Just passed the PA Licensing Exam and ready to make the switch from car sales to a captive agent position with AGLA.
I need some advice about a good book on prospecting skills. I realize any sales position requires good prospecting skills and this is one skill I feel I will need to get better at in the insurance field. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Just passed the PA Licensing Exam and ready to make the switch from car sales to a captive agent position with AGLA.
I need some advice about a good book on prospecting skills. I realize any sales position requires good prospecting skills and this is one skill I feel I will need to get better at in the insurance field. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Is AGLA the same as American General? AIG?
Isn't Enron hiring?
I'm only half joking. Isn't there an easier company to hook up with? I think this will be a very difficult time in history to try to start selling AIG. I think people who already have AIG are VERY cold on the thought of buying another product from them...at least for a few years.
AGLA is one of the few companies AIG owns that is making money. So they will most likely be sold so AIG can raise capital. If that happens it will be business as usual just with a different parent company. Now back to the original question. Prospecting????
I didn't ask about what company I should go to work for although I appreciate the concern and insight. However I did ask about prospecting and if anybody had a suggestion about a good book on this topic.
I need some advice about a good book on prospecting skills. I realize any sales position requires good prospecting skills and this is one skill I feel I will need to get better at in the insurance field. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I don't know very much about prospecting for health insurance, I only work the senior market.
I just wanted to say how refreshing it is to hear a new agent acknowledge that the most important part about selling anything is learning how to prospect effectively.
You didn't say you were looking for a "telemarketer" to set your appointments. Wow, you can't help but be successful.
It's awfully hard to sell a product when you don't know how to find the prospect to sell it to. Read the posts by new agents, most of them are looking for someone to do that for them.
Anyone can sell insurance, the successful agents are the ones who know the myriad of ways to find the people to sell it to.
Good luck and if there is ever anything I can do to help please give me a call.
------------------------------------ Professional Medicare Supplement Sales Training, Coaching and Support.
"The Perfect Contact Management Program (CMP) for the Insurance Professional" www.YourInsuranceOffice.com
877.633.0808
Finally, some responses about prospecting, which is what the thread was supposed to be about. Thanks guys. I have been reading and posting on this forum for about 6 months now and I have gotten alot of good info here. The one thing I noticed though is there is alot of posts that do not pertain to the subject. Can be kind of frustrating if you are the one trying to get some information.
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MrBill, Looked at that book on Amazon.com and noticed it had a copyright of 1997. Will these techniques still apply today or will they be dated? If they are dated do you know of a book written more recently?
Last edited by Bozack23 : 09-27-2008 at 05:47 PM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Mark Rosenthal is offer free tapes on prospecting life insurance on this forum. He's got some excellant material
That will teach you everything you need know to be successfull.
Hi Guys and Gals!
I made good money in selling MA last year, unfortunately, I was not doing so well at selling Health Insurance for Mega. I am thinking about going independent with health insurance, and was wondering whom might I consider in using for MA, I live in the Roanoke area of Virginia.
Bill
That is the very, very last thing I would suggest to an agent.
You don't really believe that do you? That sounds like something a marketing organization or someone who is training agents would say.
I disagree with you.
Friends and family can be a source of new sales. Obviously your not going to sell them something they don't need or that is not a good fit.
To sit down with someone you already know and have a conversation about insurance products. Maybe you are able to save them money or insure against a risk.
I think its easier to get a meeting with someone you already know. Its not predatorial sales its just sales.
I would hope the one that started this post would not sell a friend or family member a bad product because this is not used cars sales.
Go to the book store and thumb thru the many books on the subject. The Sales Bible is a good one. Also, relationship building is the key. Join some community based organizations, networking groups, bowling league, etc.
There is no single answer for prospecting, so it's hard to give specifics to a general question.
In general, it's all about you, and what works for you, not what works for someone else. That said, there are some general rules, most of which are much better covered in the material mentioned above, but my take is:
- Have a system. Systems are like diets. Everyone says they don't work, then try to sell you their system. Don't make this complex, but you need to keep track of your prospects and nurture them.
- Understand prospects need to be nurtured, especially in the life business. Chances are, you are not going to close on the first meeting, they'll think about it, shop it, won't want to spend the money, etc. Use the system mentioned above to nurture them.
- Leverage prospecting by finding centers of influence that work for you. I do mostly P&C insurance, so my centers of influence would be realtors, mortgage brokers, car dealers, etc, basically people that impact my future clients.
- Thank people appropriately (no rebating, a simple thanks). Take the time to send a handwritten thank you to the person that referred someone to you, and to the new client.
- Make sure people know what you do. Be proud of what you do.
- Do business in a manner that you would buy from yourself. Return phone calls, respond honestly, don't bury information, etc. (It will amaze you how many agents slip on this one over time).
- Call people on their birthdays, just say happy birthday. It's amazing how well this works, people will think you care (and you should).
- Be relentless with followup. Set expectations with your clients (I'll call you with that information tomorrow at 5) and then meet these expectations.
- Make sure whatever you do, that it is appropriate for the prospect. Okay, this is more of a sales rule for me rather than a prospecting thing, but it annoys me when a salesman is obviously going for a commission rather than solving a problem of mine, even if the 2 are the same thing.
- Followup. Nurture. Followup again. Nurture some more.
- Make sure people know what you do. Be proud of what you do.
- Be relentless with followup. Set expectations with your clients (I'll call you with that information tomorrow at 5) and then meet these expectations.
- Followup. Nurture. Followup again. Nurture some more.
Dan
Everything Dan says is correct. These three points I think need repeating.
If you sell life insurance and you have not yet delivered a death claim read the obituaries of the papers in your area. Just yesterday in my area there was an obit for a gentleman in his early 30's with 3 kids. The obit said in lieu of flowers please donate money to a memorial fund set up for his children. Now I don't know about this specific situation but if you read five of these I guarentee in at least 4 of them the person just didn't buy life insurance so memorial funds have to be set up for surviving family members. The country needs us everyday...
Relentless follow up is key. Always get committments and if they fail to give you a committment reevaluate whether or not this person is a good prospect.
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