Boosting Sales Efficiency Agents reveal secrets of growth and success “Best Year Ever” contestants share what they’ve learned By Michael Jans Last fall, Shaun Irwin left an agents’ meeting in Chicago driving a $45,000 Audi TT. Nothing unusual about that, except that before the meeting, Shaun didn’t own a TT. And he didn’t buy this one. He won it at the meeting. Not in a raffle. Not in a lottery. Shaun won the car because he was recognized as the winner in an agents’ “Best Year Ever Contest,” in a friendly but serious competition with 500 other members of Shaun’s marketing network. I’m not writing this to brag about Shaun. (He is my client.) I’m using him as an example of what any agent can do: make more money, gain masterful control over a rapidly growing agency and, in genuine fulfillment of the American Dream, take more time off for himself, his family and his community. Specifically, in a few short years, Shaun has: And, while some of us may not appreciate his minstreling as much as he does, he learned to play the guitar. I’m often asked what qualities or characteristics make it possible for an agent like Shaun to be “super-successful.” I’d like to pass on my observations about that by sharing the common qualities I’ve seen in Shaun and the other nine Best Year Ever Contest finalists. These agents kill excuses for agents throughout America. They eliminate the notion that some agents or some regions “have it easy” because of some special advantage. They come from all regions—states as diverse as California, Alabama, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Minnesota, New York and Oregon. They run agencies of every size. One of the agencies is only two years old. Other, more established agencies have more than $5 million in revenue. These agents run personal lines and commercial lines agencies. They come from urban, rural and suburban areas. Their agencies grew an average of 29% last year. If that gets your attention, let’s see what we can learn from them. First, let me introduce them by name, then reveal what I consider to be the most important business lessons from this disparate group: Orlando Frasca, Bill Gough, Dennis Hamsher, Charlotte Hicks, Larry Hines, Tom Larsen, Tammy Lesueur, Mike Stromsoe, Terry Young. And, of course, Shaun Irwin. 1. “Rich people have big libraries. Poor people have big TVs.” Motivational speaker Jim Rohn deserves credit for that statement. But this group exemplifies it. They are passionate about investing in their own marketing and business education. They believe that “school is never out for the pro.” They are always on the prowl for the slight edge. A quick look at their offices not only will reveal a wide range of books on marketing, business and the world in general, it will reveal a myriad of tapes, CDs and self-study courses. A quick perusal of their calendars will reveal a serious investment of their time in business and marketing education, as well as attendance at seminars and workshops throughout the country. 2. They’re entrepreneurs first, insurance agents second. That’s not to say they don’t value insurance and technical skills. They do. It’s not to say they don’t provide outstanding service to their clients. They do. It simply means they’re committed to growth—and they eat, breathe and sleep the principles of growth. It means they understand that a strong business is the best assurance of exceptional service and reliability. It also means that they’re likely to withstand market swings and industry pressures better than average agents do. Review their calendars. You’ll see how much time they spend working on their business—developing systems that run their business, making it run smoothly—without relying on their “manual labor.” 3. Marketing mania. These agents don’t leave the content of their Yellow Pages ad to the Yellow Pages rep. They don’t allow the message of their newspaper, radio or TV ad to be created by the local media sales rep. They don’t imitate a sales letter they read somewhere—unless they know it works. In other words, they take personal ownership of their agency’s advertising and marketing. And they study the principles of successful marketing. They see marketing as their agency’s core purpose: as the ability to attract, convert and retain clients at the highest possible long-term profit. Marketing isn’t a “department” off to the side. The philosophy of marketing runs through the blood and DNA of the entire agency. Again, review their calendars. You’ll see big chunks of time devoted to marketing. Every single week, without fail. 4. No excuses. They take personal responsibility for their situation. I’ve never heard these agents moan or whine about their circumstances. I’ve never seen them get stuck in envy or despair. Tom Larsen left one agency and started his own two years ago. His new business was up 309% last year. His commission income was up 101%. He knows he’s on track for a lifetime of success. Tammy Lesueur’s agency is hidden in a small, low-income town, wedged between three national forests. She’s tripled the size of her agency in the last five years. Dennis Hamsher’s training—and career track—was as a butcher, not an insurance agent. He’s increased his income 248% since 2000. 5. Focus on the customer. Most agents think the purpose of getting the customer is to get the sale. These agents understand that the purpose of the sale is to get the customer. They understand the Ultimate Lifetime Value of a customer—and do whatever is economically feasible to keep those customers and to increase their value to the agency. Most of these agents will have a Client Nurturing Calendar on their walls. You’ll see a year’s worth of pre-scheduled e-mails, newsletters, and safety and protection messages that position these agents in relationships that clients never want to break—regardless of price swings. 6. More time off. This may seem strange, but I suspect these agents take two to three times as much time off as the average agent. First of all, they can. They have the money. And their agencies are running on “auto-pilot” systems. But, more important, they take more time off because it’s good for the agency. They have more balance. More energy. More inspiration. Orlando took 12 weeks off last year. Charlotte spent several weeks scuba diving in the Caribbean. Mike just took a 22-day vacation. Dennis is “complaining” that he’s only working about 10 hours a week, and he’s not used to that much freedom. This group of agents took an average of six to seven weeks of vacation in 2005. 7. They’re not alone. The danger of “being at the top” and running your own agency is the physical and emotional isolation from a peer group that helps you solve your problems, shares ideas and holds you accountable. Because so many members are competitors, local trade associations usually don’t satisfy the need for these agents who have committed their efforts to building a “mastermind” group, frequently spending thousands of dollars to visit, learn from and brainstorm with other success-minded colleagues. 8. “Mad Dogs” about controlling their time. Nothing reveals the practice of personal values like the administration of time. If it’s not in the calendar, it’s not really important. This group is notable for a rabid, almost obsessive control over their time. They schedule marketing time. They schedule business development time. They understand what’s important and put it on their business calendar before they let day-to-day duties shove it aside. They do not tolerate interruption. They have systems that protect them. Orlando schedules two “marketing days” per week. The only reasons his staff can interrupt him on those days are fire and flood. Tammy works at home every day, free from interruption. Time is the precious limited commodity. These agents don’t waste it. Success is a choice. These 10 agents—industry superstars by any definition—have left clues on how to achieve it. Resolve to make 2006 your “best year ever.” To get a free copy of a one-hour interview between Michael Jans and Shaun Irwin, call the IPS office at (888) 738-5789 and press any extension. * The author |
|