These agents:

• Lead by asking for an ex-date. After all, if you are going to quote something, you need to know the time frame.
• Ask for copies of their policies. You must know what to quote, especially if you are going to give them “apples to apples.” (By the way, the copies of the policies will also allow you to put on your GapFinder cape and point out all the problems with their current policies and show them your intelligence by telling them how you are going to fix them.)
• Rush to the marketplace so you can block all other contenders from getting pricing.
• When it comes time to schedule the presentation, lock in the “I want to present last” option.
• Go back to the office and announce you “got a live one” working—another submission to add to the pile.

These shiny shoed, quick smiling insurance quote machines have successfully set the bar low for our profession.

The good news and the bad news about being an insurance producer is the same. The bad news is that when we are meeting with a prospect, that is the image we have to overcome. The good news is the same—that the bar is set so low for our performance.

Related: Read “5 Ways to Grow Agency Profitability.”

The professionalism we exhibit in our meetings with the prospect will set the tone. On the surface, this sounds pretty simple; just don't do what's outlined above. But you cannot just “not do” something, you have to do something in its place. So let's examine the habits of successful producers:

• No concern for the ex-date. That has nothing to do with whether or not the prospect is going to want to work with you and your company. Try to ascertain one thing: Do I have a viable prospect or not? To make that determination, other criteria must be explored that is far more important than the ex-date.
• No need to see copies of the policies until there is an account acquisition. That is what the initial appointment is all about. Acquiring ex-dates and policies assumes you are going to “quote.” The prospect has to convince us, through our interview with them, that we have a legitimate shot of writing their account. If the producer cannot come up with enough issues to unseat the incumbent agent, then all you are doing is playing the price game.

Remember, you cannot quote anything unless you have the pen for the carrier. The best you can do is get quotes for the prospect. This is something any independent agent can do. Therefore, the prospect needs to decide who is going to perform that service (getting quotes) for his company. If you win that battle, it sounds like an agent of record letter, doesn't it?

• Does not rush to the marketplace. In the best-case scenario, they are the only agent and they have all the markets. In the next-to-worst-case scenario, they have requested and received favorable market assignments.
• Presents first and reset the bar. If you present first and set the bar high, the competition cannot clear it and you have eliminated the competition.
• Goes back to the office and announce you have a new client.

Related: Read “Promote Your Personal Brand.”

In the end, because the bar is set so low, you get to decide which game you are going to play. You can limbo and be part of the crowd or you can hurdle and, at the end of the game, be holding the gold medal.