agency in your area this January. I love to save people money on their insurance. Could I contact you in January to give you a quote?"

I also came up with this:

'Hello, this is a courtesy call to let you know you are getting a new (company's name) agent in your area this January, and it's me! I wanted to introduce myself. My name is _____. I was wondering if I could provide you with a quote this January to see if I can save you money on your insurance?"

What do you think? I can use your honest opinion.

Thanks!

This would work in my area:

"Does the rising cost of beer and cigarettes have you down? We have an answer. Keep your supplies up from payday to payday by saving money on your insurance."

 

[njinsuranceguy]

First.. good luck in your venture. The great part about what you're doing is it seems like you have all the time in the world to focus on getting new prospects and learning about your business. I would do two things if I were you... I would split my time between finding people interested and learning your business. If you are serious about being a success then learning your business in and out should be a top priority.

Learning your business:
1. Ask who the top agents are in your company and ask them if you can meet with them to learn about your business. Successful people love to share info. Offer to bring coffee. Start off with.."I was hoping you could help me out".

2. Read everything you can about your business. Who the carriers are, what are the coverage levels, etc etc etc. Become an expert in your business!

3. Learn how the company you are representing has helped other companies. You want to find successes that others have had selling your company. You will use this for prospecting in the future.

Finding prospects for 2014
1. You have a list and thats a great start. There is a great book called "boot starpping it". The guy started a tech company and sold it.. bored doing nothing he decided to start a new tech company. Working from his home, he decided to build the product to the specs people want. So he hit the phones and told companies he was building a product and wanted to know if they use a similar product and what they liked and disliked about it. Based on the info he received, he built the product to fit their responses.

While you're not building a product you are selling one and the process is the same. Call people up and ask them questions. Be honest and have a conversation. Start with introducing yourself and ask them for help. Tell them that you are excited about your new career and you want to know what challenges they are facing with the product you are selling. Remember, you are not selling anything. You are just looking for help. People love to help if you will just ask. Its a great opportunity to find out who in the company handles this type of stuff.

Start with the secretary... "Hi, I'm ____. I was wondering if you could help me out for second. I am about to start a career in X and really want to be successful in my career helping companies like yours. As you can tell, I am very excited about it. Who would I talk to in your company that can help me with X?" You will be surprised how helpful the secretaries can be. When they tell you the name, ask them for the best time and way to get ahold of them if they're not available right then.

When you get the person on the phone, ask them the same thing.

Be yourself. People are people. Just have a conversation.

Good luck!

 

[Sherd]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

I want to stick to calling, mainly so I can practice but to also build my list of potential customers.

I recently purchased a list of names and started cold calling. I mainly got hang ups or no answers.

Need your advice on my script. This is what I'm using:

"Hi my name is _____. I'm opening a new (Company's Name) Agency in your area this January. I love to save people money on their insurance. Could I contact you in January to give you a quote?"

I also came up with this:

'Hello, this is a courtesy call to let you know you are getting a new (company's name) agent in your area this January, and it's me! I wanted to introduce myself. My name is _____. I was wondering if I could provide you with a quote this January to see if I can save you money on your insurance?"

What do you think? I can use your honest opinion.

Thanks!

I won't dare critique this as an insurance agent, but as an individual or business owner two objections would immediately come to mind.

If you can save me money why are you waiting until January. Like I really want to keep wasting my hard earned money until then.

New Agent - no thanks I'll stick with my experienced agent down the road.

These would be my initial reactions if you called me as a potential client. So, you've lost me before I'm even sure if I know what you are selling.

sherd

 

[xrac]

I won't dare critique this as an insurance agent, but as an individual or business owner two objections would immediately come to mind.

If you can save me money why are you waiting until January. Like I really want to keep wasting my hard earned money until then.

New Agent - no thanks I'll stick with my experienced agent down the road.

These would be my initial reactions if you called me as a potential client. So, you've lost me before I'm even sure if I know what you are selling.

sherd

I think Sherd is right and your approach is mostly a waste of time and money. What does the company you are going to work for suggest? Is their approach?

 

[njinsuranceguy]

There is a great book but I cant think of the name. Its driving me crazy but it would give you a ton of pointers. Its actually NOT a sales book but when you read it there are great pointers in there. The book is lime green with a winnebago on the cover. Basically, these 2 guys in college had no idea what they wanted to do so they thought.. why not ask people how they ended up in their careers. At first they asked local people and then decided to take it bigger and start asking people from all over the country. For that, they needed money so they sent an email to the founder of Monster.com on a whim and told them their story. Well, he responded and loved the idea so much that he gave them 30k to fund their 2 month road trip.

But they didn't just call anyone. They called Michael Dell and the owner of starbucks as well as 100's of others. They booked over 70 interviews for that summer. The way they got these interviews reminds me of what you are going for right now. You are just trying to get information. You're not selling yet.

What attracted me to the book was how they got the appointments to meet this people. They were just two college kids.

Anyway, I thought of this book and thought of your post. If I can remember the book title I will repost. If anyone knows what book I am talking about, maybe you can help me out.

 

[alight17]

I have no idea what agency you are captive with. Everyone has some things they are good at and some things they stink at. Figure that out #1. Can you rock auto,then turn and burn the tires, amazing in homeowners call new homeowners, financial services well tax time is after 1/1/14.

You might not be able to sell today but would someone with an x-date of Feb want to sit and talk on how to save money in the new year on Jan 4th? Insurance is 90% education and 10% sales. You can set times for people to come to a "Save $50 a month on your Auto Insurance" seminar to be held on Jan 4th or whenever. One that I love to have are the "Secrets Insurance Agents Don't Tell You to save YOU money" workshops. Also "The real cost of cheap insurance."

(Obviously I do not work for e-surance, progressive, or geico) NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK. If you don't have business cards yet get some. Will someone at corporate REALLY get mad at you for getting your name out there? Even if you can't write you can still say you will be able to.

-A

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There is a great book .. why not ask people how they ended up in their careers. At first they asked local people and then decided to take it bigger and start asking people from all over the country. For that, they needed money so they sent an email to the founder of Monster.com on a whim and told them their story. Well, he responded and loved the idea so much that he gave them 30k to fund their 2 month road trip.

But they didn't just call anyone. They called Michael Dell and the owner of starbucks as well as 100's of others. They booked over 70 interviews for that summer.

Awesome book. Now you are driving me crazy. I read it 3 times and passed it on. Library time this week I think.

So many people are intimidated with trying to deal with the top of the mountain (C level) that they try to start with the base camp. It is so much easier to start at the top then go to mid-mountain and say the name of the person at the top. Ex... Mr Biden I just talked with Mr Obama and he said I should talk to you as opposed to Mr Biden Jayme at reception said I should talk to you. (Obviously fictitious)

 

[njinsuranceguy]

Road Trip Nation is the book.. here is their website Roadtrip Nation

Again, this is not a sales book but a story on what they did... I look at it as a sales book because it tells how they set appts with all these big names. They tell how they befriend the gatekeepers and some creative stuff like how they got one appt but copying their face on the copy machine and faxing it.

These guys set something like 75 appts in a month or two period. Its a short paperback book but its a Great read!

 

[smokin goose]

Road Trip Nation is the book.. here is their website Roadtrip Nation

Again, this is not a sales book but a story on what they did... I look at it as a sales book because it tells how they set appts with all these big names. They tell how they befriend the gatekeepers and some creative stuff like how they got one appt but copying their face on the copy machine and faxing it.

These guys set something like 75 appts in a month or two period. Its a short paperback book but its a Great read!

Sounds like a good book. Thanks for the suggestion.