Blog

Do you have what it takes to be great?

A good insurance agent is able to meet client needs, but a great insurance agent is a professional able to look beyond what their clients request to what their client actually wants. They find out their customer's priorities and then exploit every angle in an effort to find policies that work for them. It may not be easy to provide customized solutions for each client, but the extra effort will pay off.

A Matter of Trust

Agents who can't earn their client's trust will always have tenuous job security at best. The problem with trust is that many clients overestimate how much their clients depend on them, which can make them feel blindsided when a client abandons them for another.

Real trust doesn't happen after one or even several meetings, but a bond that takes months to form. Agents who listen to their clients and really make an effort to put their wishes above their own commission will have the best long-term success.

Loyalty in business may seem like a relic of the past, but the truth is that people still value their relationships. In a cut-throat culture, it's a breath of fresh air to deal with someone who isn't solely interested in the bottom line.

Honest Communication

One of the most frustrating things for clients is when they have questions about a particular clause in their policy and they feel like they can't get a straight answer. 

While policies are (to a certain extent) flexible based on the terms, clients may feel as though an agent is trying to evade their questions because they don't want to incriminate themselves.

Now is a good time to brush up on your communication skills. Some clients will want a full explanation of their benefits, while others will start to zone out if you give them too much information. A good agent knows their clients and adapts their customer service to fit each one.

Access To The Right Carriers

It doesn't matter how great an agent you are if you don't have the right policies to sell. In an age where people can find the going rates of coverage online, you need the best possible selection to engage customers and ensure they get what they need.

Imagine a commercial business owner comes to you and wants to know if they need additional coverage for their vehicles. You immediately see the financial risks of minimum coverage far outweigh the cost savings of their policy. You start to look into how you can help the client increase their budget only to find that increasing their policy limits will quickly outpace the client's budget — a prospect that will deeply frustrate your client.

Having access to a variety of carriers will make it easier to quickly find a policy that works for your client. Your client will not only appreciate the seemingly effortless solution you've presented but will be inspired to tell other professionals about your ingenuity.

Practiced Persistence

An agent needs to be persistent to make it in their business. They need to work on their listening skills as they try to get a better idea of what their clients are really asking for. They need to constantly study their array of policies so they don't miss a potential opportunity.

A great agent keeps their energy levels high, even when they've been hearing no after no from potential clients. They should consistently learn more about the financial and legal implications of new changes in their industry.

Finally, great agents seek out additional training, such as classes to improve their financial planning skills. Agents are often so entrenched in their client's finances that they can be a huge asset during tax season or even when planning yearly budgets.

The constant push to better yourself isn't something you can do in a week. It's a way of life that will have positive implications that extend far beyond your job as an agent. If you really want to invest in your future, take the first step today.