Many agents tell me they're getting plenty of referrals and don't need to cold-call for new business. If you fall into this category, there's no need to read on. But if you want to grow beyond referral business, cold-call prospecting is a necessary means to that end. Yet there's a more effective (and honorable) way to do it than described above. It's all about your goal and your preparation for the call.

Is selling the same as prospecting? Is selling the same as quoting?

No to both questions. In the insurance business, selling is comprised of two components, but neither of them involves prospecting or quoting.

There's no such thing as a risk-free acquisition. Deals fail for a myriad of reasons. One is that...