Are you running an insurance agency or thinking of starting one? Insurance is a complicated subject, but with the right agency organization methods, you can make it work for you!
Here are eight tips to help your agency be a success:
1. Budget Wisely
Insurance agencies cost a lot of money, and you will need to make sure you can afford all the costs before committing yourself.
Set a budget for what you can spend on equipment, furniture and supplies, insurance premiums, training courses, and marketing materials.
2. Know the Market
Insurance is an industry that changes very rapidly, and you will need to be constantly on top of things. Join organizations such as the Insurance Institute for Business Management and industry networking groups such as the National Association of Professional Organizers.
These people know what’s going on in the market and can point you in the right direction if you’re having trouble keeping up with your current clients or finding new ones.
3. Build Relationships
One of the best ways to run a good insurance agency is by building great business relationships with other reputable agencies, brokers, and carriers out there working within your niche space who can provide support when you need it.
You should always be on the lookout to deepen your relationships with potential partners and mentors, so follow them on social media to monitor their growth. If you want help, ask! A lot of times, people in this industry are more than willing to share what they know if it means that both parties will benefit from it.
4. Develop Systems and Track Performance
Develop systems and track performance to ensure your company continues to grow in a positive direction. Before each day, week and month begins, map out exactly what needs to be done and when to maximize results.
At the end of each period/day/week/month, put together reports on how progress was made regarding deadlines, challenges encountered, and new potential opportunities; this will help you make the right changes to move your agency forward.
5. Protecting Yourself and Your Agency
As an independent insurance agent, you are required by FCA record-keeping rules to keep records of all premiums received, claims made, and days that coverage was in force for each policy sold during the period under review (normally referred to as the ‘adjustment period’). These records must be kept for review purposes for seven years.
This process might seem like a hassle at first; however, it is extremely important that these record-keeping rules are followed diligently. If you find that keeping up records is taking too much time, consider hiring someone new who specializes in record-keeping solutions.
6. Work for the Best
With a fluctuating economy, a crowded marketplace, and a greater need to stand out from the rest of the competition, you need to work harder than ever before.
To do so, it is vital that you choose an agency name that will help you find more clients. Working with insurance agencies can give your company a competitive edge as well as access to tools and solutions designed specifically for professional agencies.
7. Client Service
Do not neglect client service. Insurance companies change their rates almost monthly – sometimes they even increase them! Make sure you stay on top of new releases by quoting exactly what your client’s last insurance policy was, then use a comparison website to get the best quotes available on the market.
Be sure to provide a great service so that your clients will refer you to their friends and family, which in turn can also lead to more business for you!
8. Market it Properly
You have insurance knowledge and experience at your fingertips, so one of the best ways to attract new customers is by using marketing methods such as direct mail, email marketing, PR/social media content sharing, advertising with Google Adwords, or TV ads.
All of these channels use an approach called ‘lead generation,’ where your product or service is pushed out into the marketplace via advertisements for people who need them to drive demand for what you offer. This means that when a customer contacts you for a quote, they are a hot lead. This is a very important process to follow so it is best to be familiar with your local marketing laws and requirements or hire a good agency for internet marketing purposes.
Independent insurance agents have a lot of responsibilities, but with the right systems and methods in place, you can make it work for you. Protecting yourself and your agency is one of those important responsibilities and working hard to attract new customers. Remember to market your services properly using lead generation techniques so that when people need insurance, they come to you!
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