We've all seen lists of the dos and don'ts of successful people. They pretty much always include things like GETTING UP EARLY or EXERCISING or BEING HIGHLY ORGANIZED. Those of us who are under-exercised and highly unorganized because we hit the snooze button 3 times every morning and start our days in utter chaos, we get it. We understand that there are regimented things that we can do in our lives to position ourselves to be a step ahead of the rest.
But there are some other less tangible qualities of successful people that bring big results when it comes to an overall benefit in reaching their goals and continuing to advance in their careers, and their lives. Things that don't involve 5 a.m. workouts and an alphabetically organized record collection. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DON'T LET FEAR HOLD THEM BACK Successful people GO FOR IT. This might seem like something we all do, but it's not. Many of us are afraid to take chances because of a fear of the unknown. We're afraid to go after a career that means less money but offers more self fulfillment. Successful people aren't tied so afraid of failure that they're unwilling to go for something that could change their lives for the better. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE HAVE THEIR EYES ON THE PRIZE Successful people don't let themselves or their plans become derailed by gossip or drama. They focus on big ideas and working to bring them to life, regardless of nonsense around them. They focus on doing, not on what someone else is or isn't doing. Focusing on minutiae slows you down. Staying focused on you and your goals is what keeps you moving. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ARE TEAM ORIENTED Successful people lift up the people around them and they showcase the advancement of others. They want their coworkers and friends to succeed and they celebrate it when they do. They know that there is room for everyone to reach their goals without it taking anything away from their own success. They give credit where it's due and they give it often. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ARE SELF-AWARE Successful are better at interacting and influencing other people because they take the time to understand themselves. By knowing what drives you to do the things you do and to react to things they way you do, you're more apt to work better with others. They understand their triggers and how to deal with them and they understand what brings them joy and how to go toward it. It's nice to know that there are some innate qualities that contribute to our success, instead of just eating quinoa and kale, and meditating while standing on one foot at dawn. If success comes down to the things on this list, I think we can all find ways to be a little braver, a little more focused, a little more inclusive and happy for others, and a little more in touch with ourselves.
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Let's be honest, there's nothing like the early days of a new career, when you're just starting out and everything is fresh and exciting. New people, new places, new experiences. And on the other side of the coin, once you've been at something for a long time and things become routine, it's easy for that once exhilarating to become a little stale. They don't call it the daily grind or the rat race for nothing.
It's easy for all of that bright and shiny newness to become dull, and it's hard to stay motivated. But just like sometimes we don't take the sound advice we so easily give to other people, lots of times it's easier to help motivate others than it is to motivate ourselves. If you feel you're falling prey to the doldrums of daily monotony, we have a few ideas to help you stay engaged and excited about work. GOALS! GOALS! GOALS! Dangling a carrot works on horses and kids, so why not set a goal for yourself with a clear plan in mind, and set out to reach it? Create your goal in your personal life OR your professional life and then create short term and long term plans in mind to make it easier to stick to along the way. This is a great way to visualize something NEW that you want to work toward which takes you out of the mundane. And creating a step by step guide to help you get there will keep you on track. TREAT YO'SELF Lots of times the best part of reaching a goal is the pride you feel from your accomplishment, but don't be afraid to give yourself a little extra reward for a job well done. Extra incentive isn't a bad thing when you're doing something to better yourself. In fact it's something that most people are afraid to do for themselves, which adds to the monotony of their careers or their daily lives. You finally got that promotion? Don't shy away from getting yourself something nice or scheduling a day off in a few weeks to celebrate. This is a great way to keep yourself motivated and moving forward. STAY INSPIRED This is a big one. Lots of people lose sight of what they loved about their careers after the excitement wears off. It's important to remain in touch with why you're doing what you're doing and to remember why you started doing it in the first place. Queue up a few relevant Ted Talks or read a book that initially sparked your interest in your field. Maybe sign up for a few conferences to meet new people in the industry and see what could develop in the future. Sometimes motivation comes in the form of a coworker, boss or keynote speaker. We've all fallen into that work funk where the days drag on and there's nothing that spectacular to look forward to. These are some great ways to regroup and get yourself re-motivated so that you can return to the days of being excited for the work day and taking pride in what you do. A healthy outlook on work means more than you know. Giving yourself an emotionally fulfilling work life leads to a richer life in general - something we all want at the end of the day. Getting up in front of an audience and slinging your wares isn't easy for anyone. No matter how confident you are in your product, there's always the risk that your potential client won't be interested. And no one likes being told no, especially after you've put your best foot forward in presenting yourself and your company. No matter how polished your presentation is, the possibility of being turned down is a vulnerability that most sales people understand.
Most pitches are tried and true long before they hit your market, but before you put yourself front and center in front of a new prospect, you should always make sure your pitch is as listener friendly as possible. Here are a few tips for making sure you're presenting yourself and your product in the most viewer-friendly way. 1. ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN. The best way to customize a presentation and an offer is to know exactly what your client needs. Asking the right questions will help you point out where your client needs the most guidance or where they have the most questions about their current insurance (or insurance in general) and it will allow you to create solutions to specifically meet their problems. YBR Insurance Sales Scripts are made for this exact purpose. If you've never used a sales script, it's something that will help to put you on the right path for a perfect pitch. 2. OFFER KNOWLEDGE INSTEAD OF SELLING You know that icky feeling you get when you know someone's working you. It's an uncomfortable reality of the job, but there are lots of ways to finesse a pitch so it feels like you're offering your client more than what you're selling. People can look at a pair of sneakers or a new cereal and decide whether or not they want it, but insurance isn't something that most customers readily understand. This means you're there to help them differentiate between what they need and what they don't need. This is your time to educate them. Make it simple. Make it visual. Offer them options that suit their needs. This makes them feel like they're making a calculated decision on something they didn't know much about before your pitch. A client will appreciate your guidance as opposed to your simply telling them what you should do. 3. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT ASSUMPTIONS Don't assume that you know what your client understands and doesn't understand about insurance. Be sure to fully explain your products and processes during your pitch. You can always tell a client to stop you if they don't need something explained, but it's good for a client to see that you're interested in them knowing everything that pertains to the business you plan on handling for them. Assuming that they know everything going in will lead to a confusing pitch that leaves them with more questions than answers. 4. SHOW THEM THAT YOU DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL In these cases, it's fine to gingerly toot your own horn by way of customer testimonials. Don't go off the deep end, but if you have a client who has had a similar situation as your potential client, don't be afraid to tell them what you did to make that client happy. If you have the client's feedback handy, be sure to pass it on or highlight it in your presentation. Show them success stories or share current customer comments with them when you feel it will resonate. Insurance is an industry where people truly need guidance. It's not something that people would lump into a general knowledge category, so when creating your pitch, be sure to make it full-bodied. Be informative and interested. Your client will appreciate a pitch that caters to them on their terms, not on someone else's. If you take these tips into consideration when preparing your next pitch, you can feel confident that your prospect will appreciate you for it. The term "ghosting", which first gained popularity in the world of dating and now applies to relations of all kinds, refers to the sudden disappearance of one person from a budding relationship with no explanation. Most commonly, you'd get ghosted by someone after a few dates, you know, when you think things are going well and it just doesn't make sense because he invited you to his beach house for July 4th and then stopped texting you and all your friends tell you to move on and he isn't worth it... whatever.
As it turns out, ghosting isn't primarily for hopeful romantics anymore. It can really be done in any relationship, at any time. All you have to do is simply remove yourself from a relationship like a thief in the night. You can ghost your friends. You can ghost your family. You can even ghost your job if you're so inclined. Personal relationships aside, what happens when this pesky human avoidance tactic finds its way into your professional life? Say you've been wooing a client and all signs point to doing business with them and then just before you're about to start signing papers, suddenly... POOF. They're not answering your calls. They're not returning your calls. Your inbox is empty and you're scratching your head. What could have happened? Everything seemed great. Your first instinct is to wonder what YOU did wrong. Naturally, you're going to take it personally. Just like when you've had two great dates with Paul from Ocean Beach he says he's going to call you and then he peaces out like an apparition in an episode of Scooby Doo. Here are a few steps to take if you think a potential client (or Paul) is ghosting you. CHECK YO'SELF! Before you downward spiral into self-loathing, retrace your steps. Maybe there was some miscommunication. Maybe you mistook your client's politeness as interest. Maybe you haven't read the signs properly. MAYBE. TAP, TAP. IS THIS THING ON? In potential business relationships, following up is always KEY to being with. In the case that you've already reached out with your standard follow up and didn't hear back, it's okay to follow up again, but this time, express genuine concern at not hearing back. Do they have questions they need to ask? Is there anything you can help with? Is everything OK? It's also alright to politely explain that you had expected for there to be further contact based on previous interactions. STILL CRICKETS? If you don't hear back after that, take it as an opportunity to reach out one last time to share any new and potentially exciting news about your company or your services. Add that you're happy to offer your continued availability to your potential client regardless of whether or not you hear back from them. KEEP IT MOVING Don't lose so much time wondering what went wrong that you begin missing out on other opportunities. Chalk the lack of communication up to someone who has a hard time telling someone NO and who will avoid it even at the risk of being unprofessional. Don't second guess yourself if your selling strategies have been working and your relationships with other clients are genuine. Truly, it's not you, it's the ghost-er. That's definitely the case with Paul from Ocean Beach. It's not easy to swallow your pride in these circumstances, but the best action is to always react graciously and professionally. You never want to react in a way that would perpetuate or even justify the client's lack of response. The best advice is to stay focused on the clients who are responsive and move on with grace. People are passionate about politics in this country. Especially right now. Whether you're someone who is eager to discuss your political views with everyone you meet or if you're someone who keeps them close to your chest, this is and has always been a controversial subject.
We've all probably been in a position where we've either had to ask someone NOT to discuss politics in a certain setting or we've been the one asked NOT to discuss politics in that setting. For instance, if you're my dad, you like to get the fans on the sidelines of my 4 year-old son's soccer game all RILED UP at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning with talk of your fiscal view for the nation. Just NO, Dad. Read the room. Talk about politics is one thing if you're in the presence of family and friends. Sure, there's a good chance it's going to go over like a fart in a space suit, but at least the relationship feathers your ruffling aren't going to lose you any income. Those people are most likely stuck with you, whichever way you lean. They're still going to have to pass you the mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving whether they like it or not. But what about discussing your political views in the workplace, or even more risky, with your clients. ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW. In 2020, we're in the midst of a massive polarization between political parties, so the odds point pretty clearly to the fact that a lot of people are on one side of the aisle or the other. There's about a 50/50 shot that just a casual mention of who you're rooting for will get you a side-eye. Most experts strongly suggest that you DO NOT want to discuss politics with clients. If a client brings their own views up, it's fine to let them finish their thoughts and say what they'd like to say. Because insurance is a relationship-based business, of course getting to know one another is key. You never want to shut a client down when they're sharing insight into their life and their thoughts. However, never allow yourself to argue with them if it's a hot topic and you disagree. The best move you can make in this situation is to find a thread of agreement OR simply say that even though you disagree with their thought, you're glad that they felt comfortable enough to share it with you and you're interested in how or why they feel that way. Find a creative way to turn the conversation into a constructive one. The worst thing you can do is come off as argumentative and hot-headed. We always want our business relationships to be genuine, but these days there are some conversations better left for the Thanksgiving table, if they're even allowed there. Accepting that not everyone is going to share your ideology is imperative and knowing how to keep a potentially heated conversation from blowing up in your face is key. It's 2020 and social media is taking over. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter are the most popular platforms with SnapChat and TikTok growing every day. Most of us are on social media on one level or another. Some only pop on to see what's happening with loved ones. And some of us are on it all day for business and pleasure.
Employers like to be able to locate someone on social media because it allows them to gather as much information about a person as possible when making a decision to call them in for an interview. Whether you're active on your profiles or not, simply by having an account (even if your accounts are private) you're relinquishing a certain level of privacy. When you apply for a job, recruiters and employers are searching social media platforms as a way to do a background check on you. Even if all that they find is a name, a profile picture and a location, they're going to consider those things, along with your resumé, a first impression. This means that simply being ON social media isn't the issue. The issue is when you're using social media in a way that a potential employee sees as troublesome. It is certainly a free country and no one is asking you to censor yourself in order to find a job, but if a recruiter finds you on your Twitter account and sees controversial imagery or a use of offensive language, you have to accept that it's going to be a red flag for them. Photos or posts glorifying drinking or drugs are also a cause for rejection. Provocative screen names or handles can also seem too far left of a level of professionalism that many employers desire. Of course, your social media is your choice, but it's important to remember that employers want to hire someone who has good decision-making skills, and obvious smart judgment and ethics If they find your Facebook page and your profile picture is you doing a keg stand, that's going to give them a first impression that might not align with your professional aspirations. Our suggestions? You don't have to pretend to be someone you're not, but be conscious about what you post, even to a private account. Be sure to monitor posts that other people have tagged you in, as these posts can show up in your public posts if you don't have your privacy settings up to date. And if you’re actively on the hunt for employment, clean up your profile a little even if it's only temporary. Make sure the first impression is a good one, otherwise you could be missing out on opportunities that you could ultimately regret. There really is no big mystery surrounding what it takes to be successful in business because a lot of what business owners need to do to stay on top is common sense. And by "successful in business" we don't mean owning a Fortune 500 agency because that's not every agent's goal. We mean closing business on whatever scale you sell. Interacting with clients successfully, providing solid products and meaningful customer service.
Of course there's a laundry list of the things that need to be done to keep your business thriving, but we've thrown together the top 5 things that we think are imperative to running a tight ship and keeping it sailing in the right direction for both you and your customers. 1. GET PERSONAL Selling insurance is personal. You're not selling tailpipes at AutoZone, you're selling security and peace of mind. The same way a good medical professional is required to have a certain bedside manner, it will suit you best to have a certain level of empathy for your clients. The quickest way to lose business is to show that you're only out for a paycheck. Spend some time getting to know them so that you're able to form a level of trust that the customer will respond to and in turn, you'll be able to service them in the most effective way possible. 2. PAY ATTENTION When it comes to writing policies, you'll see a lot of customers in similar situations whether it be from a financial or emotional standpoint. It's okay to act as if people's situations are similar as long as you're paying attention to see where something new needs to be addressed. Has someone lost a job? What can you do to help on your end? Has someone recently become sick? How can you add that extra bit of security? Staying attentive to a client's changing needs is the best way to create a lasting business relationship. 3. STAY HUNGRY Insert every meaningful scene from the movie RUDY with Sean Astin here. Successful selling comes from learning how to take a hit and get back up again. Learning how to turn a NO into a YES. Always charging forward to find a way to make your customer happy. Always finding new ways to get to your goal. Knowing how to pivot to make a potential sale a closed sale is crucial to your success. 4. HAVE ENOUGH TO OFFER Your agency needs to be able to handle the bandwidth to serve your prospects and your clients. If you're promising an array of affordable P&C insurance, you need to have that array available to back it up. Be sure your agency is stocked full of products and services to make it a viable and attractive option for your clients and potential clients. 5. BE ABLE TO ADAPT As the market changes, so will your client's requests and requirements. You have to be willing to always find new ways to serve them, to reach out to them and to remain relevant in the industry so that you can keep meeting their needs. Whether that means bringing your agency into the social media realm, making sure your website is top notch, or providing automation services so that you never miss a call, your client needs to know you're not going to be able to grow and change whenever necessary. Whether you're a new agent starting out or you're running an established agency, it's always important to stay on top of the best ways to connect with a client. Your ultimate goal is to stay in business by creating quality relationships and providing quality products. These 5 tips should help get you there. If you're the kind of person who bounds out of bed on Monday morning and heads out for a quick 5K during which you gather all of your peaceful and blessed intentions for the week, I've probably fantasized about choking you to death because EWW. Just be normal and hate Mondays with the white hot intensity of a thousand burning suns like Garfield taught us.
If you're on Team MONDAY CAN SUCK IT like I am, don't worry, it's not a personality flaw. Your sleep pattern being forced to change, your ability to socialize being taken away and the suddenness of being thrust back into stress zones causing more people to have strokes or heart attacks on Mondays are all scientifically-based reasons for your day-of-the-week disdain. You're not just grumpy. It's science. Still, if you’re someone who wants to try to turn that frown upside down, we've put together a few pick-me-ups to stop Monday from getting you down. Check them out. 1. LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD If you roll out of the house in the pajamas you've been wearing since Friday night, you're obviously going to feel stuck in the weekend. Get up, get showered and get dressed so you can feel fresh and spiffy going into the new week. Maybe wear something you haven't worn in a while or dress yourself up a bit more than you would on a normal weekday. 2. LUNCH WITH FRIENDS Make Monday a mandatory day to get out of the office and meet up with a friend for lunch. It gives you something to look forward to and it means you don't have to pack Sunday leftovers or a sad salad for lunch. 3. FUNKY FRESH MONDAY MIX It sounds cheesy, but make yourself a playlist with all of your favorite feel-good songs and put it on repeat for the day. Don't want your co-workers to know you listen to Barry Manilow and Miley Cyrus? It's ok! Use your headphones, turn that mix up and get your freak on. 4. MAIN COURSE MONDAYS Designate Monday as the day to cook your favorite meal for dinner and plan ahead to make it. This way you know when you finally get home, all of the ingredients are there and dinner will be easy to put together. Plus it'll be something you love! 5. WORK IT OUT Exercise is about as close to Monday on the list of things people hate, but we all know that working out gives us a boost of endorphins which can create a feeling of euphoria. Exercise has also been proven to reduce stress, help decrease anxiety and depression, boost self-esteem and improve sleep. Mondays will continue to suck because we've all got a little Garfield in us. There's no getting around it unless you're willing to put in a little effort to make the best of a day that's supposed to be bad. Give your Monday a chance to shine with these tips and as always, keep working for the weekend. The debate over whether it's better to be a captive insurance agent or an independent insurance agent is a subjective one. Each agent gets to decide for themselves if they want to be captive and sell under the umbrella of a large carrier or if they'd rather represent multiple carriers as an independent.
Since most agents start out as captives working for a large carrier, they've already got the experience and understand the security and support that come with working for a previously-established company, however some agents may feel like their hands are tied when it comes to the type of coverage they can offer their clients. Captive agents may also struggle with being under the thumb of a larger when it comes to compensation. For these reasons, lots of agents decide they'd rather become an independent. The first thing an agent needs to do when they've decided to go out on their own is create a business plan. They're starting your own business. They've got to be prepared in all of the traditional ways entrepreneurs prepare to start a company from scratch. They'll need to determine a legal structure for your business so it's important to decide whether they're planning on being the sole proprietor, or if they'll need a different legal structure to support a partnership and/or possible employees. Next, agents will have to identify the market in which they're going to operate their agency. Where is their business located? Who will they take on as suppliers? Who are their competitors? Are they going to offer several types of insurance or focus on one type? Once that's decided, hopeful independents have got to scrutinize over the details of the business - risks, finances, budget, projections, and production forecast. These types of details are what build a strong business plan, helping them to secure loans, financing and even commercial property. Lastly, it's time to get licensed. Each state is different when it comes to the legalities of operating independent agents. Be aware of what you state requires when it comes to recurring certifications, licensing exams, having multiple licenses for different types of insurance, and/or continuing education courses. And these all just apply to the proprietor. If terms of the business itself, independents need to acquire business licenses and permits, purchase E&O insurance, and select a client management system. Overlooking any of these issues could mean big problems for an independent's agency. There are lots of things to consider before an agent embarks on a solo journey. This is just an overview. If you or someone you know is considering becoming an independent agent, check out Career Insurance Agents. CIA helps agents transition from captive to independent and offer their support each step of the way. If you're ready to make that leap, it's best to do it with a company like CIA who wants to see agents like you succeed. Social media can be a daunting task for many businesses, especially small ones. Lots of us remember a time when businesses operated just fine without Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so having to become part of this new virtual marketplace where followers are potential customers is a strange necessity.
Factors like finding time to run the accounts, figuring out how to operate them properly and knowing what content works for your followers are hurdles that some business owners just don't have the bandwidth to take on. For these reasons, many brands have taken to outsourcing their business's social media by either hiring a social media manager OR by taking it one step further by partnering with a social media agency to take on the job. We've put together a few benefits of handing your social media duties over to an agency. LETTING THE EXPERTS HANDLE IT The thing about social media is that it's not JUST that doing it right helps businesses, but doing it WRONG could also hurt them. You want to make sure that the person handling your social media feeds has a breadth of knowledge of operation policies for each social platform, as well as experience in analyzing data and creating the kind of content that works for each one. Using a social media marketing agency means the time spent on your social media will be effective, instead of you taking it on yourself and doing it incorrectly. BONUS MARKETING HELP Social media agencies are usually coupled with marketing agencies because marketing and sales don't exist without the other. And because so much of what's being done on social media for businesses is being done to draw customers in, a social media manager or a social media agency will be creating content that works from a marketing standpoint, as well as sales. SAVES TIME If you're already looking at social media maintenance as a struggle for your business, once you really get into it you're going to find out how much time it really takes to manage your accounts. Since engagement gets you more reach, your social media posts require constant attention by liking, commenting and interacting with followers, as well as other business accounts. Handing this responsibility over to someone who can focus on it full time will guarantee that you're getting the most out of your social media efforts. SAVES MONEY A social media marketing agency is going to cost you, but it'll cost less than bringing someone on full time to take care of your social media in-house. And you'll be getting guaranteed results from the jump with an agency since they'll be well-versed in what works and what doesn't. There's also a higher probability of getting a decent return on your investment which is something that should be at the forefront of your decision making. Simply put, just being on social media doesn't mean much these days. You need a solid plan and effective execution if your content is going to connect with your followers. A highly skilled social media agency will focus on driving engagement and reach, while creating a community for you on your platforms and ultimately that's what you should be looking to get out of your social media efforts in the long run. |
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