New Insurance Agents
Finding new insurance clients is not always easy, even for the most experienced agents. That’s why we’ve curated this list of six ways to generate leadership for insurance agents in the beginning.
1. Ask for referrals
When it comes to the quality of a lead, a referral from a satisfied customer cannot be beat. Unfortunately, it’s hard to get referrals when you’re new and your client list is small.
But there is no rule that referrals have to come from the customer. You can get introductions to the potential clients from the people who already trust you, such as your friends, family, or former colleagues.
And even if you get a dreaded call from a customer asking to cancel their policy, make sure they remind you that you’re there for them anytime they need it. Consider creating a system for taking exit surveys when customers leave to look for areas for improvement.
2. Be active in your community
Volunteering is a good way to establish the reputation as a caring and the committed member of your community. But you can also show off your segments of the insurance industry by doing things like:
- Advise local charities on their insurance purchases.
- Host insurance seminars for small business owners.
- Participate in area meetups or online forums.
- Offer to be guest speaker for business groups.
- Assist friends or relatives of clients when required.
It can be tempting to do so, but don’t approach these situations the way you would a sales pitch. While you ultimately want these interactions to lead to potential insurance clients, your first goal should be to contribute to your community. The sincerity you show will keep your name in mind and attract potential clients to your agency when they need your services.
3. Going to the old school
Unfortunately, spam folders, privacy laws, and an offline history have made contacting insurance threads more difficult than it has been in the past. But some tried and true prospecting methods still work, such as:
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- Ask a restaurant if you can collect business cards and present their gift certificates to weekly winners.
- Print ads
- Advertise in industry trade magazines using paid debit cards.
- Read the local newspaper
- Scan marriage and engagement ads for personal line sales opportunities.
4. Going to a new school
Your website is a good tool to help you to generate the leads. Enable features that request contact information, such as the Get a Quote button or subscribe to our newsletter. But keep in mind that these items won’t do all the work for you.
- Place contact forms on each page.
- Include testimonials to boost your credibility.
- Highlight your contact information.
Also, don’t skip the possibility of getting referrals from social media. This often untapped resource for finding the clients can be harnessed by new insurance agents looking to grow their client lists.
5. Start a referral program
In some ways, launching a referral program is as easy as remembering to tell each client something like, “Please consider me if you hear about anyone else I can help.” But to really add momentum, it doesn’t hurt to offer an incentive for every referral. These incentives can include:
- Lottery tickets
- Gift cards
- Movie tickets
- Many state insurance departments allow incentives as long as they are not tied to the sale, but be sure to check with your department first.
6. Grid as you mean it
Lots of people need insurance, but most of them don’t work for your agency. Start interviewing them by:
- Join your Chamber of Commerce.
- Attending group meetings and networking events.
- Be active on social media.
- Connect with your alumni association.
Do not let the idea of prospecting, networking and finding clients scare you away from your dream of opening your own independent insurance agency. By using unconventional tactics, networking, launching a referral program, and improving your community, you’ll drive business straight to your door.