Nothing is more uncomfortable than having to come up with a lameexcuse for not meeting with an insurance agent referred by afriend.

Unless you have an insurance problem.

Related: How insurance agents can provide realvalue

That's the way it was with a finishing contractor. He won alarge contract just as he was launching his business. But theexcitement didn't last. He found he would lose the job because hedidn't have the right insurance, and he couldn't get it for sixweeks.

That's when a friend said, “Talk to my agent.” And he did. “Thisagent saved my business,” said the contractor, after getting theproper insurance within a few days and starting the job. “The otheragent didn't know anything about insurance,” he added.

The contractor nailed the problem facing many independentagents. They may know how to sell, but they don't know enough aboutinsurance. And that's an insurance agent's challenge: not to bebetter at sales, but to be better atinsurance.

Don't try to fool clients and prospects

Yet, fooling prospects, for example, is exactly what many agentsdo to win accounts. They get the declaration page from theprospect's policy, copy the information, and make sure they get alow-ball quote from a carrier with an appetite for new business.The prospect is impressed and takes the bait. Then, over time, therates go up or the client discovers that the values are inadequate,there are gaps in the coverage, and the price was a lossleader.

It doesn't take selling expertise to operate this way, since theagent's mission is to do whatever it takes (“How about a round ofgolf on Friday?”) to get the order. And then get back to the officeand hand the account off to the backroom. From then on, it's randomemails, a birthday card, and maybe a dozen donuts when the agentstops by to “see how things are going.”

Related: The No. 1 reason most people buy insurance fromyou

Sure, this may seem like a somewhat cynical view, but notreally. If clients fail to perceive significant value from anagent, few, if any, will have a reason to say to a friend, “Youshould call my agent. She helps me manage risk and has reduced myinsurance costs.” More than likely, they might ask a friend orassociate, “I am thinking about looking around. Can you tell mesomething about your agent?”

Take insurance knowledge seriously

It's faulty thinking to assume there is value in having aninsurance agent. There can be significant value, but all insuranceagents aren't equal. In other word, it takes more than callingyourself a “Trusted Advisor” to be one.

At a time when property values are high (ultra-high in somelocales) and there are immense risks inherent in even verysmall businesses, clients don't just wantto hope they're in good hands; they wantto know they are.

If you want to build a solid reputation as a go-to insuranceperson, here are some thoughts on how to do it:

1. Get started right. Begin by gatheringinformation about the business. Get acquainted with the criticalissues facing the industry. Never call on prospects unless you'reprepared. They will see you as a salesperson, not an insuranceprofessional.
2. Win with the right process. Establish yourselfas a competent insurance professional who wants to be embedded inyour clients' businesses:

— When you meet with the owner ormanager, learn all you can about the business and then ask for atour so you get a good feel for the operation, paying particularattention to risk exposures.

— Ask if you could do a riskmanagement analysis. Request a copy of the declaration pages oftheir policies with the values.

— Armed with what you learned from themeeting, your tour notes, and the declaration page values, prepareyour risk management analysis, including comparing the declarationpage values with the physical reality to uncover coverage mistakesand gaps.

— Arrange a meeting with the owner topresent your findings and recommendations for correcting theproblems, setting up a loss control program, as well as strategiesfor reducing insurance costs.

—If your report is thorough andcompelling, ask for the business.

When you get the account

Watch out because you're now entering the Danger Zone. With aBroker of Record letter in hand, you head back to the officeexcited about your success in winning the account. It took time andyou worked hard. Now, you're ready to hand it off to the accountmanager.

For the first time, it isn't your voice that the client hears.Even though you've prepared the client, a change is occurring, eventhough in your mind as well as the client's, it's your account, andyou want to keep it.

While the transition goes smoothly and the client finds theaccount manager responsive, knowledgeable, and helpful, the clientcan feel let down, that you've moved on.

Demonstrate you are involved

As an agent, your task is to demonstrate to the client that youare involved. To avoid letting the doubts creep in, here's how togo about it:

— Arrange with the account manager to notify you when certainissues arise so you can contact the client.

— Conduct an annual insurance program review with theclient.

— Provide the client with periodic report on insuranceissues.

— Guide and assist the client in preparing for the workers' compaudit.

In other words, the strategy for maintaining the account is toreinforce the message that you are personally involved.

Related: 9 things insurance agents can do to help employersmanage workers' comp costs

John Graham is the co-owner of GrahamComm, a marketingservices and sales consulting firm specializing in the insuranceindustry. The firm's unique “Magnet Marketing” strategy is designedto attract and hold customers. His articles on marketing, sales andbusiness trends can be found on his website, johnrgraham.com, and his free monthly eBulletin, “NoNonsense Marketing and Sales Ideas,” is also available there.Contact him at [email protected].