The Path to Professionalism with Robert Sutter, Episode #209

In this episode of The Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers sits down with Robert Sutter, President of Keystone Insurers Group, and Josh Gurley, Vice-President of HM Advisors, a member of the Keystone Top 20 Program. Robert and Josh talk about the ways in which Keystone is partnering with agencies to provide independent agencies with access to resources, expertise, and relationships to help them be successful long-term. 

Episode Highlights:

• Robert shares his background and how he got to where he is in the industry. (2:31)
• Robert discusses how Keystone started 30 years ago and has grown to 16 states at this current time. (5:26) 
• Robert explains that their focus at Keystone is to show people three non-insurance ways of handling risk before they ever buy insurance. (13:25)
• Robert shares that one of the advantages of the fee basis is the commitment of a contract for three years instead of one. (18:00)
• Josh shares a story about one of the people he is coaching who couldn’t make the decision. (24:39)
• Robert explains and elaborates that one of the things they teach in their top 20 programs is the counterattack. (29:49)
• Robert explains that he looks at two types of intentions from producer candidates for Keystone. (34:19)
• Robert explains that most producers want to be technically competent about insurance but do not think about what they can afford to lose. (38:46)
• Robert adds that their Top 20 program has a whole session regarding centers of influence and how to educate them. (45:57)
• Josh explains the exact roadmap they use within the agency, starting with the initial marketing drop. (54:12)
• Robert mentions that an online presence has to show that you provide a value that nobody else provides. (59:49)

Tweetable Quotes:

• “I would rather have less money from you for the next 25 years than to have a lot of money from you for a year or two because I sold you things you did not need, and somebody else came in and pointed that out.” – Robert Sutter
• “Don’t tell me they won’t buy from you in your county because you don’t go to church with them or you don’t go to rotary with them because you’ve got to provide a value that guy’s not providing. And I think that’s just somewhat of an excuse for not prospecting.” – Robert Sutter
• “That’s what we think insurance is, is a risk parachute for people that don’t want to jump out of an airplane.” – Robert Sutter

Resources Mentioned:

• Robert Sutter LinkedIn
• Josh Gurley LinkedIn
• Keystone Insurers Group
• HM Advisors
• David Carothers
• Kyle Houck
• Florida Risk Partners
• The Extra 2 Minutes