Strictly Sales- Is your growth stalled? Go all in!

Not too long ago, I attended a PIA business conference in Atlantic City, N.J. During a break from one of the continuing education classes, I overheard two agents discussing “how things were going.” One was lamenting that new business revenue was down in his agency. He supported this position by making the point that his phone had stopped ringing. My first thought was that waiting for the phone to ring was probably not an ideal marketing strategy, and that the agent probably hadn't developed much of a sales effort. I didn't give it much thought until sometime later, during conversations with several company marketing reps who mentioned that other agents were using the “my phone has stopped ringing” comment to describe what was occurring in their agencies. That got me thinking about what agents can do while they're waiting for the phone to ring. In the poker game Texas Hold 'Em, many players use the strategy of going “all in” to win. Here is an “all in” strategy for developing additional revenue growth in your agency. Analyze
Get into analysis–not psychotherapy, but business analysis. But like psychotherapy, the first step in the process is to admit you have a problem. Let's begin with the premise that your agency is not generating enough new revenue. If that's the case, you need to find out why. Blaming your condition on the marketplace, the economy, the carriers, your staff, or even yourself may make you feel better, but it won't change anything. You need to look deep into your agency and determine if there are policies or procedures that are keeping your organization from growing. At the same time, determine what proactive steps, if any, you are taking to stimulate growth. Some agency principals complain about lack of growth but secretly are content to keep on doing what they have always done. You must face up to the possibility that even if you think you have a sales organization, you may not. Examine your business model with no preconceived notions and evaluate its effectiveness. The first question to answer is whether you're really a sales organization. Take a sheet of paper and divide it into two columns. In the first, list every proactive step the agency takes to generate growth. In the second column, write anything that might impede growth. One area to examine carefully is any policy that causes service to trump sales. Many agencies have procedures in place for handling transactional actions (i.e., “How much do I owe?”) that do not complement the ability to generate new sales. You should never let transactional service get in the way of revenue-generating opportunities. A candid analysis will let you know what needs to be changed. With enough effort, an overly service-oriented culture can develop into a true sales-oriented culture. Listen
Once you've determined the need to transform from a service-oriented culture to a sales culture, then you need to develop a plan. The biggest mistake in the planning process is to involve only a few people. Some of the best ideas come from people on the front lines, usually the ones who are never asked what they think. One of the best ideas our agency developed to generate new growth in personal lines actually came from a commercial lines account manager. Begin planning by bringing everyone in the agency together and telling them what you're trying to accomplish. Tell them why it's important to the agency–and to them–to maximize revenue generation. Be specific that the agency must grow. Never take it for granted that they understand why growth is necessary and how lack of growth affects them. Ask them to conduct the same analysis that you conducted. Tell them to focus on processes that may hinder growth and steps to take to generate new revenue. Don't give them your ideas first, or they'll give back what you're thinking. When they give input, pay close attention. If you listen carefully, you will be surprised what you hear. Look for opportunity
Now it's time to take that information and develop your specific plan to grow. An effective approach centers on seeking out new and existing growth opportunities. You need to look inside and outside the agency for those opportunities.

Internally, the most obvious place to begin is within the existing book of business. Although the strategy of “round, retain and refer” is pretty fundamental, the execution is not. The best way to develop a program to retain business, round accounts and ask for referrals is to go back to your staff. A successful approach is to provide dedicated time over several days for your team to discuss among themselves how to effectively “round, retain and refer.” Then they can report their suggestions back to you and you can develop a plan incorporating their ideas. This approach guarantees buy-in from your staff.

External opportunities are all around. All you need to do is imagine the possibilities. When the New Jersey Workers' Compensation Plan instituted a new surcharge on plan business, the opportunity presented itself to prospects in the plan. Producers now had a story to tell a potential client. Agencies that recognized that opportunity have done very well writing new business. You don't have to be the sole generator of good ideas. Encourage your staff to look for opportunities. Have regular sessions with them to discuss marketing ideas. Offer incentive for sellers
You've developed your plan, everyone has bought in, and even you are excited. Here is where many principals make a big mistake: They fail to offer an incentive to the people they're relying on to generate new sales. Many principals take the attitude of, “I pay their salaries, it's their jobs.” This is a shortsighted position guaranteed to hamper productivity. It is human nature to seek gratification and acknowledgement. Providing incentives for sales success is an effective tool. It motivates producers; why wouldn't it motivate the rest of your staff? Dedicate part of the additional revenue your plan will generate and earmark it for an incentive program. If your carriers provide promotional incentives, make sure they make it to the people doing the selling. I can guarantee that agency staffs know when principals are keeping the promotional money for themselves and it is human nature for them to resent it. Failing to offer incentives to the sellers is not the mark of an agency with a sales culture. Nothing is off the table
Most agency principals started out as entrepreneurs. They had a personal sales culture; they embraced it and passed it along to the people around them. Their initial success was a direct result of that entrepreneurial spirit. For the entrepreneur, the operational premise was that nothing was ever off the table. Any new idea, any opportunity was fair game for consideration and it warranted engagement. They considered, planned and executed, sometimes with abandon. Those were some of their most exciting days in the business. Somewhere along the way, much of the essence of that spirit was lost. Day-to-day activities got in the way. Problem solving became more important than dreaming. Talking became more important than listening. The rush felt every time a sale was made was replaced by worry about the bottom line. You may be one of those individuals who have lost your way. If so, you will never be successful in reinventing your agency unless you reconnect with your former entrepreneurial self. Nurturing that spirit in others will only increase your success. When nothing is off the table, everything is on. Look to become your old entrepreneurial self; it will certainly make coming to work more interesting! Going “all in” is a tactic in gambling. Going “all in” in insurance is a tactic for success. Good luck!