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5 EXPERT TIPS
TO HELP YOU GROW YOUR
AGENCY BUSINESS
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The Problem
● Independent agents don’t have the
luxuries that captive agents do to
grow their book of business
● No subsidies or easy leads
● No advertising help or technology
assistance
● You’re not just an agent anymore;
you’re a business owner
● This comes with a world of
responsibility
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Independent agents have different
challenges than captive agents
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I’ll Show You How To...
● Improve customer acquisition and retention
● Use marketing channels effectively
● Upgrade operations technology
● Onboard new agency talent
● Expand your business
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Customer Retention and Acquisition
● Customer acquisition and retention is
one of the key challenges in insurance
● If you have no clients, you have no
business.
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Start with a Smart Workflow 6
● Harness the power of consumer data to
better understand your prospects and
clients
● Personalize each interaction in your
sales funnel and improve marketing
efforts
● Don’t let data collect digital dust on your
company’s cloud
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Analyze Data
● Data falls into two categories: group dynamics and individual behaviors
● Group data provides insight to predict trends and support product
development
● Individual behavior allows you to identify new selling opportunities and
retain policyholders at risk of churning
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Lead Generation and Lead Magnets
● Free quote/consultation
● eBook
● White Paper
● Lead Buying
● Content Publishing
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Interpersonal Communication
● Know your products.
● Listen to client needs.
● Solve their problems.
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Engage in Social Networks
● Create a digital personality that informs and inspires browsers
● Tailor content to specific demographics
● For example, if you sell to families, post images around family life and
children
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Increase Digital Visibility
● Have an intuitive website in place when prospects search for you
● Optimize your site to show up higher on search engines; do this on your
own or hire a company
● Your digital visibility is an investment you must make in order to
successfully grow!
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Automate Routine Tasks
● Spend less time doing mundane work, and more time selling
● Use a customer relationship management (CRM) software to automate
tasks and simplify client relationships
● Focus on growing your book of business and increasing renewals
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Improve Operations Efficiency
● Operation management softwares are readily available for any size agency
● Get an agency management system (AMS) with features such as real-time
quotes, sales tracking, policy reporting, all in one place
● Improve your behind-the-scenes productivity
● Create a frictionless buying experience for customers
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Create Team Balance
● Hire agents that specialize in areas you don’t
● If you’re an expert underwriter but lack in the sales department,
hire someone who can sell
● Ask qualified candidates what they can bring to the table first,
and how much experience they have second
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“When you're in a start-up, the first ten people will
determine whether the company succeeds or not. Each is
10 percent of the company. So why wouldn't you take as
much time as necessary to find all the A players?”
- Steve Jobs
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Incentivize Job-seeking Millennials
● Millennials play a big role in the future of insurance
● Consider salary offers with bonus for every new policy written
● Express flexible hours and freedom to work at home
● Show them how much money they can make selling insurance
● It’s crucial to have Millennial talent on board to connect with younger
prospects and clients as you grow
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Develop Rewarding Referral Systems
● Referrals are the lifeblood of your agency
● Implement a program that motivates clients and colleagues to refer you to
friends
● Let them know how you’re following up on their help; this expresses
appreciation and creates a valuable relationship
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Invest in Your Local Community
● Connect with individuals and families at community events
● Don’t always talk about insurance
● Talk about their interests, fears, and suggestions
● Build trust
● The more people interact with your brand in positive light, the more people
you will reach through word-of-mouth
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In Summary
A successful business model:
● Generate new leads
● Closes new accounts
● Earns the loyalty of clients for renewals
● Generate leads.
Use these five expert tips to grow your agency, gain competitive
advantage, and build a book of business that will keep your company
growing for years to come.
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