One of our favorite insurance industry publications is Agent’s Sales Journal. Their magazine is chock full of up-to-date news and insider tips for today’s insurance professional.

In an article from their November 2010 issue titled “Social Life: How Social Media Can Boost Your Business”, editor Christina Pellett covers 7 of the most popular social networks and how insurance professionals can leverage these tools from a business perspective.

According to a recent study, Pellett shared that 57 percent of insurance agents use at least one social media tool to engage with other insurance industry professionals and 59 percent use social media to connect with prospects and customers.

The great thing about social media (those listed here, anyway) is that it’s free. Yes, for some it can be time-consuming to learn and to integrate into your daily insurance practice. As the world continues to get smaller and more connected, however, the insurance pros who are not creating an online presence will be missing the boat.

Click here to read Pellett’s insurance agency social media tips.

Also, don’t miss their social media boot camp: 20 days to social media success.

In the editor’s letter of this month’s Agent’s Sales Journal, Christina Pellett poses a fantastic question every insurance professional should consider: Are you satisfied with your job? Are you sure?

She proceeds to explain how, during the NAILBA convention, author and keynote speaker Daniel Pink shared his prediction of how “those with great left-brain abilities but zero right-brain abilities will fail in this economy.” He also recommended insurance agents develop more right-brain skills like storytelling and relationship-building.

This brings us back to Christina’s question. Are you satisfied with your career as an insurance professional? If you had millions of dollars saved up and 10 years to live, would you continue your path in the insurance industry and would you still be running your insurance business the way you’re running it now?

Now, more than ever, we all need to think about why we’re doing what we’re doing. Customers flock to those who are passionate about helping people. When you’re not satisfied with what you’re doing, it shows. Customers know.

So what’s your plan?

Are you adapting with the times? Do you know your core purpose? Will 2010 be the year you focus and watch your insurance business explode? I hope you can answer yes to each of those questions.

Know that we’re here to empower you to grow. We want to see you (and your employees, family, community, etc.) succeed. If there’s something we’re not doing to help you do that, TELL US. We’re all ears.

You may recall our Twitter tutorials (Part 1 and Part 2) from a few months ago. Four months later, Twitter is still a hot topic for many companies; including those in the insurance industry.

One of this month’s Agents Sales Journal web exclusives includes an article titled “To Tweet or Not to Tweet: Is Twitter Right for You?” Associate Editor Heather Trese interviewed me (@HometownQuotes) and several other insurance industry professionals including Tom Daly (@TomDaly) and Michele Tanico (@InsuranceLadyLV) for this article about effectively using Twitter for your insurance business.

I’m paraphrasing from the article here:

“One of the most important aspects of Twitter is having followers — the users who subscribe to your updates. The more followers you have, the more people are reading what you have to say, and the greater your potential market penetration.

According to Farmer, one of the best ways to get followers is by using some of the various Twitter search sites available to look for like-minded users.

‘I’ll find people that I want to follow, and [that] I hope will follow me back,’ she said. ‘If I notice after a few weeks that they’re not following me back, I’ll watch what they say and I’ll engage them, or I’ll retweet them, or I’ll respond to something that they say. And usually that will encourage them to take an interest in me. But really there’s nothing you can do to make somebody follow you.’

What makes a good follower? You want someone who is active on Twitter, and who has similar goals and interests to your own. A follower who re-tweets — or sends your tweets to their own followers — is a major plus.”

Read the full article here.

If you’re still on the fence about Twitter, check out the full article or visit the Twitter pages of other insurance professionals to get the hang of what it takes to make Twitter work for you.

In this month’s Agent’s Sales Journal, writer Bill Cates offers his “10 Commandments of Event Networking“.

We’ve narrowed down his list to our top 5 networking tips for insurance agents as listed below.

1) Remember names. I’ve heard that if you say a person’s name 5-10 times, it is easier to commit to memory. During your conversation with a new contact, make an effort to say his or her name as you’re speaking. Now, don’t say it at the beginning and end of every single sentence, but throw it in often enough so that it’s easy to recall.

2) Make introductions. When you’re at an event, think of your current network of people and come up with ways to connect your connections. My circle of connections is very diverse both geographically and professionally, so it’s rare that any of them ever have the opportunity to meet on their own. The Internet makes it easier than ever to share your connections with others. Not to mention, helping friends connect with other trusted professionals in your network is just good karma.

3) To be interesting, be interested. I know you know what I’m talking about. You’re talking with a new person, only to realize he or she is completely looking past you for the next connection or for the next drink refill. Talk about a networking taboo. If you want someone to listen to what you have to say, you have to be interested in what s/he is saying. It’s only polite.

4) Spend time with new people. While it’s natural to gravitate toward your friends, you’ll have much better luck networking (and meeting insurance prospects) by opening up to new people and making new connections. Cates suggests sitting at a table where you know no one. This may seem awkward, but there’s no better way to meet new people than just diving in and introducing yourself.

5) Follow up. The follow up is an area where many people fail. It’s easy to seem interested when you’re interacting face-to-face, but the follow up is where your true colors show. Following up with a contact after your initial meeting shows that you’re interested in maintaining contact with that individual. During the initial meeting, take mental note of reasons to follow up with the person. Perhaps it’s to give him or her information about a book s/he may find helpful or to make an introduction to another contact in your network. Whatever the case, find a reason to follow up – even if it’s just to say “thanks, it was a pleasure meeting you.”

If you’re an insurance agent, you’ve learned that networking is a core component to expanding your insurance business. Use these tips to increase your connections today!

To see all ten of Mr. Cates’ tips, click here.