Everybody is an insurance agent. Or at least it can seem that way to someone who’s trying to find the right person to handle his/her insurance needs. So what can you and your agents do to stand head and shoulders above the crowd, serve your current clients so well that they’ll never look elsewhere, and convince prospects to come on board? Professional development is a good place to start.
Everybody in the business is going to meet the state’s minimum certification/education requirements. To compete in a crowded insurance market, your team needs to keep learning, keep growing professionally, and keep earning designations that go above and beyond the basics.
Additional training and or designations result in far more than something else to tout in an email signature or on a business cards (though showing what you know isn’t a bad idea). Agents who demonstrate a true commitment to ongoing education prove to clients that they are serious professionals, not just another person who decided to give the insurance biz a whirl.
In addition to earning you the respect and trust of clients and prospects, advanced/specialized training will also improve your perception among industry peers. And the knowledge you gain will likely reduce your chances of making professional errors that could cost you clients.
Want your agents to be happier so that they keep getting better and stick around? Two words: professional development. Studies confirm that professional development increases job satisfaction and morale. One recent poll indicates that employees at companies with “poor” training opportunities are three times more likely to want to walk away from their jobs than those who work for companies with “excellent” training programs.
It’s not exactly a head-scratcher that agents who know more, who earn the respect of both the public and their professional peers, and who do their jobs with confidence and pride, are likely to produce more. According to an American Society for Training and Development study of over 2,500 companies, those with comprehensive training programs see 218% higher revenue per employee than those without, and their profit margins are 24% higher.
To help you and your agents refine your industry knowledge, we offer access to a powerful library of risk surveys and product education called the Rough Notes Producer Online. We also provide our clients access to our Resource Guide, which contains unlimited, ongoing access to additional training aids on how to effectively use marketing technologies.
In addition, our Online Compliance Tracking System streamlines record-keeping by helping you keep track of the continuing education credits required by your licensed employees. Not only does it send status alerts, but it also provides access to electronic license renewal.
What’s more, AgenciesOnline is partners with Rainmaker Advisory, an industry leader in professional development opportunities. Rainmaker Advisory provides individualized, need-based coaching for insurance professionals in the art and science of growing business through strategic marketing plans.
Your partnership with AgenciesOnline will help you and your agents hone the exceptional skills and advanced knowledge that result in better morale and greater productivity. You can NEVER afford to stop learning and growing. Contact our marketing experts today to learn more about the educational opportunities provided by AgenciesOnline.