Larger Than Life

While Johnson's company services more than 3,500 clients, Johnson and his business partner, Tiffany Kirgan, CLTC, CFP, CAP, work with just the top 100. They take on only 15 to 20 new relationships per year. "So it's important that we take on the right clients," Johnson says.

His firm doesn't advertise. Instead, most new business comes from referrals. "You'll never see my name on a billboard," Johnson says. "People of wealth trust other people of wealth."

Johnson and his colleagues also watch for businesses that might be a good fit for the agency. "If we see a company growing, it's not beneath us to stop in," he says. "Ask them out for coffee, leave a business card."

Once Johnson sits down with a prospect, he moves slowly. He uses the first meeting or two to talk about the client and his or her financial goals, not products.

"We don't spend a lot of time in the first two meetings talking about wills and grants and trusts," he says. "That'll come. What we want to know is what keeps them up at night? What's in their hearts? What are their goals? It's our mantra to stay in these conversations until we understand what's in their hearts and their heads."

Johnson also lets his clients know early on that he's interested in working with their friends. "We tell them, 'The way that we grow our firm is consciously and on purpose. Obviously, we want to grow our firm with families that look like you,'" he says. He asks them to think of two to three families throughout the process and reminds them about it at every meeting.

Finally, at the deliverable, Johnson asks for the referrals. He has the client pick up the phone right then and call the referrals to tell them about Johnson, letting them know that he'll be in touch. Johnson's firm then follows up with a brochure in the mail within a week and then a phone call a week later to set the appointment.

Even given the financial crisis and the country's ongoing economic doldrums, it's a strategy that has worked for Johnson. In fact, he says, the recession has improved business. "At no time in history has it been more important than today to protect and preserve what you have," he says.

The Future of the Business

That need for financial advice is one reason Johnson thinks new producers can succeed in the business today.

His top advice for young professionals? Get some help. "In the early years, I was knee-deep in the school of hard knocks," Johnson says. "To new producers, I would say, seek out a mentor in the business, someone who has been in the business for at least 15 years. Ask them if you can have coffee with them for just 15 minutes every Monday."

Johnson regrets not having a mentor himself when he started out and, today, mentors Kirgan. It's a relationship that benefits both of them, he says. "She's coming to me every day with questions, and I have to stay sharp," he says. "Or she'll know."

He also advocates a daily prospecting routine, whatever the method used.

"Some people look at prospecting like they look at dieting: 'I'm going to start Monday and lose 10 pounds'," he says. "But Monday never comes and those 10 pounds never come off. I look at prospecting as a lifestyle. Prospecting is every single day. Prospecting in our business is at least 75% of our success. It doesn't matter how many letters you have after your name if you have no one to talk to."

Finally, he says, producers shouldn't be intimidated — even if they don't know something. Johnson encourages younger producers to bring in senior agents for joint work if they need help — and to never let not knowing hold them back.

"Technical knowledge is important, but it's not the only thing," he says. "It's not important to know all the answers, just to know all the right questions."

Corey Dahl is managing editor of Life Insurance Selling and life channel and social media editor at LifeHealthPro.com.