What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
Don't join a PAID association
I have been an Independant Agent for several years and make well into the six figures, as I don't mean to brag. My initial start and stepping stone was with a Captive Company. I suggest all new agents use this channel initially. A new agent should sponge up all they can while with the Captive. You'll be trained in person, run face to face appointments, and learn the most important part of this job -HOW TO SELL. Which brings us to this "association".
If the association guy wanted to continue to offer free advice and insight, (for which this board was created) I would applaud the effort. Now it's become a $ thing.
This forum was created to be a resource, not a commerical recruiting station.
Do you want to pay $ to take in a webinar and to hear some rhetoric?
Take my advice: join the Captive Company -be captive for a little while, learn how to sell, then go out on your own as an independent. If you start as an independent without hands on, local (in person) training -you will fail. There is one exception to this rule -The Silver Tongue.
If you have this gift, you can sell ketchup popsicles to people in white gloves, and ice to eskimoes, etc.
If you're already Captive and making the move over, just read this board. There is a plethora of solid information and agents willing to help, including myself. There's no need to pay for anything.
The peanut gallery here will surely have something to say about this post, as several are just minions that'll chime in with some dramatic, knee-jerk jabs.
This is a great business if you know how to sell. Selling is an art, the rest just falls into place.
Best of luck to you all!
------------------------------------
Michael R. Hrad
Principal Managing Partner
Insurance Benefits Group
Health Insurance Professionals LLC
Re: What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
Dunno - if you get $1 per lead discount on some lead sources 20 leads pays for membership. $50 off the Norvax more than pays for it on top of the 12 other companies we have lined up and more coming every week.
If it's not your cup of tea then fine - but we're helping a LOT of agents.
------------------------------------ Health Insurance Agents: Training, Support, Discounts, E&O for $440 www.ihiaa.com
Re: What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
Seems good if you get back more than it costs - no argument with value.
I do NOT think though that noobies to the biz should attempt to go independent from scratch. Too much to learn. Too small a chance of success. Work for somebody for a while to learn the ropes. Nothing is forever!
------------------------------------ Don't steal - the government hates competition.
Re: What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas
Seems good if you get back more than it costs - no argument with value.
I do NOT think though that noobies to the biz should attempt to go independent from scratch. Too much to learn. Too small a chance of success. Work for somebody for a while to learn the ropes. Nothing is forever!
Re: What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
In my opinion when you are starting out in this business you had better hook up with someone who knows what they are talking about. Otherwise you are screwed. Why the hell do you think that the drop out rate in this business is worse than McDonalds. Books are fine, but nothing beats talking to someone. Also when you are new, a community atmosphere encourages you to work harder and consequently produce more. It certainly fosters competition, and that can't be bad. For my money it beats the hell out of being captive in order to get training
NB: I am not a member of any association.
I heard on the Grapevine that Petrowski sends out the heavies if you don't pay the dues. But what can you expect from Maryland.
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Make sure that brain is in gear before operating mouth
Re: What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
Originally Posted by Expat
In my opinion when you are starting out in this business you had better hook up with someone who knows what they are talking about. Otherwise you are screwed. Why the hell do you think that the drop out rate in this business is worse than McDonalds. Books are fine, but nothing beats talking to someone. Also when you are new, a community atmosphere encourages you to work harder and consequently produce more. It certainly fosters competition, and that can't be bad. For my money it beats the hell out of being captive in order to get training
NB: I am not a member of any association.
I heard on the Grapevine that Petrowski sends out the heavies if you don't pay the dues. But what can you expect from Maryland.
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We just bought Vito on - he's taking care of the "member happiness" program.
Re: What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
I agree that any newly licensed agent entering the business should start captive until they have a grasp on sales, products, their state's market etc. Has any seasoned agent on this board started indy?
Being newly licensed and thinking an association will get you off the ground is wishful thinking. You can buy as many discounted leads as you want, grab a Norvax quote engine and get some great marketing ideas...feel great about all the money you're going to make because of the ROI numbers thrown around...but without enduring all the rejection we've all experienced, thinking on our feet when when it comes to objections, knowing every plan in our state and having the confidence in our recommendations...these newly licensed agents will slowly fade out without an organization holding their hand, training them, encouraging them through the lows etc.
From my perspective, the association is great for agents coming from captive outfits or still new in the business and have a handle on their market, which I believe is their core membership. Also any agent that buys leads should join. For newly licensed agents with no clue about their state's market, you need to hook up with someone from your state or a captive agency to start. In my opinion, it's the quickest way to ramp up.
Re: What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
Originally Posted by JRoot
I agree that any newly licensed agent entering the business should start captive until they have a grasp on sales, products, their state's market etc. Has any seasoned agent on this board started indy?
Being newly licensed and thinking an association will get you off the ground is wishful thinking. You can buy as many discounted leads as you want, grab a Norvax quote engine and get some great marketing ideas...feel great about all the money you're going to make because of the ROI numbers thrown around...but without enduring all the rejection we've all experienced, thinking on our feet when when it comes to objections, knowing every plan in our state and having the confidence in our recommendations...these newly licensed agents will slowly fade out without an organization holding their hand, training them, encouraging them through the lows etc.
From my perspective, the association is great for agents coming from captive outfits or still new in the business and have a handle on their market, which I believe is their core membership. Also any agent that buys leads should join. For newly licensed agents with no clue about their state's market, you need to hook up with someone from your state or a captive agency to start. In my opinion, it's the quickest way to ramp up.
I don't have many members at all where the ink's drying on their license. 95% of all members have been in the biz for a while - most coming out of some of the more unethical shops around.
Recently, I've had an influx of agents well into 2, 3, 5 years as agents - by month's end I should have over 20 companies all offering discounts....which you will not be able to get on your own.
When I line up discounts with vendors I discuss that it's of no real value if the member's discount can be negotiated by just anyone. All have agreed.
As membership grows so do the discounts. Most members have never posted on this board - they know about it but are not "board posters."
You can assume that all agents are inclined to get their information from posting on boards - I will tell you that's not the case. I'd also ask whether or not you want hundreds of agents on this board, all asking for information. Would get real old real fast.
The bottom line is if you want to run 4 weeks worth of searches on this forum and try to grab information from 500 different posts that's fine. Most would rather pay the rather steep fee of $19.95/mo and get it all at once....and ongoing for a year.
Re: What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
I did my "training" with Mega (It was PFL back in 1990).
I week of classroom training. (I was not allowed to bring a pillow). Most of this consisted of the NASE booklet and how bad Blue Cross, Aetna etc are.
"Field training"
I listened to my district manager make a few phone calls, from telephone room leads, and set up a couple of appointments.
The following day we set off to run 5 (Yes five) appointments.
3 of them no showed, the other 2 were no money and no checking account. Total income from this day ZERO, not to mention wasted time and petrol.
From this "training I learned quite a lot.
1. How not to set appointments (I'll be in your area etc)
2. The Mega credo of NOT quoting prices is totally stupid.
3. Managers don't know S*** from shinola when it comes to product knowledge. Mind you, they knew all of the bad points of the competition.
The following day I got on the telephone and set some appointments, quoted them an exact price, and qualified the hell out of them, including that this was going to be a bank draft.
First week I sold three, and have never looked back. (Without the hour wasted on trying to explain how NASE would pay for the insurance).
Obviously if you are able to hook up with an ethical local agent who will let you listen in and sit in on some appointments, this is the best training of all. You may have to split or forgo your commissions, but it is worth every penny.
Re: What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting StartedGo to Top
Originally Posted by Expat
I did my "training" with Mega (It was PFL back in 1990).
I week of classroom training. (I was not allowed to bring a pillow). Most of this consisted of the NASE booklet and how bad Blue Cross, Aetna etc are.
"Field training"
I listened to my district manager make a few phone calls, from telephone room leads, and set up a couple of appointments.
The following day we set off to run 5 (Yes five) appointments.
3 of them no showed, the other 2 were no money and no checking account. Total income from this day ZERO, not to mention wasted time and petrol.
From this "training I learned quite a lot.
1. How not to set appointments (I'll be in your area etc)
2. The Mega credo of NOT quoting prices is totally stupid.
3. Managers don't know S*** from shinola when it comes to product knowledge. Mind you, they knew all of the bad points of the competition.
The following day I got on the telephone and set some appointments, quoted them an exact price, and qualified the hell out of them, including that this was going to be a bank draft.
First week I sold three, and have never looked back. (Without the hour wasted on trying to explain how NASE would pay for the insurance).
Obviously if you are able to hook up with an ethical local agent who will let you listen in and sit in on some appointments, this is the best training of all. You may have to split or forgo your commissions, but it is worth every penny.
Thank you Expat. You've made my point very eloquently. As my Dad used to say, "you can even learn something from a moron."
When I asked him what, he'd say, "how NOT to be a moron."
What NOT to Do as a New Agent Getting Started
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