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Insurance Aggregators / Insurance How-To / Personal Development / Uncategorized
Becoming Independent: Leaving Captivity
Content Marketing / Digital Marketing / Insurance How-To / Local Marketing
Free Marketing Tools for Insurance Agents
Our Most Recent Blogs
Confessions of an Ex-Farmers Agent
Why I Ended My Partnership with a Farmers Insurance Agency For almost 15 years, I gave my Farmers Insurance agency everything that I could – my financial investment, energy and, most importantly, the majority of my time. In return, I received an incredible education, met some of the most skillful salespeople in the industry, and enjoyed a good amount of success. I started my career as a telemarketer, then became an agency producer (Vice President of Sales on the business card as a "pat on the back"), and ultimately became an equity partner; earning "ownership" in a growing percentage of...
Insurance Automation: what is it?
What is 'automation?' Chances are by now that you’ve heard automation talked about in insurance at least half a dozen times now. Automate this, automate that - but what does it really mean? When these insurance leaders talk about how automation is changing the game in insurance, what specific processes are they referring to? Let’s break down what automation in insurance really is, and how it can affect your business. What does it mean, and why should you care? Automation broadly refers to technologies and protocols that reduce servicing time. One of the biggest issues that small agencies run into...
Why Your LinkedIn Sucks
Think your LinkedIn profile is attractive? Take another look. Would you glance twice at it if you were a prospective company or client? If your answer is no, we've got you covered. Here are some quick and easy tips to spice up your profile! Add More Content Make a longer, more detailed 'summary' section with key words people in your job market are searching for. Aim for three to five short paragraphs with relevant information! Use words found in your target job description and incorporate them into your 'summary' and 'experience' sections. Your 'summary' should also include the following: your...
Why Do You Need Email Marketing?
Think about how many times you use email in your own life. How many times a day you hear that ding from your phone? Let’s face it, email is a big part of our lives. Email marketing, when done correctly, can be like having your very own money tree. Chris Combemale, CEO of the Data and Marketing Association once said, “email stands as one of the most effective ways to reach target audiences,” because it takes an integrated approach and it brings the right message to the right audience. In 2015 the Data and Marketing Association reported that email marketing had an average ROI (return on investment) of around $40 for every $1 spent, and that “one in five companies reported an ROI of over...
What to consider before joining an insurance aggregator
As an independent insurance agent, perhaps you have considered joining an insurance aggregator or agency network; in other words, an association consisting of multiple insurance agencies and which offers support and benefits to its members. These groups, also known as insurance clusters, can vary greatly from one to the next. Some cluster members share office space and staff while in other groups, the members all work remotely from each other. Each insurance cluster is also free to negotiate its own arrangement and commission schedule with the carriers. And these associations may draft their own membership agreements, adding such terms, conditions,...
Direct Carrier Appointments vs. Producer Sub-Codes: Which Do You Have?
Every captive looks to go independent because they’re tired of being told what business they need to write, how much of it they need to write, and who they have to write it through. You want your name on your book of business, and you want to keep your clients by offering multiple quotes that fit their needs. That’s what being independent should be all about. To write multiple insurance carriers, agents need to have appointments with that carrier. Many networks say they can offer direct appointments with carriers; however, what separates a regular appointment from a direct carrier appointment?...
Do you HAVE to call clients at renewal?
Why you should always call your clients at renewal? No matter how successful you are, come renewal time you always have that one teeny tiny thought pop in your head: why not just let the sleeping bear lay? It would be so easy to just let the policy automatically renew. No hard phone call to discuss rate increases, no time spent listening to concerns you can't do anything about... We both know that you can't do that. Prioritizing time between building new business and servicing existing clients is tough, but making those phone calls and sending those emails around renewal time has...
Free Marketing Tools for Insurance Agents
America’s largest companies spend mind-boggling amounts of money on advertising, with behemoths like Procter & Gamble, AT&T, and Disney spending billions every year. You don’t have billions (yet!), but there are many ways you can successfully market yourself without even spending a dime. Email Of course you have email, but are you using it effectively as a marketing tool? There’s little point in sending an email that no one opens (Do you even know if recipients are opening your emails?). More importantly, is anyone clicking through to your website? There’s no reason to just be throwing things out into the ether – email marketing effectiveness can be measured with...
Social Media Tips for Independent Insurance Agents
Social media is unquestionably a powerful marketing tool that you can employ to promote your business, your products and services. Professional insurance agents may have their own Facebook or social media page. But that is not enough! You have to constantly find ways to keep your page interesting to your target audience and therefore, keep your traffic coming. Here are several suggestions from marketing experts: Independent Insurance Agents Near Me: Be Available Feature a discussions section on your page. This section will allow you to have interactions with your current and potential clients. Encourage them to ask questions and to comment on certain matters regarding insurance. You certainly have...
Sales Pitch Points
Selling insurance, just like anything else, can be tough. Customers have very specific needs and may not fully understand those needs themselves. In addition, with so many companies and insurance products on the market, it can be tough to convince new prospects that your company is the best. Fortunately, with a little bit of salesmanship, you can level the playing field and land many more customers than the competition. Here are a few key tips for your insurance sales pitch. Learn about the customer Before you even begin your pitch, be sure to know as much as possible about the customer....
Who is ASNOA?
The Agent Support Network of America (ASNOA) is a fully integrated marketing and service network for independent insurance agents. We offer more than just carrier and market access, we support your entire business with our list of services, which includes accounting, licensing, marketing, training, and ongoing education. Contact us today to see how we can help you grow your agency.