1. Determine Whether You’re Ready to Hire Agents
First, take some time to evaluate your business and personal obligations to determine whether you’re ready to take on agents and how many you can comfortably support. Keep in mind that your new agents will need at least some degree of onboarding and training, which will require time and attention.
Also, make sure you have a solid income stream from your current book of business before taking on new agents. This will help ensure you’re financially secure before focusing on creating or expanding your agency.
2. Evaluate Your Recruiting Goals
Once you’re ready to grow your team, think about the ideal candidates. Are you going to hire and train new agents or recruit seasoned professionals seeking an agency that will provide support? Keep in mind that hiring an expert will likely mean paying a higher salary while hiring a new agent will require you to put more time and resources into training.
Also, consider whether you’ll hire local agents to provide sales and service in your current area or look for agents to help you expand your agency into new territories. The answers to these types of questions will help focus your recruiting efforts and may shape the value proposition you present.
3. Clarify Your Value Proposition
When recruiting agents, remember that you aren’t just hiring people to sell insurance; you’re inviting them to join your team and share in your journey. To ensure they’re a good fit, start by explaining your vision and the back story that has brought you to where you are today. Don’t be afraid to share some of the struggles you’ve encountered along the way, lessons you’ve learned, and other details that can help candidates truly understand what it means to be a part of your agency.
Your value proposition also includes the technology, tools, and resources you can offer your agents. To attract top talent, you must provide them with quality insurance products, excellent brokerage services, expert-level marketing support, contracting assistance, and more. Partnering with an FMO, such as Claro, can help ensure you have a turnkey solution that will provide your agents with everything they need to expand and thrive.
4. Recruit, Interview, and Hire
Once you’re clear on what you’re looking for and how you’ll present yourself, the next steps are to recruit potential candidates, interview them, and determine which applicants you would like to add to your team. There are a wide variety of places to find new agents to join your firm. This includes recruiting at insurance licensing schools and on college campuses and using online job sites like Monster or Indeed or social media platforms, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. You can also ask current agents for personal introductions or work with a specialized recruiting agency.
When interviewing candidates, look for someone with a sales background, good communication skills, and a track record of success, whether in the insurance field or in other endeavors. You may also want to limit your choices to candidates who are already licensed, as this will allow them to begin generating revenue for your business right away.
Get Ready to Grow Your Team
Establishing and building an agency is a long-term career move that can lead to massive success. If you’re thinking about launching your agency this year, or you already have an agency and are looking to expand, we can provide you with the support you need. Our tools and Agent Resource Center (ARC) will set you and your agents up for success.
