5 First-Year Tips for Insurance Professionals

A career as an insurance professional can set you free. You’re your own boss, choosing your own hours and even workplace. And like many forms of self employment, the results are directly tied to how hard you work.

But of course, all that freedom brings with it responsibility. The transition from traditional employment to working as your own boss can feel overwhelming for many. Here’s what you need to know, to be successful in your first year of this venture.

Set realistic and attainable goals. When you meet goals, you feel encouraged to keep going. But on the other hand, falling short of goals can be discouraging and tempt you to give up. So from the very beginning, set goals that are ambitious enough to inspire hard work, but realistic for your expected timeline. Shift your focus from earnings to attainable benchmarks, such as making a certain number of calls each day or a minimum number of appointments each month. The results eventually follow your efforts.

Stick to a schedule. Making your own schedule still means that you have to make one! Yes, you can choose work days and hours that make sense to you, but you must still hold yourself accountable to those choices. Treat self employment just as you would any other job. Show up on time, work hard, and be consistent, and you will see consistent results.

Assess risks and don’t be afraid to take the right ones. It’s normal to be afraid of making mistakes, but without mistakes we don’t learn. Assess risks carefully, and take the ones that offer a potential for growth with a “down side” of valuable lessons without too much disruption. Even if these risks don’t work out as you’d hoped, they won’t devastate you.

Create a marketing strategy. Even if you possess strong sales skills, to whom are you selling? You need a detailed marketing plan in order to attract targeted leads. As a bonus, selling becomes even easier when your leads are truly interested candidates who are ready to make a decision.

Establish your support system. Getting licensed was hard work, but now it’s time to shift gears. Selling is a very different proposition, and you need various types of support in order to identify opportunities. Research your support options, such as lead generation, marketing materials, event opportunities, and continued training. Take advantage of these resources, and they will help you succeed.

And on that note… Contact us to learn more about the supports we offer to independent insurance agents. Match the tools we provide with your ambition and hard work, and you will find success in the first year in your new career.