Thanks to COVID-19, working from home has shifted from an occasional occurrence to the daily routine for most insurance brokers. Whether you are excited to work from home or dreading it, it’s important to make sure you’re utilizing your time, efforts, and new work space wisely. It’s easy to feel out of sorts, especially if you feel unprepared to run your business out of your home. But you’re more prepared than you think – here are a few tips on how you can be successful, overcome working from home and continue to grow your business.

Sales Calls

Since you’re stuck at home – it would be so nice to stay in your PJ’s and lounge on the couch all day, right? But, how do you think your sales calls would go? Not too great ... So, what should you do – dress for success! It might seem overkill to dress for yourself, especially when you’re just chatting on the phone, but it’ll put you in a more productive mood and help you accomplish your goals. Did you know that there are certain days and times to call leads and make sales? Make sure to set a reasonable schedule for yourself and not overdue your outreach -- you don’t want to become bogged down in calls when you have other projects you could be working on.

Meeting with Clients

Whether you’re meeting with new or existing clients, video calls are inevitable when you meet clients from home. Dressing for success is a given, but make sure you put yourself in an area where you are free of distractions. Find a space that has plain walls, clear of papers and other items, background noise, as well as having the least amount of foot traffic in your home. Your clients need to see you focused and engaged -- the last thing you need is for them to be distracted too. Remember your posture and to enunciate when speaking. Watch our Work From Home video for more tips!

Email Etiquette

After speaking with your clients over the phone or on a video call, it’s important to follow up as soon as possible. Now that your office has been relocated, your clients expect you to be more accessible and treated with priority. 

 Some things to keep in mind when emailing your clients:

• Use a professional opening – Don’t use “Hey,” “Aye” – anything of that sort. Hi or Hello will do.
• Include a clear, concise subject line – Address what you will be discussing in the email, such as “Schedule an appointment,” “Agenda for our meeting on [date]” or “Follow up for [date] meeting.”
• Include a signature – Besides putting your name, title, company and contact information such as your email and phone number, add your working hours as well. Now that you’re working from home, let your clients know the times you’re available. You might decide to start your day a little earlier or work different hours on different days.
• Proofread – This cannot be stressed enough! You do not want to send a message with spelling errors. It will undermine your credibility with your clients and potential clients. Even if it’s minor, if you couldn’t take a few minutes to make sure things were correct -- it will make your clients ask “what else are you not paying attention to?”
• Know your audience – Remember that everyone has a different sense of humor, set of values and cultures. Keep in mind who your clients are and foster each relationship in your emails just like you would in person.

Networking and Building on Your Skills

Even though you can’t go out and network – video conferences are the next best thing! Check your local groups for networking opportunities and meet-ups, virtual Happy Hour’s and more. Other ways you can connect with other brokers and businesses is by taking online courses and continuing your education! Online courses cover a myriad of topics, you can learn new subjects and improve on your current skills as a broker.

We know that working from home is a big adjustment. As you continue to be successful with this transition, don’t forget about those CE credits! We’re offering you up to 12 hours of online CE credits for free to make it easy! Click on the image below to fill out our form and start earning your credits today!