Are you a producer who’s struggling to get appointments? Well, it might be your fault. I’m going to give you three things today that you need to be thinking about before you pick up that phone and dial.
Getting on the phones to ask for appointments is a problem for most. We don’t like to do it. And the only thing that makes it worse is when we don’t have success. There are a few things I want you to think about as a producer that will help you as you’re trying to get in front of those ideal prospects in your pipeline.
The first thing I feel you need to do is quit doing so much research. Don’t do so much research that it cripples your ability to pick up the phone and call. You don’t need to know every single thing about every single company before you pick up the phone to call. While I would advocate you do this prior to getting into a first appointment with them, all you’re trying to do on the phone is to get that appointment. Don’t spend a bunch of time doing research, so that you feel more comfortable on the phones, only to know so much that you talk yourself out of the appointment. You also take and constrict the time that you would have on the phones because you’re spending it looking up a bunch of stuff on the internet.
Now the second thing I’m going to tell you contradicts the first. It would help if you did some research, some level. You need to know what the mod is. You need to know what the X date is. You need to know just something, something to start the conversation. But it doesn’t need to be a mini-series documentary on this company’s history and leadership. Get in there, know just something you can hook onto that will drive the conversation and allow you to start that conversation towards an appointment. The third thing producers do that kills them from getting appointments is simply trying to sell the deal over the phone.
The only thing you need to sell is the appointment. An appointment setting phone call is not the time for you to get into all the features of your agency, your value proposition, and all the great stuff that you do that makes you who you are. You’re going to have time for that. In my experience, the best way for you to get appointments is either through a very focused approach with the experience mod because we like to do that with Workers’ Comp here in Florida. Or to simply pick up the phone and say, “I know your renewal date is coming up in X number of days or X number of months. And this is probably the time you’re used to taking meetings with people like me. We’re going to be in your area next Tuesday and Wednesday. Which one’s better for you? Oh, great. Tuesday? Is morning or afternoon better? Afternoon. Is two o’clock good, or is there another time you prefer?”
I don’t ever give them the opportunity for yes or no. They have to pick between two choices that will get them where I need them to be. But if you notice, that conversation takes 15, maybe 20 seconds. If you’re lucky, it might go a little bit longer, but you don’t want it to last longer. You want to get the appointment booked. Then you can start diving into your research so that you can go in and slay the dragon on your meeting. But when it comes to setting appointments over the phone, you need to pick up the phone. It’s the number one revenue-producing tool in literally every agency. And yet, it’s the most underutilized.
Influence is one of the most powerful tools we have in business, leadership, and personal life. Used well, it inspires people, builds trust, and creates ethical results. Used poorly, it can slide into manipulation and self-interest.
Reinvention is one of the most powerful themes in the insurance industry. Some of the best commercial producers in the country did not grow up wanting to sell insurance. They did not study risk management in college. They did not come from an agency family. They found this industry after they tried something else. They found it after life pushed them toward a career where performance, autonomy, and mindset determine the outcome.
The most successful producers in the middle market did not get there because they quoted faster, smiled bigger, or knew how to talk longer. They got there because they learned how to differentiate themselves so clearly that prospects had no choice but to see them as trusted advisors. They learned to operate like businesspeople first and insurance technicians second. They learned how to tie operational mechanics to insurance outcomes. They learned how to control their time, their pipeline, and their future.
In commercial insurance, the most dangerous threats to your book of business aren’t always visible on the loss runs. One of the most overlooked vulnerabilities for middle market producers is ignoring the personal lines needs of their business owner and executive clients.
The commercial insurance industry is one of the few professions where someone can enter with no experience, no connections, and no background in risk management and still build a long, lucrative career. But success is never automatic. It requires hunger, humility, curiosity, and the willingness to keep showing up even when the process feels overwhelming. That is why the story of Pam Seidler has already started making waves among new and aspiring commercial producers.
In an industry where tradition often outweighs innovation, artificial intelligence and automation are slowly but steadily reshaping how independent insurance agencies operate. The push toward smarter, more efficient workflows is no longer a matter of if—but when. While many agencies are still evaluating how AI fits into their operations, early adopters are already reaping the benefits of streamlined submissions, faster processing, and actionable data insights.
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