New Agent: How to Get Started

So you just got your Health Insurance License and now you’re wondering where you go from here.  Let RB Insurance Group help you avoid many of the pitfalls a new agent can fall into.

Prime the “Pump”

Zig Ziglar said it best, you have to think of your sales pipeline like an old water well. You’re going to have to work hard to prime that old well’s pump before anything starts coming out the other end. But once that water DOES start flowing, it doesn’t take much work to keep it going. The idea here is that acquiring new business is always the most difficult and typically the most expensive cost for an agent. Once you’ve built your Book of Business to a considerable size, you can use your existing clients to bring in new business!

If you’ve done your job right, your clients will trust you as their Senior Insurance Adviser and ultimately refer their friends and family to you. The key here is, you must be proactive. Agents across the US would all be starving if we just sat by our phones waiting for them to ring with a prospective client on the other end. In the famous words of (okay, maybe not so famous… YET) RBI National Sales Manager, Charlie Ferrell. “He who climbs the tree and hollers, is the one that gets the dollars.”

Getting your First Clients

I can see it on your face, you’re thinking, “This sounds great and all, but where do I actually start?” Like I said above, when you’re first starting out as a new agent, you’re going to have to work for it. There’s a few different ways you can go about building that precious *Smeagle’s voice from LOTR* Book of Business.

Buying Leads

This is probably the first thing that goes through your head when I talk about getting started. There’s a reason why there are so many companies selling leads: it works. But there is a catch here that’s no secret, it’s expensive. There are a few different routes you can go when buying leads for Medicare Advantage: Direct Mail, Online, and more. Which avenue you choose is going to be largely determined by your target market.

Buying leads a fantastic way to “prime your sales pump”, especially if you have some extra cash to invest in your business. But your best bet is to combine a few different strategies to find new clients and not put all your eggs in one basket so to speak.

Educational Events

Educational events are a fantastic way to fill your sales pipeline with leads. The approach with educational events is more of a long term approach than simply just buying leads. The number one reason for that is, you can’t enroll or accept applications at a Medicare Educational event. So how effective are educational events you ask? Last year one of our agents made over 250 enrollments with leads from educational events. The goal is to put on an amazing event so that the attendees will look to you as a trusted adviser. It’s simple, people buy from people they trust. Now, you do have follow CMS regulations regarding educational events to remain compliant.

One of my favorite reasons for putting on educational events, especially for a new agent? They don’t break the bank!  Your local public library will typically have space available to hold seminars at very little to no cost.

So how do you get people to show up? I like to get permission and put up flyers at different businesses (that are close to your event) to advertise, think of places where seniors are more likely to be. Think of any groups you belong to, church, book clubs, golf buddies, etc. The trick is to let everyone know what you do! Even if they’re not Medicare eligible, I can guarantee you that they know someone that is. Word of mouth is hands down the cheapest way to get people to show up. Last but not least, cold calling. Just the words “cold calling” leave a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths, but it is a great skill to have, especially if you plan on doing Medicare educational events. You have to be careful here though, as you cannot discuss Medicare Part C and D plan specifics with prospective beneficiaries, even if they ask you about it. If you called them and they bring up Medicare Advantage, you cannot talk about specific benefits. You are ONLY trying to get them to attend your educational event, DO NOT try to sell these people over the phone.

Upcoming Webinar on Thursday, March 21st, 2019!

Join RBI National Sales Manager, Charlie Ferrell, for our webinar: “Medicare Educational Events for Newbies!” Use the Button below or click HERE to RSVP!

Also be sure to check out my blog post about the “Power of Voice Inflection” for great tips to improve your phone skills!

Words of Wisdom

Here’s a story from Bob Bever, CEO at RBI. It was November of 2017. Bob was pumping gas, filling up before heading to an appointment across town when the guy next to him asked him about his “Medicare Compare” shirt. Bob spends 3 minutes with him telling him exactly what he does and how he helps people, then hands him a business card. A few days pass and the guy ends up calling Bob and enrolls in a plan that fit his needs. Not bad for a lead that only cost him 3 minutes of his time.

Agents tend to minimize their experience and ignore the people around them every day. People you know, people who you meet in your daily life, have no idea what you do. Spend 3 minutes with these people and tell them exactly what it is that you do and how you help people. Then hand them a business card. Being a new agent doesn’t have to be a struggle! RB Insurance Group has the tools and experience to help you! With a little hard work you’ll be on your way to what we all strive for, that six-figure residual income.

Are you a new agent that’s looking to get started in the Medicare industry? RB Insurance is here to “Make it Happen for You.” We love helping new agents succeed in the Medicare market. Give us a call today to see how you fit in the RBI family at 1-800-997-3107!