Do you want to be more productive and successful with your business development strategies? You're not alone! It's a common goal for many professionals. Fortunately, there are proven marketing strategies you can use to work smarter, not harder. In this blog post, we'll discuss five ways to effectively improve your business development process by utilizing automated workflow tools, creating an environment for reliable data, connecting records at all points possible, saving information you regularly refer to on your dashboard, and making AMS or CRM continuing education a regular event.
Automated Workflow Tools
Automating your workflow can be a great way to streamline operations and increase efficiency. Automation can help you reduce time spent on mundane tasks, free up more of your day for higher-value activities, and ensure that customers are receiving the best possible service.
When it comes to automating workflows, there are a number of tools available that you can use. These tools can be used to automate policy renewal tasks and reminder emails, lead follow-up, client welcome messages and onboarding, and more.
When implementing an automated workflow tool, it is helpful to first map out the organizational flow of the process on a whiteboard or other visual aid. This will make it easier to identify places where automated tasks or communication can be incorporated into the process. Once you have implemented an automated workflow tool, it is important to stay informed about the process and metrics. Automation isn’t a “set it and forget it” solution — it requires constant monitoring and refinement to ensure that your desired results are being achieved.
Creating an Environment for Reliable Data
When utilizing a CRM or AMS system, it’s important to create standards for how to enter data into the system and communicate those standards with your team. This will help avoid any data issues that could arise from abbreviations, misspellings, and other inconsistencies when manually entering data. Drop-down menus or other types of entry features should also be utilized whenever possible within the system to encourage uniformity in the data entered.
For example, when entering a new lead source, you can create items that agents and staff must select from. This way, if one agent uses “Referral” and another uses “Client Referral” for the same thing, it will still be listed as one item and not two different entries. By implementing these practices, you can ensure that your data is accurate and reliable.
Connecting Records at All Points Possible
It is important to connect records at all points possible in order to get a comprehensive overview of any client, policy, agent, or commission data. This can be done by avoiding data silos, which happens when data is isolated in different systems and unable to be accessed or utilized in a comprehensive manner. Selecting an insurance-specific AMS (Agency Management System) will help you connect the client to their policy, the policy to the agent, and the agent to their commissions. Agents partnered with AAI use EZLynx, which offer all these benefits and so much more. By doing this, anyone on your team can look at any of these records and have a full view of the situation. Additionally, this ensures that no important information is lost, as all the records are connected together. This allows teams to work smarter, not harder, as they do not have to spend valuable time manually looking through different systems or platforms for data. Connecting records at all points possible is an essential tool for improving agency productivity. One of the most important topics insurancea agents face is secutiry. With EZLynx, client data is protected and secured behind multiple layers of security infrastructure.
Saving Information
If you find yourself searching for the same information over and over again in order to do your job effectively, it’s time to start pinning that data to your dashboard. Pinning the data allows you to easily access the information on a daily basis without having to go through the entire process of running a report.
Making AMS or CRM Continuing Education a Regular Event
Having an active, up-to-date knowledge of the software you use is essential for efficiency and productivity. Attending webinars and other continuing education events is the best way to stay current on the latest features and updates of your system. This will not only help you better understand how to use the tools available, but it will also keep your team more organized and productive. Additionally, when everyone on your team stays up-to-date on the latest features and trends, you can work together more effectively and solve problems more quickly.
When you join AAI, you have a complete one-stop solution to building your independent insurance agency and growing it with the help of expert agents, top marketing and branding strategies, and cutting-edge technology. For more info, contact us today.