New to Life Insurance....Tired of Cold Calling

Goodneighbor

New Member
10
TN
Ok so here's my spill. I just got hired onto State Farm in October. My agent sent me through the licensing class real quick and now I have my Life license. He was quite behind on his life insurance quota (he had 12, needed 40) and I jump in about halfway through October. Note: I have never been in a sales position before. Bartending is the closest I've been to that. Im 25.

He says "go through my book, call everyone, and sell them life insurance." I says "Yes sir." So I call about 60 people a day. I raked up about 15 appointments a week in November which I failed miserably at because I didnt have the slightest clue what I was doing. By December I had sold about 6 policies.

Long story short I got friends to cover me for 6 more and I ended up with 12 policies. We got our quota. ;) My question is I CANT STAND THAT PHONE ANYMORE. What can I do to make it where these people want to come see me and not just say "forget it bud, we don't want to talk to you." Everyone loves my agent but doesn't want to talk to me that much.

Sorry for the long wind. I'm pretty exasperated.
-<3

P.S. Have heard alot about using E-mail, Twitter, RSS Feeds, and Facebook to make leads, anyone have any luck with that?

btw I LOVE Insurance and being there for people.
 
Ok so here's my spill. I just got hired onto State Farm in October. My agent sent me through the licensing class real quick and now I have my Life license. He was quite behind on his life insurance quota (he had 12, needed 40) and I jump in about halfway through October. Note: I have never been in a sales position before. Bartending is the closest I've been to that. Im 25.

He says "go through my book, call everyone, and sell them life insurance." I says "Yes sir." So I call about 60 people a day. I raked up about 15 appointments a week in November which I failed miserably at because I didnt have the slightest clue what I was doing. By December I had sold about 6 policies.

Long story short I got friends to cover me for 6 more and I ended up with 12 policies. We got our quota. ;) My question is I CANT STAND THAT PHONE ANYMORE. What can I do to make it where these people want to come see me and not just say "forget it bud, we don't want to talk to you." Everyone loves my agent but doesn't want to talk to me that much.

Sorry for the long wind. I'm pretty exasperated.
-<3

P.S. Have heard alot about using E-mail, Twitter, RSS Feeds, and Facebook to make leads, anyone have any luck with that?

btw I LOVE Insurance and being there for people.


Braahaahahaa Brahaahaha :D:jiggy::noteworthy: That is in the running for the best quote of the year. (Different thread)

The State Farm agent needs to introduce you correctly. As a value added arm of his office. However, most P&C (not all) guys are piss poor at prospecting life. Hences, you being thrown out there to do his job.

By the way, I did what you are trying to do about 20 years ago. Great learning experience. And on someone else's dime. Take the opportunity to learn all you can. Learn to mine those files for info on the client before you call them. Less calls, but better calls.

PS... develop a client info sheet. Use it to glean the info from the files. You would be amazed at the info in there.
 
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Fortunately I never worked for that slave driver. Using policyowner files where there are multiple cars, houses, etc. are one thing. Unless you are able to cherrypick the best accounts start thinking.

When he is drinking coolies for lunch, take a pocket tape recorder and start scanning files for the high premium multiple policy owners. Get the expiration dates.

Sell them. 50 a week at 10 bucks should get $500 from a real pro.

Otherwise, you are dead meat. Only 7 out of 100 agents finish 4 years. 80% do not last 12 months. You are being used not given an opportunity.
 
What do you mean by a client info sheet? You mean writing down all I have learned from my peeps?

Kinda. I used to have one that I lost is a computer crash. I will see if I can find one for you.

It is a sheet that you fill in from the file. Such as Names, DOB, smoker, Kids ages, value of home, their Occ, who they work for, and any notes form your agent.
A P&C file has so much into in it. Maybe even up to the kind of dog they have. Heck, you can enter their address into Google maps and see what color their house is.

I would also talk to SF's Life marketing guy. He can fill you in on the strengths and weaknesses of their products.
 
I have started keeping notes from my appointment when I meet with people. It usually consists of my impressions and what is generally going on in their family so that when I meet with them again it can be like an extension of the first conversation we had.

dyadvisor: This guy actually has sent 11 team members into agency in the last 8 years :err:. I don't have my PnC yet :(((( I think that is REALLY KILLING ME when it comes to calling/making appointments with people since everyone wants their house and car insured. I don't want to make it an excuse tho since I am sitting here talking on a forum currently instead of sitting in front of the dreaded black phone from hell that sits in my office. I just hate thinking that I'm not doing something the best way possible short of cheating.
 
Fortunately I never worked for that slave driver. Using policyowner files where there are multiple cars, houses, etc. are one thing. Unless you are able to cherrypick the best accounts start thinking.

When he is drinking coolies for lunch, take a pocket tape recorder and start scanning files for the high premium multiple policy owners. Get the expiration dates.

Sell them. 50 a week at 10 bucks should get $500 from a real pro.

Otherwise, you are dead meat. Only 7 out of 100 agents finish 4 years. 80% do not last 12 months. You are being used not given an opportunity.

Not sure I follow. Are you saying to only call people with multiple high premium insurance policies? And slave driver? He's given a book of luke warm calls to work, most don't have that to start off.

Goodneighbor,

In all seriousness, the phone will never go away, that's the sales aspect. Facebook, Twitter, ect. can not do this for you, so don't bother giving them another thought. Whether a warm introduction or a cold call, 80% of this job is being rejected often, but still getting enough appointments that will agree to meet with you to make a few sales. Luckily, only a few sales a week can mean a tremendous income as time goes on in the life insurance business. As far as training for the actual sales meeting, you need some help to get off the ground.

If you are serious about this business, I would consider a LUTC course, see if your boss would be willing to pay for it. It seems like a win-win to me. He spends a little money outsourcing the training to get you competent, he makes more money. You get more experience before you spread your wings and leave.
 
>>I have started keeping notes from my appointment when I meet with people. It usually consists of my impressions and what is generally going on in their family so that when I meet with them again it can be like an extension of the first conversation we had.

You are ahead of most insurance salespeople. Very wise.

I like having the info before I call.
Example: I just got a fax from one of my companies. It included a couple status reports on orphans that want info on Term to Whole Life conversions. I called the CS rep and asked that they fax me a copy of the original term Apps. Once I have them I will know their health (10 yrs ago), Am I talking to an Attorney, a Carpenter or a Teacher. Ht & Wt, Kids? Where they lived 10 yrs ago v now etc... Not a lot, but more than just current policy info.

If I do not get them now, I make a green file on them, which includes my call notes. I will revisit it later.



I have started keeping notes from my appointment when I meet with people. It usually consists of my impressions and what is generally going on in their family so that when I meet with them again it can be like an extension of the first conversation we had.

dyadvisor: This guy actually has sent 11 team members into agency in the last 8 years :err:. I don't have my PnC yet :(((( I think that is REALLY KILLING ME when it comes to calling/making appointments with people since everyone wants their house and car insured. I don't want to make it an excuse tho since I am sitting here talking on a forum currently instead of sitting in front of the dreaded black phone from hell that sits in my office. I just hate thinking that I'm not doing something the best way possible short of cheating.
 
So its true then. I don't understand what makes me different than a telemarketer except that I'm soliciting an appointment and not a new phone plan. I've read several things online that the way of the cold call is over because of caller ID. I mean in December I was calling people for 6 hours a day and getting nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Do you know what that does to a man? :1mad: That. He turns into a frowny faced pirate. I don't mind say, hitting the phones for 4 hours in a day I just need some other way of marketing besides getting turned down by everyone and their mother.

Besides I would really like there to be about a 2-3 month period in between phone calls. My target demo for life insurance is about 400-600 people in his book which I can cover in a month easily.
 
Ok so here's my spill. I just got hired onto State Farm in October. My agent sent me through the licensing class real quick and now I have my Life license. He was quite behind on his life insurance quota (he had 12, needed 40) and I jump in about halfway through October. Note: I have never been in a sales position before. Bartending is the closest I've been to that. Im 25.

He says "go through my book, call everyone, and sell them life insurance." I says "Yes sir." So I call about 60 people a day. I raked up about 15 appointments a week in November which I failed miserably at because I didnt have the slightest clue what I was doing. By December I had sold about 6 policies.

Long story short I got friends to cover me for 6 more and I ended up with 12 policies. We got our quota. ;) My question is I CANT STAND THAT PHONE ANYMORE. What can I do to make it where these people want to come see me and not just say "forget it bud, we don't want to talk to you." Everyone loves my agent but doesn't want to talk to me that much.

Sorry for the long wind. I'm pretty exasperated.
-<3

P.S. Have heard alot about using E-mail, Twitter, RSS Feeds, and Facebook to make leads, anyone have any luck with that?

btw I LOVE Insurance and being there for people.

First of all, is this agent giving you enough life commission to make it worthwhile? Life insurance is never going to be "easy". The only people that are going to call you are probably uninsurable.

First, learn the products better, then start introducing yourself as the life insurance specialist. Accept that you are going to be told no a lot, that is why life pays so much better than home and auto. Simply ask if they have a life agent, then ask to show what you do. Some will say yes, some will say no. Next.
 
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