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Independent Agents Face Steeper Competition as Carriers Release Captive Agents

In case you haven’t heard, many carriers have been releasing captive agents, and allowing them to become fully independent agents. Insurers have realized that customers want to work with independent agents who can offer them many different kinds of plans from different carriers, not just plans that are tied to one specific carrier. Because of this, many captive agents have made the transition to becoming independent, which has created more competition than ever for independent agents looking for more leads and customers. This might feel a bit alarming to you, but there are still ways you can stand out from the crowd.

Why Carriers Are Making The Switch

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Insurance carriers are switching to independent agents so they can increase profits.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it made sense for carriers to re-examine their business models, and look for ways to grow while also saving money. Low-interest rates have laid waste to the industry’s ability to grow its accrued revenues over the past few years and captive agents, while well versed in the carrier’s offerings, have a high overhead cost. So to increase their profits, many carriers are switching to working with independent agents, allowing the agents that they work with to sell other carriers’ products.

Standing Out from the Crowd

Because many carriers are now choosing to work with independent agents, you will have to work hard to stand out, and to have a competitive edge over others in your field. If you have built a large clientele base,  you’re already ahead of the game. But that doesn’t mean you can get complacent!

You still have to continue to grow, so you will need to focus heavily on marketing and customer service. Make sure that you take the time to build relationships with all of your customers, and work on making your marketing funnel more efficient by:

  • Offering personalized service– To give customers a better experience in the digital world, you need to personalize your customers’ journey with every interaction. 
  • Staying on top of interactions– Anticipate your interactions with your customers by using email automation to help inform your customers about renewal dates and plans that might be right for them.
  • Being straightforward– It’s important to make your website and social media accounts as streamlined as possible.
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When you are first starting out, make sure to get a license and insurance for your business.

And if you’re just starting out as an independent agent, the first things you’ll need to focus on will be the practical aspects of building your business, like:

  • Getting business licensing and insurance
  • Designing a logo and other brand-related elements
  • Creating a professional website
  • Developing a plan to automate your marketing
  • Building your client list

Then you’ll need to focus on acquiring leads, nurturing leads, and converting leads into customers, by:

  • Assessing your client acquisition method 
  • Defining your unique value
  • Focusing on building relationships with your customers and being timely when responding to them
  • Creating a website with informational content that relates to your customer’s needs and answers the questions they are asking
  • Building your social media presence to get your business known and trusted – take the time to post engaging content there, and stay on top of interactions with potential customers. The more accessible you are, the more you will build your customer base.

Looking For Leads?

When dealing with a growing competitive field, the most important step will be building your customer list. And what better way to do this than getting hand-delivered, ready-to-buy leads from Benepath? When you work with Benepath, receiving reliable, exclusive leads is the easy part. 

We provide you with real-time leads through a secured process and give you a customized thank-you page so your leads will be ready for your call. This thank-you page assures leads that they won’t be bounced around between agents and gives them a feeling of connection with you right from the start. 

We offer the leads, and while it is up to you to properly nurture your leads, we’ll be behind you every step of the way. You’ll find, though, that our leads don’t need much nurturing because they are ready to speak with you and buy your product! But if they do need some nurturing, follow the effective ways mentioned above to seal the deal. To get more information, fill out the form below or call 866-368-0377.

About The Author: Cassandra Love

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