Starting your agency can feel like a daunting task. There are countless "to-do" items and a seemingly never-ending list of details to consider. We want our agents to feel empowered to take the challenge of starting their agency head-on. We support this through training, mentoring, and a vast network of resources, however, more often than not, one of the best ways to further your knowledge is by reading. There are hundreds of books out there that offer business mentorship, sales skills concepts, insurance related knowledge, etc. Joe Duncan, founder and President of Secure American Insurance, has over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry and is an avid reader; below are two books he highly recommends to new agents.
Game Plan: The Definitive Playbook for Starting or Growing Your Business by Warren Barhorst with Rusty Burson
- Game Plan is not the typical, traditional, how-to business book. So many "how-to" business books are tedious reads and bog you down with so much information you don't even know where to start. This book provides easy to read material with simple examples. The authors write in a relatable tone with humor added in, making this an enjoyable read as much as an informative read. Game Plan focuses on seven key concepts: Hold on to Your Dreams, Business Funding, Activate Your Marketing, Sales, Leveraging Technology, Human Capital, and Build a Dynasty. By focusing on these key concepts, the book provides the groundwork all new agents need to start their agency, but not feel overwhelmed by the process. Additionally, Game Plan has a website to provide additional resources and guidance related to the concepts detailed in the book. This is a great read and we highly recommend it for new agents entering the industry!
The 8 Best Practices of High-Performing Salespeople by Norm Trainor
- Many sales books can be dry and focus on textbook skills and concepts, this book not only doesn't follow that outline, but it teaches sales skills from the stories of real sales professionals. This viewpoint allows the reader to learn the sales skills but to also relate to the stories and challenges. The book offers practical advice and simple strategies. The easy to absorb the material and situational details allow people to immediately start utilizing the practices outlined in the book. We highly recommend this book for new agents starting in the insurance industry. Excellent sales skills are an extremely important part of being successful; this book will allow agents to build that foundation of success.