If you've been in the insurance industry for any amount of time, you know that because of the secure and lucrative nature of the industry, you're bound to know a lot of agents who've been selling insurance for upwards of 15, 20 and even 25 years. Odds are that most of the agents you run into are in their late 40s to mid 50s. This is great news for your agency if you and your clients are looking for agents with a lot of experience. Most clients probably prefer a more seasoned agent. But that doesn't mean you should overlook the value of having a younger insurance agent in your agency.
Younger agents bring a lot to the table while they're starting out. There's a great chance they're going to be more tech savvy than your older agents. What they lack in industry experience and training, they can likely make up for with their experience in marketing, tech, communication, customer service and sales.
So, you're ready to start your search for some younger agents. What are the best ways for you to find, train and keep those agents on your team? Check out these tips below!
Your agency should be actively promoting job opportunities on your social media accounts as well as on your company website. If you aren't doing both of those things already, you should start now. Young agents are young people and young people are actively looking for everything from groceries to cars to relationships and jobs online. LinkedIn is a must for connecting with new employees. Facebook and Craigslist are great options as well!
Explaining to new agents that there is certainly a need for them in your agency makes the role less intimidating to someone with little experience. Let them know that they're already well-versed in things that older, more experienced agents are not like their ability to market and network online
Coming out of COVID, every agency has had to learn how to operate virtually from home. This means you should be able to find excellent training opportunities tailored to younger agents that align with your agency. Being willing to train new agents both on-the-go and at their desks will be an attractive selling point for young agents looking for jobs.
Young agents, especially brand new ones, need a mentor. Partner your young agents with experienced agents and build a mentor program where they meet every month, for example, and create an atmosphere where questions are encouraged so the mentor can identify what really motivates the agent. This will help build your young agents’ confidence in their own abilities and will provide an open, trusting office setting.
Seasoned agents know that the key to continued success is all in the way you treat your clients. Teach your new recruits that relationships with new clients are just as important as being able to bring in new ones. Show them that once they've established that relationship, there are opportunities to cross-sell and renew that will keep their book of business healthy, instead of having to pay money for or chase new leads. They'll need to know that their relationships with their clients are more important to their bottom line than anything else.
Agency owners know that achieving success in an agency is a balancing act. Having the right mix of young and old agents could be just the thing your agency needs to reach new levels of success.