The Power of Taking Initiative in Your Agency and Beyond
It's often said that one key to success is taking initiative. This timeless idea can be illustrated by the quote,
"If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission."
By removing any reliance on outside validation, and proactively pursuing improvement, growth and accomplishment become much more attainable goals.
Empower Your Agency
Self-improvement is a journey that begins with a single step - and that first step is taking the initiative to act. When you take initiative, you are taking control of your own destiny. You are charting your own course and setting your own pace. You are no longer at the mercy of external factors. Instead, you are proactively pursuing your goals, and doing so on your own terms. Of course, taking that first step is not always easy, and requires courage and determination, but is almost always worth it.
Why? Because when you take initiative, you are taking control of your life.
This same philosophy can be applied to your agency. Many of you have already done the hard and scary part, by taking the initiative to open your own business. If you’ve taken this step, you are part of a very small percentage of the population. Only 16% of the U.S. population are considered entrepreneurs. Once you’ve taken this step and become successful, it can be easy to become complacent and stay in a comfort zone you’ve created, or to “stick with what’s working.” But I challenge you to embark on a journey of “agency improvement” by taking the initiative to round out your agency’s offerings.
For many years, the independent agency channel remained predominantly focused on personal lines sales. That has significantly changed over the course of the last five years. A study by the Big I found that nearly 88% of all commercial lines business written was done so through the Independent Agency Channel. If you aren’t already taking advantage of that channel, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity that your competition is taking advantage of. The current insurance marketplace means you have a distinct advantage over your captive counterparts because you have access to more carrier products.
The New Normal: the Vital Role of Insurance Coverage for Businesses
The pandemic has heightened the importance of a business’s insurance policy. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that businesses have the right coverage. Companies must be fully aware of their insurance obligations and the risks they face in order to protect against the potential impacts of losses. With the impact of the pandemic continuing to be felt, businesses must be prepared and understand the various aspects of their insurance policy. Companies must assess their needs, and make sure their insurance policy covers the right risks and offers sufficient coverage for any potential financial losses. This is where the partnership you can offer as an advisor is invaluable to these types of clients.
However, if the thought of taking the commercial initiative still seems daunting, remember our Smart Start team is here to help you every step of the way. Plus, higher premiums equal higher revenues, which means with Smart Choice’s help, you’ll be growing faster and smarter. In this issue you’ll learn about our new transportation division, the state of the cyber market, and how to excel as a commercial focused agent.
Remember - don’t ask for permission, take the initiative to achieve greatness by taking your agency in a new direction and the success will follow!