Happy New Year, DBL Center insurance brokers and readers!
Many of you who know me and my family know that DBL Center founder David Cohen was full of adages and words of wisdom.
One of the things he taught me at a young age was: “Wake up every day like you have no money.”
What does this mean?
It means that every morning is a fresh start. You should hustle just as hard on Day 1 of any month, quarter, or year as you do on the final day.
How Productive Were Your Holidays?
With Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on Sundays in 2022, many people took advantage of the holiday timing to take an extra four days of PTO, leading to 10 days off to close 2022 with a bang.
In fact, social media posts on Twitter and TikTok advised workers to take those extra days in order to secure some time to rest and recharge your batteries during the holidays.
But what happened to your business in that time? Did you miss out on opportunities?
If you follow David Cohen’s adage, you used some of that time to strategize and prepare for the New Year, with at least some income-producing activities taking place that week. If you closed out 2022 thinking ahead and planning for 2023, I call that a win.
If you didn’t, read on for some insights on goal setting below, because it’s never too late.
DBL Center: Here When You Need Us
Here at The DBL Center, we were working hard the last week of 2022 to provide our brokers with the service you deserve. We made sure our employees got the break they needed to be with their families, while ensuring we also had coverage to provide quotes, write new business, and answer questions. We were present, answering phones and emails and, of course, responding to the live chat on our website.
With new paid family and medical leave policies rolling out in Colorado, New Hampshire, and Delaware, brokers and business owners alike have questions about privatizing family medical leave rather than writing their insurance through the state.
Set The Stage for the Year Ahead
If you took the time between Christmas and New Year’s to evaluate your success in 2022 and strategize for 2023, you are ahead of many others. If not, it’s time to see where you are – as an individual and as a company – and decide where you want to be in 2023.
Set your goals and determine the person you need to be and the actions you need to take to achieve them. If one of your goals is to expand your book of business and even enter new markets for statutory benefits, The DBL Center is ready with the information, resources, and support you need.
Opportunities Abound in 2023
In this industry, we tend to dedicate time to meeting sales goals at the end of each month or quarter. But success is actually established at the beginning of the month, quarter or year – and even before that. Filling your pipeline means thinking one or two quarters ahead. It means anticipating your existing clients’ needs and finding the products to help them fill the coverage gaps.
As we potentially approach a recession, companies may not be as quick to increase wages as they were in 2021 and 2022. But workers’ expectations will not change. A robust benefits package will remain a key to recruiting and retention. Privatizing statutory benefits can make it more affordable than ever for businesses in a growing number of states.
Sales success in 2023 will also mean prospecting new markets consistently while tracking renewals and cancellations to maintain and grow your book of business.
When my father said, “Wake up every day like you have no money,” he didn’t mean you should wake up defeated or worried. He meant that you should wake up every day hungry to grow your business and achieve your goals. It’s a philosophy he followed since founding The DBL Center in 1976 and a legacy that I continue to this day.
Fortunately, technology has enabled us to automate many of the systems to make it easier than ever to focus on the steps that will move the needle in your insurance business.
The Broker Dashboard: Your Net Revenue Tracking Tool
The Broker Dashboard is a state-of-the-art app available to all The DBL Center brokers. It allows you to track commissions, cancellations, and renewals at a glance, from any internet enabled device. You can also receive alerts and reports when an account is due for renewal or facing cancellation.
Because, to end this post with more wise words from David Cohen: “It’s not what you earn, it’s what you keep.”