I’ve mentioned Seth Godin on this blog several times. With short, concise and thought-provoking blog posts, Seth shares daily insight valuable to any business owner, employee, marketer or entrepreneur – regardless of industry.

One of his recent posts covered monotony and giving less than your best. It can be so easy to settle into a routine. Insurance quote after insurance quote. Insurance policy after insurance policy. Day after day. As Seth illustrates, however, this isn’t the way to live. We’re constantly looking for what’s “next” versus focusing on what’s in front of us or preparing for what’s next.

My favorite line of this particular post is the closing sentences:

‘Perhaps the alternative is instead of thinking, “next!”, we can think, “last!”

This might be the last time I get to do this.

If I do it that way, it increases the chances that it won’t.’

Well put Seth. What are you going to implement in your insurance business today to break the routine and make every interaction count?

Have you ever had one of those days where you only felt like doing “just enough”? We’ve all been there.

Unfortunately “just enough” is never good for our customers and it’s certainly not good for our bottom line.

If you truly want to see your insurance business flourish and grow, the mindset you need to master is “more than expected”.

Always go the extra mile for your customers and insurance leads. Dig deep and ask probing questions to find out what they want or need. Don’t just tell them you understand. Show them you understand their needs by going above and beyond to address their concerns.

People can tell when you genuinely care about them. And they can spot a fake from a mile away. So make it a point to be real and provide top-notch customer service. Even if they don’t sign the insurance policy immediately, there’s a good chance you may have a future customer or a few great referrals.

Vow today to do way more than “just enough”. Commit to continually doing “more than expected” and watch your insurance sales skyrocket.

Sales are the lifeblood of any business. As an insurance agent, what are you doing to keep the lifeblood of your insurance agency pumping? There are multiple ways you can keep your sales funnel full of new insurance prospects. Here are a few tips:

1) Become a Chamber of Commerce member. Chamber members enjoy a multitude of benefits, including networking opportunities, training classes/seminars, member directory listing and more.

2) Ask for referrals. Just do it. You’ll write some of your BEST business through referrals. Don’t be afraid to tell your current customers that your business is built on referrals and that you’d be honored to help any friends or family members who have insurance questions. (We talk about asking for referrals here.)

3) Ask your local media to help you publicize a “Dissect your insurance policy” day. There are SO many people who have no clue what is and what is not covered by their current insurance policies. Have a day where you encourage people to bring in their policies and let you explain, in plain English, what is and is not covered. HIGHLY unlikely the agent down the street is offering that. You may close some sales on the spot.

3) Generate online leads through your very own insurance agency website. If you have not yet created a website for your insurance business, what are you waiting for? The Internet is where many people go first when making a purchase decision. (Click here to read what you’re missing if you don’t have a website for your insurance business.)

4) Let HometownQuotes bring prospects to you! Okay, a shameless plug – but it’s true! HometownQuotes insurance leads are one more way to maintain a steady stream of prospects. Call to learn more: 1-800-820-2981.

May your funnel be full!

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According to a recent Forrester study, consumers EXPECT poor customer service. Of the 4,200 consumers surveyed, 70% of them expect a poor customer service experience when seeking help with health insurance policies, specifically.

Making a phone call regarding an insurance policy may not always be fun or exciting for the consumer or the insurance professional, but the overall customer service experience should be superb.

Follow these tips to ensure your next customer service interaction exceeds your prospect or customer’s expectations:

1) Customer is king. Serve your customers needs. Without customers, you don’t have an insurance business. To truly understand your customers needs, you must…

2) Listen well. What is your customer/prospect saying? What is her/her back story? Don’t just listen to what is being said, but also take note of how it’s being said. Always give your customers your undivided attention. Put down that cell phone, close the computer and focus on the customer.

3) Under-promise and over-deliver. Just do it. At all costs, avoid over-promising and under-delivering.

4) Always ask for feedback. Be genuinely concerned about your customer service experience and always provide an outlet for feedback. Follow up with customers regularly to ensure they’re happy and thrilled with their service.

5) Start on the inside. It all starts with your employees. How do you treat them? When employees are happy, they will treat customers well.

We believe in giving exceptional customer service. When you call us, we have real, live people here to take your call. (Monday-Friday, 8-5 CST, that is.) Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help you grow your insurance business.