Your clients will give you a referral reluctantly. They&apos;ll give you an introduction enthusiastically — but only if you give them the right story to tell. Most producers are sitting on their single greatest pipeline asset and never touching it: their existing book of business. In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down SODAR — a five-letter system that transforms your best client from &quot;sure, I&apos;ll mention your name&quot; into a champion who pre-sells you before you walk in the door. Introductions built this way close at seven times the rate of a cold call. If your pipeline still depends on strangers saying yes, this episode changes that. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new">Want us to tackle a real challenge you&#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.</a>If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast &amp; blog: <a href='https://thewedge.net'>https://thewedge.net</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;Your clients will give you a referral reluctantly. They&amp;apos;ll give you an introduction enthusiastically — but only if you give them the right story to tell. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most producers are sitting on their single greatest pipeline asset and never touching it: their existing book of business. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down SODAR — a five-letter system that transforms your best client from &amp;quot;sure, I&amp;apos;ll mention your name&amp;quot; into a champion who pre-sells you before you walk in the door. Introductions built this way close at seven times the rate of a cold call. If your pipeline still depends on strangers saying yes, this episode changes that. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new"&gt;Want us to tackle a real challenge you&amp;#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Get more insights like this every week:&lt;br/&gt; 👉 &lt;b&gt;Subscribe to the podcast &amp;amp; blog:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://thewedge.net'&gt;https://thewedge.net&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Your clients will give you a referral reluctantly. They'll give you an introduction enthusiastically — but only if you give them the right story to tell.  Most producers are sitting on their single greatest pipeline asset and never touching it: their existing book of business.  In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down SODAR — a five-letter system that transforms your best client from "sure, I'll mention your name" into a champion who pre-sells you before you walk in the door. Int...

The 5-Letter System That Closes at 7x the Rate of a Cold Call

If you&apos;ve spent four episodes learning how to wedge out other agents&apos; accounts... congratulations. Someone in your market is now running those exact plays on you. This episode is Randy&apos;s defensive playbook: the ABC account management system, the written service timeline that turns your service commitments into signed contracts, and the cross-sell strategy that makes your best accounts nearly impossible to crack. One producer went from losing 6 accounts in 18 months to growing his book 28% in 24 months using exactly this system. IN THIS EPISODE•       The ABC system: why your A accounts (top 20%, 80% of revenue) are probably getting the least service — and exactly how to fix that with visit frequency and proactive touchpoints•       Why frequency alone isn&apos;t enough: the one document that locks a client in and shuts down a competitor&apos;s wedge before it starts•       A real written service timeline example: April 15 claims review, July midyear check, September renewal strategy, November delivery — all signed at the start of the policy year•       Cross-selling as a defensive weapon: why holding more lines per account is the highest-return retention activity a producer can do•       The producer comeback story: from 6 lost accounts to 28% book growth in 24 months, with zero cold calls Ready to move your agency from Selling 2.0 to Selling 3.0? Learn more about Bignition at bignition.com.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new">Want us to tackle a real challenge you&#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.</a>If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast &amp; blog: <a href='https://thewedge.net'>https://thewedge.net</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;apos;ve spent four episodes learning how to wedge out other agents&amp;apos; accounts... congratulations. Someone in your market is now running those exact plays on you. This episode is Randy&amp;apos;s defensive playbook: the ABC account management system, the written service timeline that turns your service commitments into signed contracts, and the cross-sell strategy that makes your best accounts nearly impossible to crack. One producer went from losing 6 accounts in 18 months to growing his book 28% in 24 months using exactly this system.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;IN THIS EPISODE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;•       The ABC system: why your A accounts (top 20%, 80% of revenue) are probably getting the least service — and exactly how to fix that with visit frequency and proactive touchpoints&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;•       Why frequency alone isn&amp;apos;t enough: the one document that locks a client in and shuts down a competitor&amp;apos;s wedge before it starts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;•       A real written service timeline example: April 15 claims review, July midyear check, September renewal strategy, November delivery — all signed at the start of the policy year&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;•       Cross-selling as a defensive weapon: why holding more lines per account is the highest-return retention activity a producer can do&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;•       The producer comeback story: from 6 lost accounts to 28% book growth in 24 months, with zero cold calls&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ready to move your agency from Selling 2.0 to Selling 3.0? Learn more about Bignition at bignition.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new"&gt;Want us to tackle a real challenge you&amp;#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Get more insights like this every week:&lt;br/&gt; 👉 &lt;b&gt;Subscribe to the podcast &amp;amp; blog:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://thewedge.net'&gt;https://thewedge.net&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

If you've spent four episodes learning how to wedge out other agents' accounts... congratulations. Someone in your market is now running those exact plays on you. This episode is Randy's defensive playbook: the ABC account management system, the written service timeline that turns your service commitments into signed contracts, and the cross-sell strategy that makes your best accounts nearly impossible to crack. One producer went from losing 6 accounts in 18 months to growing his book 28% in ...

He Lost 6 Accounts in 18 Months. Here's How He Rebuilt.

You ran a strong first meeting. You found pain. You built the vision. You got commitment.And then… you lose the deal anyway.It happens every day in commercial insurance. Not because your proposal was weak, but because the incumbent got a second chance.In this episode, Randy breaks down the 6-step Keystone process—the exact system top producers use to lock in deals before the second meeting ever slips away.You’ll learn:<ul><li> Why deals are actually won before the proposal is presented </li><li> The 3 positions you’re always in walking into a second meeting </li><li> How to prevent the “let me talk to my current agent” stall </li><li> The one step that took a producer’s close rate above 80% </li><li> How to present service in a way the incumbent can’t match </li></ul>If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, “that was a layup”… and still lost, this is the fix.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new">Want us to tackle a real challenge you&#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.</a>If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast &amp; blog: <a href='https://thewedge.net'>https://thewedge.net</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;You ran a strong first meeting. You found pain. You built the vision. You got commitment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And then… you lose the deal anyway.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It happens every day in commercial insurance. Not because your proposal was weak, but because the incumbent got a second chance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, Randy breaks down the &lt;b&gt;6-step Keystone process&lt;/b&gt;—the exact system top producers use to lock in deals before the second meeting ever slips away.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You’ll learn:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt; Why deals are actually won &lt;em&gt;before&lt;/em&gt; the proposal is presented &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; The 3 positions you’re always in walking into a second meeting &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; How to prevent the “let me talk to my current agent” stall &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; The one step that took a producer’s close rate above 80% &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; How to present service in a way the incumbent can’t match &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, &lt;em&gt;“that was a layup”… and still lost&lt;/em&gt;, this is the fix.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new"&gt;Want us to tackle a real challenge you&amp;#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Get more insights like this every week:&lt;br/&gt; 👉 &lt;b&gt;Subscribe to the podcast &amp;amp; blog:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://thewedge.net'&gt;https://thewedge.net&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

You ran a strong first meeting. You found pain. You built the vision. You got commitment. And then… you lose the deal anyway. It happens every day in commercial insurance. Not because your proposal was weak, but because the incumbent got a second chance. In this episode, Randy breaks down the 6-step Keystone process—the exact system top producers use to lock in deals before the second meeting ever slips away. You’ll learn:  Why deals are actually won before the proposal is presented&nbsp...

The 6-Step Keystone Process That Pushes Your Close Rate Past 80%

Most producers lose before they even realize it.They think they got beat on price…  but in reality, they were just used to give the incumbent leverage.In this episode, The Wedge creator Randy Schwantz breaks down the exact 5-step system that flips that dynamic completely.This is a field-tested process that’s been used for 30+ years to:<ul><li> Eliminate price competition </li><li> Create real differentiation (not “better service” fluff) </li><li> Get prospects to ask YOU for the proposal</li><li> And close deals without chasing or convincing </li></ul>You’ll learn:<ul><li> The “Picture Perfect” question that exposes gaps instantly </li><li> Why most producers accidentally help the incumbent win </li><li> The Vision Box technique that makes prospects sell themselves </li><li> How to shift control so the buyer pulls you in </li><li> The final move that prevents your proposal from dying in a drawer </li></ul>If you’re tired of losing deals you should have won… this is the system that changes that.Get the full process with the book here: https://shop.thewedge.net/collections/books<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new">Want us to tackle a real challenge you&#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.</a>If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast &amp; blog: <a href='https://thewedge.net'>https://thewedge.net</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;Most producers lose before they even realize it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They think they got beat on price…&lt;br/&gt; but in reality, they were just used to give the incumbent leverage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, The Wedge creator Randy Schwantz breaks down the &lt;b&gt;exact 5-step system&lt;/b&gt; that flips that dynamic completely.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is a &lt;b&gt;field-tested process&lt;/b&gt; that’s been used for 30+ years to:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt; Eliminate price competition &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; Create real differentiation (not “better service” fluff) &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; Get prospects to &lt;b&gt;ask YOU for the proposal&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; And close deals without chasing or convincing &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;You’ll learn:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt; The &lt;b&gt;“Picture Perfect” question&lt;/b&gt; that exposes gaps instantly &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; Why most producers accidentally help the incumbent win &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; The &lt;b&gt;Vision Box technique&lt;/b&gt; that makes prospects sell themselves &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; How to shift control so the buyer pulls you in &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; The final move that prevents your proposal from dying in a drawer &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you’re tired of losing deals you should have won…&lt;br/&gt;this is the system that changes that.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get the full process with the book here: https://shop.thewedge.net/collections/books&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new"&gt;Want us to tackle a real challenge you&amp;#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Get more insights like this every week:&lt;br/&gt; 👉 &lt;b&gt;Subscribe to the podcast &amp;amp; blog:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://thewedge.net'&gt;https://thewedge.net&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Most producers lose before they even realize it. They think they got beat on price…  but in reality, they were just used to give the incumbent leverage. In this episode, The Wedge creator Randy Schwantz breaks down the exact 5-step system that flips that dynamic completely. This is a field-tested process that’s been used for 30+ years to:  Eliminate price competition  Create real differentiation (not “better service” fluff)  Get prospects to ask YOU for the propo...

The 5-Step Wedge System: Close More Deals Without Quoting

Most producers don’t lose deals because of price. They lose because they walk into meetings unprepared.In this episode, Randy breaks down the exact 7-question pre-call framework top commercial insurance producers use to dramatically increase their close rate—often in just 20 minutes of preparation.You’ll learn:<ul><li>Why every sales meeting actually has a “third person” in the room—and how to beat them</li><li>The simple prep strategy that turns average producers into top performers</li><li>How to uncover hidden weaknesses in the incumbent before you ever walk in</li><li>The real reason prospects say “your price is too high” (and how to avoid it)</li><li>How one producer went from losing deals to winning by BOR in the first meeting</li></ul>If you want to win more accounts, shorten your sales cycle, and stop competing on price, this episode gives you a practical system you can use before your very next meeting.Interested in learning more? Visit thewedge.net <a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new">Want us to tackle a real challenge you&#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.</a>If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast &amp; blog: <a href='https://thewedge.net'>https://thewedge.net</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;Most producers don’t lose deals because of price. They lose because they walk into meetings unprepared.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, Randy breaks down the exact &lt;b&gt;7-question pre-call framework&lt;/b&gt; top commercial insurance producers use to dramatically increase their close rate—often in just &lt;b&gt;20 minutes of preparation&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You’ll learn:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why every sales meeting actually has a “third person” in the room—and how to beat them&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The simple prep strategy that turns average producers into top performers&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;How to uncover hidden weaknesses in the incumbent before you ever walk in&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The real reason prospects say “your price is too high” (and how to avoid it)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;How one producer went from losing deals to winning by BOR in the first meeting&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you want to &lt;b&gt;win more accounts, shorten your sales cycle, and stop competing on price&lt;/b&gt;, this episode gives you a practical system you can use before your very next meeting.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Interested in learning more? Visit thewedge.net&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/103107/fan_mail/new"&gt;Want us to tackle a real challenge you&amp;#39;re dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Get more insights like this every week:&lt;br/&gt; 👉 &lt;b&gt;Subscribe to the podcast &amp;amp; blog:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://thewedge.net'&gt;https://thewedge.net&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Most producers don’t lose deals because of price. They lose because they walk into meetings unprepared. In this episode, Randy breaks down the exact 7-question pre-call framework top commercial insurance producers use to dramatically increase their close rate—often in just 20 minutes of preparation. You’ll learn: Why every sales meeting actually has a “third person” in the room—and how to beat themThe simple prep strategy that turns average producers into top performersHow to uncover hidden w...

Close 3X More Deals with 7 Questions of Pre-Call Prep

Welcome to the Agency Growth Machine Podcast with Randy Schwantz. This show is for agency owners who want to remain independent, develop their team of producers, and do it in a way that they too can grow and profit from.  

Agency Growth Machine

Details

Recent Episodes