How to Be a Successful Independent Insurance Agent
Contrary to popular belief, the insurance game can be for everyone. All that’s necessary is a diploma and your willingness to do your homework.
However, it’s one thing to learn how to be an insurance agent. Knowing how to be a successful independent agent is another thing entirely. Being an independent insurance agent comes with a unique set of challenges, which multiply as soon as you get success in your sight.
Despite these challenges, however, it is possible. With patience, the proper coaching, and a growth mindset, you’ll not only be an independent insurance agent; you’ll also be successful, whether this means multi-digit commissions or the satisfaction of helping someone.
Are you ready to learn how to be a better insurance agent?
Do Your Homework on the Demand in Your Area
When you start as an independent insurance agent, information is power, so you need to do as much research as possible to learn the demand for insurance in your area. These findings will give a better understanding of the kinds of insurance products you should offer based on the needs of prospective clients.
This brings us to our next tip.
Choose and Get Acquainted with Your Product Offerings
Insurance products vary greatly. With the many types of insurance available, you may have difficulty deciding which ones need to be included in your offerings.
When selecting insurance products to include in your product offering, it’s a good idea to start with a select few that are in high demand, such as the particularly lucrative life insurance suite of products. However, don’t expand your offerings without extremely thorough research. It is crucial to know the ins and outs of every single type of insurance that you offer so you can better answer questions from your future clients.
If you would like to scale up your offerings, take your time and only do this as you acclimate to insurance sales.
Set Yourself up for Success With Reasonable Sales Targets
Many ask whether it’s possible for an insurance agent to become a millionaire, and the answer is both yes and no. Yes, it is possible for anyone who wants to work hard and exercises patience to become a millionaire.
However, it’s a no for agents who wish to make their first million within their first year in insurance. The latter are setting themselves up for failure; $1 million just is not a reasonable sales target. For anyone just starting out, reasonable sales targets need to be on the lower end, usually within five digits in their first year.
It’s a low ceiling to try to reach, but low is the point.
When it comes to insurance sales, momentum is a huge psychological driver of action and mindset. By meeting goals, whether they’re high or low, you will feel a higher intrinsic sense of motivation to carry on. This means that if you set the sales bar too high, you might not meet it; this can stifle any desire you may have to continue.
Get to Know Your Clients
The individualized treatment of clients is what sets an independent insurance agent from one who works for an insurance company. As an independent insurance sales agent, it is your job to engage your leads before you sell them anything. Leading off with a sales pitch without understanding your client on an individual level can be off-putting.
By engaging your client as an individual, you build trust and rapport. As we all know, the insurance business is built on trust. Earn your client’s trust, and they will be far more likely to purchase what you have to offer.
Proper Training… First Step
When joining ALIA, we guide you with a one-on-one professional financial coaching session. We assist agents on a quick path to their first appointment, writing their first policy, and running a successful insurance agency.
When Clients Are Happy, Ask for a Positive Review
In insurance, the best kind of marketing is word-of-mouth. When people are aware that clients have had positive experiences with you, you will gain more clients. This is why you need to ask your clients for a review.
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Find Out More
Interested in understanding more about how to be a successful independent insurance agent? Get in touch today with one of our friendly team members to discuss your career goals.