Why are you struggling at your insurance agent’s career? Do you still think the internet is just a fad? Are you still afraid of technology? Are you chasing leads that once said they were going to buy and now won’t return your call? Are you still buying leads and making 100 calls per day to find a couple of people to answer the phone? Are you still trying to sell health insurance hoping the commissions go up? Is your idea of networking bugging neighbors at a block party? If you answered yes to more than one question, you must change with the times. Here’s how to get back on top of your game. Stop being a struggling insurance agent.

First off, the ways of selling insurance have drastically changed and evolved. You can’t use the same techniques you used in the 1980s, 1990s or 2000s. The internet is not a fad, it is here to stay. You must embrace it and become self reliant on social media. Don’t hire some college kid to post things they do not understand and expect results. You are the expert and need to let your network know that. Just because someone understands social media doesn’t mean they understand insurance, especially your niche market.  Go out and learn what to do and how to do it. Don’t just post how great you or your products are, no one cares. Be helpful to people with useful insightful information. They will be attracted to you.

Is your LinkedIn profile up to date? Be sure your LinkedIn profile has these 3 things today. Prospects do search for you. According to a recent Google survey, 84% of prospects search you, your product and your company before they do business with you. The old days of a sales pitch and close are over. This is the information age, you must participate. Get your LinkedIn profile up to “All Star” and search friendly for the product or service you want to be found.

Next you must build a referral network. If hearing the word network makes your stomach hurt, you must get past that fear. If you do network, which networker are you? Do you slather and gather business cards or do you spray your business cards and then pray someone calls you back. Neither of these methods is effective networking. You must educate yourself about how to network properly. Both in person and online is critical in today’s insurance market place. It is a fact that people looking for health or life insurance want to do business with people they know and trust or referred by someone they know and trust. The successful insurance agent finds a good referral source or goose to lay golden eggs, if you will, to grow their practice and keep a steady stream of referrals flowing to them.  Stop wasting time chasing clients and spend your time searching for good referral sources. Be sure to give back and take care of your referral sources. Use a “givers gain” mentality when building your referral network. Give more than they expect and ask nothing in return. Soon you will have a constant flow of business calling you instead of you chasing prospects every day.

It is just time to redie the tools and enjoy the same success you are accustomed to back a few years ago. You can learn anything if you just focus on it for a while. Here’s to your success again!

“When we are no longer able to change a situation – we are challenged to change ourselves.”—Viktor E. Frankl

Image by Stuart Miles at www.freedigitalphotos.net

Tim Wilhoit is owner/principal of Your Friend 4 Life Insurance Agency in Nashville, TN. He is a family man, father of 3, entrepreneur, insurance agent, life insurance broker, salesman, sales trainer, recruiter, public speaker, blogger and team leader with over 26 years of experience in sales and marketing in the insurance and beverage industries.