Business Development Representative

The Business Development Representative serves as the first point of contact for prospective independent insurance agents interested in partnering with Advocate Financial. This role engages marketing-generated and outbound leads, conducts qualification and recruiting conversations, and evaluates each prospective agent’s experience, production, active licensing status, business model, and growth goals. As the primary relationship owner throughout the recruiting process, the Business Development Representative communicates Advocate Financial’s value proposition, addresses questions and concerns, secures verbal commitments, and guides agents through contracting, carrier appointments, certifications, and other onboarding requirements until they achieve Ready to Sell (RTS) status. The representative then connects the fully onboarded agent with the appropriate growth partner within the organization based on their experience and business needs. This role plays a critical part in creating a positive first impression, delivering a consistent recruiting and onboarding experience, maintaining accurate CRM and pipeline records, and supporting Advocate Financial’s continued distribution growth. Key Responsibilities Prospecting & Lead Engagement Respond promptly to inbound inquiries generated through the company website, marketing campaigns, social media, referrals, recruiting events, and other marketing initiatives. Identify and engage prospective independent insurance agents through outbound calls, emails, social platforms, referrals, industry databases, and other approved sources. Maintain consistent outreach and follow-up with cold, warm, and previously engaged prospects. Introduce Advocate Financial, build rapport, and create a positive and professional first impression. Conduct discovery conversations to understand each prospective agent’s experience, production history, product focus, active licensing status, current agency affiliation, business model, and growth goals. Evaluate each prospective agent’s qualifications, readiness, and growth potential to determine fit with Advocate Financial. Clearly communicate Advocate Financial’s value proposition, partnership opportunities, resources, and expectations. Address questions and concerns, overcome objections, and guide qualified prospects through the decision-making process. Secure verbal commitments and clearly communicate the next steps in the contracting and onboarding process. Contracting, Certification & RTS Coordination Initiate the contracting process after a verbal commitment is secured. Guide committed agents through contracting documents, carrier appointments, certifications, and other onboarding requirements.Monitor each agent’s progress, identify outstanding requirements, and maintain consistent follow-up to keep the onboarding process moving forward. Coordinate with agents and internal team members to resolve questions, delays, or barriers. Serve as the agent’s primary point of contact throughout the recruiting and onboarding process. Confirm that all required contracting, carrier appointment, and certification steps are complete before the agent is designated Ready to Sell (RTS). Growth Partner Transition Evaluate each fully onboarded agent’s experience, production, business model, and growth goals to determine the appropriate growth partner within the organization. Coordinate the introduction to the appropriate growth partner after the agent achieves RTS status. Provide complete recruiting notes, background information, onboarding status, and business goals to support a seamless transition. Confirm the introduction has occurred and address any remaining recruiting or onboarding items before closing the recruiting opportunity. Accurately document all outreach, recruiting conversations, qualification details, verbal commitments, contracting progress, certifications, and RTS status in Salesforce. Maintain accurate lead records, pipeline stages, follow-up tasks, and recruiting outcomes. Track lead sources, outreach activity, conversion rates, verbal commitments, contracting progress, RTS completions, and other recruiting performance measures. Maintain an organized pipeline and complete follow-up activities within established timeframes. Assist with list building, database maintenance, and data‑quality initiatives. Work closely with Marketing to improve lead quality, campaign follow‑up, and response times. Collaborate with Contracting, Account Executives, the Director of National Distribution, and other growth partners to provide a consistent recruiting and onboarding experience. Participate in recruiting meetings, pipeline reviews, and performance discussions. Identify process gaps and recommend improvements to outreach strategies, recruiting processes, pipeline movement, and the prospective agent experience. Support additional recruiting, business development, and marketing initiatives and perform other duties as assigned. Qualifications High school diploma or equivalent. Minimum of one year of sales or recruiting experience. Comfortable making and receiving a high volume of phone calls (100+ calls per day). Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport over the phone. Organized with strong attention to detail and follow-through. Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office, and the ability to learn new software systems. Positive attitude, strong work ethic, and a willingness to learn. Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a team. Physical Demands Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Frequent use of phone and video conferencing platforms. Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in person and virtually. Occasional travel for industry conferences, recruiting events, or company meetings. Ability to operate standard office equipment. Advocate Financial provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Benefits Salary: Base Salary + Bonus Vacation: 15 days of paid vacation per year, in addition to 14 paid company holidays (e.g., Good Friday, 4th of July, etc.). 401(k): You will be eligible for a 3% 401k contribution match after 1 year of employment. Health Benefits: You will be eligible to enroll in the Company’s medical, dental, and vision insurance plans. Life Insurance: The Company provides a fully employer‑paid life insurance policy. #J-18808-Ljbffr Advocate Financial Life & Health Brokerage