Still tracking

Everything's on course and it's exciting to see this all slowly coming together. I touched on this briefly before but the end result of this is a local agency designed for new agents. Newly licensed agents really have no place to start. A very soft touch script: "....would just like you to see the newest rates and plans" works fine. It generates a high amount of interest and qualifying them on the 2nd call takes 10 seconds and is very easy.

Right now I'm putting together a state-of-the-art training website. It's not instead of training, but as a supplement. All of my hiring and training is going to be done in person. However, new agents need to place to go to study. It's all going to be video-based - very little text. I'll have videos that go over all the plans, underwriting and videos on marketing and closing.

I'm designing my agency to be unique. I've been in sales for a long time and I'm taking bits and pieces of former companies I've worked with. Here are some specifics:

*Everyone will be under my agency for Assurant, Golden Rule and World. However, they will be independent and free to write for any other company. As my agency does more production I can qualify for Aetna and Blue Cross GA contracts.

*Bonuses, contests, competitions for fun and excitement.

*Top commissions to entry-level agents. When new agents make money everyone wins. When GAs try to stroke new agents no one makes money. Agents eventually wise up and come to know the commission structure anyway. If they feel they've been stroked you lose respect. I don't want a "turn it and burn it" outfit. I want agents with me for their entire tenure in insurance. If some agents want to manage and have their own "teams" I'll make that available.

*For new agents meeting are daily. I have not been involved with any sales organization that didn't have daily meetings. After training is over, meetings are once a week. However, I want to have lunch meetings where everyone meets at a restaurant. I think the cost will be negligible; even 20 agents a $15 a pop is only $300.

*Training and this is a pet peeve of mine. I received more training to sell cars and home improvements then health insurance. It's damned if you do, damned if you don't for GAs. You can put a lot of time and effort into training and almost no business gets written. Because of that most GAs ends up saying "screw it - here's the brochures now go write business." Now you need to hire hordes of agents to get a few deals and the very few agents who are writing don't know their ass from a hole in the wall.

*I'm going to be heavy-handed. I know this will probably stir some controversy but I take paying bills seriously. You either have the work ethic and personality to do this or you don't. I've seen agents make nothing or close to nothing for months while being strung along by their "managers" who are just looking for 100 people to each write a deal. I will not allow that. I'll hold their feet to the fire for the first few weeks and if they don't have what it takes it's time to part ways.

I've seen new car salesmen toasted on the 1st day. The manager will ask how many "ups" they took. The newbie says "Ummm, none." Manager says "So you've walked around the floor for 8 hours and haven't greeted anyone?" Newbie: "Ummm, no." Manager; "We'll it's been nice working with you." Do not waste time on people devoid of a work ethic. They drag you and the entire organization down. These are also the same knuckleheads to try to neg everyone out. They also love to get around other newbies: "Man....this really sucks doesn't it." Gone.

Here's my take on training. When training is lacking one of two messages are sent:

1) That is a joke and just get the damned deal.
2) No one makes it so why should I put any effort into this.

My training is going to be every day for two weeks, 4 hours a day. For the 1st 3 hours it's telemarketing to generate leads. Then a one hour break. Then it's 4 hours of training. The bottom line is the failure rate in this business is high enough already. If you want to all but guaranteed failure then don't train.