Trying to Hold On! Need Help

[Gooner]

@xrac
OK, so you want to rationalize the mean-spirited answers and attitudes from so many of the agents here that are directed to newcomers because those who are new here ask what you consider 'dumb' questions and because they didn't do any research?

Dumb question, no research, or just stupid, why should anyone be badged, bullied, and belittled here? What purpose does that serve?

None.

It won't help those (us) agents succeed and maybe I'm wrong but I thought that was sort of the purpose of this group.

Tough love does not help, it just insults.

@Lorraine: this is a good place to ask about how a particular indexed annuity works or what a blended term and whole life policy is. People will answer you without saying you are "stupid." But this is not a good place to "bare your soul" and ask for or expect any kind of emotional support because all you will get is an internet flogging, just like you have already received.

Simple ask for specifics and from what I can gather by reading past postings you will be treated just fine.

Christ what the hell happened to people with backbones. This is a rejection business..get used to it. If you ask a dumbass question...which by all accounts this one was...you get a bunch of smart ass answers. ..deservedly!

Had she asked...like another poster did in the FE forum about needing support...she would have got it....I think it was Paige or Summer 18, they got all kind of "love"!

This however was a post for the,"oh gee, golly what do I do" section of the forum...it doesn't exist. She got real answers, they sucked, they were mean, but behind all of the spite lay truth. GET OFF YOUR @$$ AND GET TO WORK...then...AND ONLY THEN...complain and seek encouragement. You will find encouragement here..I promise..you just have to work first.

Reminds me of a line feom one of my 5 yeat olds favorite books, " The littlest dinosaur" the daddy dinosaur is getting mad at the egg because it won't hatch, so finally he screams at the egg..."COME ON EGG...DO SOMETHING! " low and behold the egg hatches..tough love..yes!

Just saying...come on...do something!

 

[Lorraine12]

I'm now aware of the kind of questions I should ask. You guys are right on. By the way I did search, but all I found were answers like I got on my post. My main intent on posting was to get someone who would reach out. I didn't want to go message people who don't want to help, or annoy them. I'll be unsubscribing to this post. Thank you all!


Gooner, I've done some cold door knocking. Lets just say it didn't work out in my area. So I decided to take a month off since husband was off on baby bonding vacation, something that probably won't happen again. So lets not assume I haven't tried at all. Its more like I cut into the steak and trying to figure what I can do to get my first bite. I'm starting again next Tuesday.

 

[LGilmore]

While I have read this post, I haven't commented on it yet, till now. It looks like some feelings got hurt with the answers given. I have not been one of those agents who have made any comments negative or positive.


Why? there's no point. I'm sorry but you aren't going to be in this business in 6 months. From your first few sentences you made it clear you'd rather be doing anything else than work. Getting an insurance license is easy, making an insurance career is hard, very hard. I think you mentioned your dad sold cars. That maybe is an area you should look into. Your personality may be better suited for car sales.


I'm sorry this isn't tough love, I'm not here to inspire you or become a mentor to somebody who at their very best is going to be a part timer or short timer in this business?


Poster? let me ask you this simple question? Have you purchased E&O coverage yet?

 

[nylife11023]

@Lorraine
Don't listen to the mean-spirited comments of LGilmore and others here. Many are not here to advise, they are here to judge. Don't let them judge you. Ignore their negativity and their hurtful comments and simply do the business the best way you can. Someone once said "If you think you can do something or you think you can't, you're right."

I'm in no position to give advice since I'm a newbie like you. I just call small business owners from a list and the phone book and ask them if they need life insurance or want to add to their current coverage. Most say 'no' but lots say 'yes.' It works for me. I'm too shy to go door to door or network at mixers with strangers. I'm at ease on the phone. Of course at this point I'm only selling simple term life plans which is not a difficult presentation to make, like universal life or whole life. But I'm making a living, not starving, working my own hours, and doing fine.

The only advice I'm qualified to give at this point is to find out how you want to approach people with what you want to interest them in and go and do it.

Don't pay any mind to the nasty comments you have received. Ask for answers to specific questions here, but don't ask for or expect any emotional support because this does not seem to be a supportive type of board.

Best of luck to you.

 

[LGilmore]

Nylife? What does your trainer tell you in career school? If you find other things to do, rather than work, you'll be gone from the business in a very short while.


What I posted to her was what I was told in the first week of NYL training over 25 years ago. I am surprised you didn't hear the same thing now.


Go back and read her first post. READ IT. It is classic wrong things to do starting out in this business straight from NYL. Are you actually a NYL agent? They don't talk about distraction anymore?


There are always more fun things to do than prospecting. Taking months off to do other things is not prospecting. If you're not prospecting in this business, you're not going to last. You know it, or at least as a captive have been told it. Read her posts and tell us how she's going to make it?


Being "nice" or what you think is "nice" isn't going to help her. You're just enabling, go ask your sales manager or trainer if you don't feel like prospecting for a month or two and if they're OK with that....


You also criticize agents who've been here a while about comments they make. Do you honestly think somebody like this doesn't roll in and out every few weeks? You've seen the references to Mah. Mah was one of the last ones and pretty sure she's gone from the business in less than 6 months. If you've on this forum for any length of time, you'll find the poster's type is pretty common here. Agents don't have patience for this stuff because they've already seen it and heard the story and know how it's going to turn out.


The only reason I chimed in was cause people like yourself were claiming people are too mean. Maybe it's not mean, maybe it's honest. This is far from the first person like this on this forum.

 

[xrac]

Loraine12, I would advise you to select one product and learn it inside out and concentrate on selling that one thing until you master it. For some really great inexpensive ideas on doing this I suggest that you read the posts by Mark Rosenthal. Maybe you even want to visit the forum Mark has set up. Insurance Agent Forum - Hosted by Mark Rosenthal • Index page

 

[Gooner]

Loraine12, I would advice you to select one product and learn it inside out and concentrate on selling that one thing until you master it. For some really great inexpensive ideas on doing this I suggest that you read the posts by Mark Rosenthal. Maybe you even want to visit the forum Mark has set up. Insurance Agent Forum - Hosted by Mark Rosenthal • Index page

Since grammar was an issue earlier in this thread, I have to point out a pet peeve of mine. Advice, is a noun, "I gave my Bob some friendly advice." Advise, is the verb, "I would advise you to select one product...."


I'm sorry, after all the $hit she caught on this thread, I thought I'd try to lighten it up.


Lorraine, do take a look at Mark's post and his website for some really good ideas. Be forewarned, if you call him...he's a talker!!

 

[sman]

Nylife? What does your trainer tell you in career school? If you find other things to do, rather than work, you'll be gone from the business in a very short while. What I posted to her was what I was told in the first week of NYL training over 25 years ago. I am surprised you didn't hear the same thing now. Go back and read her first post. READ IT. It is classic wrong things to do starting out in this business straight from NYL. Are you actually a NYL agent? They don't talk about distraction anymore? There are always more fun things to do than prospecting. Taking months off to do other things is not prospecting. If you're not prospecting in this business, you're not going to last. You know it, or at least as a captive have been told it. Read her posts and tell us how she's going to make it? Being "nice" or what you think is "nice" isn't going to help her. You're just enabling, go ask your sales manager or trainer if you don't feel like prospecting for a month or two and if they're OK with that.... You also criticize agents who've been here a while about comments they make. Do you honestly think somebody like this doesn't roll in and out every few weeks? You've seen the references to Mah. Mah was one of the last ones and pretty sure she's gone from the business in less than 6 months. If you've on this forum for any length of time, you'll find the poster's type is pretty common here. Agents don't have patience for this stuff because they've already seen it and heard the story and know how it's going to turn out. The only reason I chimed in was cause people like yourself were claiming people are too mean. Maybe it's not mean, maybe it's honest. This is far from the first person like this on this forum.

Not only that, but go look at her posts from December in the Senior section. She was upset because she was ready to start selling and couldn't get the information she needed to get started. Post after post she was ready to hit the ground running.

Now fast forward one month and she has a "passion" for the business, but still hasn't done anything in over a month. Forgive me if I don't bend over backwards to make sure I tip toe around her feelings. She signed on with a FE outfit, but chose the brokerage contract instead of the lead contract because "once she is trained she'll be able to make it happen". Some people can talk the talk and others walk the walk.

And Rick suggested she use proper grammar and punctuation back in December. So this thread wasn't the first time anyone has mentioned anything to her about it. Years ago I had a manager who once told an agent who came into his office to quit, "You can't quit something you've never started". The OP has had over a month to get started with this career she's so "passionate" about. I don't know anything about EFES, but according to posts by jdeasy, it sounds as if they will provide all the training a person could want. So 40-50 days in and a person hasn't done anything, I question how "passionate" they really are. If that makes me mean, then I'm mean. I think it makes me honest and some people really don't like hearing the truth.

 

[xrac]

Not only that, but go look at her posts from December in the Senior section. She was upset because she was ready to start selling and couldn't get the information she needed to get started. Post after post she was ready to hit the ground running.

Now fast forward one month and she has a "passion" for the business, but still hasn't done anything in over a month. Forgive me if I don't bend over backwards to make sure I tip toe around her feelings. She signed on with a FE outfit, but chose the brokerage contract instead of the lead contract because "once she is trained she'll be able to make it happen". Some people can talk the talk and others walk the walk.

And Rick suggested she use proper grammar and punctuation back in December. So this thread wasn't the first time anyone has mentioned anything to her about it. Years ago I had a manager who once told an agent who came into his office to quit, "You can't quit something you've never started". The OP has had over a month to get started with this career she's so "passionate" about. I don't know anything about EFES, but according to posts by jdeasy, it sounds as if they will provide all the training a person could want. So 40-50 days in and a person hasn't done anything, I question how "passionate" they really are. If that makes me mean, then I'm mean. I think it makes me honest and some people really don't like hearing the truth.

Sman, I didn't know about the December posts. This is a point well taken. The ball is definitely in her court and it looks like she is not dribbling, passing, or shooting.

 

[Mark]

Lorraine, do take a look at Mark's post and his website for some really good ideas. Be forewarned, if you call him...he's a talker!!

I love to talk people's head off. I love what I do and I get paid to have fun and talk to people. My mind never slows down.