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Flex Your Insurance Muscles: Professional Development Matters

  • Posted by Sarah Dravec | 2 min read

In an ever-changing insurance market, independent agents are working smarter to reach new customers and expand their book of business.

Don’t overlook the simple power of professional development to sharpen your sales and marketing skills.

Professional development is more than keeping your license up to date. You may not use the dictionary-speak of property and casualty study guides when talking to your customers about protecting their families, but if knowledge is power, there’s serious muscle in developing your skills.

Here’s why:

Product knowledge: Whether you’re handling one state or five, staying up-to-date on state requirements is crucial to serving your customers. You may also want to be familiar with additional products your carriers offer. Products like Umbrella, Renters, and Manufactured Home may not be the ones you sell every single day, but brushing up on your understanding of the products and the protection they can offer your customers will mean a reassuring experience for you both.

Quoting: If you’re Progressive-appointed, you know we take pride in ease of use in our quoting systems. Many carriers you use may have training resources available for their quoting platforms, helping you stay up to speed on enhancements and streamline your selling flow.

Sales skills: Whether it’s how to convert referrals into sales, cross-selling tips, or marketing information, most insurance carriers offer resources that can help you expand your business.

Services and procedures: How does your preferred carrier handle claims? Do you have a plan to prepare your customers or even your own business for catastrophic weather? What about the number your customers call for urgent needs after your office closes for the night?

These may seem like minor details, but keeping up to date on available services and procedures with your carriers will benefit your customers and show the special touch you provide as their agent. Do some research to find out the answers to your customer questions.

Independent agents who are licensed with Progressive can access valuable resources in these categories in Knowledge on Demand, our all-you-can-learn center on ForAgentsOnly.com (FAO).

Sarah began her insurance career as a licensed agent for Progressive Direct. She now uses her English and creative writing background as a communications specialist on the Agency team. In her spare time, Sarah writes and hikes as much as possible.