Agency Nation Radio
671 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★ - 44 ratingsAgency Nation is the leading digital publication helping insurance professionals dominate marketing, sales and technology in the modern marketplace.
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Episodes
How to Focus Your Website on its Most Important Job
February 28, 2019 08:30 - 16 minutes - 22.2 MBStarts by making sure the main goal is to drive new business by attracting people unfamiliar with your agency. If you can do that then you need to make sure you're providing just the right amount of necessary friction along the way. That's an unstoppable combination of highly qualified lead bliss that can dramatically change the agency's complexion. If you lose sight of those objectives along the way allowing your focus to drift beyond its scope you could be preparing ...
Creating The 2021 Insurance Customer Experience
February 27, 2019 08:30 - 31 minutes - 42.8 MBRobby Burton doesn’t take no for an answer. The current insurance technology couldn’t bend in the ways he needed. So, he looked further. Outside the industry. And he found more than just a suite of tools. He found a deeper perspective on the insurance customer experience.
How to Repeat Your Process For an Easy Win
February 26, 2019 08:30 - 16 minutes - 22.8 MBSimply starts by not overthinking all the things you think you should be doing that actually never get done. Recreating your creative process every time will leave the most important aspects of your content unattended The truth is a simple template would do the job better and deliver more results. Not only because it lets people know what to expect, but because it makes it easier for you to publish your way to success. That's what I talk to Alex Dopazo, of Dopazo & A...
What Happens When You Turn Your Back on Direct Referrals?
February 25, 2019 08:30 - 14 minutes - 19.6 MBYou might be surprised that you're able to grow because there's more room for value outside of the candy dish. At first, this still might sound crazy, but you just have to be obsessed with highlighting the people who send you business. Instead of waiting to be offered as an accessory to another sale, you control more of the conversation to define the context. When you put those people in front of the right audience there's a good chance you won't have to ask for the bu...
How “Walk Away” Power Will Boost Your Close Ratio
February 22, 2019 08:30 - 21 minutes - 29.8 MBClint Ivy is a sweet-talkin insurance agency owner from the great state of Georgia. He’s been an agent for over 18 years and no longer writes accounts less than $50k. He shares some of the mistakes he’s made over the past decade plus. So you don’t make ’em too. This is a back-to-the-basics-you-shouldn’t-get-wrong episode you don’t want to miss!
This is How to Knock on Unlimited Doors All The Time
February 21, 2019 08:30 - 19 minutes - 26.4 MBStarts by accepting the reality of the most powerfully efficient prospecting tools available today. When that happens you realized the limitless potential you're provided to scale your outreach efforts. It's only then will you start to realize the importance of knowing exactly what needs to be said to make it all happen. If not, you could find yourself on a dangerous journey across bumpy content terrain that never leads to your desired destination. That's what I talk...
How to Increase the Minimum Threshold of Your Accounts
February 20, 2019 08:30 - 26 minutes - 36.6 MBStarts by figuring out how much you're willing to sacrifice to reach that next level. Things get more interesting if your established agency has the vision to empower that growth beyond what is traditionally expected. If and when those conditions develop, there's a good chance your book of business could scale to staggering levels. The hardest part of the whole process might be developing a passion for something (niche) that might not be apparently obvious. That's wh...
What Happens When You Step Outside the Insurance Box?
February 19, 2019 08:30 - 18 minutes - 25.1 MBThere's a good chance you'll be able to approach things with a fresh perspective few are looking for. On the other hand, just because an idea originated a safe distance away from the industry doesn't mean it's automatically validated. There's certainly a fine line somewhere when it comes to adopting new ideas that can be framed inside a traditional an old box. Of course, the simple act of trying something different at all deserves its own reward and generally leads to ...
When You Obsessively Want More From Your Agency
February 18, 2019 08:30 - 10 minutes - 14.3 MBMeans your focused on building a brand beyond yourself that will dramatically increase your ability to grow. You'll also give yourself another giant headstart if your able to start your agency from scratch with this focus in mind. Not being saddled with legacy systems and decisions enables nimbleness necessary to navigate unexpected terrain. It's that agility and focus that will allow you to beat the established competition to the end consumer. That's what I talk to ...
Do You Automatically Know When and Who to Call?
February 15, 2019 08:30 - 29 minutes - 40.7 MBIf not, there's a good chance you're wasting time, effort and energy trying to figure out what your next move is. There's also another chance that you're not following those leads a close enough and as long as you should. Those two simple adjustments to your overall sales process could be all you need to close more accounts and write better business. Like it or not, your sales efficiency is going to play a huge part in your agency's effectiveness in the future. That'...
How to Take Advantage of Your Referral Privilege
February 14, 2019 08:30 - 15 minutes - 21 MBStarts by realizing the marketing freedom your legacy agency has granted you to significantly amplify your message. It's during this amplification process that you'll want to make sure you provide consistent reminders to the people who already know you. In addition to that, you'll also want to quell any fear you might have at letting completely new people hear what you're all about. Because as important as retention and referrals are, there's nothing better than when a...
How Dani Kimble Convinced Her Entire Office To Be On Camera
February 13, 2019 08:30 - 26 minutes - 36.3 MBIt's not easy getting one person in your agency to participate in video marketing, let alone the entire staff. Getting in front of the camera for the first time is awkward, uncomfortable and generally results in noticing undiscovered things about yourself. However, it certainly gets easier when results start to come in and people see what a powerful relationship building machine it can be. Once it's become part of your agency's culture there's no telling how many peo...
How to Make People Know You Without Knowing You
February 12, 2019 08:30 - 16 minutes - 22.8 MBReally starts by figuring out how the percentage of insurance talk you think they need from you. There is no right or wrong answer and is really up to you to decide what feels most natural to you. However, it's never a bad idea to have 100 percent insurance talk in the right place and start subtracting from there. Because quickly eliminating questions and doubts about the thing you're supposed to be best at makes every other conversation easier. That's what I talk to...
How Powerful Can Recording a Simple Conversation Be?
February 11, 2019 08:30 - 35 minutes - 49.2 MBIt all depends on how dedicated you are to consistently doing it and your willingness to improve. At least those are two of the biggest secrets to starting and sticking with a podcast that's going to bring attention to your agency. It's hard to be awesome at talking to people right away, but with a little practice you'll be developing relationships and bringing value to your ideal client every week. When that starts to happen your agency becomes front and center for an...
How to Satisfy the On Demand Economy with AI
February 08, 2019 08:30 - 30 minutes - 42.2 MBStarts by figuring out a way to handle all the power consumers have to demand business be done when they want. That's the beginning, middle and end of the story on how your agency can compete in the approaching artificially intelligent landscape. It's still early days for widespread adoption, however, we can't delay acceptance of it's pending arrival much longer. The faster you get in front of it the sooner you can start finding more focus for higher value clients. T...
You Need to Accept Price on Both Sides of the Policy
February 07, 2019 08:30 - 18 minutes - 24.9 MBIf you don't, there's a good chance everyone is going to walk away disappointed in the outcome. This is certainly a common challenge we face in the industry that is somehow rarely discussed. It's also amazing how rare it feels to consider specifically defining the value we need to provide. It's that definition that will lay the groundwork for creating repeatable capabilities that are profitable. That's what I talk to Jared Bellmund, of All Choice Insurance, about as ...
What Happens When You Care About Better Relationships?
February 06, 2019 08:30 - 43 minutes - 59.3 MBYou're able to improve your ROI and easily reach whatever goals you set. It's the quality of those personal relationships inside and out of your agency that create a giant separation between you and the competition. It's this simple act that helps ignite a world-class insurance customer experience and establish an immeasurable internal culture. It's that experience and culture that produce raving fans on both sides of the agency. That's what Sydney Roe talks to Una R...
Who Do You Need to Figure Out How to Do This?
February 05, 2019 08:30 - 18 minutes - 25.5 MBNo matter what anyone says, we're all still trying to figure out this insurance thing together. It never stops regardless of how long you've been in the business, the only thing that can change is the people you find to help figure it out. That is by far one of the most powerful things that can happen to your insurance career. You just can't be afraid to take a chance to get out of your comfort zone and physically find those people. That's what I talk to Landon Benth...
How to Embrace the Ugly of Your Agency
February 04, 2019 08:30 - 17 minutes - 23.4 MBStarts by setting the proper expectations that might not make everyone involved happy. Things aren't always perfect in your agency or for your clients, accepting that makes both a lot easier. It's in your ability to accept the responsibility of those expectations that offers an opportunity to truly stand out. Offering today's insurance consumers an advanced dose of refreshing honestly creates a level of preparation and trust never experienced. That's what I talk to E...
Agency Management Technology You Have, Want and Need to be Better
February 01, 2019 08:30 - 29 minutes - 41.1 MBStarts with your ability to deliver an "omni-channel" experience today's clients are demanding. It's in serving these vastly different expectations you'll realize how much power and functionality is needed at the center of your agency. Of course, just because you need it or have it doesn't mean you can get the most out of it. Focusing on maximizing that power will make it easier to do your part in pushing the industry forward. That's what I talk to Reid French, CEO o...
How Valuable Is Your Creative Variable?
January 31, 2019 08:30 - 15 minutes - 22 MBIt really depends on the level of importance you allow it to occupy in your agency. Because it's the one thing that's hard to quantify and even harder to control. Yet, it's the first thing you demand of someone or something when approaching them about your agency. Expecting a front line vendor or entry-level employee to expertly apply it to the most important parts of your business. That's what I talk to Michele Linca, of Linca Insurance, about how she can put a valu...
You’re Dropping Business Without These 5 Sales Habits
January 30, 2019 08:30 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBYou have to be able to introduce yourself in three sentences that makes someone like you. That's certainly one of the first and most important sales habits and insurance professional needs to master. It doesn't matter if it's in person or a compelling piece of content, that valuable introduction should open to door for continued education. The best part, if you're successful people will relax and possibly even enjoy the insurance buying process you're going to provide....
What Happens When You Meet Face to Face?
January 29, 2019 08:30 - 15 minutes - 21.9 MBIt's possible you've put yourself closer to the sale and increase the chance they'll stick around. Because no matter what the internet can do, you still remember and feel different about the people you meet in person. It's also become such a tough thing to successfully pull off, anyone who does will certainly stand out to the people looking. At the end of the day, that's all everyone is trying to do, it's just a matter of finding the right thing. That's what I talk t...
How To Launch The Insurance Career You Want
January 28, 2019 08:30 - 27 minutes - 38 MBIt could be as simple as investing and respecting the energy needed to get that first inch off the ground. Creating that separation requires time and planning that will make the entire mission more successful. However, regardless of the amount you invest in the journey, it is still going to take much longer than most are prepared for. If you can endure the time it takes to reach that destination you'll find a new world of insurance opportunities. That's what I talk ...
A Message From Gary Vee About Your Opportunity
January 25, 2019 08:30 - 11 minutes - 15.1 MBIt's hard to fully grasp the scope and reach that is currently available with content, because it's only going to get bigger. It's hard to see most of the time because it requires a level of dedication that's normally accessed. But if you can find it along with a healthy amount of patience, you'll be around a lot longer. The next wave of challenges standing between success will require an entirely different level. That's what Gary Vee talks about in his closing keyno...
What Happens When You Over Plan Your Marketing?
January 24, 2019 08:30 - 14 minutes - 20.1 MBThere's a good chance you won't end up doing anything because even the simple things will feel hard. That's certainly a very common occurrence when agents are getting started with digital marketing. Of course, you want everything to be perfect because things live forever on the internet. But, you'll never have all the answers or be able to predict how your marketing conversation can change. That's what I talk to Ryan Anderson, of Alliance Insurance, about a few areas...
How Important Should Your Unique Qualification Be?
January 22, 2019 08:30 - 17 minutes - 23.4 MBHonestly, it should be as important as you can afford and maybe even a little more. The opportunity that comes from distributing information consistently on the internet is amazing. That opportunity is equally rewarded everytime you provide it with more dedication and resources. Which culminates in a joyful marketing celebration of activities and skills only you are uniquely qualified to do. That's what I talk to Alex Dopazo, of Dopazo & Associates, about his journey...
The True Value a Podcast Has on Your Career
January 21, 2019 08:30 - 37 minutes - 51.2 MBStarts and stops with the amount of personalized knowledge you're able to absorb first hand and apply to your agency. It's long been the secret currency a select few have learned how to spend after organizing and sharing conversations other people can benefit from. It also allows you the opportunity to hone your communication ability in a razor-sharp environment that demands improvement. You never know what method or medium you'll find your message most effective and w...
Can Clients Pay You The Way They Want?
January 18, 2019 08:30 - 30 minutes - 42.1 MBThere's a good chance we're making it harder than it needs to be to get someone to pay for insurance. It's this final step in the process that demands the most effort for something they shouldn't have to think twice about. Because there really isn't a more pressing need to reduce friction than during the final financial exchange. If we don't get serious about offering a payment experience consumers not only expect but demand, it might be too late. That's what I talk ...
How Hard is it to Make People Care About You?
January 17, 2019 08:30 - 18 minutes - 24.9 MBIt's not as tricky as you might think, but it will probably take longer than you want and shouldn't be where you start. Because people are always going to care about their problem first and how you can help them solve it. Once you've demonstrated your ability to that multiple times then it becomes more important for them to hold on to something other than insurance. It's this combination that allows you to create an attachment point so strong they won't want to do busi...
How to Never Worry About the Phone Ringing Again
January 16, 2019 08:30 - 31 minutes - 43.3 MBBecause let's be honest that's the only thing that matters to your agency's bottom line. How great would it feel if you could control this coveted activity on command adjusting it to fit exactly what your agency could handle? If it sounds like magic, it most certainly is not, rather it's the deadly combination of target paid advertising and education content. That's all it really takes to get a message in front of prospects that compels them to pick up the phone and wa...
When Your Retention Needs to be More Proactive
January 15, 2019 08:30 - 19 minutes - 26.6 MBIt usually starts when you notice you're not getting chances you never had to worry about before. When that happens it normally means you forgot to refill that clients value bucket at some point. Because the fuller you keep the less you have to worry about anything going wrong. The easiest way to keep if full is by constantly being proactive and maintaining the relationship in the most convenient way possible. That's what I talk to Kim Wood, of Toby & Merril Insuranc...
What Happens When Insurance is Delivered in Minutes Not Hours?
January 14, 2019 08:30 - 36 minutes - 50.2 MBWe're finally able to offer a customer experience consumers have been demanding for a long time. Dramatically reducing the time it takes to process an insurance transaction is one of the biggest changes to the game we can make. Because there's been so much friction for so long there's been little expectation the process could feel any different. Now that it does it's our job to mold our agencies around it instead of fighting against it. That's what I talk to Founder ...
How Much Lost Money Are You Leaving on the Floor?
January 11, 2019 08:30 - 34 minutes - 47.1 MBThat really depends on the level of expert knowledge you allow inside your agency. Because if one thing is certain, we have a hard time getting out of the way to let it in. Because when you do get out of your own way it allows you to focus on the highest and best activities you're uniquely qualified for. It's in those activities where the greatest ROI lives and demands specialized experience to get it. That's what I talk to Roe and Don Roe Polczynski, of RD Advisory ...
How to Fuel Your Content to Reach Escape Velocity
January 10, 2019 08:30 - 15 minutes - 21.6 MBJust takes being crazy enough to hit the right speed and smart enough to find the right angle, the rest will take care of itself. Of course, every word in that sentence is easier said than done and ends of getting the best of most insurance marketing efforts. That's not to say it's impossible, rather help set the proper expectations for the vast array of skills needed to pull off a successful launch. Because even the slightest miscalculation can send your intentions sp...
Should You Embrace Your Insurance Obsession?
January 09, 2019 08:30 - 29 minutes - 40.3 MBOne thing is for sure, there's a pretty good chance you'll always enjoy what you're selling. It might seem like an obvious secret, but there is a lot you can do in your agency to strengthen your obsession. Because when you really stop to think about it, so much of your daily activity is designed to take it away from you. But if you double down on that passion, you'll be able to outwork everyone who doesn't care as much. That's what I talk to Chris Greene, of floodins...
How Necessary is the Aggregation Evil in Your Agency?
January 08, 2019 08:30 - 18 minutes - 25.7 MBIt might not be bad at all as long as you know exactly what you're getting your agency into. That could be true for literally almost anything in life, but especially true when deciding on/if your agency needs to cluster up some companies. The interesting part about the whole thing is how the insurance companies themselves are the ones giving all the power to That is of course instead of loosening their grip on the appointment process and reduced their accumulated lever...
Do You Need to Escape to Unlock Your Ultimate Success?
January 07, 2019 08:30 - 38 minutes - 53.1 MBYou might if no one else wants to do the things your confident will drive business in the future. Because you can only wait so long before that unattained success starts to permanently slow you down. Once you're free it's about dedicating yourself to creating enough helpful content a specific industry can't ignore. Then it's just a matter of sticking around long enough see the value you built continue to grow. That's what I talk to Eric Goldstein, of G5 Insurance, ab...
How Serious Do You Need To Be About Your Referral Partners?
January 04, 2019 08:30 - 29 minutes - 40.9 MBIt's a question you ask yourself too often, especially when you're pretty sure you know the answer. Of course, you're serious about them, but is there a completely different level of attention you can give them? In all the but the most extreme circumstances, the answer is going to be yes, because most agents do different things. Or is just constantly trying to help them at every turn enough for them to see how much you care? That's what I talk to Shaun Gavaghan, of G...
How Big Is Your Insurance Purpose?
January 03, 2019 08:30 - 15 minutes - 21.8 MBThe only way to know is to try and find enough people who also care about it as much as you do. Then you'll truly be able to gauge the level of impact you can have and if that will translate to the bottom line. If both of those things don't become true statements then that's a good indication your not thinking big enough. Because it's okay to think big as long as you've done the work to fulfill it. That's what I talk to Jared Bellmund, of AllChoice Insurance, about as he gets serious...
What Happens After the Death of InsurTech Hype?
January 02, 2019 08:30 - 10 minutes - 10.2 MBThe reality is most of these new-fangled technology focused insurance companies haven't been as successful as they want you to think. Time might be running out for some as 2019 might finally be the year people start looking for those returns on that investment. It will be interesting to see what happens when they have a hard time finding it and what we'll be left with for the ones that can. For a company like TechCanary, there isn't a lot to worry about because the ret...
Who Needs Incentive to Win the Sale?
January 01, 2019 08:30 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBThere's a good chance you have plenty, it's the other people involved in the process that could use a little more. It might seem obvious, but it's certainly one of the easiest things to overlook and potentially be unaware of. Because without the proper incentive the only thing you're doing is piling on work that doesn't matter. If you're hoping to scale your agency to the next level that work needs to come with a reason to accomplish it. That's what I talk to Landon ...
How High Do You Need to Be On The Insurance Food Chain?
December 31, 2018 08:30 - 28 minutes - 64.2 MBThat's certainly one of the most important questions you can work on answering over the next five to 10 years. No matter what the answer is, the higher you can get the better chance you have of sticking around. Because Artificial Intelligence gets really hungry around low hanging fruit and can't handle a meal full of context, complexity and coordination. Those are the safest activities and skills you can stuff your insurance day with to fend off any unnecessary hunger....
Two Things You Should Be Doing in 2019
December 28, 2018 08:30 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBCan really be boiled down to simplifying work you've already done to maximize the effectiveness of your newly gained expertise. If you spent most of 2018 with your head down creating awesome content all over the internet, it might be time in 2019 to double back and reinforce it. Or you might have spent the year excessively indulging in one too many shiny toys and this year it could be about bringing simple focus. That's what I talked to Woody Brown, of The Rhoads Group...
Can Your Agency Handle a New Employee?
December 27, 2018 08:30 - 35 minutes - 82.2 MBThat depends on how often it happens and how much you need them to do something. It's never easy bringing in a new human being into your agency, sometimes it works great, sometimes not so much. A more interesting question to ask might be if they need work on-site or remote? Because it all really comes down to what you need done and understanding the value of their proximity. That's what I talk to Michele Linca, of Linca Insurance, about her need for someone new. P....
What Happens When You Realize Your Open API is Overrated
December 24, 2018 08:30 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBIt's certainly not something you hear every day, but if you take time to dig beneath the surface it starts to make more sense. That's because most open API's are built to be shallower than a kiddy pool. True integrations are made through intentional connectivity when two companies fully understand the intentions of the objective. The only downside with that is you'll probably have to ask for a lot more of those intentional conversations to happen. That's what I talk ...
The Reality of Being a Third Generation Agent
December 21, 2018 08:30 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBCertainly comes with a history of insurance that's hard to get away from. Most of the time that's a good thing because you have a community that has been conditioned over multiple generations to know, like and trust you. Of course, that can come at the expense of rapid change and occasional complacency. However, at the end of the day, there's something special about stepping into an industry that has always been a part of your life. That's what I talk to Nick Rolf, o...
Why Feedback is the Most Important Thing
December 20, 2018 08:30 - 36 minutes - 33 MBIf you want to get better faster you're going to want to ask for as much qualified feedback as you can get. When you become fearless of people's opinions of your work, an endless sea of possibilities become available to you. There will also come a point where not every piece of feedback you get will be worth listening to. That will be the first sign you're getting good and are starting to really know your stuff. That's what I talk to Avery Moore, of ECI Insurance, ab...
How to Be Patient Long Enough to Get Rewarded
December 19, 2018 08:30 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBIf there was one thing every agency owner has been guilty of at some point in their insurance career, it's this. Sticking with things long enough to see results is a really hard thing to de especially if you're not sure it's going to work. This is even more challenging when dealing with new technology you aren't even sure is necessary. However, if you can somehow find it in you and the agency to not give up you'll have the chance to accomplish what most can't. That's...
Perfection Is The Death of Implementation
December 18, 2018 08:30 - 38 minutes - 35.2 MBIf it sounds like you've heard this before, it's because there's a very good chance you have. That doesn't stop it from being true and one of the most difficult things to overcome when getting starting with content. It's very natural to want to chase perfection when putting your thoughts, ideas and information on the internet for anyone to see. Because sharing those thoughts creates a level of vulnerability most insurance agents aren't automatically conditioned for. ...