Interview with AGLA Tomorrow!

[Crabcake Johnny]

I'm not a fan of the Jedi mind tricks when you get into sales jobs, ie: What you're selling is SOOOOO valuable you're doing your friends and family a disservice by not selling it do them.

It's very "Amyway'ish" -and it doesn't work. Oh, and your friends and family will hate being called. If you want a sales job where you have to pester your friends and family, look into CutCo knives.

 

[rousemark]

I

It's very "Amyway'ish" -and it doesn't work. Oh, and your friends and family will hate being called. If you want a sales job where you have to pester your friends and family, look into CutCo knives.

I take it you also consider calling on strangers as "pestering" them since it is the same process whether you know the person or not. The only difference is if the stranger dies, you don't have to look at the family and say, "I'm sorry you are having such a rough time financially . I wish there was some way I could help."

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I believe you should let your friends and family know you're now in the insurance business - absolutely create a business FB page and invite them all to follow. Those interested will contact you.

Past that, if you wish to call up all of your friends and family that's a matter of personal preference. I declined and did just fine in the industry.

 

[Larry Tew]

I'm not a fan of the Jedi mind tricks when you get into sales jobs, ie: What you're selling is SOOOOO valuable you're doing your friends and family a disservice by not selling it do them.

It's very "Amyway'ish" -and it doesn't work. Oh, and your friends and family will hate being called. If you want a sales job where you have to pester your friends and family, look into CutCo knives.

I'm sorry you feel that way. How does this help the OP?

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

What will help the OP is the fact that they need to establish a marketing plan - one that will build longevity in this business.

It can be a combination of things - local marketing, chamber of commerce, leads, etc...

Calling 100 people you know is a quick fix at best. After those 100 number have been dialed, then what. I recommended addressing "then what" now.

I'd seek out agents who have been successful in the industry. This is what I did about 6 months into my career with the chamber of commerce. I met a lot of seasoned agents who were more than willing to give me some great advice. Funny, not one of them told me to start calling friends and family.

 

[rousemark]

What will help the OP is the fact that they need to establish a marketing plan - one that will build longevity in this business.

It can be a combination of things - local marketing, chamber of commerce, leads, etc...

Calling 100 people you know is a quick fix at best. After those 100 number have been dialed, then what. I recommended addressing "then what" now.

I'd seek out agents who have been successful in the industry. This is what I did about 6 months into my career with the chamber of commerce. I met a lot of seasoned agents who were more than willing to give me some great advice. Funny, not one of them told me to start calling friends and family.

Actually, the Project 100 is not supposed to be only a source of sales prospects.. It is to be a memory jogger to remind you who you know that can be a center of influence, a source of referrals, etc. In fact, the instructions are to list the names without consideration of whether they may be a prospect or not...

I first started with NL&A in 1971.. stayed 5 years, 3 of them in management and then left to start my own life and health agency, retiring in 1998. In 2005 I lost my health insurance not long have having a series of heart attacks and bypass surgery.. My wife was also uninsurable so I went back to AGLA for their benefit package. Even though I had been in the business for many years, I completed the Project 100 the same as any new agent. Doing so brought to mind not only people I knew but people that they knew to whom they could give me an introduction. Used properly the Project 100 will develop into a continuous prospect chain.. All without "pestering" anyone. Have gone back into retirement but maintained a Special Rep contract with AGLA and still work a couple of days per week putting business with them and working the FE market.

 

[Larry Tew]

What will help the OP is the fact that they need to establish a marketing plan - one that will build longevity in this business.

It can be a combination of things - local marketing, chamber of commerce, leads, etc...

Calling 100 people you know is a quick fix at best. After those 100 number have been dialed, then what. I recommended addressing "then what" now.

I'd seek out agents who have been successful in the industry. This is what I did about 6 months into my career with the chamber of commerce. I met a lot of seasoned agents who were more than willing to give me some great advice. Funny, not one of them told me to start calling friends and family.

The "then what" is developing a referral and personal observation mindset from day one. People can and do get started using a Project 100 approach - they just don't stay in motion for long unless they are identifying the right profile of a prospect for them and adding to that inventory.

Also, many start in a preliminary training process and determine while calling on some of their project 100 that they aren't suited for it.

As to calling on friends and family, I told many of them when I started (1980) that I may not have as much experience as other agents, but no one would care more about their money and security as I would. I believed it, and apparently they did too.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

 

[Larry Tew]

Yeah, Ned Ryerson. I'm not Ned. Give me a list of all your friends and family and I'll call on them and do a job you would be proud of.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

With a captive product? Pass:-)