The insurance industry is rapidly changing. It’s often said that we’ll see more change in the insurance industry in the next five years than we saw in the last 25. In order for independent agents to grow their agencies and remain competitive, things can no longer be business as usual. As we kick off 2019, here are four questions every independent agent should ask themselves.

Many independent insurance agents, both new to the industry and established agents, at some point find themselves asking the question: “Should I join an aggregator or agency network?” Here's your answer.

Look for a new way to do something you have always done the same way. This is tough to do, but once you start, you will be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

If you’re a Smart Choice® partner, then you understand the benefits of joining an agency network. One of the most common reasons agents join a network is to gain access to carriers and markets that are otherwise unobtainable for them. I’ve got 26 more reasons why your decision to join and stay in Smart Choice® is a smart move!

Why should I join an agency network and what are the benefits? Most people would provide the answer of: “access to markets and carriers!” Although that probably is the biggest reason, the truth is that agency networks offer so much more than that.

While I could list dozens of reasons and benefits for agencies to be part of a network, it might be more advantageous to think about all the reasons agents traditionally cite for not joining a network.

Smart Choice® has continued its streak of explosive annual growth this year, with the addition of 1178 new agency partners year-to-date — and on pace to add a milestone of 1,200 new agency partners by the end of 2018.

In today's hyper-competitive insurance market, agency marketing is more important than ever. In Safeco’s Agent for the Future survey, 38% of independent agents said they plan to increase their investment in marketing. However, only 16% said they planned on hiring a dedicated marketer.

Almost every salesperson in the world has some method of keeping track of appointments; most often it’s a calendar of sorts. And, while it should come as no surprise, so do most people who make appointments with salespeople.