Agency Nation Radio

It's definitely a better option than the traditional ones that closely resembling a pyramid. Because legitimate business opportunities with high ceilings and flexible hours are hard to come by. A career in insurance isn't always the first idea that comes to mind when you think about all those things. That's what Janine Fixmer, owner of Agency Insurance, wants to make sure everyone knows about. P.S...

No matter what you're doing to create opportunities for your business, you still have to pick up the phone and call someone. What temperature that person is at the time of the call is up to and will depend on how much work you already put in. All that work does is give you a chance to care more about that persons problems than anyone else. That's what closes business and turns your mediocre sales...

What really ends up happening is there's a lot that doesn't get done. We've finally made it to a place where "not getting it done" is an option. Someone in your agency needs to be doing something to make sure people know who you are when you are not around. If not, someone else will diffidently be there for them and tell them everything they need to know. That's what I talk to Becky Taylor, Market...

Just because you could sell a policy better than everyone else doesn't mean you'll be great at making other people do it. It's a sobering fact for sure, that your skill doing "the thing" has absolutely nothing to do with teaching it. Really it might be a liability more than anything, because part of that success could have been a result of natural skill others lack. If you're unable or unwilling t...

I definitely don't see enough of either across the board in the industry. Your ability to find a way around any challenge or obstacle is something that will set you miles a part. Combine that with an ability to make decisions on purpose about how your agency does things and most people won't know how to act. That's how crazy important both are and the power you'll possess if you combine them. I ta...

It doesn't get much more behind the scenes then this. We cover it all, video proposals, virtual assistant outsourcing, blogging, referral partner networking and even advanced Facebook marketing. If you want to know how all of these ideas are being approached inside a millennial husband and wife owned agency then today is your lucky day. Sydney Roe and I surprised Nicole Johns, of The Johns Agency...

Why should independent insurance agents want to write insurance for that supposedly tasty drink? That's a fair and slightly provocative question that isn't easily answered. In fact, there's so many moving parts that it took Ryan Hanley over a week to research this topic and 26 minutes plus to break it all down. This is certainly a polarizing decision your agency will face, but simply dismissing it...

If you really think about, can you blame them? If you really think about it some more, a lot of insurance companies are good at making people hate them for life. Sometimes it's completely justifiable, but most of the time, it feels like they just can't get out of their own way. The really big question becomes, what can they (and you) do about to start telling a different story that doesn't involve...

This is the not so dirty little secret holding a lot of us back. If you agency struggles with this basic form of communication, you're fighting a steep uphill battle. We have to be better at answering the phone, because it doesn't just impact your agency, it effects all independent insurance agents. That's what you'll hear first hand from calls that went wrong. I was simply looking for an interest...

What's stopping you from selling and marketing your agency the way you want? More then likely it's a deficiency in the processes and procedures within how you operates. The more efficiency you can mix in the better experience you'll deliver and ultimately increase your margins. Because the longer you hold on to a personal touch that takes too long, the faster your clients will start looking for so...

It seems like a lot of "next-gen" agents feel that way. Maybe the problem is the term has changed and we haven't aliened ourselves with what it actually means today? Just because you aren't attracting and closing business the way the previous generation did, doesn't mean you lack natural sales skills. It could just mean you've figured out a way to connect and communicate with prospects that make s...

Wouldn't it be magical if you could closed deals and create referrals without being there? I know, it sounds ridiculous, but that's what happens when you have videos flying out of your agency in every direction. Combine that with the ability for clients to always get a hold of you (perceived or real) there's no stopping you. The combinations are endless finding new ways your agency can stay in fro...

Are you selling out of desperation or inspiration? The most successful agents were able to interrupt their pattern of desperation to achieve success they never thought possible. Continuing to find more desperate people who can thrive in this industry is a constant challenge. However, it's one Matt Sapaula, of The PHP Agency, has repeatedly taken to infuse a whole new level of talent into the indus...

It's always the right thing to do the right thing. Even though it's really hard at the time, your ability to do it will set you apart from more people than you think. Sadly, too often people in the insurance industry act like they've never heard of such a thing. If we can all stop trying to talk our way out of doing it, That's what I talk to Nancy Nicklow, of Huff Insurance , about as she knows wh...

It's not a secret, there's a lot of outside money flowing into the insurance industry. Agencies are getting bought like crazy because the investment is so attractive. Even better, people want to give you money to help reinvest in that agency. You combine that with the InsurTech movement that has been sweeping across the industry and it becomes up to you if you want to be left behind. That's what R...

Don't worry, you're not the only agency having a hard time finding it. This is a question that has haunted the industry for probably more than a decade now. Why are more young people choosing to sell insurance? What has the world come to? These are all fair questions that mostly feature unfair answers. That's what I talk to Bogus Handzel, of Handzel and Associates , about as he try's to figure out...

It's the little moments that matter, but if you don't teach people how to see them, they'll go unnoticed. That empowerment is what most businesses are missing. Leaving a bunch of tiny moments lying on the floor unseen by you or your staff. Even if they did see one you would have had to bestow upon them the ability to make a difference. It's in this difference most traditional agency's get lost. No...

Could end up taking down everyone in the industry if we don't call it quits soon. There are plenty of things we can and should be competing on in the insurance business, data just isn't one of them. You know, valuable things like coverage, branding, marketing and claims service. Are all worth competing over and allow for each agency individuality and strengths to shine. That's one of the main poin...

Just because someone never sold a policy, doesn't mean they can't say something really smart to change your agency. We have to get over this ridiculousness overvaluing other agents and agency owners opinions. Do they have a better chance of being more specifically applicable to your business? You bet. But is it the only source of wisdom you should adhere to when trying something new? Absolutely no...

When you're in a room full of 100 insurance agents wanting to do digital marketing, they ask a lot of questions. Which is what they should be doing. Some of those questions might be the same thing you're struggling with in your agency. This is a special keynote presentation Ryan gave to Roberts, Ryan & Associates last week in Milwaukee during their most recent producers meeting. It was a energy fi...

One thing's for sure, it's probably not enough. There's definitely nothing wrong with obsessing over finding new clients, but it's also alright to want to get rid of some. Sometimes it just doesn't workout, it's no ones fault, there's just a better insurance business relationship out. Having a set of standards to look for in a client is a pretty easy way to make sure you're not getting taken advan...

If you're not, you just might be a fancy order taker. This is definitely the thing we like to call ourselves the most but the first thing we throw out the window. True "risk management involves actually making recommendations that might not always work out. It's that last part that usually stops most risk managing dead in it's tracks. That's what I talk to my longtime friend Brent Kelly, Executive...

It's the one thing that destroys agency's and even families more than anything. You would think after all this time we would have figured this out by now. Not owning your life's work can really stand in the way of wanting to do it. What if there was a way around all of that and all of that? That's what I talk to Jason Bott and Dan Lau, from Robertson Ryan & Associates , about how they don't care h...

No matter who you are or what you do, this question will always try to get the best of you. The secret is, it never is. Getting yourself to a place where good enough gets out the door is the only way to win. The judgement you're afraid of rarely happens and is never worth avoiding. That's what I talk to Woody Brown, of the Rhoads Group , about as he struggles with his effort. P.S. Agency Nation Un...

Connecting online consumers to real agents, in real time crushes the competition. A hospitality business focus on person to person connections and their soul defined concerned for the happiness of the people they serve. Insurance companies should consider focusing on the quality of appointed agents rather than the quantity of appointed agents. It's in the depth of those quality relationships that...