"Brent D. Gardner, ChFC" <bgardner20[at]cox.net> wrote in message news:<5FSWc.14851$nk.8947[at]okepread05> ...
- quote -

First of all,
I thank you so much for your sincere and helpful advise.
Working for this insurance company for about a year and a half
has given myself so much insight and also many opportunities that I
feel really thankful about. Like the person mentioned above, I now
realize that this is the position that requires a lot of leg work and
time to establish the career that one dreams of. On the other hand,
as a 25-year-old person,
it is hard convince the clients, who are mostly older than me with the
knowledge I gained from my handful experience and training. I found
that earning a designation such as CFP would be necessary step to
take. With the working schedule I have, persuing to get a designation
will be really tough. (I work during afternoons and evenings)
As far as I know, many investment firms and banks are interested in
expanding their business into insurance field as well,
I heard there are some financial advisors hired by investment firms or
banks who work 40 hours a week and paid by salary. (i.e. American
Express)
I was questioning if there are any other companies which fall in this
category.
One more time, I thank you for your truthful and knowledgeable answer.

<amazingkev[at]hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:46ed7636.0408240842.6569452c[at]posting.google.com...
- quote -

Only a handful of career agency systems are left, most offering some form of
levelized compensation for new agents, but no salaries.

For several generations, the best of the best: Feldman, Gandolfo, Savage, et
al., all agree that life insurance agents should be on commission 100% of
the time.

The problem is that today the talent pool from which insurance agencies drew
from is much smaller, because there are many more opportunities for the
entreprenurial among us. Plus, the time required to make it has lengthened.
A generation ago, an agent could start today and be licensed in two weeks,
and in the field shortly after that. Today, it can take upwards of several
months to get a new agent out in the field, which is why new agent retention
is at an all time low.

In general, if you can succeed selling life insurance, you can succeed
selling anything. Unfortunately, it rarely works out the other way around.
Selling life insurance is one of the few true callings in life, because
agents endure more rejection than any other sales profession.

It takes YEARS to become a master agent that can close the majority of cases
opened. Neophytes MUST make up for their lack of skills with HIGH
activity -- the SINGLE variable the new agent can control. One can
accelerate the learning process by doing joint work with a successful
mentor, generally for split commissions.

If you want to be an investment advisor, the life insurance agency system is
probably not where you should be. To reach the pinnacle of success in
private practice, one has to focus.

One thing you can do that can help a lot during the early years is focusing
on the prospecting activity and the consultative sales process. The single
best third party source for this kind of training today, outside of company
sponsored training, is the LUTC program, which is now part of The American
College. LUTC courses lead to the LUTCF designation, which currently is the
ONLY designation that doesn't ignore the sales process as part and parcel of
the financial services industry. Some of the better agency companies have
recognized this and require LUTC courses for new agents (i.e., New York
Life). New agents should take these courses PRIOR to beginning the
CLU/ChFC/CFP programs. Why? We have thousands of unproductive 'experts' that
can't sell theirselves out of a wet paper bag.

If you want to know more, check this site out:

http://www.amercoll.edu/

The courses are available online, but if you go that route, make sure you
team up with a seasoned veteran with a track record of success to help you
leverage your time:

http://www.lutcotc.com/

Disclaimer: I have moderated LUTC courses for the last two years, but I
receive no compensation for sharing my opinion.

Brent D. Gardner, ChFC
Chartered Financial Consultant
http://members.cox.net/brentdgardner1378/

"Be ever questioning. Ignorance is not bliss. It is oblivion. You don't go
to heaven if you die dumb. Become better informed. Learn from other's
mistakes. You could not live long enough to make them all yourself." - Hyman
George Rickover (1900-86), Admiral, US Navy, advocated development of
nuclear subs & ships

The Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant
(ChFC), designations owned and exclusively offered by The American College,
signify the highest standards of academic study and professional excellence
in the financial services industry.

In article <46ed7636.0408240842.6569452c[at]posting.google.com> ,
<amazingkev[at]hotmail.com> wrote:

- quote -

It is not uncommon to take 3 years or so to build up a business.
If it were easy to do this, then everyone would be doing it and
there would be no money left. Are you not selling enough policies?
If not, then perhaps you are not putting in the leg work to meet
potential new customers. Are you not getting renewals? If not,
then perhaps you are not servicing your customers to the level that
they need.

-john-

--
================================================== ==================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john[at]johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ==================

I am currently working in an insurance company as a registered
representative. I have serveral licenses such as series 6, 63 and
Life & Health. Though I mainly focus on selling life insurances these
days,
I centainly see the potential that I would be able to intergrate
myself into investment advising positions in the future.
Tough part is that I am not making enough money to survive in this
industry right now. Is there any companies out there providing base
salaries for doing the same or similar work? I really need help here.