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?

Always triple-check your content for spelling, grammar, facts and so on. Once you’ve triple-checked the content, have a colleague or someone else in your insurance business review it for accuracy.

I’ve saved myself from embarrassment several times by triple-checking my work and having a colleague review the content as well. And I always question the professionalism behind a poorly prepared email message. Whether you’re communicating with a customer or a prospect, you ALWAYS want to give the best impression. Whether it’s a simple email, an insurance quote or your email newsletter, always make sure you’re putting your best foot forward.

According to U.S. Census data, more than 20 million one-person businesses exist in the United States. That figure accounts for more than three-fourths of all American businesses. Quite a significant number! Are YOU a solopreneur insurance agent? We have some great insight from other entrepreneurs who have gone solo and soared.

Here are a few lessons you can apply to help you grow your one-person insurance agency:

Identify and grab unique opportunities. Solve problems creatively. View roadblocks as opportunities to learn and grow.

Don’t beat around the bush. If you’re working with a prospect, get your insurance quote to him or her as soon as possible. Ask who else they are considering for their insurance needs. Offer an honest consultation, weighing the pros and cons of your insurance coverage options and the others. Your openness will be a breath of fresh air.

Expand your network. As a solo insurance pro, rekindling dated connections and building new ones are vital to the growth of your insurance business. If you make customer relationships a priority, happy customers will become happy, repeat customers and send all the referrals you’ll need to take your business to the next level.

Know and commit to your vision. Do you want to remain a soloist? Or do you see yourself adding a few key employees as you build your insurance business? What is your “big picture” outlook? One must plan for success, so put it down on paper and create measurable milestones.

Whether you’re a solopreneur or a serial entrepreneur juggling multiple companies, you WILL be successful if you put your mind to it. Focus on turning these lessons into habits and YOU will soar!

Empowering you to grow,

Your friends at HometownQuotes

If you’re an insurance professional, chances are pretty good that you’ve heard the word “no” at least a few times during your career.  How do you let “no” affect you? Do you hang up the phone in anger? Delete or throw away the insurance prospect’s file in frustration? I sure hope not.

How you respond after being told “no” will determine your success. (And the previous responses are not the proper or appropriate actions of a successful insurance agent!)

Just because someone tells you “no” on the front-end, that does not mean they are completely shutting down on you. A major component of business is building relationships. Here are a few tips for bonding with prospects and working toward a yes or a referral:

Be intentional. Go out of your way to help your prospects. Learn about their profession and what they’re passionate about. Try to refer business to them. When you refer business to someone else, typically the law of reciprocity comes into play. Invite them to networking events with you. Call them on their birthday. Set a date in your calendar to follow up with them and give an updated insurance quote.

Stay in front of them. Create a monthly email newsletter that includes money-saving tips, interesting articles, etc. and ask if it’s okay to email it to them. Get involved with your local community. Offer to write a column for your local newspaper about insurance and finance. Find ways like this to stay top-of-mind.

Remember that “the fruit is in the follow-up”. Even if you’ve been told “no”, setup follow-up calls in your calendar. Call back in a few months for a check-in to see how things are going. Are they happy with the service/coverage/price they’ve received? According to a Leads360 whitepaper, 6 calls equals success when it comes to lead conversion. Don’t give up!

If your answer to that question is no, you may want to rethink your online marketing plan.

According to a recent survey regarding blogs by Lee Odden over at the Online Marketing Blog, 95% of survey respondents indicated they incorporate blogs as part of their search engine optimization efforts. Approximately 94% of those bloggers reported seeing measurable SEO benefits from blogging within 12 months.

How does blogging help you, the insurance professional? Well, let’s say you’re an insurance agent in Rock Springs, Wyoming, as an example. People in your community are likely going online and searching for insurance quotes in Rock Springs, Wyoming. If you are regularly posting information about your insurance business, the insurance industry, insurance tips, etc., there’s a good chance the people in your area will find your blog. Many people who blog regularly are viewed as subject experts and gain instant credibility. That could be you! How much easier is it to close a sale when the prospect found you online, liked what they found on your blog and contacted you for an insurance quote?

If you’ve started a blog, but gave up after a short time, I recommend giving it another try. There’s minimal cost involved, but you must remain committed to see results. Odden’s survey respondents indicated positive results over a one year period. It’s likely those respondents were blogging regularly 3+ times per week. Not sure what to talk about on your insurance blog? Stay tuned for recommendations.

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