The Insura-Preneur Podcast

Training the New Generation for Insurance

Jordan Goodman, Co-Founder, CFO, Total CSR, Inc, CEO, Goodman Insurance Services, Inc. 

 

When Jordan Goodman and his brother took the reins of their third generation insurance agency, they noticed a troubling trend: high turnover. With 25% of the industry expected to retire in the next four years, it became clear this was an industry-wide problem. 

 

How do you train new workers – especially if they have no industry experience? Jordan and his brother set out to create a solution and built Total CSR, which helps over 1,300 agencies solve their talent problem. In this episode, Jordan shares his insight on:

 

• How to reduce training time of new employees
• How to get new hires to stay with your agency for the long haul
• How to meet the employment demands of the millennial generation

 

Jordan has spoken with thousands of agency owners about hiring and training new employees. Every agency principal and manager should listen to his approach to solving one of the biggest looming challenges facing the industry: attracting and training new talent. 

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.

 

Practical Tactics to Drive Website Traffic

Jordan Leavitt, Digital Marketing Team Lead, Agency Revolution

 

More traffic means more business, but how does an insurance agent make that happen?

 

Our guest, Jordan Leavitt, clears away the confusion and delivers straight answers and easy solutions. Jordan worked directly for the renowned Neil Patel and now serves as the Digital Marketing Team Lead here at Agency Revolution. 

 

Listen now for practical answers to your biggest digital marketing questions, including:

 

• PPC Advertising: how it works and when you should use it
• How to cut the fat and do what works on social media
• How agents can eliminate the mystery of SEO and boost traffic

 

If you want to improve your web presence, increase traffic to your website, and grow your agency, don’t skip this jam-packed conversation.

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.

 

Attracting Great Insurance Leads on Social

Brett Allen, Founder, Social Selling Guide, BOSS Social

 

As the former Director of Social Selling at The Hartford and social media expert for Safeco’s Bricks & Clicks program, Brett is a pioneer of social media strategies for growth-driven agencies. Now, as Founder and Social Selling Guide at BOSS Social, Brett has designed a step-by-step system any agency can follow. 

 

You’ll discover powerful and practical advice in this podcast that will boost your lead generation and client engagement, including:

 

• How successful ‘social agents’ make engagement and growth easy
• A simple method to attract the clients you want most
• How to look great online

 

Brett shares proven strategies and tactics any agent can use to get their agency to the next level using social media. Whether you’ve mastered social media or find it baffling, take the time to listen to this practical but eye-opening discussion.

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.

Powerful Strategic Advice for Agency Leaders

Dennis Chookaszian, Adjunct Professor, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Former Chair & CEO, CNA Insurance

 

With 25 years at CNA Insurance and years consulting and guiding businesses to success, Dennis Chookaszian may have a clearer view of the insurance industry and where it’s going than anyone.

 

In this important discussion, Dennis delivers a masterclass on insurance strategy every agency leader should take note of. Listen for insights about:

 

• How to take advantage of forces beyond your control
• What agency principals must focus on and avoid as we move into the future
• How agencies can improve their personal and commercial lines marketing efforts

 

Any agency leader trying to weather this turbulent period and thrive in the future should make this conversation a priority. 

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.

 

1,800 Newly Independent Insurance Agencies

Kenny Urbania, President, CEO, Agency Collective, The Agency Cluster
Gary Hines, Executive Vice President, COO, Agency Collective, The Agency Cluster

 

In one fell swoop, 1,800 captive Nationwide agencies were unleashed to the independent world this summer. How will this affect the independent channel? How will these agencies handle the transition?

 

Our guests, Kenny Urbania and Gary Hines are in the thick of it, learning answers to important questions. They opened up The Agency Collective to help those agencies make their transition and quickly attracted hundreds of agencies seeking help. 

 

In this discussion, Kenny and Gary reveal:

 

• How these changes will affect the independent channel
• What their most successful agencies are doing differently
• Why some agencies will get stuck and left behind

 

If you’re serious about navigating the many changes in this industry, listen to this podcast to stay current with one of the biggest decisions impacting today’s agents. 

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.

 

What’s on the Mind of Today’s Agents and Leaders?

Justin Lair, Senior Enterprise Development Manager, Agency Revolution

 

Few people engage as many people in the insurance industry as this episode’s guest, Justin Lair, Senior Enterprise Development Manager at Agency Revolution. 

 

Justin has heard it all—but what’s most fascinating is how dramatically these conversations have changed over the years. In this eye-opening discussion, Justin shares insights on: 

 

• How COVID forced thousands of agents to pick up the pace of change
• Why the conversation has changed course in the last two to three years
• How this year’s sudden changes have opened agents’ eyes to untapped potential

 

Listen to this episode now to understand what agents and industry leaders are thinking, and how your agency stacks up to the current conversation. 

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.

Seven Skills Agencies Need to Succeed

Co-Founder, Agency Revolution, Principal, Michael Jans Advisory

 

The path to success for today’s insurance agent is far different than it used to be. The pace of change is demanding that agents adapt faster. Our host, Michael Jans, takes the microphone to share powerful insights on the new skills agencies need to master in today’s insurance landscape. 

 

Listen to this episode to learn:

 

• Simple methods to meet the changing demands of modern consumers
• What fast-growth agencies are doing to get maximum customer lifetime value
• How to leave behind old-school tactics that are holding you back

 

Michael has been guiding growth-driven agencies for over 25 years. His keen understanding of the industry and how technology fits into the modern agency’s growth plan will light a path to success in this rapidly changing world. 

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.

Why Some Agencies are Thriving in 2020

Madelyn Flannagan, Vice President, Agent Development, Education, and Research, IIABA

 

Madelyn Flannagan lives, breathes, analyzes, and guides the independent agents in America’s workforce. How are agents doing now? Who is thriving and who is not? How has the pandemic affected the independent agent channel? How will that change the future of agent operations? 

 

Madelyn dives into her research and observations to share insights on:

 

• What successful agents in 2020 are doing differently
• The business characteristic that will be crucial for agents moving forward
• Big changes agencies are making now to prepare for a very different future

 

For more than 25 years Madelyn has had her finger on the pulse of the independent agent. Listen to this discussion for important insights on where the industry is going. 

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.

Modernizing Insurance Industry Standards

Mica Cooper, CEO, President, InsureCrypt

 

Few things strike at the heart of day-to-day agency operations like standards—the manner in which data is transferred from one place to another. Industry pundits declare that legacy standards are hurting the independent agency channel, even more than the direct, digital, and captive channels. 

 

Mica Cooper—Founder and CEO of InsureCrypt, former System Architect at Vertafore and former Senior Architect at Hotels.com—is one industry leader who takes this seriously. He wants agents to understand how deeply this affects profits, customer satisfaction, and innovation. 

 

In this episode, Mica shares:

 

• What every agent needs to know about the campaign to update industry standards
• Why new, more modern standards will unleash a wave of insurtech innovation
• How swift updates to standards will enable agents to deliver something closer to the “Apple experience”

 

If staying current and preparing for the future is important to you, don’t miss this episode. 

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.

Practical Growth Tactics for the Modern Insurance Agent

Jeremiah Desmarais, Best-selling Author, Keynote Speaker, Insurance Marketing Expert

 

It’s hard to keep up. What once worked loses efficacy. New things pop up left and right. How do you know what to do, and what to ignore? What will grow your agency? What will waste your time?

 

In this episode, we get practical with one of the industry’s most respected marketers. Jeremiah Desmarais is the former VP of Marketing for Applied Systems and a long-time marketing consultant to agents and financial advisors.

 

In this episode, Jeremiah shares:

 

• How to generate a non-stop stream of leads from LinkedIn
• A simple but powerful trick to keep your agency focused on the best growth activities
• How insurance agents can use webinars to delight current clients and close more sales 

 

Listen to this episode for a discussion loaded with practical growth advice your agency can put into use right away.  

 

Presented by Agency Revolution, the Connected Insurance Podcast provides weekly opportunities for listeners to dive deep into the trends affecting insurance agents and brokers today and to gain proven strategies and tactics for agency growth. Our hosts facilitate thoughtful panels and 1:1 conversations with a variety of prominent thought leaders, with a focus on how to streamline and drive operational efficiency for your independent agency through the intelligent use of technology.