Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

In this episode of The Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers and co-host Kyle Houck discuss the significance of understanding how prospecting fits in the sales process and share some tricks of the trade.

Episode Highlights:

  • David explains why this episode is beneficial to everyone. (1:35)
  • Kyle mentions that you can acquire a vast majority of business through referrals. (2:44)
  • David talks about his paperwork for Chubb. (2:51)
  • David shares that the past two years of his career have been ridiculous. (3:38)
  • David mentions that he loved the strategy of prospecting and building the pipeline. (4:48)
  • David explains his thoughts when attending a new business appointment. (5:35)
  • David shares that he’s very interested in writing about building a prospect database. (6:18)
  • David shares one of his favorite tricks. (8:38)
  • David shares the people’s impression of being in sales. (10:08)
  • Kyle explains the significance of gathering information on the front-end. (13:00)
  • David talks about the conspiracy theory about COVID testing. (15:28)
  • David thinks that the reason why clients come across sales agents is because of their lack of patience. (18:33)
  • What is Kyle’s favorite resource or tool in the prospecting piece? (21:01)
  • Kyle talks about the workers’ compensation mod. (21:30)
  • David says that knowing the carriers and the methods in sharing their programs is relevant. (25:02)

Tweetable Quotes:

  • “You don’t have to put a hard sell on anybody if you take the time to educate them appropriately.”  – David Carothers
  • “Just be yourself from the beginning. You’re going to attract those who are attracted to you and you’re going to repel those who aren’t.” – David Carothers
  • As you’re doing your research, figure out who it is that you want to go after and what they look like, not just the types of business, but size, what kind of culture you want them to have.” – Kyle Houck

Resources Mentioned:

The Power Producers Podcast where we are refining and redefining the sales game.

Kyle Houck

Employee

Why Employee Ownership is the Key to Sustainable Agency Growth and Talent Retention

In an increasingly competitive commercial insurance landscape, agency owners are struggling to find long-term solutions for succession planning, talent retention, and business perpetuation. Many have considered private equity sales, others offer limited equity to top producers—but a growing number are discovering a more powerful alternative: the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

Read More »
Sales

How to Reverse Engineer Your Sales Funnel and Crush Your Q4 Insurance Production Goals

As we enter the fourth quarter, many commercial insurance producers begin to panic. Whether you’re behind on your goals or just trying to hit that final sprint, the Q4 crunch is real. But the producers who consistently win don’t treat Q4 as a Hail Mary. They plan with precision, reverse engineer their goals, and execute with ruthless consistency.

In this post, we’ll break down how you can reverse engineer your sales funnel, identify your revenue gaps, and finish the year stronger than you started. Whether you’re writing workers’ comp or cyber liability, these strategies apply across all middle market verticals.

Read More »
wholesale

Mastering Wholesale Partnerships: Submission Strategies, Underwriter Relationships, and Technology Tools for Middle-Market Success

In today’s competitive insurance marketplace, middle-market agencies must leverage every available advantage to win and retain business. One of the most underutilized yet powerful resources at an agent’s disposal is the wholesale market. By establishing strong partnerships with wholesalers, agents can access capacity, expertise, and proprietary programs that are often unavailable through direct channels. However, success in the wholesale arena requires more than simply submitting risks and hoping for the best.

Read More »
Client

How AI-Powered Workflows Are Transforming Sales, Marketing, and Client Communication

In the fast-paced world of commercial insurance, where every hour counts and every interaction matters, producers and agency owners are turning to artificial intelligence not as a replacement for human connection—but as a force multiplier. AI tools like ChatGPT are no longer just novelties or futuristic concepts. They are strategic business assets, helping commercial producers streamline workflows, scale personalization, and reclaim valuable time.

Read More »
Killing Commercial Login