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Successful insurance agents must build good habits to succeed as professionals. Here are the most important.
6+ Daily Habits Of Successful Insurance Agents
New York Times bestselling author James Clear wrote in The Atomic Habits that “a habit is a routine or behavior that is performed regularly and, in many cases, automatically.” Yet somehow, most people—including insurance agents—have a hard time making their habits stick.
Whether you’re trying to build good habits or break bad ones, I’m here to help. This guide wil explain how to overcome the difficulties of sticking to good habits and the habits you need to succeed in your career.
Why We Can’t Stick to Our Habits
The challenge of forming new habits is no secret. Whether it’s eating healthier, exercising more, or even just taking time for yourself, staying motivated can be hard.
Several reasons contribute to this:
- Old habits die hard. Habit is ingrained in us, and our brains resist change, so we tend to stick with what we know—even if it’s not what’s best for us.
- New habits require hard work. Developing a new routine takes time and patience, and it’s easy to become discouraged and give up along the way.
- Toxic environments. Someone’s environment can greatly influence their behavior. The people around them, their surroundings, their home, and even the time of day can influence their lifestyle significantly.
Despite these obstacles, developing healthy, lasting habits with the right level of commitment is possible. So next, we’ll teach you everything to know to build career-changing habits as an insurance agent.
How Effective Habits Transform Your Results as an Insurance Agent
Good habits are useful anywhere, but especially important for insurance agents. Finding success in the ultra-competitive field of insurance leads demands you optimize your routines for maximum success.
For starters, agents with solid organizational deadlines will stay ahead of appointments and deadlines more effectively. They’ll always be one step ahead, enabling them to leave excellent impressions on clients and form long-lasting relationships.
A successful insurance agent also maintains a calm attitude during stressful situations. Whether or not this comes naturally, developing this skillset ensures stress never gets the best of you.
Positive habits are an investment. They’ll play an integral role in your success, both now and in the future.
6 Habits All Successful Insurance Agents Share
1. Healthy, Well-Balanced Routines
Insurers have a lot of flexibility. But unless you’re careful, this can be problematic too.
The key is to find a work-life balance. As with working out or spending time with friends, successful agents and salespeople allot time for calls, emails, and meetings with prospects.
Having a balanced routine helps insurance agents maintain focus and productivity in their work.
If you’re having trouble creating a balanced routine, here are a few useful tips:
How to Create a Well-Balanced Routine
1. Find what works for you
In terms of creating a well-balanced routine, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one person might not work for another—you need to find what works best for you.
2. Set realistic goals
Be realistic about your goals. If your goals are too ambitious, you’ll get frustrated and give up if things don’t go your way. Start small and gradually make your goals harder as you see success.
3. Make time for yourself
Today’s busy world makes it easy to forget to schedule some “me time.” Make time for yourself—this can be anything from reading a book to walking your dog in the morning.
4. Get enough sleep
Sleep is essential for good health and well-being. Get enough sleep each night (7-8 hours is ideal) so you can function at your best.
5. Eat healthy
Including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet keeps you at peak performance.
6. Exercise regularly
Fitness benefits not only your physical health but your mental health as well. Find a routine you enjoy and stick with it.
2. Stress Management
Stress at work can come from many sources. Demanding bosses, strained interactions with colleagues, angry customers, heavy traffic, personal issues—you name it.
If you’re constantly stressed out, you’re more likely to get distracted from your work and make mistakes, which can hurt your performance.
It’s actually good to have a little bit of stress; it motivates us to keep going and achieve our goals. But you need to keep your stress level healthy to avoid burning out.
How to Manage Stress
1. Stay organized and prepared
You’ll feel much less stressed if you keep an organized system in place.
Be sure you’re keeping up with documentation, appointments, and deadlines. Anticipate your clients’ needs ahead of time so you’re prepared (and not caught off balance).
2. Stay positive
When you’re in a stressful situation, remember that you’re doing something you love. Focus on the positive aspects of your job to help you get through it.
3. Delegate and build a team
Don’t do everything yourself! Delegate tasks to others or build a team to help you if you’re overwhelmed.
4. Take breaks
Take a break when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. It can be anything from taking a quick nap to walking to the nearest coffee shop.
5. Learn to say no
Insurance agents tend to feel like they have to take on every client and deal that comes their way. But this isn’t realistic—or healthy.
Rather than juggling too many clients and properties, be selective about who you take on. You’ll feel more in control and less overwhelmed.
3. Goal Setting & Tracking
It’s good to have goals, but you’ve also got to measure if the steps you’re taking help you reach them. That’s where tracking comes in—it lets you know how far you’ve come and what you still need to do.
Keeping track of goals helps agents stay motivated and focused. When they can see their progress, they’re more likely to stay on track and identify any obstacles.
Next, you’ll learn how to track yours.
How to Track Your Goals
1. Write down your goals
Writing down your goals may seem obvious, but it’s crucial nonetheless.
It’ll help you keep them in your mind and help you visualize your progress. While we recommend using a pen and paper, apps are a valid option.
2. Create a timeline
With your goals written down, it’s time to create timelines for them.
Plan out how you want to accomplish each goal and how on a precise timeframe. This does wonders for keeping you accountable.
3. Break down big goals into smaller milestones
If you want to accomplish something big, break it down into smaller steps. This enables you to make bite-sized inroads into the larger picture, making the once-impossible feat seem infinitely more achievable.
4. Check in regularly
If you want to stay on track, check in on your goals regularly.
Depending on your goals, it can be weekly, monthly, or even daily. Set aside some time to monitor your progress, or you’re likely to fall behind.
5. Celebrate your accomplishments
Take the time to celebrate when you reach a milestone or accomplish your goal! It’ll keep you motivated and excited to reach new milestones.
1. They Always Strive to Learn
As new products appear and new technologies emerge, insurance agents must adapt and learn new skills to remain competitive. Agents need to continually learn to stay up to date on the latest trends, develop new selling strategies, and expand their knowledge.
Besides that, learning helps you build confidence and become more knowledgeable about your products and services. When you’re confident in your abilities, you’re more likely to close sales—it’s that simple.
How to Stay Abreast of New Trends and Skill Sets
1. Take advantage of free expert-led courses
You can get a 20-day free course from InsuranceBob with daily videos that teach you proven sales techniques, client management strategies, and other stuff only experienced agents know.
Bob’s worked in the industry for decades and is here to help you learn and grow.
2. Seek mentorship from seasoned insurance agents
Having a mentor can make a significant difference in a salesperson’s career. The assistance of an expert will be instrumental in navigating your way through the business, finding a broader prospect, or introducing you to other experts.
3. Stay on top of industry news
There’s a lot going on in sales these days, so you need to stay on top of the latest news, trends, and best practices. Industry publications are a great way to stay on top of everything.
4. Get involved in sales conferences and events
A conference is a great place to learn from some of the best insurance professionals in the business. There are usually many speakers covering a broad assortment of topics, so you can learn new techniques and strategies.
They also represent a tremendous opportunity for networking from meeting other professionals.
4. Networking With Successful Agents
You’re more likely to be successful if you surround yourself with successful people. This is called the power of positive association, and applies to anyone trying to get ahead.
The best way to succeed as an agent is to surround yourself with healthy environments conducive to learning and productivity. Seeing others succeed can motivate you to keep going when things get tough and show you what’s possible.
Spend time with people who strive to do their best, and they’ll inspire and motivate you to do the same.
How to Surround Yourself With Successful People
1. Find role models
Learn from people who’ve accomplished what you want to achieve. What did they do to get there? How can you learn from them?
2. Join (or create) a mastermind group
Basically, mastermind groups are groups of people who meet regularly to support and challenge each other. They’re great for holding you accountable and helping you grow, and they’re a great way to meet people who share your interests.
3. Follow successful people on social media
By following successful people on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can gain valuable insight into what they’re doing and thinking.
4. Make an effort to connect with successful people you already know
Maybe you went to college with someone who is doing well professionally, or maybe you have a distant relative who is doing well.
Reach out and ask how they did it. You’d be surprised how willing people are to share their secrets.
5. Building Lasting Relationships With Clients
Businesses thrive on strong relationships. After all, people do business with people they like, trust, and know. But what does it mean to build a relationship with a client?
Simply put, you build a relationship with a client by communicating regularly, providing excellent customer service, and showing an interest in their needs and goals.
Harvard Business School and Bain & Company did a study showing that even a 5% increase in customer retention can result in a 95% profit increase.
Because strong relationships with clients mean repeat business and referrals, you’ll be able to get more business from them in the future. It’s easier to get a client to return (or recommend you to someone who’s looking for insurance) if they know you care about them.
How to Build Strong Relationships With Clients
1. Communicate regularly
Make sure to keep in touch with your clients regularly, whether via phone calls, emails, or social media interactions. This will keep them updated and let them know you’re still interested in working with them.
2. Be responsive
If someone contacts you, respond as quickly as possible. It shows you value them and genuinely want to help them.
3. Show appreciation
It’s important to thank your clients for their business and to let them know how much you appreciate them. This makes a massive difference in generating repeat business.
4. Be flexible
If a client changes their mind or wants different services, you should be flexible to accommodate them. This shows you’re willing to work with them and care about their needs even if it inconveniences you.
5. Build friendships (without crossing boundaries)
Giving clients gifts on their birthday or remembering their dog’s name goes a long way in building friendships. Remember that even when they become your friends, you don’t need to pry into their personal lives—maintain a distance, understanding that you’re still a salesperson.
6. Deliver on your promises
Keeping your promises can make or break your relationship with your clients.
Also, keeping your promise will help you build your credibility in the industry. You will gain a reputation for being trustworthy and reliable, creating a positive reputation in the eyes of potential clients.
You’re far more likely to get business when people know you’ll do what you say.
No Better Time to Start Than Now
Creating good habits is the difference between success and failure. It may be a fight at first, but once you’ve mastered these habits, you’ll have the world of insurance at your feet.
But this is often easier said than done. Even if you’re a self-starter, developing the skills necessary to become a world-class insurance agent can seem like pushing a boulder uphill for many.
That’s why we release the free InsuranceBob course. It teaches everything you need to know about becoming a successful agent and creating a new life for yourself while you’re at it.
If you’re serious about success, there’s no reason to delay. Click here, and get started on your insurance journey now.
