How did you get into insurance?
My uncle is a principal at my current agency, Cornerstone Insurance Group. He always encouraged me to join him as a producer. His work seemed interesting, but at the time, I enjoyed working in the hospitality industry. I planned private events and met interesting people along the way. As the pandemic’s health guidelines came into effect, there was no need for private events, so I finally took my uncle up on his offer. It has been the best decision of my life, and I see myself staying in insurance for the long haul.
For the first ten months, I worked as a customer service representative (CSR). I would recommend that everyone starts in that role. There is a steep learning curve, so the CSR role allows you to gain experience by doing—and with consistent practice, like answering client questions and writing quotes. I supported an extremely knowledgeable and experienced agent, and the mentorship I received was invaluable. Now, I am planning to transition to a full-time producer in June.
How do you approach prospecting?
Cornerstone is a small-town agency with a great reputation. Providing excellent service allows us to build our referral relationships. I recently joined a Thrive network that brings together community business leaders. My focus is personal lines, so I am also building relationships with mortgage lenders.
I am working to establish a social media presence by inviting my clients to join me online. I created a marketing calendar, where my posts are planned for the quarter. I provide educational materials online (e.g., home maintenance tips) to help underline the value proposition of an independent agent. Recently, I partnered with a mortgage lender and financial advisor to launch a new online series, where we can provide holistic advice to our clients.
How do you leverage technology internally?
We current use a popular, commercially available agency management system. Unfortunately, there is limited functionality to assist with relationship management. In turn, I am exploring new technologies that can offer a better experience to our customers and allow us to operate more efficiently.
I am now using Typeform for lead generation on our website. I integrated Typeform with Trello. Within Trello, I built preset workflows and customer experience journeys. This ensures a consistent experience for each prospect as well as helps to automate tasks, set due dates, and provide accurate information.
Can you speak about building a strong partnership with underwriters?
I know one underwriter personally at each of our carriers. It is critical to build trust from day one. Sometimes, clients will have specific risks that may not cleanly fit into any box. Being able to speak with an underwriter to identify the right protection is critical for an independent agent.
I accomplish this by showing respect and providing timely responses. Keeping clear and frequent communication can help strengthen the partnership. There are times when either person can make a mistake, but by having this strong foundation, you still will go to bat for the person.
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