Finding New Producers

Most of our agency clients tell us they have a hard time finding
producers. They want to know where to look and how to bring them
in. It is not an easy task to find someone, especially a producer
from another agency with a book, who is experienced and who can
just come in free and clear with a book of business and easily fit
into the agency's culture. Every agency is different, has different
levels of support staff, different markets, training, computers,
perks and contracts.

Following are some methods an agency can use to find good people
and be successful in this endeavor, gleaned from our experience in
working with thousands of agencies over the past 35-plus years.

Promote From Within

We have interviewed so many agency staff in countless agencies
that feel resentful that owners and managers often look outside the
agency to bring in managers and new producers. They may be customer
service representatives (CSRs) or account managers that have worked
in the agency for a long, long time and know the customers well,
the underwriters, the processes and procedures of the firm.

Often, we are told that they do not have an avenue to move up in
the organization nor are they ever asked of their desire to do so
even at performance review time. It is just "assumed" that they are
not interested or willing to move up. They also have a big fear
that if they did move into sales, they would have to go on straight
commission.

With this concern, even if they have a sales personality and
could handle most of the commercial lines or benefits call-ins,
they won't accept the job.

The answer can be a different role that some agencies have
created called an account executive. They are called AEs and can
handle existing books as producers do and are not expected to bring
in new clients. They are usually expected to cross sell the
existing account with other coverage lines, such as umbrellas,
EPLI, fiduciary responsibility coverages, business interruption,
cyber, etc. Most can do this if they have taken some CSR and
certified insurance counselor (CIC) courses and have a good manager
to lean on.

The key is how to properly compensate them. Most AEs that have
that position are compensated on a percentage of the book they
handle as a salary, usually in the 20% to 25% range. Usually, AEs
still have CSRs to delegate to for clerical tasks, and operate more
as a producer on the accounts. If they cross sell or bring in new
accounts, they should receive commission for this outside of their
salary.

In most agencies the personal lines sales are handled by the
CSRs/account managers and not specific producers.

Hire Professionals in the Community

This was an avenue taken by a California firm we knew; they
would hire people in their community that were coaches and
teachers. These professionals knew everyone and had a desire and
drive to win. They are usually also unable to make a lot more money
in their current profession and are somewhat dead ended in their
careers.

The agency we knew that did this hired about 40 of these people
and they rarely ever left. They were extremely hardworking and
grateful for the opportunity, and were quick studies.

Salespeople Connected to Agency Niches

Another source is to look at people that sell in the niches that
the agency likes to write and already knows that specialty well. An
example would be a lumber salesperson or equipment dealer
salesperson and the agency has a specialty in contractors or
dealers. The salesperson already knows people to connect with that
are contractors and sub-contractors and can talk to them about the
program the agency has that would be perfect for their needs.
Another example would be a car salesman, for an agency that writes
dealerships, or an attorney who can easily write law firms and has
connections there.

College Marketing Projects/Internships

One of our clients found two great long-term employees through
this idea, a producer and a marketing manager. They started as
college business students needing to do a marketing project for a
business. They were invited in and got to know what the agency
does, what its marketing efforts were, and concentrated on
assisting with the agency's website, mailings, ads, social media,
etc.

After making recommendations for their project to the agency,
they both ended up so impressed with the owner, managers and the
firm, that they first interned there and when they graduated, they
were offered jobs and are still there today!

Many people do not really understand the jobs in an insurance
agency and how challenging and exciting it can be to work with a
wide variety of clients, especially in commercial lines and
employee benefits.

When I was in college we had an insurance degree at the
University of Wisconsin, Madison, called Risk Management &
Insurance. After earning your degree and were ready to graduate,
the college would have recruiters from insurance firms come to
school to interview us. It helped us get a big picture view of all
the roles available in the insurance industry, and I took a job
with St. Paul Fire & Marine as a Marketing trainee. I also had a
summer internship, as well, with Employers of Wausau that our Risk
Management professor recommended. My sister and I did not have
anyone in our family that had been in the insurance business.
Working there really opened up our eyes to all the possibilities
there were.

Insurance agencies should go to their local colleges and
community colleges to pitch their firms and explain the
opportunities they have available. Often an agency can also post
openings on the college website, which can help students find great
jobs in insurance.

There are many colleges all over the country now besides
Wisconsin that have Risk Management and Insurance degrees — which
is a good place to look for prospective agency employees — such as
Fullerton and Sacramento in California, Arizona, Michigan,
Massachusetts, Alaska, Mississippi, Colorado, etc.

Project Invest by the Insurance Women

The National Association of Insurance Women for years has worked
at getting high school students interested in considering the
insurance industry as a career choice, in both carrier and agency
roles. Parents of students in the school who are insurance veterans
and other insurance personnel come in on career days to explain to
students the opportunities that abound in insurance.

Hire a Specialist to Find Producers

There are some good recruiters that specialize in insurance.
Some are specifically dedicated to insurance producers, such as Art
Betancourt of Michigan. His email is
[email protected].

Contact him to see the unique way he and his team work to teach
agency owners how to do the recruiting themselves. Tell him we sent
you!

There are also ads an owner can run in insurance magazines, such
as the Insurance Journal and the National Underwriter to find
producers.

Non-Owner Producers Competitors

There are many producers that come up against someone on an
insurance sale and lose to them. If the succeeding owner or
non-owner producer finds out the competing producer was not the
agency owner, and they were great, the client may be willing to
share their contact information. Then, your agency can reach out to
see if they might be interested in a job.

Recruit Those Who Impress

Lastly, recruit those you come across that impress you. For
instance, a waitress in a restaurant you are very impressed with or
a clerk in a store. Are their personalities or knowledge worth
exploring for your own firm?

Always remember that it is much easier to teach someone
insurance, than how to close. The key is to make sure they get that
insurance training from within the agency or schools that exist
from carriers or organizations like the Society of CIC.

This article gives agency owners many ideas on how to find or
grow the firm's own producers. Any one of these ideas has been
proven by others in the business and may just open up one's eyes to
the possibilities out there.