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?”

Sure, it’s common sense that the carriers you do business with can impact the value of your agency, but let’s examine how they impact the value of your agency.

Your marketing process is a big factor in growing your agency’s income, but becoming an expert in your products and building relationships with your clients are just as important. Here are three ways to do that.

Marketing is all about gaining visibility in your field – becoming someone familiar and trustworthy to your clients. And believe it or not, just by being around every day, they’ll trust you.

Prospects don’t need to be educated; they need relief from their pain.

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?”

Where calls, emails, and social media were originally meant to enhance the in-person conversation that took place, they have instead replaced human interaction altogether. I find this to be especially prevalent in commercial lines business, as many agents are tempted to simply go through the phone book and call the businesses you’re targeting in the area, instead of just visiting in person to make the sale.

Sales isn’t just about unloading your product to consumers. It’s about finding a pain point and fulfilling someone’s needs or wants – your job as a salesperson is to dissect your customers, identify what that need is for them, and find a way to fill it.