Are you a one-trick pony, or are you a five-tool player? Does your audience know? How do they know? What have you done to make sure that the people who are seeking you, understand what your capabilities are? That’s what we’re going to talk about today.
Being a five-tool player is vital in the commercial insurance game, and the reason I’m writing this article today is because guess what? I blew it! I blew it. I have not done an excellent job in the marketplace of letting everybody know my full capabilities. See, I can go deep with anybody when it comes to workers’ compensation. I can drive a wedge and close a deal with the best of them. You want me to dive into an experience modification factor analysis? I can do that, and I can make the business case as to why you need to hire me on the spot. But here’s the problem: too many people are associating me right now with only understanding workers’ comp, and that’s bad. That’s bad for me, and it’s terrible for them because I feel like I bring value across the board, and I feel like they could use that value.
So here’s what I’m going to challenge you guys to do today. Pay attention as you build out your LinkedIn profiles and as you publish evergreen content. Focus as you have casual conversations with your peer group, or as you’re networking and talking with prospects. Don’t be afraid to let them know your full skillset. Don’t be scared to talk about cyber liability. Don’t be afraid to talk about why you would not want to have a monthly limit of indemnity on the business income of 1/12. Talk to them about all of the things that you know about, not in an obnoxious way; you don’t need to vomit insurance-speak all over the place, but you know what I’m saying.
Make sure they understand you’re well-rounded. Make sure that you’re not a one-trick pony. Because I think so many times we gravitate to what we’re most passionate about or what we’ve had the most success with, and as a result, we end up getting rusty in the other elements of our game. We end up missing out on opportunities because people don’t realize that, “Yeah, he does that too.” Take the next few days, really plan out a mission to make sure that everybody you come into contact with knows you’re a five-tool player and your full capabilities. And if you can do that, you’re going to kill it in commercial insurance.
Until next time: kill or get killed!
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