Gordon Marketing Review

By David Duford - January 02, 2023 - 5 Mins Read

Are you a new agent looking to join an insurance agency? Are you considering Gordon Marketing?

If so, you are in the right place. Before you make your decision, consider a few questions:

How is Gordon Marketing structured? What are the pros and cons of working with Gordon Marketing? Is Gordon Marketing a legitimate company?

Completing your due diligence before joining an agency will save you time, energy, and sometimes money too! Read on to find out the answers to those questions and make an educated decision.

DISCLAIMERS: We are not in any way affiliated with Gordon Marketing. In fact, we are a direct competitor of theirs. This article is our personal review of Gordon Marketing and we aim to provide a balanced and fair review. If you would like to contact Gordon Marketing, you can do so at +1 317-776-6770.

Who Is Gordon Marketing And What Do They Do?

Gordon Marketing is an insurance agency that works with independent insurance agents throughout the USA. They represent a variety of insurance lines and products and train agents to sell them successfully.

Its mission claims to focus on taking care of the client first. They also mention they have “an old-fashioned family atmosphere…”

Gordon Marketing’s headquarters is located in Noblesville, IN.

What Products Do They Sell?

Gordon Marketing sells life insurance, health insurance, senior and annuity insurance, as well as ancillary products like hospital indemnity, dental/vision/hearing plans, and so forth.

Is Gordon Marketing Legit?

Yes, Gordon Marketing is a legitimate company that markets insurance products and trains agents.

Is Gordon Marketing A Pyramid Scheme?

Gordon Marketing is not a pyramid scheme and is a completely legitimate company.

However, like all insurance sales agencies and independent marketing organizations, their structure mimics a pyramid and is based on Multilevel Marketing (MLM).

At the top you have the insurance carrier or provider. Below them, you have a national marketing agency or IMOs. Beneath that are sub-agencies/FMOs and then below that would be the agent.

You may be surprised to know that most insurance agencies are structured like this. Nowadays, there are hundreds of different agencies and independent agents.

See Also 6 Funny, Sad, And Scary Insurance Sales Stories

The insurance market was not always like this, however, its structure has changed over many decades to be the norm.

MLM Culture

Most insurance agents do not have problems with the structure of the agency. Instead, agents are most concerned about the “MLM culture” the predominates many agencies and is a big turn-off.

MLM culture can encourage recruitment and building a downline more than actually selling insurance products.

To avoid this, keep an eye out for the “blue sky” pitch. What’s this? A sales pitch that promises extreme wealth, an amazing lifestyle, cars, opportunities, etc. There is no focus on the functional aspects of selling and learning about insurance. This could be an indication that you are dealing with an MLM.

Observe what the recruiter talks about. Does the recruiter talk about skill development, or about his Ferrari or Rolex?

Other factors to pay attention to are:

Magnanimous leaders followed almost religiously.
Over-recruiting or heavily pushing recruitment over developing agents and selling insurance.
Encouragement to recruit your family, friends, and acquaintances.
Agencies that monetize you. The agency sells you leads, charges joining fees, and training fees. They make money on you before you make a dime.
Low commission levels.

Pros Of Gordon Marketing

Pros that were mentioned on Glassdoor and Indeed include:

Fun work environment for those who like a fast pace.
Opportunity for high income.
Free benefits and perks as well as international trips after 5 years.
Flexible work and good hours.

Quite a few agents mention a very upbeat and energetic work atmosphere. Agents also mention opportunities for a good income.

Cons Of Gordon Marketing

Cons mentioned on Glassdoor and Indeed include:

Hostile work environment.
Lack of proper training and support.
Sometimes too fast-paced and noisy.

Personal issues with the MLM-based structure. The MLM structure can focus heavily on recruiting new agents and building a downline.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with recruiting individuals IF it’s done right.

However, many agents find issues with MLM-based agencies pushing new recruits to start recruiting immediately. A newbie training a newbie sounds like a recipe for disaster.

If you want to find out the branch’s focus, ask a few questions during your interview.

What is the company culture?
Is production more important than recruiting?
What are your starting commission levels? (If low, ask why they are lower than alternatives?)
How do you get higher commission levels?

See Also http://davidduford.com/wpinsurance

Gordon Marketing mentions commission levels in this document.

Complete your due diligence to ensure you understand the branch’s culture and values. Know what you’re getting into so you can make the best choice.

Independent Agent Vs. Captive Agent

Captive agents and independent agents vary in a few important areas! Before you choose an agency, you need to understand the difference.

Captive agents are limited to ONE insurance agency and agents cannot offer a variety of insurance products. This limits the agent to selling one option only, and it’s oftentimes not the best option.

Captive agents cannot compare various carriers and products to sell the best plan to their clients. If you were to sell a sub-par product, you increase the risk that the client cancels the policy later on and you lose on commissions.

There are also downsides to your pay and ownership.

A good portion of captive organizations will not “vest” your business for a certain number of years. This means you do not own what you sell, so if you decide to leave the organization, say goodbye to future commissions.

And lastly, a lot of captive organizations push the MLM structure. This means you will be pushed to recruit and get a bunch of agents below you instead of actually selling insurance.

Captive organizations are not my cup of tea. So, what is the alternative?

An independent agent can sell a variety of insurance products from different carriers. This allows them to compare and offer alternatives to clients.

Overall, clients are more satisfied and may keep their coverage longer because they got a better plan. An independent has more flexibility, usually higher commissions, and is more likely to be vested.

I believe the independent model is far superior to the captive model.

Avoid Low Starting Commission

A good starting point, especially for final expense insurance is 100%+. If you are an experienced agent 110%+.

Make sure you research competitor agencies and know the going rate. If you interview Gordon Marketing, ask about their starting commissions and any opportunities for higher commissions.

Vesting

Vesting is ownership over your insurance book business. If you are fully vested, then you own your leads and sales. If you make a sale the future commission is yours.

BUT, if you are not 100% vested, you are going to face some issues. How so?

If you are not fully vested by the agency you work with, then the agency owns your business. If you were to leave the agency, your future commissions are no longer yours.

From what I know, your upline gets it. So, if you are not 100% vested and you leave, those above you benefit from your months or years of hard work.

Our research shows that agents who join Gordon Marketing are 100% vested immediately.

Conclusion

Before choosing to work with any agency, complete your due diligence. Learn about the company’s culture and work ethics. Identify what you are and are not comfortable with.

Compare alternative options, one of those options would be my agency, Duford Insurance Group. Read our FAQs and learn more about what we do.

If you want to learn more about Gordon Marketing take a look at these links: