Being an independent agent is tough business. You’re the jack of all trades – you’re your own sales team, accounting firm, marketing team… you get the idea.
We know it’s hectic being an independent insurance agent, but there are 5 big challenges that you and every other agent out there is facing. And we have solutions.
By consulting numerous entrepreneurial forums, Sage has revealed the top 5 challenges that small businesses are facing right now – and we’re gonna tell you how to handle them all.
1. Coping with Admin
How to deal with it: Modern technology is your friend!
Admin has been around since business first began, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon.
Fortunately, smart technology is becoming cheaper, meaning you can start to hand over your more mundane and repetitive tasks to robots.
Chatbots are messaging AIs which can do anything from handling customer queries to helping you manage your business’ finances.
If you’d prefer a human to deal with that pile of admin tasks instead, consider hiring a virtual assistant, who can be an excellent short, medium, or long-term solution to decluttering your to-do list.
2. Staying Up-To-Date with Relevant Tech
How to deal with it: Expand your team
If the aforementioned term “chatbot” is new to you, or if you struggle to tell your SEO from your meta data, you’re not alone.
While listening to podcasts in your spare time is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest business best practices, expanding your team and delegating responsibility is best for staying informed without becoming overwhelmed.
Of course, many small businesses can’t afford to expand their team. Remember: that’s what virtual assistants are for!
3. How to Market Your Business
How to deal with it: Watch the competition – and partner up!
The number of options available to you when it comes to advertising a new business can be daunting… so instead, look to your competitors!
Businesses that have been around for longer have done their market research. Use their experience to your advantage. For example, we recently took a look at 10 Facebook ads in the insurance industry – this can give you some ideas for creating your very own ad.
Also, look for opportunities to partner up. By finding businesses with whom you can cross-sell, you allow yourself access to their customer base.
4. Growing Your Customer Database
How to deal with it: Use call-to-actions
Email campaigns are an excellent way to keep customers updated on your latest deals and offers.
But how do you get their email in the first place?
Include call-to-actions across your site, which encourages visitors to sign up.
Don’t have a website? Create one now.
Not sure how to get traffic to your website? Use a few of these 26 traffic-boosting tactics.
5. How to Win Premium Paying Customers
How to deal with it: Presentation – and confidence!
Perhaps you feel like the cost of insurance is the reason prospects aren’t flocking to your doorstep.
Instead of focusing on the price, focus on making sure your customer service and online presence is solid. Once you’ve worked with a client, ask for a testimonial – learn how to get more testimonials here – and put that on your website and marketing materials.
I’d encourage you to embrace the changes happening in the 21st century, because if you don’t, everyone else in this space will blow past you with lightning speed.
You can’t do it all – but you can certainly use tools that will help you get more clients without any of your effort.
Having a website is like having a personal assistant, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Letting testimonials speak for you is like having your clients call up your prospects, chatting and reminiscing about how awesome you are.
What are you waiting for? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
