Each year the insurance industry changes and shifts, sometimes incrementally and sometimes with greater intent and speed. The challenges and focus shift as needed to morph the agency business from a commoditized, product-selling relic of the past to a client-centered consulting/advisory firm of modern business.
We write our articles based on what we’re hearing and seeing with agencies, so our content shifts and morphs based on what we see agencies needing at the time. Not necessarily what people want to hear, but what they most need to hear.
This year, there was a strong focus on the overall business model, running the company, and making critical decisions about agency operations. Here are the articles that rose to the top of views and shares.
Whether these are first time reads for you or re-reads, taking time to reflect on some top issues facing independent insurance agencies is a great way to prepare as you move into 2018 and think about the top items you need to address in your own operations.
Critical Business Model Ideas
1.) Zenefits + OneDigital = ?
The Zenefits & OneDigital partnership should be a wake-up call to insurance agencies that selling HR technology is a critical part of the broker-employer relationship.
2.) Put on Your Big Boy Pants
Struggling with prospecting and sales?! It's time to up your value proposition and take your agency marketing seriously. Yes, it's work, but it's also rewarding.
3.) You Can’t Make This SH*T Up!
Choosing an insurance broker based on relationships instead of results can be a huge mistake. An outrageous example of how doing this put one company at risk.
4.) Let them charge fees!
Stop crying over lost insurance agency commissions and show your clients what you're doing to earn your pay. Provide real value and charge fees accordingly.
5.) 5 Unanticipated Outcomes of Agency Acquisitions
The lure of acquisition can be strong, but selling your insurance agency comes with unintended consequences. Consider these five critical issues before saying yes.
6.) Your Lifestyle (Business) is Killing You
Insurance agencies are often run as lifestyle businesses. But client needs have grown while brokers are devalued, so owners need to take a more active role.
Critical Marketing & Sales Ideas
7.) Your Price-Product-Service Message is Killing You!
Many employee benefits brokers aren't selling what the buyer really wants. Prospects have done their research. Agents must provide more than the basic minimum.
8.) Promoting Someone Else's Products is a Seriously Lame Way to Market Your Insurance Agency
Insurance agencies need to stop promoting insurance products and start promoting and marketing their ideas as a consultant. People buy ideas, not product.
9.) Are You a Skinny, Fat Producer?
You may look like healthy producers on the outside, but if your prospect pipeline is equivalent to your diet, many of you are junking out or flat out starving.
10.) Prospects Won’t Give You Time? – It’s Not Them, It’s You
Think insurance prospects won't give you time because they're busy? We call BS. The real problem is a tired broker sales process that doesn't offer any value.
11.) If Sales are Stagnant, You Probably Have a Marketing Problem
Sales people have lost significant influence over the selling and buying process, and insurance agencies need to step up and use marketing as a critical tool to gain prospect attention.
12.) 4 Things Scarier Than Making That Sales Prospecting Call
Most insurance agency producers come up with countless reasons to avoid making sales prospecting calls. Sadly, they're missing out on four key rewards of the job.
If you haven't done so already, now would be a perfect time to download our Annual Agency Planning Guide below and get your agency ready for a more intentional year ahead!
Photo by gajus
