Thursday, May 31, 2012

Insurance Sales, do you have the goods?

So you looking for a new job and you heard that sales is a good route to take. Then you noticed that one product everyone always needs is insurance. So insurance sales seems to be the most logical way to go. If this is a conclusion you have come to, the following is a guide to help you determine if you got what it takes to bring in the numbers and bring in the cash.


Knowledge
If you are considering becoming an Insurance Sales Agent there are a lot of responsibilities you will be accountable for. The first of many responsibilities is to ensure the success of a particular type of insurance by taking advantage of the tools made available to you in the form of techniques that are developed to help understand and meet the needs of both existing and perspective insurance policy holders. In addition to that it is important to be able to see what future and present policy holders need, in other words what are there requirements. In doing so you are much better equipped to give them advice on products and services that may better suite there needs. In addition to this it is of utmost importance to be able to keep current policy holders. The ability to do this often relies on staying current on information pertaining to there changing needs and proving these members with a high quality service.

Hours
If you are interested in working in insurance sales you can expect to work a solid 8 hour day. It is a common misconception that, if successful in sales you do not have to work as many hours. This is true depending on how successful you want to be and is entirely up to you should you work on your own. However most insurance agencies look for there employees to work a regular 9am to 5pm shift.

Education, Work Experience and Licenses

You certainly do not need a doctorate to get involved with insurance sales, but there are some basics that you will need to get your foot in the door. The majority of insurance agencies are going to want you to have at least a high school diploma or a GED. A collage education never hurts and if you have one your probably more qualified than the non graduate. In addition to education ,most will be looking for some sales experience. Although many agencies are willing to train, they always prefer it when they don't have to. Finally we look at the fact that most agencies will require a General Insurance Agent Certificate of Authority. There are various Levels that can be obtained and obviously the higher the level the more desirable. In most cases not only does the agency ask that you have the proper licenses, the law requires it. If you do not have one, you can always get one.

Skills

Most insurance agencies will be look for sales professionals who posses strong customer service skills. In this they will demonstrate a desire to get involved in conversation that focuses on members ultimately leading to that member making a choice to purchase insurance, or maintain there existing policy. There will be a lot of data to enter and research. And in order to do so it is important to be skilled on the computer with a focus on your skills at the keyboard. Quick and accurate is the name of the game. It is also important to possess skills that show you are established in sales that are based on a consumers needs. Along with this is the importance of great interpersonal skills coupled with communication and presentation skills. Insurance agencies pay particular attention to your attention to detail. This is often best demonstrated in your ability to stay organized and manage your time efficiently.



Personality

As with any job an insurance agency will be looking closely at your attitude and a positive attitude goes a long way. It is also helpful to demonstrate that you are a team player and that you have an outgoing friendly and helpful personality. This, along with genuine interest for working with the public is sure to be a winning combination.

In general this is what it takes to get started in insurance sales. If this is something that interest you than click here to learn more about insurance sales. If you are already involved in insurance sales and would like to increase your sales click here

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