As we wrap up our series on what it takes to be a five-tool player in the production game, I’m going to throw you a bit of a curve ball today and tell you that number five is you have got to be involved in it your community. Don’t understand what that has to do with production? I’ll break it down for you.
Well, we’ve gone through the other four, and now it’s time to hit number five. The fifth thing you have to do to be a five-tool player in the production game is you’ve got to be involved in the community. Now, listen, I realize that that sounds like work, and that’s because it is. I want to make sure that you guys understand something. The number one way for you to push forward is to look backward and to give to those organizations and those people that have helped you get to where you’re at today. I’m not talking about writing the check, pencil-whipping a donation, and calling it a day. The most expensive thing that any of us can give is our time. But that also is what gets the greatest return on your investment.
See, I’m a big believer that I’m always going to give two to three times more than I receive, and it’s done very well for me throughout my career. I’m giving it to you right now in terms of free content, just like I always do. And there’s a reason for that. It’s because when I got into the insurance industry, nobody wanted to give me a chance. I didn’t have the resources. I had to teach myself. And I made a promise to myself that day that I would never let that happen to anybody I came into contact with that was trying to make it in this industry.
Now I’m not saying you need to go out and become an insurance industry content creator, but I do think you need to volunteer. And I believe in that so much that it’s ingrained in the things we do at Florida Risk Partners. Every quarter, my employees get two things from me, they get a day off, paid for them to invest in themself, lay at the beach, read a book, do some fun activity. Go zip-lining, bungee jumping, whatever it is you want. The only requirement they have with that is they have to report back during our weekly sales meeting and talk about the experience, what they learned and what they’re going to do in the future as a result.
We do that same thing with community service every quarter, one paid day off to invest in the community. It doesn’t matter if you’re working at the polling booths for voting or if you’re volunteering at an animal shelter or your favorite nonprofit. All I want is for them to invest back into the community that’s supporting our business. And as a result, they come back, and they share their experiences with the rest of us so that we can learn from what they learned. And it makes our team as a whole better.
I challenge you as we wrap up this series to figure out what you’re passionate about, what you want to volunteer and donate your time to, and then invest in that. And what would be awesome is if you send me a message and let me know what you’ve decided to do, keep me in the loop with how it’s going. And then I want to have you come on the Power Producers Podcast when we do our community service series next year and talk about what you’ve done, what you’ve learned, and what it’s meant to you going forward. If you can do the five things we talked about in this series and put the icing on the cake with number five, you’re going to kill it in commercial insurance.
In the ever-evolving world of commercial insurance, marketing has become a critical lever for growth. Yet most agencies still struggle to understand what’s actually working. From websites that generate leads with no attribution to CRM systems that silo vital data, insurance agencies are often flying blind.
If you’re a commercial insurance producer trying to grow in the middle market, you’re probably aware that the old-school prospecting methods—cold calling hundreds of businesses, dropping off trinkets, hoping someone is “coming up on renewal”—are no longer enough. In today’s competitive environment, success isn’t about how many people you reach. It’s about reaching the right people at the right time with the right message.
Too many agents stop learning once they’ve earned their license. The bare minimum—meeting continuing education requirements—is not enough in today’s climate. Producers often resort to online forums, asking where they can complete CE hours “as quickly as possible.” This mindset directly impacts their ability to communicate complex subjects like reinsurance or risk modeling to clients in an understandable way. As a result, they struggle to retain accounts and close new business in an increasingly competitive market.
The problem? Too many producers are pitching too soon, to the wrong people, with nothing more than a quote to offer. This article walks through how to close more business by positioning yourself as a trusted advisor, selling Total Cost of Risk (TCOR) outcomes, and using a structured approach to differentiate at every stage of the sales process.
In the modern commercial insurance landscape, trust is no longer built solely through in-person meetings, networking events, or polished brochures. It’s earned digitally—often before a prospect ever takes your call. As sales dynamics shift and competition tightens, the producers who will thrive are those who understand one thing: educational content is the new handshake.
Most commercial insurance producers think of referral networks as an afterthought—something that might generate a lead or two if they attend enough events, shake enough hands, or stay active in their BNI chapter. But the producers who consistently dominate the middle market think differently. They treat referral networks like revenue engines, built with the same discipline as a sales pipeline, and they use those relationships not only to generate appointments but to recruit the next generation of elite producers.
Please confirm you want to block this member.
You will no longer be able to:
Please note: This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.
Responses