Start out by getting a 3-ring zippered portfolio. You can buy these at Office Max, Office Depot, Staples or many places online. Here is an example.
You want the zippered part to be on
You want to be organized and ready for action when you get in front of a prospect
the same side as the handles. That way, when you carry it UN-zipped, nothing is falling out the bottom. This is important because on homes where you are door-knocking to introduce yourself (with no appointment) you want to carry it up UNzipped so you can easily show them their lead card if you need to. Also try to get it with 2″ sized rings or at least 1.5″. The 1′ ones are not big enough. Leather is worth paying a little extra for. The non-leather ones look fine when new but get beat up looking real quick if they bounce around in the trunk of your car.
When you are at the office store, grab a supply of the heavy-duty sheet protectors for your 3-ring binder.
You need plenty of ink pens in the FE biz so grab some nice BLACK ones while you’re there too. And you could use a 3-hole punch. Also you’ll want to put some paper clips in your case somewhere so you can clip the check to the application when you write business.
Now you set up your binder with everything you need to make 4-sales for each company. Everything goes into clear sheet protectors.
Start with your #1 company first. The first sheet protector should have your cheat-sheet in it. SAMPLE 5 Star Life Cheat Sheet
Next should be your brochures for that company. I would ALWAYS have your contact information on the brochure with an Avery label OR by a business card stapled to the brochure.
3rd sheet protector should have your rate charts for the company. It’s extra nice when companies have the rates figured both ways (amount of premium = X face amount) and (amount of face amount = X premium). 5-Star Life has that done right. Some people will want to buy a certain amount of coverage and other people will want to spend a certain amount per month. Have both available if possible. If you subscribe to fexquotes.com you might find that you use that MORE than the paper rate charts but I would have them with you just in case of a malfunctioning cell phone.
4th sheet protector will have 4-complete applications (more if you have room in your binder once everything is loaded). By complete I mean have the replacement forms, bank draft form, credit card draft form, etc. and any other that you may or may not need on the appointment.
The next sheet protector is for any Personal Planning Guidebooks that you give to families. ForeThought has a real nice one. Settlers is also nice. buy or earn a supply and give those out. Make certain they ALSO have your Avery label or business card attached with your contact info.
If the company you are setting up has any additional riders that need forms that are rarely used, put them in a separate sheet protector. For instance Settlers Life has a child rider form and child HIPPA form, Funeral Trust form, Estate Planning Trust form, etc. You don’t use those on most sales but have them in their own sheet protectors so you are prepared when you do need them.
Now set up your 2nd company the same way right behind the first. Cheat Sheet, brochures, rate cards, applications, etc. Set your 3rd company up right behind them.
I would carry 3-main companies PLUS Vantis Life Guaranteed issue on all appointments. Vantis doesn’t take up any room. It’s one quick application and the rates can be easily figured off their website. It give you as an agent a lot of peace of mind to know that you have something for ALL health situations you run into (with a few age restrictions.)
Now your companies are all set up. fill the business card slots up in your portfollio and make sure it has at least 3-GOOD black ink pens in it. It yours doesn’t have a little built-in calculator, find a little thin cheapie that you can stuff in a pocket of the portfollio.
Next, if you have a smart phone, you want to set up your company rate calcs for quick access. I use an iphone 4S so I’m going to use that for my example. Go to each company’s weBsite for quoting on your iphone. For instance, Settlers quoting site is at https://www.settlerslife.com/calc
Once you are on the quoting site on your iPhone, you look at the bottom of your screen. There is an arrow comming up and to the right out of a box, (mine is the center icon) tap on that and one of the choices is “Add to Home Screen” tap on that. Now you have a Settlers quick link to their rates. Keep all the companies rate calcs together in your iPhone and you will find them easily on your appointments. If you don’t have a subscription to fexquoting.com, you can use that page on my website but you can’t always tell which quotes are prefered, standard, 10- pays, etc. on that free version.
Next you take your leads which should be printed out in a standard sized piece of paper. Punch them with your 3-hole punch. Put them in the order that you will go to them. Put them in the front of your portfollio so they are the first thing you see when you open it.
Now you need to set up extra supplies in the trunk of your car. A briefcase is great for this because it’s organized and protects your forms. Keep in mind, you will be digging through this in sub-zero temps part of the year. Make it easy on yourself. Have this full of plenty of applications, brochures, etc. for all your companies.
You are NOW well organized for your appointments!
