Are You Purchasing Insurance? Read These Tips First!

Insurance: car insurance, life insurance, home insurance, health insurance, and the list goes on. Everyone needs to invest in many types of insurance throughout their lives, but how can you be sure you are picking the right kind from the right agent? This article offers some useful tips and tricks for choosing the right kind of insurance and the right insurance company.

When it comes to insurance the old saying you get what you pay for cannot be any more relevant. If you are not willing to shell out reasonable money on premiums every month do not expect reasonable coverage. Conversely, if you shell out a good amount in premiums expect good coverage.

There are so many reasons why you need insurance. There is not one person who would not benefit from some type of insurance policy, whether it is life, health, dental, or some other type. Insurance has a great place in this world, as it allows us to afford the things we need the most, when we need them the most.

Always make sure to be prompt in filing insurance claims. If your insurance provider demands any information, supply it for them as soon as you possibly can. This could eliminate unforeseen problems later on. If your insurance provider does anything that you feel is unreasonable, tell them so in writing.

Keep your agents updated about anything that could give rise to a claim. Contact them right way if you suspect that this is happening or that this will happen soon. Your agent needs to be notified so that they can help you get everything in order in relation to your policy.

Go through any photographs you have. If you are filing an insurance claim, it could be time to break out your old snapshots. Look for any pictures that feature the thing that was damaged. Put these aside and be sure to keep them handy. Supply them to your insurance provider if necessary.

Make sure you know what your state requires as far as car insurance is concerned. Different states have laws pertaining to how much coverage is needed. You will need to know in case you do not need as much coverage in one area as you do in another and want to decrease your premium.

Make sure that you remember to write down your claim number. When filing an insurance claim, you will most likely be given a claim number. Make sure you have a record of this claim number. Write it down more than once. Keep it somewhere where you will not lose or forget about it.

Make sure that you carefully and fully read through any insurance policy that you are going to sign. Read and understand what it entails and pay special attention to the fine print. If it's not written in plain English, make sure that you ask the agent to explain it to you. Don't sign anything without reading and understanding it.

As an aside to watching your expiration dates, make sure that you give yourself enough time to properly renew the policy. There are no grace periods when it comes to insurance. Once it ends, it ends. When you reach the expiration date and you have not renewed it, you have to reapply for coverage.

Whatever type of insurance you need, it is best to shop around before choosing a company. Some people use the same car or homeowners insurance carrier their parents use just because it's more convenient. Most of the big insurers want to retain customers for a long period of time and will offer discounts for using them for all your insurance needs.

Be proactive when dealing with an insurance company. If you are filing a claim, supply your insurance provider with proof of the damage done as soon as you can. Give them your estimations of how much they owe you. Do not wait for the insurance provider to give you their own estimations.

With all of the types of insurance, policies, and companies that are out there for the choosing, making sure you make the right choice is vital to your personal needs. Now that you've been introduced to some tips for choosing the right kind of insurance, start looking around and obtaining quotes!

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Four Guerrilla Marketing Techniques Insurance Agents Should Use!

Building a clientele of insurance customers isn't the easiest thing to do. And whether you are just starting out in the insurance industry or if you have had years of experience, it's always good to find ways to attract customers without spending too much on your advertising expenses. That's where guerrilla marketing can help. Guerrilla marketing is a way to advertise your services with a minimal (if any) cost to you. Here are four effective guerrilla marketing techniques you should start utilizing now to attract more customers.

Paying it Forward - This technique may cost a few dollars but the returns can be huge. The next time you are at the coffee shop, the movie theater or somewhere like that, pay for the person's ticket or coffee that is behind you. Then, give the cashier a business card to hand to that person. Even if you don't get that person to be a client of yours, the word of mouth is going to be huge and you could reap the benefits in the near future. With this technique, keep your costs at a minimum by making sure the person behind you is an individual or a couple instead of a group or family of 5 or 6. Write a Few Guest Blogs - If you know someone who runs a blog about the type of insurance products and services you provide, you can ask if you can do some guests posts. A guest blog will get you some recognition and you can almost always include a link to your website somewhere in the blog or at the end. Guest blogging also gives you credibility in your insurance specialty which is great for business Create a Top 10 List for Promotional Purposes - People see business cards every day at the cash registers and other areas of your local businesses. In fact, they are so prevalent that most people simply don't notice them anymore. But if you make your promotional materials unique, you will have a better chance of being noticed. Why not create a "Top 10 Reasons to Choose [your business name here] for Your Life Insurance" and put those out instead of your business cards? People love lists because they are concise and easy to read. Make your list humorous and true and you will notice an increase in your clientele in just a short time. Send Holiday Emails - Holiday emails are a great way to connect with your current customers, but why not send them to your past clients as well? They may not be using your services right now, but if they need them again, your name will be the first one they think of if you keep in touch with them. Send them emails for the appropriate holidays that they celebrate so as to not offend them and you'll see a huge return for nothing more than just a few minutes of your time.

These are just a few techniques you can put into your advertising arsenal to help build your customer base. Of course, the more creative you can be will be a factor in how many people you will attract to your insurance products and services. Just remember that the most effective advertising techniques aren't always the most expensive ones.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Three Tips for Selling Life Insurance to Newlyweds

There are various stages in life when people seriously consider purchasing life insurance. One of these stages is when they first get married. They are thinking about the future and what would happen to the surviving spouse if one of the spouses was to die unexpectedly. With these thoughts in their mind, they are more open to do the responsible financial thing and buy life insurance. If you find yourself with an opportunity to sell life insurance to newlyweds, here are some tips to help you close that sale.

State the Facts According to the Financial Planning Association, or FPA, life insurance is an essential part of joining a married couple together. As soon as two people are financially dependent upon one another as in a marriage situation, life insurance needs to be a top priority. Young couples often have financial obligations that they need to take care of and they need coverage for those obligations in case something happens to one of the spouses. Student loans, auto loans, mortgages and other debts will still need to be paid in the event of a death and if those loans are in both names, the surviving spouse is responsible for them. It is often unrealistic to be able to pay these and other bills on one income alone. A modest life policy can help relieve some of the financial strain that is caused when one income is lost due to the death of a spouse.

Sooner is Better than Later Another good reason for newlyweds to get life insurance as soon as possible is because it will be less expensive for them. As a young couple, newlyweds often have fewer health problems. And since health problems can lead to higher premiums, it is ideal to purchase a life policy before these problems occur. Buying as a young couple also increases their chances of getting guaranteed coverage for life, an option that many older couples do not have because they are higher risks.

Peace of Mind Buying life insurance offers a peace of mind that other insurance products simply do not offer. One can only imagine how difficult it would be to lose their spouse and then lose their home and other things that they invested in as a couple because they weren't able to pay the bills each month. If for no other reason, newlyweds may appreciate having at least a modest life insurance policy which would cover many of their financial obligations in case the unthinkable happens. They can always increase the coverage when they have kids or when their financial needs change over time.

These are just a few suggestions to help you convince newlyweds of their need for life insurance as early as possible. Many financial experts will say that life insurance is unnecessary until a married couple has kids, but the peace of mind that a life insurance policy can provide is worth the cost of the premiums alone.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Insurance Websites: Did Your Traffic Dive on April 24?

Did the Penguin Google Algorithm Change Impact Your Insurance Website?

When you were a kid, you probably heard the riddle, "What's black and white and red all over?" At that time, the answer was "the newspaper," but today the answer could be "Google." Google is concerned with all things online that are black, white and read. So it's no surprise that colors inspire the naming of their latest Google algorithm change "Google Penguin" that went into effect on April 24, 2012.

Like its predecessor Google Panda, Penguin is intended to reward white hat search engine optimization techniques - mainly packing your site with quality, original content. And, it is intended to penalize black hat techniques such as keyword stuffing, overuse of anchor text links and questionable linking schemes. In a May 3 press release, international search marketing firm, Zeno reports that companies saw traffic plummet overnight as a result of Google's recent changes. Google is the largest search engine, accounting for more than 66 percent of search traffic, so Google's changes are not easily ignored.

How about you? Have you checked your insurance website's analytics to see how you fared?

Thankfully, my clients' websites have seen an increase in organic traffic following the April 24 changes. If your insurance website has been adversely affected, take these steps:

Audit your website content and remove anything that is not original and high quality. Make sure that content is well-written and not over-optimized. Shoot for no more than 2% keyword density for a single term. So for example, if you page contains 500 words, and you're optimizing for the term "insurance website," don't use that term more than 10 times, or it's going to start sounding like keyword stuffing. Audit incoming links and discontinue links that are irrelevant or spammy. Check on screen internal links and make sure that make sense. Don't use an anchor text link that has nothing to do with the content of the web page. Blog, blog, blog. Every time you publish a blog article on your website, you add a page of quality, original content. Blogging is one of the fastest ways to build your site's value in Google's eyes. But, only if you're using quality well-written articles. Beware of the blog writers who will sell you an article for $12.

If you have no idea if your site has been impacted, it may be time for a new website strategy. If you sell insurance to businesses, you must have a quality, effective website and you should be generating leads from that website every month. This isn't just about image - it's about creating an efficient lead generation model. To learn more about what makes insurance websites effective, download our free report, "Effective Insurance Websites - What You Need to Know Before Your Next Redesign."

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Ways to Promote Your Insurance Plans

As an insurance agent, you will simply come across a lot of obstacles as you venture along the area of your profession. However, you should always keep in mind that making a living at promoting insurance plans can be a very lucrative business. Taking for consideration that the insurance is one of the things that every individual needs nowadays, if the proper method is done, insurance lead generation would be easy for you to handle and all insurance leads would just continuously flow. So, to help you generate leads, here are some of the things that you can do.

Optimize Your Website - There is also another option upon which you can work by using the internet. Therefore increase the risk for expense as well as spend a few bucks optimizing your web page to draw the attention of potential clients. Employ an effective writer to create some interesting advertisements and articles that will talk to the actual clients which locate your site. Retain the services of an online marketing and advertising firm to improve your site's ranking on search engines. Work with other agents - Long-time agents in your community actually has a long list of clients. These kinds of agents might be prepared to aid you in getting in the business through transferring a few prospects to you. Originality - This is somehow the most important thing that you should consider. You should never copy the styles and strategies of others. If you have noticed that their strategy have worked effectively, you can actually adopt the gist but never the whole thing. Also, by having originality and uniqueness, you are establishing your own capacities and personality upon your society. The business lead swap - Some other agents might be able to advise their own clients to you personally if your policies doesn't overlap with their own. As an example, a health insurance agent could be happy to advise his / her business proprietor customers to go to you for their company insurance coverage. Networking together with many other real estate agents may also help you to get to understand the co-workers, and also competition. Brokers aren't the sole venue to construct your small business guide trade. Find companies and other ventures that are relevant to your area and make an arrangement. Mobile Marketing - Get in touch with the actual taxi companies in your area and also discuss an offer to get your emblem or logo around the attributes or even rear parts of the taxi cabs. These types of vehicles are typically vibrant colored and apparent. Owning a promotion strategy which makes use of the cab business is an excellent way to get noticed straight away. GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Knowing How to Choose An Insurance Adjuster That Works For You

Living near the ocean means you can do just about anything. You can enjoy the sun kissed weather but can also experience storms and the extremes of hurricanes. Amazing how the weather can change so sudden from sunny to cloudy. This is why most of the families and individuals who own properties near the sea have their places highly insured. To these home owners it is the wisest thing to do to protect their property from damages of weather conditions. Insurance help is the leverage for great possibilities of wild fires from the mountains, to floods and sinkholes occurrences from hurricanes.

With this said, we strongly recommend that you get some insurance coverage if you don't already have some. Life is full of possibilities, so do not be left in the dark when situations of devastation may occur. For every insurance need, be sure to choose an insurance adjuster that works best for you.

An insurance adjuster helps in the events which you need to file a claim for an insurance. Rather your needs be for a flood, a hurricane, or any type of accident you can let them represent you. They work as your guardians in a tough case to help you get back on the right track fast. You don't have to be a subject to stress because of follow ups and enduring the unfortunate events that you are into at the same time. Choosing an insurance adjuster that works for you can help you stay away from these troublesome times.

In times that a loved one have died, you can be very emotional and not in your right mind to make a sound judgment to start doing paper work. If you choose an insurance adjuster that works for you, you can be assured that your interests are protected. Only the best interest for you and your family will be assured with the help of an insurance agent.

They can analyze the provisions of your insurance and also have a thorough knowledge of the claim. You will get the best advice with them over anyone else. They can conduct their own damage estimation for properties, so you would know how much it is really worth. This is a good way to compare the computation made by your insurance company and that with the insurance adjuster.

For settlements, they can give you the best offers and they will not leave you at a disadvantaged situation. These are the reasons why you need to choose an insurance adjuster that works for you. To top it all off, look for a company that is credible to be your representative. Someone who can do face to face transactions with your insurance company and also has a license and accreditation in the state they are working in. Choose an insurance adjuster that works for you and will treat you personalized while placing your best interest as their priority.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Things to Be Considered While Choosing an Insurance Broker

Insurance is one of the effective tools used to manage risks. Investing in the right insurance policy has always been a tough job for many individuals/companies. They often struggle to choose a policy that suits their personal or business needs.

If you are one of them, struggling to find the best insurance policy, choose a reputed broker who can tailor your policy based on your requirements. However, it is equally important to check for the reliability of the insurance broker/brokerage firm. Following are few points to consider while hiring an insurance broker.

Reputation of the firm: Reputation of the company is the primary factor to be considered for any business deal. You can get enough feedback from the businesses who already bought policies from the brokerage firm. Ask for referrals from the companies similar to yours and check the references for proper licenses and registrations. Knowing about the reputation of a firm is not a tough task as it easily spreads through the word of mouth if the company offers better services.

Credentials of the company: Not all insurance brokers/brokerage firms out there are good. You need to make sure that the brokerage firm you choose is secure, respected and well established. If you are from Ireland, note that the companies regulated by the Financial Regulator and registered with Financial Services Authority (FSA), Irish Brokers Association (IBA) etc. are considered to be professional and reliable as they maintain the integrity of the financial system.

After choosing a firm which meets the above mentioned criteria, it is essential to check the following things which are related to the services offered by the broker.

Independent & impartial advice: A broker never represents a single or a group of insurance companies. He works independently and hence is supposed to give impartial advice related to the insurance companies and their policies. In general, every broker plans to schedule initial meeting face to face with the client. This is the best chance to clearly identify the intentions of the broker. Make sure that he is neither referring a particular company nor suggesting a particular policy. Being impartial and making effective recommendations is the prime quality of an ideal insurance broker.

Need based approach: An effective insurance broker comes up with unique solution for different client requirements. He suggests the right coverage after clearly identifying the financial position, goals and budget of the respective individual/business. With vast knowledge and expertise in the field of insurance, he develops a structured and robust insurance program for your needs. A need based approach always helps you to achieve your objectives and make effective changes in your current financial picture.

Timely service: Insurance is like a parachute, you never know how well it has been prepared until you really need it. Regular renewals and reviews of existing coverage have always been a part of broker's job. So, it is always better to know how the renewals are handled before going for a deal. Through the initial correspondence and the timely responses given by the insurance professional, we can judge how good he is in serving the customer.

Insurance helps in managing risks caused by unpredictable events that may occur any time. Therefore, it is always better to select a professional who provides best service in the industry. Remember, insurance is a competitive industry with plenty of insurance brokers. Your investment will be fruitful only when it is processed through a reliable channel.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Tips for Finding Medicare Supplement Leads

In a competitive insurance market, it can be a challenge for agents to land high-quality Medicare supplement leads. Medicare comes with very stringent guidelines, so the supplement leads should also be very specific to this group in order to be successful. The problem is that too many lead generation companies offer leads that do not come through for agents when it is time to follow up with phone calls.

To increase your chances for landing Medicare supplement leads that convert to sales, consider these helpful tips:

· Partner with organizations and companies who may work with people needing Medicare supplement insurance. Adult activity centers, retirement homes, and other non-profit organization that serve this group are great places to start. Offer something of value to them like a seminar on healthy-living as a senior and then add your "pitch" at the end of the presentation. When you can offer value and information to people, you are more likely to peak their interests in the product you are offering.

· Write a piece or a column for newsletters these organizations put out. It is the same idea of offering valuable information that the seniors can use, which will then make you an expert in their eyes, leading them to come to you when they have questions about insurance.

· Seek out reputable lead generations companies who have received good reviews from other agents. While many companies offer less-than-stellar Medicare supplement leads, you can find those who will provide the high-quality leads you need. It's just about doing the research and learning more about the company before purchasing leads.

· Consider going with a company that provides you with more than one type of leads package. When you can do all of your lead-gaining business with one company, you can really get to know the company, building a mutually-beneficial relationship that will result in better leads and prices for your business.

· Ask lead generation companies about the other agents to whom they are selling leads in your territory. You do not want to find yourself going after the very same leads as your local competitors. The fewer agents with the same Medicare supplement leads, the better.

· Before purchasing leads from a company, determine whether they offer the support and customer service you need to make the most of your business. Selling leads to you is one thing, but coming through with excellent support and additional information to help you is what makes a good lead generation service.

There is a great need for Medicare supplement insurance now in the United States as people are living longer and finding their Medicare is not covering all of their insurance needs. When you can connect with these leads, you will find the sales process is relatively smooth. The more challenging aspect is finding the high-quality leads in order to get to the sales process. Conduct some background research and get to know the best leads generation service and you will save time chasing dead-in-the-water leads and move onto growing your business.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Important Insurance Trends Agents Are Missing Out On!

There are big changes in store for the insurance industry. With health reform being discussed, corporations providing fewer and fewer benefits and other changes, Americans are simply looking for ways to make sure they will be taken care of regardless of what happens. This means there are great opportunities awaiting the motivated and informed insurance agent. Here are three voluntary insurance trends that are becoming more and more popular so you can inform yourself about them and increase your commissions.

Lack of Communication about Benefits

According to a recent report, more than 65 percent of today's workforce is unsatisfied with the information they are being given by their employer regarding their insurance benefits. These workers would rather speak with a benefits professional (an agent with the insurance company that provides their policy) rather than the human resources department of their company. This is a great opportunity for an agent to speak with employees and explain their policies to them. When you do this, you can help them assess their insurance needs and see if they need to increase their policies to reflect any recent changes in their life.

Technological Advances in the Industry

It's difficult to do much of anything these days without using some form of new technology. Many insurance agents still believe that face-to-face meetings with their clients is the only way to conduct business. While this still has its place in the insurance industry, this is a changing trend as technology makes it easier, faster and more efficient to conduct insurance sales. The key to using technology, such as email, iPad applications and other technological advances, is to maintain that personal connection with your clients. If you aren't willing to embrace the new technology, you could be putting your success and your sales rates at risk.

Benefits Packages are Becoming More Important

In a recent survey, nearly 90 percent of employers said that the insurance benefits package that they offer to their employees is an important factor in an employee's loyalty and job satisfaction. In the same survey, nearly half of all employees that were surveyed said that the company's benefits package was one of the main factors in their decision to take the job. Employers often entice workers with an attractive benefits package which helps keep turnaround rates low and it improves worker morale. Unfortunately, with health care reform and other changes coming down the pike, many companies are slashing benefits or they say that benefit reductions are highly likely in the near future. This is where you can jump in and offer voluntary insurance policies that will help improve client loyalty and give you an edge on your competition. Offer your clients the options of supplemental insurance policies and other benefits that will help them feel secure through the difficult times and they will appreciate your efforts and your concern.

These are just a few things you can use to increase your success rate, your credibility and your client loyalty. With such uncertain times coming up, your clients will appreciate your willingness to help them out and they will remember it for years to come.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

5 Tips for Better Insurance Agency Emarketing Subject Lines

It all starts with the subject line, it is the most important component in your emarketing message. The subject line will determine the success or failure of your campaign. Your email message will be given a few seconds of scrutiny before a reader determines if they will open it or discard it. Further, if they don't like the message, they may decide to opt out from future emails. Surely the subject line is worthy of great thought and consideration, measurement, analysis and split test variations. I tend to recommend educational subject lines with a call to action for a webinar, white paper or case study. These types of subject lines are different from those used for promotional offers, for example an email from a Groupon or Staples or Best Buy.

Tip #1 Keep it Short

Many emarketers consider ideal subject line length to be under 50 characters, with a 35 character target. However, the relationship between the sender and receiver can dramatically skew this rule. For example, if your insurance agency is well-known by those receiving your emails, and your subject lines pertain to complex topics, like healthcare compliance and mandates, longer subject lines can perform admirably. The best subject lines offer a glimpse of your important topic, whetting the appetite to learn more, resulting in an email open.

Tip #2 When Possible Target By Segment

Targeted messages will improve open rates. Targeting a specific message which is of key importance to a specific segment will yield. For example, "New OSHA Rules for Heavy Equipment Operators" or "Hours of Service Changes Effective January 1st" will speak to specific audiences, understanding this message is specific to them. These types of subject lines will be deemed relevant, as we will discuss in the next tip.

Tip #3 Make it Relevant and Interesting

Relevant and timely messages increase emarketing open rates (and click through rates). From my perspective this is often more about education and less about selling. Insurance agency emarketing should revolve around rapport building. Agencies or marketing organizations that spew out tens of thousands of emails, touting their new product, program or new and improved pricing will result in greater opt outs, spam complaints and potential "black listing" from ISPs. Consistency, relevancy and frequency should be the mantra for your insurance agency emails. For most insurance agencies, you should allow at least a week between emails to the same prospect.

Tip # 4 Make it Informative

Arguably this tip could also fall under a tip called "make it educational." The subject line should be able to promise informative and educational content, and fulfill that promise within the email body. Your first goal should be to offer interesting and educational topics germane to your target prospects. Once you are engaged in an ongoing web dialogue, your agency will have many opportunities to further engage with your prospects, and they will be more likely to buy since you have established this rapport.

Tip #5 Make it Honest and Keep it Simple

We all know about the "KISS" rule, in so much as simpler is often better. With emails we want them to be simple, easy to understand and to fulfill the intent of the subject line with your actual email content. Agencies should never promise one thing in their subject line (PPACA updates) and then discuss how they can offer the best service and rates for health insurance in their email body. If your agency is offering a webinar or case study for contractors, the subject line and content should match, delivering on the intent of your email.

Bonus Tip - Don't Bury the Lead

You've probably heard this old adage. It's good advice for news reporters, bloggers and emarketers. The subject should be the lead to your email story. This can include things like:

5 Critical Steps to for Your Next Renewal New Hours of Service Regs for Owner Operators ROI Based Wellness Programs for Small Employers Healthcare Mandates and Compliance Updates

These topics offer educational value and new and relevant content. They range from 41 to 47 characters in length including spaces. Leverage interesting and timely topics and ensue the subject line is your lead, and measure the results of your campaigns for opens, click throughs and opt outs. Whenever in doubt, leverage split tests to further measure your insurance agency emarketing campaign effectiveness.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Insurance Agency Key Performance Indicators

KPI's are Key Performance Indicators, and are used by organizations to evaluate performance. They are quantifiable measurements that can help rapidly determine historic, current and future performance, predicated upon the type of KPIs used and the platform selected to use them. For example insurance agency KPIs might include the number of net new clients, net losses, renewal growth, producer quotations, average book of business by producer, agency revenue, and revenue by employee. For the purposes of this article, however, we'll focus on KPIs for insurance agency producers though these KPI's will also be a key subset for agency executives and owners.

Key Performance Indicators should reflect the agency's goals, and it's very important to select KPIs which help rapidly indicate the tactical and strategic success of your sales efforts. For example, Producer KPI's are noted below and might be very similar to the KPIs for many industry sales executives:

New Commission Revenue Renewal Commission Ratio of Net New Commissions to Renewal Commissions Average Book of Business by Producer Revenues by Lines of Coverage Total New Quotes Close Ratio (Ratio of Quotes to Closes) Closes by Lead Source YTD Revenue Growth (and year over year) Revenue by Employee

These Key Performance Indicators help measure your business, and offer indicators of past performance and future success. Year over year revenues compare current performance to past performance, while Web meetings and proposals are forward looking, an indicator of what your future business might look like. If your new prospect meetings have dropped by 20% over the last quarter from the prior quarter, you can be fairly certain that you will experience a drop in new business. However, if you experienced the same type of drop compared to a year earlier, you have a better indication that you are on track for comparable year over year sales.

KPIs can vary by agency, but if they are to be truly valuable to your agency, you must consistently and accurately define and measure them. KPIs should incorporate goals or targets to track and measure performance. For example, our company goal is to close 50% of our proposals and 25% of our web meeting prospects. We measure this goal against our KPIs for this category to track our progress. Your agency might have a goal to maintain a $1 Million book of business for each veteran producer. You might have a different goal for new producers. These goals should tie into your overall KPI tracking, offering rapid insights into the health of your agency, with strong indications of future performance. These KPIs can then be measured year over year - offering accurate historical insights into your performance in mission critical areas. Larger agencies should consider using KPI rollups, where the sales, marketing, accounting and service KPIs are tracked departmentally, with a few mission critical KPIs from each department rolling up to an executive list. This can be done manually or using an automated system.

What type of systems can be used for KPIs? Your agency can use anything from simple Excel spreadsheets, to CRM, to Agency Management Systems to sophisticated KPI dashboards. Selected Web metrics gleaned from Google Analytics or other web monitoring tools may also be used. KPI's should be kept to a modest number for optimum effect. For example, tracking 10 KPI's monthly is reasonable, but tracking 50 would result in information overload. This is analogous to the dashboard of your car. Your measurements might include speed, fuel level, RPMs, odometer, engine temperature and oil level. That's a total of six KPI's which can be tracked while driving. Some cars offer more sophisticated KPI's including, average miles per gallon, current MPG, tripometer, and distance to empty. These additional KPI's may not be displayed constantly, as they may not be deemed critical to your driving. Think of your insurance agency KPI's in the same way, closely monitoring only those which are critical to your success.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Insurance Continuing Education - What Is That?

Insurance continuing education is something most insurance agents and brokers need to do from time to time. Each state puts in place specific requirements about when a person has to get continuing education. In addition, the states determine how much education is needed and what qualifies. In short, the goal of these requirements is to ensure those who are working in this industry are the most up to date on the laws, trends and changes occurring within the industry. Many agents brush them off and do not like to take them, but these courses can actually help even those who have been in the business for years to get better at what they do.

If you have put off getting your continuing education requirements, you may end up losing your license to sell or work in the insurance industry. The problem is that many people do not want to take the time out of their busy workday to actually go into this industry and make the commitment to the time it takes. However, most states have specific requirements for how many course hours of study you need to complete in order to keep your license. If you do not do this, you could end up losing your license. The state may not renew your license without the required courses. If you lose your license, you may have to start all over again with obtaining it and in the meantime, you will not have the ability to work.

There is no need to put off getting your insurance continuing education, though. In fact, some companies will work with you to ensure you have no problem getting your education in a simple and easy format. One of the biggest problems that insurance professionals have is dedicating the time off from their work routine to get into a classroom environment. Hands down, most people do not have time to take time off from work and not get paid, and get these requirements done. However, some companies have made it easier to work around this. They provide you with the materials you need, the access to the resources required and then you can use them whenever you can from any location. That makes it far easier for you to get the credits you need to succeed.

As an insurance professional, there is no doubt that you need to have access to all of the latest information and changes within the industry. You also need to make sure that every resource you require is available to you. Not getting your continuing education really should not be an option. Rather, you should focus on finding the right company to get your education from. Look for one that will work with you and around your busy schedule to make it happen. Of course, you do want to go to a trustworthy location so you are actually getting the information you need to have and that will benefit you.

For many people, getting insurance continuing education seems like a bother. Why do it? Why do you have to commit time and money into this type of learning when you already know what you are doing? It can seem very limiting but there are some solid benefits to turning to online resources to help you to stay up to date. You will not be able to fight the system, but you can make it work around you. The good news is that many people find that they can actually learn something and benefit their lives by having these types of programs. The only thing holding you back is when should you get started and whom you should work with to do so.

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Winning Facebook Strategies for Insurance Agents

Ever so slowly, insurance agents are waking up to the potential of social media marketing and are trying to wrap their heads around how they can expand their referral base with some of the social media channels, such as Facebook. It seems so easy - everyone is on Facebook, right? However, without a Facebook strategy one could fail miserably. It is important to understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to market on Facebook.

Why Having a Facebook Strategy is Important

Check out some of these Facebook Facts and Figures:

71.2% of all US internet users are on Facebook In 20 minutes 1,000,000 links are shared on Facebook In 20 minutes 1,851,000 status updates are entered In 20 minutes 10.2 million comments are posted Average user has 130 friends Average user is connected to 80 community pages, groups and events More than 650 million active users There are over 16,000,000 Fan Pages

Marketing on Facebook can get your product or service noticed by a wide audience. This audience extends far beyond your local marketing area which is why having a Facebook strategy is important. The potential to influence the buying decisions of your friends and their friends is what makes this a powerful tool.

You have more ways to get people you encounter online to tell the people they know about what you do, the insurance advice and products you offer and how you can improve people's lives. It used to be just word of mouth, now it is online word of mouth that can work for you.

Why Insurance Agents Don't Engage a Facebook Strategy

Whenever I ask an insurance agent where they get business they will tell me referrals. They have no problem asking their clients or networking acquaintances for referrals, but feel strange about using Facebook in the same capacity. Some of them even feel weird about letting their Facebook friends know that they sell insurance. I had this conversation with a Financial Services producer who was setting up a blog with me for personal branding and social media marketing. He barely used Facebook and had a hard time seeing how it would work for him. I believe that is the case for the older generation of insurance agents. They do not realize that on Facebook friends share information that they feel is valuable and when they "like" something it is the same as a personal referral.

A Facebook strategy is all about friends and fans. The more friends and fans that you have the greater exposure you receive when you offer value and engage with others.

Facebook Strategy #1 - Create a profile page with pertinent information about you and your business. If this is your personal page, then provide your employer, your email and what your primary business is along with some interesting personal information about you that they can know you better. If you are an insurance agent for someone else this is all that you need to do.

If you are a business then it would be appropriate to set up a Facebook Fan Page. This may be the first contact that anyone has with your business so be sure that it gives a professional look. It is very important not to make this "salesy", but should slant towards helping people and businesses with insurance decisions. Your Facebook strategy has to go from selling people to providing help, resources and information.

Facebook Strategy #2 - Get Fans & Friends! To make your Facebook strategy work you must increase the number of fans daily and also your friends. With social media marketing it is a numbers game, the more fans, the more widespread your reputation can be. To do this, start with your existing clients and ask them to "like" your page. Connect with people that you meet at networking events with their social media. Ask your existing friends to "like" your page, too.

You want to make sure you can give these people a good answer why they should like your page. If you are just going to focus on selling insurance then not many people are going to be interested. Your postings need to be varied - some on insurance topics, but most on helping people save money or provide information that they can use. Educate and engage with your fans, solicit comments and feedback.

Facebook Strategy #3 - Promote your community events and business partners. You can use this for business to business networking. Invite your customers to post offers to your fans concerning their services. Give recommendations on services and products you have used from your local businesses.

People want to see that you are giving out information that will help them. What a great chance to partner with your customers and share their services with your friends and fans.

Facebook Strategy #4 - Create good content that has value. If you have already started a blog then you should post your articles to either your Facebook Wall or your Fan Page. There is such a wide variety of topics that can be covered that would be helpful for consumers. People like stories so a story on how you saved someone money or help prevent a loss would be of human interest. Plus, it would get your point across that you are an insurance professional. While reading the article from your blog they will be able to explore more topics and come away with the feeling that you are the insurance expert.

It is also permissible to share articles that are informative on other subjects. You can always comment with a slant on insurance. A good example of this is weather related article and how they might need to review their insurance policies or, you could offer a free consultation.

Facebook Strategy #5 - Capture reviews from satisfied customers for both your blog and your Fan Page. These are very influential on Facebook. Invite a satisfied customer to leave a short post.

Facebook Strategy #6 - Brand YOU as the insurance expert and ask for questions on insurance matters. Become their "go to" person.

Facebook Strategy #7 - Listen to your friends and fans. The great thing about insurance is that it responds nicely to changing events in people's lives. Watch for births, marriages, promotions, illness that you can build upon. It is not an opportunity to sell, but a door opener for a conversation to build a relationship.

The hardest thing for an insurance agent to grasp is that they actually have to do some self-marketing and they have always just built their leads on referrals. The way that people shop for insurance is changing and many agents are looking to see how they can jump into Social Media Marketing. Just understand that this is simply another channel of networking that is just done a little differently.

Schedule your time for posting and commenting on a daily basis. My recommendation is to treat this like another prospecting or networking event. This needs to be done consistently and should only take about 20 minutes once you get the hang of it.

Integrating a Facebook strategy with a blog will create a powerful presence of branding you as the Insurance Expert. If you are looking to get started with the process and like the idea of becoming that "expert" to grow your book of business, then please feel free to contact me for a free consultation. My Branding System offers a complete package for getting started with a step-by-step system that is easy to follow.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Secure The Insurance Sale With Pictures

What do you take to client interviews? What do you present when discussing the client's needs, the concept and the products? Using visual aids will make your job a whole lot easier. Consider the following US research on the subject:

If you use visual aids, prospects are 43% more likely to be persuaded; prospects will be willing to pay 26% more for the same product or service (this helps overcome cheaper competitor products); learning is improved by up to 200% (important, since your products are not easily understood by most clients); retention is improved up to 38% and the time it takes to explain complex topics is reduced by up to 40% (it has to be worth the effort for this one alone)

The bottom line here is to make everything as visual as possible. Think through each step of the sales process, from the initial prospecting letter, to the client interview, to follow-ups to on-going client relationships. What visual elements are you including at each step? Below are a few ideas:

Contact by post: Postcards have impact due to being heavy on pictures and light on text. Make the opening line in your letters very large (over 24 pt) to act as a visual element. Include drawings or cartoons if appropriate.

Newsletters: Newsletters should include pictures, graphs and charts. Cartoons work well.

The presentation: Use a structured presentation that takes the client through a series of fill-the-gaps pages in a booklet. Use charts and graphs. Blow them up to A3 or even larger when you present them.

'Word pictures' such as case studies in newsletters work well, because they build up a picture in the mind of the client. Successful use of analogies achieves the same impact.

Some advisors take this one step further, with graphic illustrations of getting the client from where they are now to where they want to be in the future. This just takes a little imagination. Some that are currently being used are pictures of ladders, a ship charting a course, road maps with milestones, climbing financial mountains and racetracks (retirement being the finish line).

You will have been to many motivational sessions where a very important message is to "visualize your dreams." The same applies to your clients. If they can visualize their financial lives or goals, they will relate to the relevance of the products far easier.

The key message in all of this - instead of saying to your clients: "I'll put that in writing for you," say: "Let me draw you a picture."

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor   

Prudential Retirement Fund - Best 4 Methods to Find Leads Online

It is quite common for anybody to dream about their retirement and see it as a pleasant experience. After all, they have been working hard all their lives. During their retirement, they only want nothing but the best things that life can give to them. This is why there are many who invest their hard earned money on their Prudential Retirement Fund. By doing this, they are able to save their money for their retirement.

Because of this, you can be sure that there is a huge market waiting for you. If you plan on selling this particular retirement plan, you won't have a difficult time looking for prospects because everybody is always looking ahead for their future. As a result, you won't have a difficult time selling them the plan they need for a favorable retirement. This is a great way you can earn money and help other people at the same time.

Since you need all the help that you can get to be able to sell these retirement plans, you need to find different opportunities where you can do this. With the popularity of the internet and the number of individuals who are now using it, you can certainly take advantage of this. When you do this, you will be able to find the right individuals who will buy a retirement plan from you.

Best 4 Methods to Find Leads Online

Tip #1: Have a Website or a Blog

If you want to use the internet as a way for you to find leads, the best way you can do this is to have your own website or blog. Through this, you can share valuable input about retirement plans. When people are going to look for them, they will get directed to your website because you have provided this information. As such, they will not want to look anywhere else because you have provided them an easy time for this.

Tip #2: Network Yourself

There are now several online marketers who use social networking sites to let other people know about their products and services. Because of this, you can get a targeted group to deal with you since you already know the type of things that people are looking for in a retirement plan.

Tip #3: Post Videos or Infomercials

You can provide interviews and feature stories on your previous clients. When you do this, your prospects will get to trust you because you have a good relationship with your other clients.

Tip #4: Offer Savings Deals

Everybody loves getting a good deal. Even if they are able to save a few dollars on an item, they will be really pleased with it. For the retirement plans that you are offering, you should offer them a deal that they will find hard to resist.

There are so many people who are using the internet on a daily basis. Now that you know these tips, you will be able to find the leads that you need to sell your retirement plans to.

GIC's Offer Predictable Investment Returns - And Some Have Insurance Benefits Too   Useful Tips for Selling Insurance   3 Mistakes to Avoid When Contacting Insurance Leads   How A Bank Took Over The Relationship From My Financial Advisor