8 Actions You Can Do Now to Prepare for a Better 2021

2021 is fast approaching…

It goes without saying that we want 2020 to just go away. A fresh start comes every new year…at least in our minds. What needs to be done however is to change our actions in addition to our mindset. Here are 8 actions you can take to have a better year. I guarantee success if you follow these 8 actions. For transparency, I’m talking about 8 actions for a better INSURANCE SALES BUSINESS year. In order to have a better 2021 you have to do your planning NOW. In December 2020. Waiting until Jan 1 greatly increases disaster.

1. Prepare Your “Roadmap”

A “goal” is like a destination. If you have a destination you simply put it on Google maps and follow the directions. Same thing here. Let’s talk income. Money. Write down your goal (destination) for the year. More money? How Much? In order to get to your state goal you have to have this goal set in your mind and on paper. Tape this goal paper where you can see it every day. Example: $100,000 stated goal (or whatever you choose). Break that down further. Weekly: that’s $1,923. Now figure out your commission level for the insurance product you’re selling: life, health, annuity, and make sure that your commissions equal out to $1,923. Simple? Yes. Easy, No! But now that you have a goal, you can plan on how you’re going to get there.

2. Improve Your Online Insurance Sales

Online sales are now the normal. People prefer this method. This was an upward trend that was coming, but now COVID just kicked it into hyper-drive. Just look at how you purchase things: you pick a wanted item, you find it online, you do your research, you put it in your cart, you pay for it, you receive it at home or in your inbox. Same thing for life and health insurance products. So, it is imperative that you become extremely skilled on e-applications and can fill them out in record time. This requires knowledge and time practicing on these apps. In addition, you better have a good website people can view, get quotes, and learn about you and how to reach you in the manner that they want. Pegasus is here to help you on this. Schedule a 30 minute session to begin this process. Having a good website is not something that should be done, this is something that has to be done. On Black Friday, online sales rose by 54%. Store sales were down 20%. See what I mean?

3. Answer Your Phone/Texts Promptly

Older people want to talk; younger people want to text. But, everybody (and I mean everybody), wants a quick response in the manner they reached out to you. This will all depend on the market you’re in. Thus, you have to have a clear voice message that’s short and to the point. IMPORTANT POINT: YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VOICE MESSAGE WITH YOUR NAME. Don’t have a message that just states your phone number. Make it easy for the caller to know who they reached. Just a number usually results in a hang-up. ANSWER YOUR TEXTS PROMPTLY. Even if it’s only an acknowledgement that you received it and that you will get back to them.

4. Provide More Service

Being successful implies giving good service. People are buying you as well as your product. People like to feel special and that they’re being taken care of. So, how special are you making them feel? Are you following up with them every year to review their coverage? Do you remember their birthday, their anniversary? When’s the last time you communicated with them? Your answer to these questions is the level of service you are providing. Increase your service and you will increase your income. Simple as that.

5. Educate Yourself

You know that knowledge is power. Knowledge only comes from education about your products. You must devote time to clearly understand the life, health, annuity products you’re selling. Devote time for webinars. Don’t fool yourself with the excuse that you’re “too busy”. If you’re not too busy to cash checks; you’re not to busy to learn more.

6. Find/Talk to Your Mentor

All great people stand on the shoulders of others. Look for someone in your industry that you admire; that you would like to emulate, someone you like. Make them your mentor. Seek their advice. Talk to them frequently. Ask them for help in your practice and then listen and then do it. Everybody needs a mentor, a trainer, a coach. If you want to be a millionaire you’re going to need help from a mentor. The only millionaires I know with no mentors are those that inherited money. Oh yeah, most inherited money is spent/lost withing 5 years.

7. Keep Count of Your Sales/Money/$$$

This is one of the worst flaws a lot of agents make. They’re so busy working on getting sales that they don’t keep track at the end of the day, so they are constantly scrambling cause they simply don’t know where they’re at. Having a successful sales career is like maintaining weight: you have to weigh yourself every day so you know what actions you have to take that day foodwise. In sales you have to keep track of your calls, meetings, apps taken, apps processed, apps completed, before you know if your day, week, month was successful. 20% of agents do this, 80% don’t. 20% of agents have good income; 80% don’t and are always worried. What does that tell you? Which leads to item 8.

8. Keep a Journal

Of all the habits that I know on how to be successful in an insurance sales career, this is at the top of th list. After 46 years in insurance I am constantly asked the question of the “secret” to success. I always answer with another question; “What did you do yesterday; what are you doing today?” Most insurance agents simply don’t know. They try to answer from memory. Memory doesn’t cut it. You have to manage your time and the amount spent on your sales. The only way to do that is BY KEEPING A DAILY JOURNAL! For me writing it down sharpens my focus. Studies show that writing activities are remembered better than typing them on e-devices. But whatever floats your boat. The essential thing is KEEP A JOURNAL. If you’re depressed at your sales, or lack thereof, and want to know why simply read your journal and the why is right there. Or, don’t keep one, and you’re depressed then grab a bible and pray. Trust me, a journal takes the “why” out of your life.

That’s it, good luck in 2021! Wait, don’t depend on luck, make your own luck by following the 8 actions listed.