If you’ve decided to start your own insurance agency, congratulations! This is an exciting time, when you’re at the beginning stages of what will hopefully be a very rewarding and successful journey. But you need to know that, while starting an agency from scratch is possible, it’s not going to be easy, and you’ll need some guidance So, before you jump right in, there are some things that you will need to consider in order to protect your assets and investments, as well as to make sure your business doesn’t flop.
1. Figure Out What Products You Want To Sell
This is the first and most important step when starting any business. There are a lot of different types of insurance you can sell, so before deciding to start an agency, think about what you want you’re interested in. Do you want to focus on health insurance? Medicare? Commercial insurance? All of it? Knowing this ahead of time is important so you can get a license for the products you want to sell, and so you can also devise an effective marketing strategy.
2. Get the Proper Licensing
In order to sell any insurance products, you will be required to train for a certain number of hours and take a licensure exam. You will need a license for each type of insurance you sell, as well as a general business license; this step is extremely important, because you need to make sure you are in compliance with all regulations when selling insurance.
3. Plan Your Business
Create a detailed and well thought out business plan that includes a specific set of goals you want to achieve. Your plan should include details on how you are going to finance your business, such as with a loan from a local bank or credit union – and any creditor will want to see your business plan before approving you for a loan. You should also sit down and work out all the expenses related to starting a business, determine who your target market is, and decide what you will name your business.
4. Decide On A Marketing Strategy
Once you’ve planned out all the basics, it’s time to start working on your marketing strategy – after all, you need to attract customers to be successful at selling anything! And, since customers won’t come knocking on your door, you’ll have to find them with a targeted marketing strategy that takes into account who your ideal customers are based on the types of insurance you sell, and includes in-person networking, social media, direct mail, email campaigns, etc.
5. Protect Your Business
Don’t forget that you’ll also need to protect your business with commercial insurance! You should at least have general liability and cyber insurance, and in some states you will be required to have Professional Liability Insurance or Error and Omissions (E&O) Insurance to register your business. Having these policies will protect you against system hacks, mistakes made by you or employees, or other unforeseen events.
6. Get Software and Management Systems
When you begin selling insurance to leads, you will need a system to help you manage your clients, so consider a software system that can help you with scheduling, appointments, and keeping up with leads and customers. A software and management system will help you become more efficient and effective by reducing time on tasks, thus helping you become more successful.
7. Get Access To Insurance Carriers
After you get your licenses, create a business plan and a marketing strategy, and get set up with insurance and a software system, the last step is to get access to insurance companies in order to have products to sell. You will need to get an appointment with carriers, and be ready with all of the above: they will want to look at your marketing plan, a solid business plan, as well as proof of licensing and E&O coverage.
After completing the above steps, you will be ready to start your insurance agency , and begin selling insurance! Just remember, selling insurance is a customer-service-based business, so after attracting leads through your marketing, you will need to put your knowledge and selling skills to the test. Prospecting isn’t easy when you’re just starting out, so if you find that you need some help finding leads, work with a reputable company like Benepath. When you work with Benepath, receiving reliable, exclusive leads is the easy part: we provide you with real-time leads through a secure process, and give you a customized thank you page so your leads will be ready for your call. To get more information, fill out the form above, or call 866-368-0377.
