“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

The idea behind this quote defines clearly what organizations and companies should be standing by when they define their goals for the new year. The beginning of a new year brings hope, new goals and a fresh start. Within the insurance industry, many agencies plan for their year ahead with ideas of how to gain more business, retain the current business they have and grow their book. Whether it is building on what you already do well or stepping out of your comfort zone and implementing new practices, moving forward is what matters most.

All businesses, no matter what industry they’re in, look to set themselves apart in hopes to be a consumer’s first choice. What is going to make your agency different from the rest and drive more business your way? There is no exact answer or magic pill that is going to do this, but there are a few agency best practices that will help.

How To Succeed In Business For Your Agency This Year

• Step out of your comfort zone and implement new ways of marketing your agency. Make it a point to have your agency’s inbound marketing strategy in place by engaging in social media, blogging or SEO.
• Every person within your agency should know what the goals are for the year, quarter and even month. Go as far as having individual goals for your staff, thus keeping everyone on the same page and engaged.
• Positive Reinforcement can go a long way: Rewarding your hardest working staff members can create a culture where the entire agency strives to do their best.
• Be informative to your customers and prospects: Showing your agency has reliability and experience in what you do will make your prospective clients and clients feel good that they chose you as an agent. For example: Useful content and information that someone would possibly ask an agent.
• Keeping an open mind when changes occur: In our society today, we often come across changes and these changes can impact jobs and work culture. When your agency is faced with change, keeping an open mind will make the experience positive.

You may already be doing some or all of these best practices within your agency. Maybe some of these worked for you in 2013 and some did not, but the idea behind these best practices is that your agency is trying to improve as a whole. Great things can be expected from 2014 if you remember to keep moving forward as a team.