I just left Orange Theory, where for one hour, I got my butt just absolutely obliterated by soccer moms in yoga pants. The whole time I was getting crushed, I thought to myself, is this my competition? Nope. My question for you is, do you know who your competition is? It’s time you define it.
So here’s the thing, as is usually the case, I was going back and forth in an online forum with other agency owners this weekend. And the question came up, who is your competition? You know, for me, that’s not a problematic answer at all. My competition’s myself. I’m the one that’s going to talk myself out of getting out of bed. I’m the one that’s going to talk myself out of working extra long hours if I need to. I’m the one that’s going to talk myself out of making the additional 25 calls I need to make to get appointments set. I honestly don’t view any other agency out there as my competition.
If I can’t get it through my head to get things right first and make sure I’m even out on the streets to compete, how can they be my competition? This person was looking for the answer to a question that didn’t come with any pre-qualifications. And I always caution people, especially when you’re talking to other agency owners about stuff like this, make sure you qualify what your answers are that you’re seeking. This person was looking to find out if your competition with a captive agency or a direct writer or whatever. Well, that doesn’t even play in my world. In the middle market, we don’t run into direct writers, and we don’t run into captive agencies. Most of the time, it’s independent versus independent, and the only difference is some are public, and some are private. So what I would tell you is take some time this week, think it through, define who your competition is.
Now you can give an answer like mine about yourself being the competition, but look at the marketplace, do a SWOT analysis, see who the people are that you’re going to be out there competing with to get accounts, and to get the door open. These are the people that have been on these risks for several years. These are the people that the prospects always use as an excuse to keep you from making appointments with them. And I’ll tell you what, identify who they are and when you start having success against them, you’re going to have a whole new list of prospects because you know exactly which agencies you want to target. It’s just the nature of the beast guys. It’s not nasty. It’s Killing Commercial Insurance, and that’s what you’re going to do if you can follow this advice.
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.
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