Sales are essential to the success of your insurance agency. Whether you have a small startup or a well-established agency, having realistic sales goals helps your agents stay focused, motivated, and on track to meet their objectives. The following step-by-step...
For many insurance sales agents, speaking to customers is a breeze. Most sales agents get into a sales career because they love meeting new people and helping them solve their problems. But there comes a time when insurance agents must have uncomfortable or downright...
Technology in insurance agencies is no longer a luxury but a business necessity. When you look at the speed at which AI transforms several industries, your agency cannot afford to stay behind. Are your agents tracking quotes and storing customer information using an...
The insurance market is more competitive than ever. In 2023, insurance agencies are trying to outdo others by offering low prices and incentives. So, if you own an insurance agency, how do you differentiate your business in a highly competitive environment? The answer...
Detailed marketing and advertising strategies go a long way toward attracting clients. However, nothing beats good old-fashioned customer referrals. While most customers only make one referral, 34% make up to 10 referrals. If you know how to encourage your clients to...
Leadership forms the core of a successful business. Leaders are in charge of inspiring employees and maintaining morale. They solve problems and get results. Without effective leadership, a company would be directionless and without vision. Poor leadership leads to a...
Making more money with renewals depends on your customer relationships. If you build long-lasting relationships, you will discover that renewals are an invaluable source of income. This is why it’s imperative that you don’t miss renewals as they come up. One of the...
While some insurance agencies still accept cash payments, yours shouldn’t. Not only do cash payments pose a risk to your business, but you can lose money by continuing to receive cash. Here are some of the most important reasons your insurance agency should stop...
Every insurance agency wants to make more sales, generate more profit, and eventually expand operations. But the responsibilities grow as you get more clients. It is not just about selling insurance anymore. There are many other essential roles to fill, such as...
A high retention rate correlates with high profits. If your policyholders stay loyal to your agency, you can generate revenue through renewals and referrals. Unfortunately, there is a lot of competition in the insurance industry. Customers are constantly bombarded...
Sending text messages can be one of the most effective ways to acquire more clients in the insurance industry. If your insurance agency hasn't considered an SMS (Short Message Service) marketing strategy, now is the time to do so. Why Should Your Insurance Agency Use...
Building a relationship with the customer is vital in an industry or business that offers intangible services, like insurance. How you treat your customers and how they feel towards working with you impacts retention rate, lead generation, and profit in the long run....
Job burnout is a real issue that has a huge impact on individuals and companies. In highly competitive environments like the insurance industry, it is particularly important for agency owners and managers to know the signs. Preventing burnout is key to maintaining a...
As technology advances, it’s common to wonder whether AI will replace independent insurance agents. Maybe you are worried about the future of your career or maybe your clients want to know if you will always be around to help them. AI Will NOT Replace Independent...
Choosing the right insurance agency management system is an important decision. You want something that will help your team work efficiently, let you track your profits and commissions, and improve the client experience. But what specific features should you be...
Savvy insurance agencies use tools and technology to work more efficiently. With the right customer portal, you can empower your customers, reduce your workload, and focus your efforts on more important tasks. What Are Agent and Client Portals? Understanding how...
Automating aspects of your insurance agency can be an excellent strategy to save time and improve efficiency. Your agents and other team members won’t have to spend as much time on repetitive tasks, freeing up agents to deliver better client service, whether that...
It makes sense for insurance agencies to embrace technology, as you can use it to enhance your productivity, customer satisfaction, and nearly every other aspect of your agency. But you must use digital tools carefully. You don’t want to lose that consultative,...
No one likes it when insurance rates increase. Your clients are worried about how the higher rates will fit into their budgets. Meanwhile, you are concerned that they will look for another insurance agency that offers lower rates. But with the right strategies, you...
With the rise of InsurTech (insurance technology) companies, many people have started to wonder if insurance agents will become obsolete. We don’t think this is a concern, as insurance agents have plenty to offer that you can’t get from direct carriers or InsurTech....
When hiring insurance agents for your agency, you will have to decide whether to set them up as employees or independent contractors. Whatever setup you choose will affect how you pay them, the tax forms to fill out, and the benefits and other resources you must...
Every insurance agency should have an employee handbook, which will clarify matters for both you and your employees. Take a closer look at some of the most important reasons to create a handbook for your insurance agency. It Outlines Responsibilities and Expectations...
Managing insurance agents is just one of many challenges you face when running an insurance agency, but it is crucial. After all, your insurance agents are responsible for selling your policies and are the people your clients most closely interact with. As such, you...
With the new year approaching, now is the time to make sure your insurance agency is organized and ready to handle what 2023 throws your way. With the right preparation, you can start the new year off right and set yourself up for success. You don’t have to follow all...
Renewals are a crucial part of running an insurance agency. After all, retaining an existing client is more cost-effective than attracting a new one. You likely already have some ideas of how to boost renewals, but there is always room for improvement. Keep the...
Any company is always in search of ways to improve productivity. While it’s easy to find general advice for boosting productivity, not every method you find online will apply to an insurance agency. While some general tips will be helpful, you will get the best...
Some industries change more quickly than others, and insurance is one of them. This means that successful insurance agencies are those that embrace change. Take a closer look at some of the ways that you can embrace change and help your agency continue to adapt to the...
Running an insurance agency is complicated, and you should track crucial metrics to ensure that you meet your goals. The only issue is that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of metrics you could theoretically track. So, which ones are the most important? We’ve...
Creating a winning insurance agency culture puts you well on your path to success. Successful leadership will inspire your team, helping them deliver excellent service and make sales. That’s not the only way that your agency culture affects clients. Your insurance...
There are two main leadership approaches for any insurance agency - micromanaging and empowering. As a rule of thumb, it is almost always better to empower your team members instead of micromanaging them. But what does empowerment mean, and how do you implement this...
When running an insurance agency, you are always in search of ways to save time and money without sacrificing the quality of service you offer clients. One excellent tool for doing this is the client portal from Jenesis. What Is the Client Portal? The Jenesis client...
Customer loyalty is a crucial part of any insurance agency, and part of that loyalty will come from engagement. But it can be overwhelming to figure out how to keep your customers engaged. Understanding How to Boost Client Loyalty Before getting into how you can keep...
Most insurance agencies hope to expand their operations, but this will come with some growing pains. While there will be struggles as you grow, each of those will also present an opportunity to improve your agency and your revenue streams. Learn some of the most...
To build client loyalty in your insurance agency, you want to have a customer-first approach and prioritize the needs of your clients. But how do you do this? Take a closer look at what a customer-first strategy is and how to create one by anticipating your clients’...
For your insurance agency to grow, you must constantly look toward the future. One of the ways to do so is by thinking about what types of insurance products to offer. A perfect example of something that is essentially non-existent but will be incredibly widespread is...
Every insurance agency should always look for ways to deliver a better client experience and boost sales. You can do both by offering cyber liability insurance on top of what you currently offer your business clients. This is one of the newer types of insurance, but...
As you market your insurance agency, don’t forget to include reputation management strategies. Reputation management is crucial for any company, but it is especially important for insurance agencies, as your clients need to trust you. Discover more about reputation...
As an insurance agency, you almost certainly have a book of business. Even if you haven’t heard the term book of business, you most likely have one. This is simply the list of clients that you maintain. You probably have your insurance agency management software...
Before getting into the details of how you can thrive despite inflation, make sure you understand why it is such a concern. Overall inflation across all sectors means that the items for which you offer insurance will cost more. With autos and homes having higher...
To maximize your insurance agency’s sales, you need to ensure that your team has sufficient training. One of the best ways to prepare your agents for various scenarios is to engage in role playing. This will let them practice some of the most common scenarios. It will...
One of your key roles as an insurance agency is managing claims. You need to do so efficiently and effectively. Not only does this ensure client satisfaction, but it is also essential to running your agency smoothly. The following tips should help you manage claims...
You know your insurance agency should always be in search of new clients, but you may be overlooking a crucial segment. If you sell any type of business insurance or insurance that could be applicable to businesses, you should be targeting seasonal businesses....
If your insurance agency offers flood insurance, this is the perfect time of the year to work to sell more of it. Doing so will help your bottom line and protect your clients from the financial impact of flood damage. We’ve gathered some of the best ways to sell more...
Just because you went through the hard work of starting an independent insurance agency, that doesn’t mean you want to keep it forever. At some point, you may want to sell it. Maybe you want to move on to another phase of your life or you have another reason. Every...
To provide the best service to your clients, your insurance agency needs to have a solid team with the right employees. The process of finding the right people for your insurance agency’s team starts with your job posting. Job descriptions are an especially important...
As technology has advanced over the years, so has its ability to make your insurance agency run more smoothly. From tools to craft your insurance agency’s website to software to streamline everyday tasks, having a tech stack is now crucial for any insurance agency....
Getting feedback is crucial for any business – especially insurance agencies. There are likely areas for improvement that you are not aware of, and you can’t correct them if you don’t know what the problem is. When looking for feedback, be sure to get it from both...
Loyal customers are crucial to your insurance agency. After all, you will typically spend fewer resources and less time getting an existing client to renew their policies with you than attracting a new client. Given the urge clients have to comparison shop as a way of...
Over the years, you have likely come across various strategies to sell insurance. Out of all of those, most insurance agencies develop a set of strategies that they rely on daily. If you don’t already have storytelling on your list, now is time to add it. Stories Work...
Part of running a successful insurance agency is having the right people on your team. Just like you need to know when to fire an agent, you need to know the best strategies to hire insurance agents. This lets you expand your agency as your community’s demand for your...
Part of running a successful insurance agency is building a strong referral network. This should consist of both happy clients as well as others in related industries. For example, you will likely want to have mortgage brokers, realtors, and more in your referral...
It is something that every insurance agency has to deal with - some clients will decide to move on and cancel their policies at some point. Learning what to do when a client cancels can sometimes help you change their mind and prevent the cancellation. At the very...
You want to make your client experience as seamless as possible right from the start. By offering a smooth onboarding process, you will be on your way to improving your insurance agency’s retention rates. Of course, mastering the onboarding process will also ensure...
Valentine’s Day offers the perfect opportunity to show your clients how much you appreciate them. You can take advantage of this special day just like you would any other holiday. Remember that holidays offer an opportunity to reach out to your clients naturally. This...
Recently, Lisa Price with Jenesis Software had the opportunity to sit down with Deirdre Rushin, a rising star in the insurance field, and we couldn’t wait to share the experience with you! Deirdre spent the first portion of her career as a social worker. For over 25...
Insurance agencies typically operate on a combination of salaries and commissions. Anyone who owns an insurance agency has to thoroughly understand the various commission structures so they can figure out which one is appropriate for their agency. Those still working...
When it comes time to open your own insurance agency, you will have multiple decisions to make, including whether you should open a captive or an independent one. Either type of agency will let you serve clients by offering insurance and a high level of customer...
Every insurance agency needs to have an agency management system, but the features that a small insurance agency will require are very different than those that a bigger one will. Smaller agencies may not have the budget to pay for multiple pieces of software or the...
New Year’s resolutions aren’t just for individuals; they can also be great for businesses. Even if you don’t make it an official resolution, starting the new year off with the right goals can be great for your insurance agency. As you set those goals, keep the...
With December more than halfway done, it’s time to take a look back at the last year in your insurance agency and figure out what you can do to finish the year strong. Even with just a couple of weeks left in 2021, there is still more than enough time to end the year...
Part of running an insurance agency is attracting the right agents to help you. Building the right team to help you take your agency to the next level can be a challenge, but these tips can help! Always Be Looking for Talent Perhaps the most important thing to keep in...
To understand a bit more about how to best nurture your leads, you need to have a better idea of what lead nurturing is. This is the marketing process that helps educate your prospects and build a relationship with your leads that aren’t ready to commit to buying yet....
One of the most important parts of running your insurance agency is attracting and retaining clients. Retaining clients is crucial, as you already put in the time, effort, and money to attract them to your agency. Luckily, retaining clients can be easier than you may...
Every insurance agent should strive to be the best in their field. This means working hard at continuing your education. You can do this with little to no financial investment by going to your local library. Reading good material can be a powerful tool in growing your...
One of the topics most thoroughly discussed amongst industry experts is what procedures and processes you should have in place for your insurance agency to run smoothly. Every insurance agency should have their processes clearly defined in several formats so that the...
To achieve success in the insurance industry, you have to network. Insurance agency networking is important even for agents who are good at sales and consider themselves to be a “people person.” The importance of networking is even greater if you’re just starting an...
Working in the insurance industry can be a rewarding career option. But, if you’re on the sales side of insurance, you need to be prepared to handle roadblocks from time to time. One of the keys to excelling is knowing how to deal with objections in insurance sales....
Working in the insurance industry can be very rewarding. Those who are successful can also have very lucrative careers. But it is not uncommon for insurance professionals to have difficulty talking to clients and selling policies over the phone. Phone skills can be...
If you plan on working in insurance, then you will need to learn how to become an insurance agent. Becoming an insurance agent is a great career choice, as it gives you plenty of flexibility, and you can typically complete the entire process of becoming an agent in a...
Part of creating an insurance agency is having an insurance agency mission statement. This is an important part of your business plan and your ability to attract both investors and clients. After a quick refresher on why an insurance agency mission statement is so...
Starting an independent insurance agency gives you an opportunity to be your own boss and get the satisfaction of growing your business. It lets you choose which products to offer and allows you to set your own schedule and rules. However, it also takes a great deal...
Your primary goal as an insurance agent is to make sales, and of course, you want to avoid cancellations whenever possible. Remember that even if a client wants to cancel their insurance policy, it is not set in stone. You still have the chance to win them back and...
It’s no secret that the insurance industry is a highly competitive space to be in. Perhaps the most popular way that insurance agencies secure business is by trying to keeping prices low. Especially when it comes to mandated automobile and homeowner’s policies, people...
When you run an insurance agency, you have tremendous responsibilities. That includes hiring the right people who can help the company grow. Also, you want to provide your staff with training so they can consistently hone their skills and give them the tools and...
Considering that laws exist to mandate insurance coverage for homes, automobiles, and other possessions, you wouldn’t think agency owners have a hard time growing their business. However, this particular industry is highly competitive. That’s why insurance agencies...
Most people know that insurance agents work off commission. That means they get a specific percentage of the sales they make, which comes from the premiums the clients pay. However, there are different insurance agent compensation models, some good and others not so...
Poor morale can occur for several reasons. It also manifests in ways that cause problems for the insurance agency. While every agency faces challenges, low morale within an office is near the top of the list. Without a doubt, this applies to any business, including...
A CSRs, or “customer service representatives,” is an individual who plays a key role in the success or failure of an insurance agency. Especially for agencies in competitive markets, there’s no way to measure the unprecedented value of a CSR. Every day, people...
For insurance agency owners and managers, few things are more frustrating than having talented employees who underperform. If this is something you deal with, you have several viable options to manage underachieving employees more effectively. Ultimately, you aim to...
While it’s hard to imagine, even the best insurance agencies follow predetermined scripts. Usually, agents use them as part of selling or marketing the different available products. However, you’ll find these same scripts on insurance agency websites and throughout...
The same parenting quote, “It takes a village to raise a child” applies to the business world. Regardless of the type of insurance your agency sells, you can’t achieve success without having a supportive team of agents. That’s especially true when it comes to...
Before COVID-19, telecommuting was already a popular option for corporations throughout the country. This allowed employees to work remotely, usually from home. However, once the pandemic hit, telecommuting became more of a necessity. When managed correctly, a remote...
To succeed in the insurance industry, you need to rely on many different strategies. Some of those consist of “old school” techniques, such as cold calling, handing out business cards, and using word of mouth. However, this also includes things like using an insurance...
When an individual or business wants to buy a policy, they could turn to any number of insurance agencies. If you run an insurance agency, it’s important to stand out. That way, prospects will immediately focus on your agency and what it has to offer rather than go...
Whether you work as part of a management leadership team for an insurance agency or you own an insurance agency, you carry tremendous responsibility on your shoulders. Even when hiring highly qualified agents, you still need to stay on top of things. That’s just one...
As an insurance agent, the best way you can love and support your community is by providing quality coverage and well-rounded accounts. The more people you insure, the more people you will protect. Community engagement can help you reach your goal of protecting more...
You might not be able to add more time to the day, but you can make better use out of the time you have. With the right time management strategies, you can get more done during the workday and feel less stressed in the process. Read over our top time management tips...
Your insurance agents devote lots of time to recruiting and warming leads. Then, once they sign someone to a new policy, they likely go back to the drawing board, looking for new leads. While lead generation is a critical component of running a successful insurance...
With projected job growth of 5 percent through 2029, insurance agents are in high demand. Agencies around the country compete to recruit and hire the best talent, so they can get a leg up in the industry. You can gain a competitive edge by incorporating some insurance...