Insurance sales agents need to have a solid professional network. Meeting new people and exchanging business cards is the easy part. The real challenge comes when learning to identify people who can help you in your professional life. People who can help you align your goals. It’s important to assemble a diverse group of talent who can help you bounce around ideas, solve problems and accomplish challenges in the insurance realm. And remember that it’s not the quantity that counts, it’s the quality.
Here are the 4 most important people you need to know as an insurance agent.
The Sounding Board
This person is a natural listener. One who is genuinely interested in helping you think through your problems so you can tackle any given number of career obstacles as an insurance sales agent. However, the most important thing to remember when finding someone who is a good sounding board is to avoid a person who always says “yes” and simply tells you what you want to hear.
The Connector
Having a connector in your insurance sales agent network is what will keep it alive and thriving. Connectors have a firm understanding that an effective network goes above and beyond a LinkedIn connection. A connector may be a leader in the insurance industry, or may be very well known. They have the gift of authentically connecting to people and for helping them connect to each other.
The Role Model
Sometimes you need to get out of your own sandbox. It can be easy to be focused solely on your industry in insurance, but that tunnel vision can really limit your seeing innovation that may exist elsewhere. The role model is a person from a business you admire in another industry that can teach you their techniques and tactics which can be incorporated into your insurance toolbelt. Smart entrepreneurship is all about transferable learning.
The Thought Leader
The thought leader is a smart person who can help you think differently—to think outside the box. This person is a great asset to your network because they can help you broaden your perspective and see the world in a different light. They should be able to challenge what you think and be an excellent check and balance for your ideas as an insurance sales agent.
Remember to keep your professional network intentional. A solid network will help you reach your goals as an insurance agent, gain some serious inspiration and acquire resources that will move your business forward.
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