There is no doubt that restaurants attract a lot of competitors–particularly in a soft market. It's a large and appealing niche to an agent looking for a target market–and restaurants are everywhere, in small towns and large cities. According to the National Restaurant Assn., nearly 1 million restaurant locations exist in the U.S. and they generate about $580 billion in sales annually, approximately 4 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. Further, the restaurant industry is beginning to recover from the recession faster than some other industries, such as construction. The National Restaurant Assn. predicts flat sales through the end of 2010, following 2 years of negative growth–a good sign. Additionally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the first 3 months of 2010, the restaurant and food service industry added 42,500 jobs, adjusted for typical seasonal hiring patterns. As sales and payrolls go up, so do premiums.

Related: Read “Restaurants and the recession.”

It is not hard to see why this is an attractive niche for so many agents. But how can an agent achieve success in this crowded field of restaurant insurance sales? How do you avoid spinning your wheels? Here are some strategies to consider: