Top 10 Tips to Help Agents Improve Their Careers

Relationships, Time Management, Reputation and Professional Development Pays Off

Everyone loves top 10 lists, and I’m no exception. There is something inherent in human nature to want to quantify and rank things. Whether it’s sport teams, songs, movies, or restaurants, people want to know and decide what are the best or worst. And there is something ubiquitous about ranking things in groups of 10. My top 10 list was created to help an agent improve his career and is based on more than a decade of experience as an insurance professional.

1. Plan for the future.Plan for the future in the insurance business and your career will pay off in the long run. Your plan should help you shape a vision toward reaching a future destination and remind you that success does not happen by chance. Starting small is better than not starting at all. If you need help with planning for the future and your career, find a mentor. A mentor will be able to see things from a different angle and offer you advice based on experience, which can translate into an easier, better and more focused path.
2. Start marketing or market more.Marketing is one of the keys to success and the best way to keep your career moving forward. Effective marketing will open doors to unexpected opportunities. Marketing is everything that you do to reach and persuade prospects. The sales process is everything that you do to close the sale. Both are necessities for success. Marketing is the difference between a small increase and an exponential increase in sales. By strategically combining marketing and sales you will experience a successful amount of business growth. In this electronic age, there are more marketing opportunities with social media.
3. Maintain good relations with your underwriters. It is important to do your homework and have a complete understanding of the risk. Since I am a marketing rep, I see submissions from agents. It’s clear that every agent has a different definition of a complete submission. It’s important to remember insurance is a business of people. The underwriters are the gatekeepers and trusted eyes for the companies. Reach out and call your underwriters on submissions where they might need more information. It takes less time than you think and the payoff is worth the effort.
4. Maximize your time.Taking care of business requires that you maximize your time. Time is your most important asset. Developing a short “to do list” the night before will help keep you organized and on track. Also, stay focused by setting priorities. For example, block off time during the day to call clients, check e-mails, or market your services. Giving your full attention to necessary tasks can be difficult with constant interruptions – phone calls, e-mails, and a mile high in-box. The more determined you are to get the job done, the faster you will be able to finish and have more time to attend to other things. If you spend the day doing the job, my suggestion is to love what you are doing so it seems effortless.
5. Update your technical skills.When it comes to technology, insurance agents need to stay abreast of and embrace new technologies, or run the risk of being outmoded. The boom of cyberspace and e-commerce has opened up new opportunities for technology. Utilizing technology will help with time management. Using the right tools will help you in terms of time and efficiency. Adopt an attitude that change is interesting and challenging, and that you are young at any age if you are planning for tomorrow.
6. Understand the value of your reputation.Reputation is what people use to judge your worthiness for career advancement. You must take aggressive action to protect your reputation. No matter how good, honest or full of integrity you are in your career, accusations of misconduct or mistakes will come your way, particularly if you’re ambitious. If it looks like your reputation may suffer a hit, it is time to apply a candid, clear, focused and firm approach to address the situation. This advice is not meant to stifle your passion or your integrity. But, it’s important that you be positive, be polite, be honest, and above all else be professional.
7. Continue with professional development.One way to enhance your reputation is to get involved with professional organizations that allow you to grow your network, stay aware of trends and increase your knowledge base. It’s important that you take responsibility for your own professional development. This includes getting advance designations, such as CIC, CRM, CPCU or ARM. After all, knowledge is power.
8. Maintain work/life balance.Achieving a balance between work and life has become more complex over time. You must have balance in your life if you want to be more effective at work. We all have been under pressure to produce, meet sales goals and juggle multiple projects at one point or another. However, it’s important to be able to separate your work and personal life for obvious reasons. So, if you are taking stress home with you and can’t eat or sleep because of stress, then it’s time to take action. So, plan your time off well in advance, delegate everything you can, learn to turn off the phone, exercise regularly and get quality sleep. Without proper sleep, you won’t be able to function properly. These are just some examples on how you can better align the work/life equilibrium that may be lacking in your life.
9. Understand office culture.Like it or not, every workplace is a political environment. Office politics aren’t inherently “good” or “bad.” They are simply the connective tissue of the formal organizational structure. Gaining insight to predict and avoid roadblocks, and take advantage of scoring opportunities is the name of the game. Stay away from office gossip and always be positive about others. There will be things you will want to take a stand on. Just think it through first. Be choosy and think about how you can make it a win-win situation.
10. Appreciate your customer service representative (CSR). When I was an agent, I always said my CSR was my office wife. She knew me just as well as any immediate family member. You’ll need your coworkers’ support or at minimum their respect to accomplish anything. Your CSR has a wealth of information and is well-connected so it’s important to appreciate your CSR. Relationships are built on reciprocity. You’re bound to need advice, an extra hand, or someone to bail you out of a jam now and again. Don’t forget how important your CSR is in your success.

As much as I like my own top 10 list, I’m also interested in what others think. What about you? What other suggestions would you add? Send me an e-mail at Andy.Kohler@UnisourcePA.com.

Topics Agencies Talent