l have just been offered a job at an insurance company as a sales agent
and l would like to get a little insight and of course help in how to become successful.

Sell lots of insurance.

It is not a job. They r not offering u an hourly salary.
Make sure u know what ur getting into & that this company is not lying to u & ur falling into a scam.

A sales agent is just that, sales. It only pays on commission. So, u have to be good at selling. And if u do not sell u make no money.

Just want to get that straight to make sure some company is not scamming you. You can be successful if ur good with people & good at sales. Work hard & yes u can make a lot of money. But when ur starting it is a lot of hard work. You have to talk to a lot of people & do a lot of work for nothing to get one sale.

If u have patience & like people & always do what is right for the customer more than ur pocketbook, then u will be successful.

Not all agents start based soley on commissions, as a previous poster suggested. Many companies offer a small salary for the 1st 2 yrs. to help u while u build an agency. The key is to make sure u r listening to ur clients, & obtaining enough information from them, to make sure that u can offer an appropriate amount of coverage - not too much, & not too little. Price is obviously what gets them in the door, but service is what keeps them there. Make sure u offer them period reviews of their policy, which also offers u the opportunity to cross-sell products. Do not be too pushy - that is a turn-off for most clients. Success is not only acquired by the money u r bringing in, but the service u r giving, so make sure that u give each customer attention, no matter how small their premiums are.

Always do what is right for ur clients & give them good service. Do lots of networking & do not harass people to buy..you will go out of business fast by doing that. That will be the easiest way to get referrals & will save u from hours of wasting ur time on cold calls & working at trade shows like most unsuccessful advisors do. focus on service & not sales.the sales will fall into place.

Also, make sure that u own ur block of business as well if it is straight commission. IF you're working for a company that does not allow u to own ur block that is a huge risk..straight commission & nothing to show for it if u leave/fail. Not a good scene at all! If you're sallaried, then it is all good.you're still getting a paycheck.

1. Meet a lot of people, who have money, can afford insurance and are willing to sit with you and discuss very personal matters.
2. Pick up a telephone and make calls
3. approach friends and family, ask them to discuss their insurance and investments.
4. Make connections with accountants, business men, and others who like you, want to see you do well and refer business to you.

Characteristics of Successful Persons

Are committed to their goals
Are able to set priorities
Have learned how to learn
Are results oriented
Continually seek new challenges
Manage stress effectively
Focus on a mission
Learn how to make decisions
Practice mental rehearsal
Take calculated risks
Maintain flexibility
aAsk for what they want
Are able to ask the right questions
Keep their promises
Are good listeners
Can tolerate rejection & loss
Practice persistence
Avoid perfectionism
Accept help from successful people
Trust their hunches
Are able to negotiate
Anticipate what can go wrong
Feel good about themselves
Strive to improve
Practice patience
Are assertive when necessary
Are honest
Are able to see the other person’s point of view
Avoid self-pity
Use praise more than criticism
Learn to say no
Trust themselves