Everything about commissions and their resources, tips, and advise.

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Allen Foster, 39, followed his dad, John, into a lucrative career in insurance.
"He raised three kids on commission-only income, had total independence and control over his
time, made a darn good living...I wanted that for my family too," shares Allen.
In 1996, John was able to retire on his renewal commissions-something unheard of for most
career producers today.
New regulations have not only cut into commission payouts, but corporate politics, ever-changing
commission-structures and rising quotas have led sales professionals to change firms and product
lines more often than their predecessors-consequently losing their client base and vested potential
in the process.
"To say things have changed since my dad's days of selling insurance would be an
understatement," says Allen. "Companies aren't loyal to their agents anymore, and in turn, agents
aren't loyal to their company. Since 1999 I've been with three different agencies-and that's less
than most guys! It sounds unbelievable now, but in his entire 27 years, my dad was with two
companies!" Allen laughs in disbelief.
And the time flexibility he remembers his dad having?
"Almost non-existent," Allen states matter-of-factly. "When I'm not dealing with corporate politics to
hold on to my territory, in mandated continuing education classes, and keeping up on the ever-
changing rules and regs of the industry, my time is spent trying to meet with an existing or
potential client."
Technology and the internet has led to prospects rarely answering their phones, calls rolling to
voicemail, and sales needing eight to twelve contacts.
Add in legislative and regulatory changes in the mortgage, real estate, health insurance and
annuity markets, and sales professionals in every industry have been facing an up-hill battle for
some time.
And in the midst of all this turmoil, what are sales professionals told to do?
Work harder.
Which is exactly what most commission-only producers do when the going gets tough.

2. Commission sales has always attracted a unique breed of sales professional. They are driven,
competitive, confident, "think-outside-the-box" people who desire to control their own destiny.
Many have backgrounds in competitive sports or the military, and tend to be initiative-taking
leaders.
But in today's downright harsh sales environment, even the go-getters are struggling.
"Like my dad, I'm really good at what I do. As the proverbial saying goes, I could 'sell ice to an
Eskimo' if I wanted to. But to make a decent living in the 'old school' way just doesn't cut it
anymore. And I've come to terms with the fact that there's no way I'll see retirement renewals on
any of the insurance business I write today. It's tough..."
Ron Agypt, vice president of broker sales at Aflac, echoes Allen's sentiment. "[Commissioned]
agents are definitely feeling the squeeze...insurance companies have already started paying flat
fees instead of commissions, and they are getting pressure from clients who are really saying to
them 'We need more for less.'"
While some commission-only sales careers, like travel agents, have gone the way of the Dodo,
others are forced to completely re-evaluate how they do business and get paid.
In Idaho, for example, where insurers began paying flat fees a few years ago, one agent told the
Wall Street Journal that he initially suffered a 20 percent drop in income...
Fortunately, due to his "out-of-the-box" thinking, he was able to eventually make this up by
diversifying his product portfolio.
In addition to selling his "traditional insurance" services, he partnered with a company to sell
voluntary, non-traditional add-on products to his existing clients; this move also enabled him to
expand his client base into other business industries that had previously been too small for his line
of services and not worth his effort.
To make up the lost income most commission sales professionals are used to generating, says
Alan Katz, once president of both the National and the California Associations of Health
Underwriters, will require that they "take a horizontal approach to change: diversifying your
product portfolio so you are selling more products to the same client."
And by no means does this relate just to health insurance.
In the annuity industry, the low interest rate environment has made business much less profitable
for issuers; new regulation has increased costs leading to consolidation. Because fewer
companies are competing, products are less competitive in terms of rates, commissions and
innovative features.
The overall resounding message is clear: Instead of just embracing the masochistic opinion to
work harder for the same or less amount of money, commission-only sales professionals must
start evaluating portfolio-expanding services that enable them to offer value to their clients, and be
adequately compensated for doing so- regardless of the economy, political decisions, or corporate
politics.

3. Let's examine 5 key distinctions independent commission sales professionals should look for
when partnering with a voluntary benefits company to fill the gap in their commissions:
1. Small Business Niche Market - With insurance brokers across the United States being told that,
due to health reform, their small-group commissions will drop by 15 percent starting in 2011, many
small group producers are moving to mid-sized companies, and mid-sized producers are moving
to larger groups.
Instead of running with the herd, the smart move is to evaluate how this deserted market can now
open up opportunity for producers to:
• take advantage of less competition
• offer voluntary, niche-focused benefits to smaller market segments
• fill their commission gap
Working with a company and sales support team that focuses on the small business niche can
offer huge potential to commission-only producers.
2. Add-On or Door-Opener Product Line - There may be some commission sales professionals
who decide to leave insurance sales altogether-but most won't. And the truth of the matter is that
most other commission-only sales professions (real estate, mortgage, advertising, merchant, etc.)
aren't faring much better...
Even though implementation of health care reform is three years away (2014), the reality is that
many of those painful compensation changes are already being implemented. Attractive,
motivating commissions are going by the wayside and being replaced with flat fee payouts.
For commission sales producers, this means the time is now to start looking for additional services
to leverage. Look for services that can:
a) Be added-on to existing client's benefits to enhance service value and, in turn, increase up-front
and renewal commissions
b) Serve as an appealing door opener to help commission sales professionals get invited in to
previously closed sales opportunities
3. Flexible Work Environment - In today's tech-savvy business marketplace, there is little reason
why trainings and meetings can't be done via webinar, email, or iPhone. A sales team that
demonstrates this work flexibility is key to a vibrant, commission-only sales future.
The growing rigidity of the traditional sales environment goes against the very nature of who an
independent commission sales professional is. Give them reasonable goals, motivation, effective
tools, and let them go! Sales is a results-driven activity. To maximize those results requires a work
environment that is as flexible as possible.

4. 4. Innovative Training - This does not mean training on how to sell. Independent sales
professionals know how to sell. Innovative training involves providing relevant, up-to-date insights
on how to communicate more effectively with your niche market. This could relate to using social
media, CRM, email, or other proven prospecting and nurturing strategies that move way beyond
old, worn-out tactics.
Training that is cutting-edge enhances already well-established sales skills, saves time, and
leverages the expertise of like-minded sales professionals. Innovative training helps producers not
only connect with quality prospects, but helps drive more sales and generate increased revenue.
5. Renewal Commissions - For most independent sales professionals, renewal income is like
Santa Claus-it existed in one form or another long, long ago, but now, the concept of it has been
hyped-up, twisted, corrupted and devalued.
It's true that for most commission-only producers, their company's commission structure, turn-over
policies, increasing policy rates, and fickle client base has made renewal payouts impossible.
But the reality is that, "Yes, Virginia, renewal income really does exist." And with commissions in
almost every field of sales being significantly reduced, independent sales professionals must think
in regards to short- and long-term financial rewards and partner with a company that does too.
Alex Gardner is National Marketing Director at http://UnitedSalesPros.com where he's
collaborated for 10+ years with a nationwide group of active, top-producing, commission-only
sales enthusiasts who earn their living making sales.
United Sales Pros provides a platform for independent, commission-based sales professionals in
any industry to access cutting-edge, relevant, valuable, and applicable resources to help them
advance in their sales career.
We invite you to take full advantage of the fresh ideas that are shared on
http://UnitedSalesPros.com, offer your own commentary and insights, and to suggest topics you'd
like to see addressed related to commission-based sales.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Gardner
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5. For more information on commission, check out this site:
http://tinyurl.com/7gyscgo
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