Agency Nation Radio - Insurance Marketing, Sales And Technology

There's a good chance it took you a lot longer to figure out what it was and that you actually do. Because growing up around insurance allows you to unfairly take advantage of an industry that's long been exiled to irrelevance. It's this perception of irrelevance that stops people from really understanding what it is and why you do it. It's what makes talented, ambitious people pass it up for more glamours industries with half the substance. The work is meaningful beyond what most understand it to be, which creates a gap of appreciation you're constantly trying to close. That's what I talk to Woody Brown, of The Rhodes Group, about as he discovers his. P.S. Love Agency Nation Radio, why don't you make it official?

If you don't, it might not be as intimidating as you think to start. Constantly being in front of a large number of the people you want to do business with can never be a bad thing. Figuring out a way to get there can lead to some questionably misinformed decisions. However, if you slow your pulse down long enough, you'll realize the only thing you need to do is bring the people together and ask the right questions. That's what I talk with Ryan Sautman, of Just4You Insurance, about as he considers what power he wants to hold in his hand. P.S. Did you Agency Nation University has a ton of great information plus a private Facebook group to keep you motivated?

If you don't, it doesn't matter how many answers you get, they'll all lead to the same place. This was supposed to be a practical conversation about the efficiency online scheduling offers you. However, as things do when Ryan Hanley is involved, the conversation quickly escalated to manifesto levels about getting stuff done. Because it's in your ability do to the work, over and over again, that separates you from everyone else. Make no mistake about it, if you can't do more work, better than the next guy, what's the point? Acquiring the knowledge to do the thing is such a tiny part of the process that anyone can do. The real challenge comes when it's actually time to do something about it. That's what Ryan and I talk about today to hopefully inspire you to do the work. P.S. A lot of work will get done at Elevate 18 this year, you should be there.

If it continues to prevent you from doing the things that people actually care about, maybe. It's also possible that you haven't accepted what professionalism actually looks like in a 2018 world. When you have the ability to see so much more of who someone is, not seeing it becomes the oddity. It's that intentional omission that leaves consumers hesitant to reach out. The over sterilized message that's desperate to be perfect will probably fail, only to discover that reality is the perfection they prefer. That's what Sydney Roe and I talk about as we share our concerns over the abundance of professionalism littering the industry covering up the real story that works. P.S. Did you know we also publish three videos a week on YouTube?

If not, you'll probably spend a lot of time alone because you're not giving people what they need. It's your ability to fill this need, better, faster and easier than anyone else that will ultimately win the business. If you keep your ears open long enough, it will become painfully obvious what it is that you need to deliver. The hardest part will be staying focused on it long enough from start to finish to figure out what you need to do next. That's what I talk with Becky Taylor, of Ohio Insurance Agents Association, about as she worries about being irrelevant. P.S. If you think nice words about the podcast, we wouldn't mind you writing them down.

How many reasons do you let get in the way of hitting the button that could change your business forever? I'll let you in on a little secret, there are very few that are actually worth paying attention too. Because it's your ability to hit publish and keep doing it that will separate you and show everyone why they should work with you. It might seem like a dramatic overstatement, but if you have the right information in the right places your competition doesn't stand a chance. The reason they won't stand a chance is because you were smart enough to realize that most of those fears reasons were irrational. That's what I talk with Terry Grier, of Strive Insurance, about as he tries to move past all of his. P.S. Leave us a rating or review on iTunes or Stitch if you enjoy Agency Nation.

The more information you can use to automatically communicate better will only improve your customer experience. That's why it's so important to recognize a tools potential before it's too late. Because it's your agency ability to adopt and implement these services that will keep you ahead of everyone else. The easiest way to know if you're making a "staying ahead purchase" is when you get asked, you're going to pay how much for that? Today Ryan and I talk about one tool that's a bargain compared to its power and another that isn't (anymore) but insanely powerful. P.S. These emails are good, I promise.

Are you sharing a common interest with a group of people who hold your feet to the fire? If not, you're missing out on one of the best parts of life on the internet. Seeking out and/or starting groups that bring people together, trying to do the same thing, stirs up warm and fuzzy feelings. Not only does it feel great to "find your people" you'll also notice that thing you were trying to change will start to happen effortlessly. That's what Ryan and I have noticed hanging out in the #5AMClub for the last six months and want to encourage more people to give it a try. P.S. Check out some of the #5AMClub or #5AMClubIns action for yourself.

Hopefully it's pretty fast, right away. If it is, then you'll find out how much fun it is to enter the sales process at exactly the perfect time. If you can provide your leads and prospects with that opportunity, that's what your new insurance world will look like. You'll only be working the most important, high leverage innings of the game and your performance can scale at a level you didn't think possible. The only thing preventing it from happening is investing the time upfront to put the ball in their hands when you're not there to give it to them. That's what I talk to Eli Gillespie, of Gillespie Insurance Services, about as he contemplates what ball he wants to roll where. P.S. While we can't prove, we're pretty sure the Agency Nation newsletter is the second best news letter in the industry.

By doing the things only one percent of agents in the industry are willing and able to do. It's a sobering reality, but there's a good chance you might be one of the agents who will only listen to what makes business come in faster and never do it. It all centers around making tough decisions about what you want to sell and who you want to sell it to. Then you need to be disciplined enough to consistently sell it to them in a way that they want it sold. If you're able to do that over and over again, without losing focus, you'll easily find yourself in the one percent. The hardest part is to keep doing it when you're not sure if it's going to work. That's what I talk with Mike Crowley, of Crowley Insurance, about as you listen to him gain one percent status. P.S. The Agency Nation newsletter that Ryan Hanley writes is worth giving us your email.

If you haven't taken the time to automate a few key communication sequences in your agency, then it's probably a lot. Don't worry, you're not alone. But it's definitely time that this type of behavior becomes common place in our industry. Because when you do, you free up so much time, effort and energy to focus on tasks that can't be done automatically. It those tasks that will propel your agency to an entirely different level, because almost none of your competition has. That's what I talk with Nancy Nicklow, of Huff Insurance, about as she breaks down all the stuff she doesn't have to think about. P.S. Leave Agency Nation Radio at rating and/or review if you have something to say.

Do you hire people or positions? Because one is going to leave you sanding the corners on the square peg so fits in the round hole. The industry has been struggling for a long time to attract individuals who can help current agency owners do what they can't. It's in these elusive employees that holds the key to unlock your agency creative culture. Ryan talks with Nicholas Ayers, Co-Founder of i80 Insurance and Insurance Agency Owners Alliance, about his process for finding people not afraid to stand in front of the agency. They also pay respects to the loss of a valuable member of the Agency Nation team. Two Must Attend Insurance Conferences Innovation 2018 Elevate 2018 Learn more about Nicholas Ayers Insurance Agency Owners Alliance (IAOA) i80 Insurance P.S. I'm not sure you know how much a rating and review would mean to us.

Probably not, but there's something to be said for hitting the reset button on your mindset. Just because your agency has been around for a long time doesn't mean it needs to act its age. In fact, one your greatest strengths/advantages would be to sprinkle in a little immaturity when making a few key decisions. It's the constant rationalization against "the way it's always been done" that prevents real progress from happening. If you can move faster than everyone else they'll still be planning the thing you stopped doing six months ago. That's what I talk to Bogus Handzel, of Handzel and Associates, about as he continues to push his agency forward without starting over. P.S. Leave Agency Nation Radio at rating and/or review if you have something to say.

If not, you might want to think about getting one sooner rather than later. Because this new table is where all the action is happening and if you can't find it, you'll be wondering where everyone is at. This new table is video marketing and the opportunity it gives you to sit down with anyone, anytime, anywhere and tell them what they need to know is unparalleled. You've chanted for years, with unending pride, how this is a "face-to-face" business. Now it's your chance to prove it in a way that will make every generation before you lose their mind at the opportunity they didn't have. Ryan Hanley and I get a little carried away talking about how and why we're still so excited about this tools possibilities.   P.S. Did you know Elevate 2018 is happening and it's going to be bigger and better than last year?

If it's not connecting on a level that sparks the tiniest feeling, you need to try harder. It's that feeling that will transcend your content's natural utility state to an entire different level. Once you're on this level you'll notice the pace and intensity of the responses hard to ignore. People will not be able to make five seconds into the conversation without referencing that feeling and recalling their favorite moment. I know it seems impossible when were talking about insurance related content, but the feeling has nothing to do with the subject matter and everything to do with the person creating it. If their not connecting there's a good chance you haven't given them anything to hold on to. That's what Sydney Roe discusses in the exclusive live Agency Nation University video that is normally only available to paid members. P.S. If you want more of this and a lot more learning, check out everything Agency Nation University has.

Because whoever controls the attention controls the marketplace.  There will come a time where those who are unwilling to recognize the importance of attention, will be ignored. Not just by the consumer, but those people who are trying to teach you how to get it. It's also possible you're making the attention game out to be more than it actually is.  Your attention journey can and should be as simple as picking one or two mediums/platforms to create in and one or two lines of business to sell. That's it, it's the consistency and quality in those two disciplines that will win you attention in the end.   P.S. We've got three videos a week happening on YouTube have you started watching?

It should be a lot more than you can eat for weeks, months and even years. If you don't think it's possible, then you haven't dedicated yourself to the process long enough to see results. Yes, it's really hard to pass up a meal that's right in front of you. However if you can curb your hunger long enough, you'll have meals showing up on your table for a long time. That's what I talk with Becky Schroder, SVP of Marketing at ITC, about as she describes the challenges you face finding food. P.S. If you like this podcast why don't your write a few nice words about it.

If we're being honest, it's the most important part of your business that has the biggest chance of going wrong. It's also very possible that what you're currently doing to get the money could be costing you more than it's worth. Looking for better ways to make both of those statements not true should be at the top of your list of things to do now. Ryan talks with Todd Sorrel, Co-Founder of ePayPolicy, a company that's dedicated to get your money easy, fast and safer. They also take time to hit on what the first wave of successful insurtech all have in common to reach that level of prosperity and adoption. Sometimes it's in the simplicity of our traditional sales process where one task can receive an efficiency overhaul.   P.S. We would never ask for anything from you again if you leave us a rating and review. 

It really depends on how much of what they're doing for you and what their getting paid. It's always a questionable decision to let another broker mingle with your business. Even if they start out with the best intentions in mind, they're only human and eventually that mingling will lead to a drunken night of infidelity. But what are you supposed to do if you need help managing those accounts? Do you bring in your own team or just cross your fingers everyone involved keeps their word? That what I talk about with Jessica Burch, of Bryce Point Insurance, about as she tried to decide how risky it is for her to hand-off her clients. P.S. This is where most of the cool kids hangout.

It has nothing to do with word counts or video length, it's all about connection. If you can't create something that allows someone to connect with you or your agency, you've just wasted a lot of opportunity. It's this connection that allows people to look past every alternative and only see you. How easy would your life be if you completely removed the "consideration process" when someone is shopping for insurance. What if you didn't have to worry about if you should to give free quotes or not. What if you had people eager to talk with you and share an experience they had with information you provided. That's the first test you give yourself when your content starts to make the phone ring. P.S. Ryan writes an exclusive news letter every week, you should read it.