12X Commission

Hosted by Charles Specht

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218

Latest episode

Jul 2026

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About the show

12X COMMISSION is the top podcast for insurance producers who want to build a $1,000,000+ Book of Business and also for agency owners who want to scale their agency to 7-figures or more. The host — Charles Specht — was an insurance producer with a Million-Dollar Book of Business before launching an independent consulting company (Constructive Risk) to construction companies and other business owners. He also coaches and trains insurance agents and agency owners (Permission Sales) on what buyers are looking for in an agent, branding & marketing, mindset, prospecting, setting more new business appointments, negotiation, and winning loyal clients through signed Broker of Record Letters. As the fractional Chief Sales Officer for numerous insurance agencies across the USA and Canada, Charles understands what your prospects both want and need. The 12X COMMISSION podcast will give you the tools needed for implementing his 5-Part “Permission Sales Framework” and package your 12-Month Timeline of Services in such a way that your prospects will fire their incumbent broker and hire you instead … during the very first appointment!

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60 recent

July 30, 202642 min

How Authenticity Boosts Sales with Marques Ogden

How can you sell more insurance by being "authentic" with your prospects? That's one of the topics Charles Specht addresses in this interview with Marques Ogden. You have to be more Micro-Niched, seen as the expert, and don't have commission breath. In this episode, Charles and Marques will explain how to merge Authenticity & Permission in order to create more Commission. Key Topics: Marques Ogden's fall from NFL and construction success to rock bottom Losing his business, home, and cars after letting ego take over The "be your own CEO" mindset that sparked his comeback Building a coaching career and top ranked podcast from nothing Authenticity means caring about clients, not chasing a quick sale The "give, give, give, then ask" approach to earning trust Timing offers so they truly benefit the client, not just you Why agents lose trust by disappearing after the sale closes Spotting "desperation breath" and protecting genuine relationships Micro-niching builds trust and grows an agent's book of business Reach out to  Marques Ogden Charles Specht Visit: Get Authentic with Marques Ogden Marques Ogden Permission Network Chief Sales Officer Permission Producer School Produced by PodSquad.fm

July 21, 202629 min

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

Do you ever struggle with limiting beliefs? A poor mindset? Stinkin' Thinkin'? Those limiting beliefs are literally stealing tens of thousands of dollars from your commission check every month. In this episode, host Charles Specht gives insurance producers and insurance agency owners a motivating talk about how to overcome the self-defeating conversations taking place in your head, once and for all. Key Topics: Limiting beliefs about age, gender, and experience sabotage prospecting confidence Direct prospecting like calls and walk-ins triggers more fear than email The best time to prospect is right after winning a new client Pushing through fear separates small books from million-dollar books Stop blaming account managers, leadership, or carriers for your results Cut data mining during work hours and focus only on prospecting Doubling call volume can double signed broker of record letters Over 90% of producers avoid direct prospecting due to reluctance A written strategy on micro-niche and territory builds prospecting confidence Charles introduces Permission Network and his 12X Commission coaching services Reach out to  Charles Specht Visit: Permission Network Chief Sales Officer Permission Producer School Produced by PodSquad.fm

July 16, 202624 min

Should You Prospect with Price?

Should you prospect using "Price" as your hook when trying to set new appointments, or something else like Service or Coverage? In this episode, host Charles Specht will help you to use "empathy" when prospecting so as to address the Price issue in order to get your prospect to agree to meet with you. And, Charles will explain what he means when he says, "Give your prospects what they want but sell them what they need." Key Topics: Prospecting on price versus prospecting on service from the first outreach Why price is always on the table but rarely the real issue Using "that's unfair" to validate price objections before offering solutions The "price plus something" strategy for bridging objections to your solution What insurance buyers really want: saved money, saved time, peace of mind Finding the real cause behind rising costs, not just the price tag The producer's real job: helping clients spend their budget, not cut coverage Only 5 percent of producers actually spend real time prospecting Why most producers still lack a mature, usable prospect list Charles's fractional Chief Sales Officer coaching for agencies and producers Reach out to  Charles Specht Visit: Permission Network Chief Sales Officer Permission Producer School Produced by PodSquad.fm

June 25, 202628 min

Create a COI Network of Non-Stop Referrals

75% and 75. That's what I want you to focus on. This is the recipe for a 7-Figure Book of Business. In this podcast episode host Charles Specht will talk about the 75% activity level you need for prospecting as well as creating a list of no less than 75 referral partners. Imagine what your agency or Book of Business would look like if you had 75 COI's referring accounts to you non-stop! Key Topics: Spending 75% of golden hours on active prospecting, not service work Separating prospecting from admin tasks like apps and CRM updates Producers who don't prospect are just account managers Building a dedicated COI prospect list alongside your primary prospect list Why veteran producers get inbound referrals - and how to replicate it intentionally Targeting non-insurance vendors in your niche as COI relationships Reaching out to COIs with a no-sell, mutual referral pitch The 75/75 framework - 75% prospecting time, 75 COIs as your target Agency owners multiplying COI impact by coordinating vendor networks across producers Charles's fractional Chief Sales Officer offer at $500-$1,000 per month Reach out to Charles Specht Visit: Permission Network Chief Sales Officer Permission Producer School Produced by PodSquad.fm

June 2, 202621 min

Permission Prospecting That Sets Appointments

It's not about you. Literally, prospecting is not about you. Prospecting is about your prospect, not you. So ..... STOP TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR AGENCY AND YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR HISTORY AND ... Do you understand? Your prospects don't care about you. They don't care about you --- yet! They will later, just not now. While prospecting, you're a stranger and people don't want to meet with strangers to learn about the stranger's agency or about other strangers who work at a stranger's agency. Get it? You see, you need to focus on your prospect. It's about them. It's about the Prospect. It's about their problems and their struggles and their worries and their costs and what keeps them up at night. Prospecting is about winning your prospect's undivided attention (a.k.a. their "Permission"). In this episode, host Charles Specht explains how to prospect using "Permission Prospecting" so that your prospect agrees to meet with you and then will give you everything you want and need so that you can get what you want. It's all about permission! Visit our website at: www.permissionsales.com Follow Charles Specht on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesspecht Key Topics: Prospecting is not about you, it's about solving your prospect's problems The permission-based approach to prospecting and why it changes everything Matching your outreach method to how your prospect actually wants to be reached Why one-trick-pony prospecting leaves commissions on the table Building at least three prospecting channels to maximize appointment-setting success The danger of agents who talk about themselves instead of buyer solutions How to identify your prospect's pain, amplify it, and position your solution Why most agency leaders train producers on coverage, not how to sell or get permission The five-part Permission Sales Framework and where to access it Charles's fractional CSO and one-on-one coaching services for producers and agencies Reach out to Charles Specht Visit: Permission Network Produced by PodSquad.fm

May 28, 202629 min

It's All About Permission | Ep 001

Welcome to the 1st episode of the newly rebranded podcast: PERMISSION SALES In this episode, host Charles Specht talks all about "permission" and how you can obtain that permission from your prospects. Without permission the best you can hope for is 2nd Place. Permission is about giving the prospect what they want so that they'll give you what you want. You want exclusive access, to become the incumbent agent, and for the prospect to choose you. And nothing says you have my permission like a signed Broker of Record Letter. Without permission it's extremely difficult to win in sales. That's why it's so important to define permission, know what it is, and know how to get it. Be sure to subscribe now to the Permission Sales Podcast. Key Topics: The rebrand from Millionaire Insurance Producer Podcast to the Permission Sales Podcast Seth Godin's "Tribes" and the philosophy of finding your people Defining permission: giving prospects what they want to get what you need A signed Broker of Record Letter as the clearest expression of permission Quoting without permission and why agents lose even when priced lower The Find Your 50 framework for targeting the right client count Working commission math backward to reach a $500K or million-dollar book Three to three-and-a-half years as the timeline to a full book Permission at every level, prospects, carriers, and underwriters all require it Thinking like your prospect, not a producer, to start gathering commission Reach out to Charles Specht Visit us at: Permission Network Permission Sales Podcast on LinkedIn Permission University Courses & Curriculum Permission Producer School Chief Sales Officer Produced by PodSquad.fm

May 21, 202625 min

Podcast Rebrand - The "Permission Sales" Pivot

In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host In this last episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer Podcast, host ⁠Charles Specht⁠ tries to hit you squarely between the eyes. In other words, he wants to get you thinking. Do you need to pivot? Do you need to start something -- finally! -- that you've been thinking about for a while but just haven't gotten around to getting it going? Why are you doing what you're doing? Why haven't you picked your Micro-Niche yet? Why haven't you started prospecting yet ....like you know you should? Why have you reverted back to doing things you know you shouldn't? And why aren't you getting the sales results you want? Well, that's what Charles is going to talk to you about in this episode. Oh yeah, and this is the last episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer Podcast. (a moment of silence, please) But stay here with us because we're doing a simple rebrand/refresh here on this podcast channel and the new name of the show will be: PERMISSION SALES We can't wait! Key Topics: Just because you've been doing it doesn't mean you should keep doing it The Millionaire Insurance Producer Podcast is rebranding to the Permission Sales Podcast Permission: getting your prospect to give you exclusive marketplace access so you can win Pivot or step forward - stop skating the fence of indecision Reverting to old habits after coaching is the rut that kills results Nobody in your office wants to buy from you - get out and face your prospects Door knocking, walk-in visits, and text messaging are the most overlooked prospecting weapons Going back to failed tactics like a dog to its own vomit - recognize the pattern and stop The five-part Permission Sales Framework and the book Charles is writing around it What the Permission Sales podcast will cover for insurance agents and agency leaders going forward Reach out to ⁠Charles Specht⁠ Visit: ⁠Permission Network⁠ Produced by ⁠PodSquad.fm⁠

May 7, 202628 min

In Order to Win Someone Else Has to Lose

In order for you to win a new client the incumbent agent has to lose. The incumbent agent needs to get fired in order for you to get hired. But how do you get the insured to realize their agent is a "bum" without you saying it? In this episode, host ⁠Charles Specht⁠ will teach you how to uncover problems with the incumbent agent and get the insured to admit to you that their agent is a "bum" and sign your Broker of Record Letter during the first appointment. Does it sound too good to be true? Well, it's not. You just need to learn the art of Superior Service, Reward Offered, Incumbent Expectation, Prospect's Lips. Check out our website to see our sales training offerings:⁠ https://permissiongroup.com/permission-university/⁠ Are you an agency owner looking for someone to help your sales team set more appointments and win more profitable accounts? Then consider hiring Charles Specht as you agency's fractional Chief Sales Officer on retainer:⁠ https://permissiongroup.com/chief-sales-officer/⁠ Key Topics: Winning means someone else loses - your real job is getting prospects to fire their current agent and hire you The "insurance agent bum" - producers coasting on renewals while delivering zero real value to insureds Why badmouthing the competition backfires and makes the insured defend the bad decision they already made Showing your superior service and its reward first, then asking if the incumbent agent does the same Workers' comp submission tactic: including an injury and illness prevention program to unlock 3-7% rate reductions most agents never pursue The one-agent-one-quote trap that trained insurance buyers to bring in multiple agents instead of granting exclusivity Renegotiating with underwriters after a carrier is selected - averaging 11% savings on standard and up to 17% on surplus lines Open-ended questions designed to make insureds conclude on their own that their agent is a bum Micro-niching as the foundation for uncovering the gaps that make the BOR request inevitable Charles's California commission network: 12 agencies selected to receive construction referrals directly from his consulting client base Reach out to: ⁠Charles Specht⁠ Visit: ⁠Permission Network⁠ Produced by ⁠PodSquad.fm⁠

April 30, 202626 min

Appointment Setting (and Getting Awarded the BOR)

Two things... In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer Podcast, host ⁠Charles Specht⁠ briefly shares how to set more new business appointments, what to say in order to set those appointments, how to convert those prospects into loyal clients, and ....... he talks about a new, select group of small- to medium-sized insurance agencies who will be brought in to take over the insurance policies (via BOR) of his consulting clients. Key Topics: Insurance producers actually work two careers, and appointment setting is the first one you must master A 25-35% hit ratio means wasting three-quarters of your career on accounts you'll never close The "price plus something" prospecting script that sets more appointments than pitching better service ever will Frontloading prospecting from 8 to 10 AM before email, apps, or client calls Walk-in visits outperform cold calls for setting appointments Stop quoting for non-clients - the 4 to 24 hours per account is a total waste without earned trust Why a closing rate below 60% signals you're coming across as a generalist, not a specialist Micro-niched producers should be converting 85-90% of prospects into signed clients Charles announces a select referral program introducing his consulting clients to handpicked agencies Agency owners and principals only - the requirements to qualify for Charles's California referral group Reach out to ⁠Charles Specht⁠ Visit: ⁠Permission Network⁠ Produced by ⁠PodSquad.fm⁠

April 2, 202626 min

The Secret Sauce to Building a Huge Book of Business

The secret sauce to building a huge Book of Business does exist. It really does. The issue is just that you don't know the recipe yet. You don't know how to set more appointments, win more signed Broker of Record Letters, and build a base of loyal clients who choose you and renew with you, year after year. But that can change right now! In this episode, host ⁠Charles Specht⁠ will pull back the curtain and give you the FOUR INGREDIENTS of the "secret sauce" for building a huge Book of Business. What are the four ingredients you ask? Pain, Problem, Solution, and Reward What do those mean? Well, that's why you need to listen to this episode! If you're interested in hiring Charles for sales training, visit:⁠ https://permissiongroup.com/sales-coaching/⁠ If you're an agency leader interested in hiring Charles as a fractional Chief Sales Officer, visit:⁠ https://permissiongroup.com/chief-sales-officer/⁠ If you're interested in participating in the next cohort of Permission Producer School, visit:⁠ https://permissiongroup.com/permission-producer-school/⁠ Happy prospecting! Key Topics: Stop talking about yourself and your agency during prospecting - prospects don't care about you yet Pain is the only reason prospects ever go looking for a new insurance agent Price is the pain point, not the actual problem - learning to tell the difference is critical Pinning the pain on the incumbent agent and making them the root cause of the prospect's frustration The pain-problem-solution-reward framework as the secret sauce to building a huge book of business Features and benefits pitches fall flat because prospects who feel no pain see no reason to switch Prospecting on pain to set appointments, then shifting focus to the problem at the first meeting How producers can apply the pain-problem-solution-reward formula to diagnose their own sales struggles The cost of winging it without a process and why it keeps producers stuck with the same results Hiring a sales coach or fractional chief sales officer as the solution to breaking through commission plateaus Reach out to ⁠Charles Specht⁠ Visit: ⁠Permission Network⁠ Produced by ⁠PodSquad.fm⁠