What Do You Do to Motivate in Your Office?

[shawnmwalker]

Every week I thank my team publicly for their contributions in detail and then award a small trophy to the MVP. The Trophy is up for grabs every Friday afternoon.

One Key: All Contenders for the trophy are praised for their "considerable contributions" that week.

Chapter two of How to win friends and Influence people- Give Honest Sincere appreciation!


What do you do to motivate those around you?

 

[DHK]

I'm a one-man shop focused on L&H side... but I do have some background in this.

First - Hire motivated people. You can't motivate someone who is not motivated themselves.

Second - give clear instructions on how you want them to do the job/tasks.

Third - Give praise as they complete competent work. If it's not competent, don't destroy them over it. Just say something like "It would really help me out if you would look a little closer at that area here... and then it would be perfect!" Critique their work, not the person doing it. Of course, this requires that you're inspecting what you're expecting.

Fourth - Have a smile to give them confidence that they CAN do it and that you believe in them. Employees get their motivation from their leaders. You need to be that leader. If you can't be that leader... you'll have trouble down the road. An owner who is always frazzled will only inspire despair and defeat in their team.

Fifth - Have team goals and celebrate individual accomplishments towards those goals. Reward positive behavior... NOT just positive results! Include a "Go for no" type award too! This means that the only way you lose... is to simply not even try.

A little story on this. I was a financial advisor with several credit union branches. I came up with a "Friday" contest (since Fridays are typically the most busy day of the week).

From 9am - 1pm: Whoever got the most introductions, would earn a $5 Jamba Juice gift card.

From 2pm - 6pm: Same thing.

From 9am - 6pm: Whoever got the most 'no's'... also got a $5 gift card.

From that contest, I met many people that day... and over the next month or so, we brought in an additional $1 million AUM because of that contest. But if the teams I was coaching didn't feel comfortable, we never would've had those results.

Just some thoughts.

 

[Arnage150]

If they don't sell any policies that week I give them 10 lashes. If they don't sell any in two weeks they are chained to their desks and not given lunch (also given 10 lashes).
You don't want to know what happens in the third week.

 

[1manshow]

I like the gift for the most "no's".... might borrow that one

We do half days on fridays and cash...couldn't think of anything people want more of

haven't tried the beatings yet...we'll put that in the "maybe" file

 

[insuranceconceptscindy]

I just gave my assistant a thank you card and a $50 gift card to a restaurant for a great first month of AEP. I try to catch them unexpectedly to say thank you.

On the flip-side- my dad, an Allstate EFS, is struggling with a way to motivate agents and their staff for introductions/appointments. Right now, he is using cash. For every appointment that shows, you get $25. If he sells them (which is 95% of the time) you get $50. In cash. As he walks the client out the door, you get a $50 bill. It doesn't work. Which blows me away! One agent's assistant has pretty much received all the cash. Out of about 20 people total.

If they are not motivated by cash, what else do you do? My suggestion to him is to package cash differently- gift cards. $50 to Target or something.

I think he has it a little harder since he is not in the agents office all day every day, but you would think a greenback would motivate. . .

 

[1manshow]

Your father should study up on some Dan Kennedy methods. Time to clean house and bring in some fresh new faces/attitudes.

 

[VolAgent]

Your father should study up on some Dan Kennedy methods. Time to clean house and bring in some fresh new faces/attitudes.

He's the EFS. He has no control over the agents.

Were I Cindy's father, I'd be tempted to see if I could find a way to tank the agent's life numbers. They are expecting him to keep their life numbers up for bonuses, contract renewal etc. It might well be they need to be reminded how much he means to them.

Probably mean and counterproductive, but definitely something I'd think about.

 

[1manshow]

maybe mean...but counterproductive...maybe not

 

[BigSteve]

I've been working in 3 different Good Hands offices, all totally different. Started at the third this week and its 5x busier then the first. I didn't learn how to really push the life until this week at the third. It all comes down to the agent and how they train. If nobody shows or teaches you how to do it, then you are left on your own. I can sell, but if the agent doesn't have a pipeline it's pointless. In 2 days this week I sold 7 P & C policies, 2 term life's for the EFS, and made 2 appointments. All because there was an incoming stream of prospects. You can hear the crickets at the other offices. Hope this helps.

 

[Rknee1]

I work as a LSP for an Allstate office also. Our EFS doesn't pay anything to us....I finally got our agency owner to pony up $10.00 per kept appointment...the EFS - he seems to always push some version of WL instead of any other product. (Commision for him of course). Lot of our clients are not lower middleclass...just starting out.....perfect target for term...to eventually convert or to add a new policy to when they become more wealthy financially - missing tons of investments helping them get a roth or reg. Ira started...

Our EFS (in illinois works with 11 offices) likes to target chicago suburb clients who are extremely well off...

If our agency was receiving the $50.00...the other EFS offered...he'd be packed with appointments at our offices.