Stepping in on Day 1...

[ZJohnson]

This is for all the "Old Guys" in the forum. Let's imagine this is Day 1 of your Independent Insurance career. You have nothing but a freshly minted license and a gleam in your eye. After stopping by Office Depot to purchase the obligatory overpriced rubber trash can....your 40hr (or 60hr) workweek begins. The Insurance Forum Gods have shined favorably on you and you have every appointment you desire.

Now, it is time to "make a living". What are you doing in that first 40hrs to set your Agency on a path to success? I won't name a product you are selling, as this is YOUR path.....so answer as if this were you starting. What are you investing in? What software/systems? What's the budget? You buying leads? Website Development? Learning the mysteries of S E O? What do you know now that you wish you knew on your Day 1 ( back at the turn of the century)?

 

[fed up]

call everybody I know to let them know I opened my own business. Get a deli platter and invite each person who answers to join me for lunch and see my new office

 

[Markthebroker]

This is for all the "Old Guys" in the forum. Let's imagine this is Day 1 of your Independent Insurance career. You have nothing but a freshly minted license and a gleam in your eye. After stopping by Office Depot to purchase the obligatory overpriced rubber trash can....your 40hr (or 60hr) workweek begins. The Insurance Forum Gods have shined favorably on you and you have every appointment you desire.

Now, it is time to "make a living". What are you doing in that first 40hrs to set your Agency on a path to success? I won't name a product you are selling, as this is YOUR path.....so answer as if this were you starting. What are you investing in? What software/systems? What's the budget? You buying leads? Website Development? Learning the mysteries of S E O? What do you know now that you wish you knew on your Day 1 ( back at the turn of the century)?

What type of insurance?

 

[ZJohnson]

What type of insurance?

You missed it! Lol, I said this is "you" getting started. So, whatever you sell is how you respond.

 

[Markthebroker]

You missed it! Lol, I said this is "you" getting started. So, whatever you sell is how you respond.

Then this thread will be a complete waste of time. I sell only commercial, which is quite different from personal lines p&c, which is different from senior insurance, which is different from FE, which is different from most other life, which is different than group health, which is different from individual health. Then we can start talking about how each state differs.

If you clarify what YOU are looking for, then some people will be willing to help.

 

[ZJohnson]

Then this thread will be a complete waste of time. I sell only commercial, which is quite different from personal lines p&c, which is different from senior insurance, which is different from FE, which is different from most other life, which is different than group health, which is different from individual health. Then we can start talking about how each state differs.

If you clarify what YOU are looking for, then some people will be willing to help.

A waste of time for you maybe. A guy or gal starting in the industry needs insight on how to operate an efficient and effective agency....no matter what you are selling. This why I left this one part open so that we may all learn something that might be helpful. If sharing YOUR experience is a "waste of time" then why join a forum in the first place.

We are not looking for rocket science here, just some general advice. Most people who have never hung a shingle think that you build it and they will come. As an experienced agent, you know this isn't true. Help the "hypethetical" newbie out and give something! I mean "buy a bottle of Jim Bean" would more helpful than the typical snarky "You don't have a clue" comment from the forum. This is literally a hypothetical of a guy or gal who clearly has no clue. If you don't wanna indulge then why comment?

 

[Tahoe Ray]

A guy or gal starting in the industry needs insight on how to operate an efficient and effective agency....no matter what you are selling.

This isn't true.

Marketing your services/agency is everything and as Mark mentioned, the differences between acquiring clients for commercial P&C vs. annuities vs. FE are all vastly different.

Responses will vary greatly depending on your licensing and specialty.

 

[ZJohnson]

This isn't true.

Marketing your services/agency is everything and as Mark mentioned, the differences between acquiring clients for commercial P&C vs. annuities vs. FE are all vastly different.

Responses will vary greatly depending on your licensing and specialty.

Ok, so you're saying we can't learn from each other? I was just looking to hear some good advice.

 

[Markthebroker]

Ok, so you're saying we can't learn from each other? I was just looking to hear some good advice.

Yes we can, about as well as a foot doctor could learn from an dentist, or an auto mechanic could learn from appliance repair man.

 

[ZJohnson]

Marketing your services/agency is everything

Even something as general as this could be gold for someone starting out.

How about "hey kid! Look into Agency Management Systems once you hit this. I like this one because of x. You might need a rater if you are in this segment....for x, I use this. For my business, I get most of my leads by doing x....I learned about them from source Y. Read book z, it changed my life. Get certification blah, I learned so much from them. My budget when I started was this but I wish I had this because I didn't know this." Is that so hard?