With so many people unemployed and others hanging on to jobs with which they’re dissatisfied, it should be easy to find new super producers. You don’t even have to look far from home:
Consider these sources.
- Recruit salespeople who call on you. A “No solicitors” policy is self-defeating for your agency as a sales organization. Instead, turn these lemons into lemonade. One agency requires staff to transfer all telemarketers to a principal, who peppers them with objections, twists and turns, and silence. Then the partner discloses the secret. It was a job interview.
- Tap clients for potential producers. Do you think a client who writes a $40,000 check to your agency might want to have her child/friend working for you? Think about it. Because the client has just written you a large check, they know that you’ve just earned a great deal of money. Is their child/friend earning that much in their job? They’ll have a strong investment in this person’s success as a producer – and be happy to provide them with referrals. What’s more, if the new producer succeeds, you’ll be strengthening your relationship with the client.
- Hire clients from an industry you target. They speak the language. As insiders, they have instant credibility. Restrict them to this industry. Create your own prospect list of businesses with 20 to 200 employees, in industries that you write – such as wholesalers, manufacturers or transportation (No contractors). Build strategic partnerships with CPAs, attorneys, medical clinics, etc. for joint seminars/webinars.
For example, one agency hired a stressed-out MD as a producer targeting physicians, clinics, and related facilities – a challenge that he enjoyed. The doctor wrote a large book of insurance, not to mention providing a goldmine of quality referrals to the agency’s financial services division.
Once you’ve hired new producers, use these techniques to cultivate them during a six-month probation period:
- Have the producer schedule their own appointments and send an agency principal with them.
- Create materials of value to prospects. Touch each prospect every six weeks with a variety of media, including a four-page newsletter written by the producer.
- Do all your training in house -- avoid company schools or out of office training.
- Don’t let new producers take applications until they spend one to three hours in the “back room” to learn the process.
- Teach producer the Employee Benefits process so they can refer prospects to your Benefits department.
After probation, give the producer the option of learning new products (Packages, Liability, etc.) or to team with a partner on joint sales calls.
Try it - you’ll like it!