Working my current book of business - lining up carrier training

Over the past two weeks I've been calling 10 clients a day - I have a pretty large book of business after 4 years in the biz and frankly, aside from the constant contact newsletters I do not stay in touch with them.

I think most of us are guilty of concentrating on the next sale and letting clients who have been on the books a while become forgotten.

Well, I did two deals this past week just from calling my book of business. Everyone liked that I called them and I even solved a few problems and am working on moving 6 currently dissatisfied clients to other carriers.

I think my book is large enough where, if I concentrate on referrals, I can get 2 deals per week every week.

For some reason, I've always had some sort of fear (probably from my Mega days) and if I picked up the phone and starting calling people who have been on the books for a while I'd hear:

"Yeah, thanks for calling - this plan sucks and...."

Now - I don't know where the fear comes from - I only sell sold plans and no one I called was mad at me - a few were disappointed with their plans and just want a change.

On the association front - yesterday was the biggest membership day - I was processing new members almost all day.

Looks like a lot of people, just like me, really want a community environment - and of course we go far past that with a ton of support.

Starting on Monday we'll have a full schedule of live webinar/conferences that members can punch into at will. We're gonna have two general webinars where everyone can get around with everyone else and we can simply shoot the shit and trade ideas.

I'll also be announcing the 1st contest on Monday. Imagine, contests, prizes and recognition for independent agents.

However, much more important to me is training. I called most of the top national carriers last week and had some great conversations on how a lack of training on the corporate level really hurts them.

So what I'm lining up is a rep from the carrier running a webinar for members. So someone from "ABC Carrier" will run a presentation on the plans, underwriting and ethical standards for agents for members. All of them said yes.

Now what we can eliminate is new agents being either not training or mis-trained by GAs, MGAs, FMO's etc...Remember, the association does not offer contracts - our members still have to hook up with the carrier directly (almost zero training) or go through an agency (iffy training.)
Right now the only way carriers know to do business is:

A) Marketing outfits recruit agents for them
B) Agents simply happen to fall into their lap after they get contracted

I will argue with anyone that both of those methods are failed models. Another model is to have agents join the association, get all the basics and tools they need for success, then call up Unicare, for example, and say "Ok, we have 60 new members who need contracts - let's schedule the Unicare training webinars for them."

Over time, this can change a lot of the ways this industry current runs.