“If you want a miracle, simply ask for one. That one mental action creates an explosion of synapses throughout the brain.” ~ Marianne Williamson

“Stories are just data with a soul.” - Dr. Brene Brown, Researcher Storyteller at University of Houston

As an insurance professional, there’s no doubt you look at A LOT of numbers day-to-day. Keep in mind that those numbers are typically tied to people…and people have stories. When you take the time to know and understand someone’s story, you’re also indicating that you value them.

You have the data. You have the expertise and know-how. Now you have an inspiring quote to get you going. We know you can do it! 

Your friends at HometownQuote

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.

Insurance professionals across the U.S. are raving about our insurance lead webinars. Click here to read what they’re saying.

If your insurance sales need a boost, don’t miss our next webinar titled “Closing the deal: Succeeding with Internet Insurance Leads”. This presentation is for all insurance professionals, new and seasoned, regardless of line specialty.

We will cover best-practices for marketing your insurance business online – from what to do when the lead comes in to wrapping up the sale and retaining life-long customers. There will be a live Q&A session following the presentation, so come armed with your best questions about using the Web to market your insurance business.

To register for next week’s free insurance webinar, click here.

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In the February issue of Rough Notes magazine, there’s a fantastic article titled “Transforming your sales culture” by Gary Abram. In the article, he introduces two fictitious insurance agencies – the Stuck Agency and the HiGro Agency.

As the box above clearly illustrates, the ideal agency is the HiGro Agency – an insurance business that is strong, competitive and strategic. The Stuck Agency has a weak sales culture due to lack of overall vision and planning.

What about your insurance agency? Do you have a superstar sales culture like HiGro? Or a weak, haphazard sales culture like the Stuck Agency?

To learn more about creating a vision for your insurance business, click here.

If your insurance sales need a jumpstart, give us a call so we can customize a sales solution just for you. You can reach our team by calling 615-599-5506 ext. 2.

To read Abram’s full article, head over to Rough Notes by clicking here.

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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We love helping people. Especially when those people are helping others. A few weeks ago we received this photo from one of our insurance agents in Florida:

This photo quickly made its way around our office and instantly made everyone’s day brighter. I recently interviewed this agent to find out how he uses our leads and see if he’d be willing to share a few tips with us. Here’s what he had to say:

Why do HometownQuotes leads work for your insurance agency?
Because the people are wanting to purchase insurance now or in the immediate future. If they have taken the time to fill out the information form, they are hot prospects. They’re ready to buy.

What’s your favorite thing about HometownQuotes? What makes us stand out from the crowd?
I can filter the insurance leads and increase my closing percentage by not receiving and working on quotes other agents are going to beat me out of. Plus, the information I get from HometownQuotes is almost always complete. We can often run quotes without having to contact the prospect.

What tips do you have for insurance agents who are considering using insurance leads to grow their agencies?
KNOW YOUR MARKET. Filter the leads so you can get the highest closing percentage. Don’t waste money on leads you will not sell or lose to competitors.

Some agents are uneasy about Internet leads. (There are some fly-by-night companies out there, so sometimes that uneasiness is justified.) What would you say about HometownQuotes to those insurance agents who are apprehensive?
Buy 100 leads and see what happens. Compare the cost of the 100 to the income/sales/commission made. Factor in the renewal commission as well. Monitor the leads. Make sure you are hitting your “sweet spot”. Shoot for a 17% or higher sales ratio.

When I asked him why he enjoyed being an insurance agent, he said “the fact we are helping the public when it comes to a sometimes very confusing product, but a necessary purchase.”

Thank you to our Florida agent for sharing this photo with us and for your willingness to share your experience as one of our customers. It’s thrilling to see the success of the insurance agents we work with. If you’re one of our customers and have a success story to share, we’d love to include it here. If you’re not one of our agents, click here for more information about how we can help you grow your agency.