Starting a career in insurance sales can feel overwhelming, but success often comes down to developing the right daily habits. While every agency has its own training programs and systems, these fundamental practices will help you build momentum and see results faster, regardless of where you work.
1. Start Every Day with a Prospecting Block
The most successful agents treat prospecting like a non-negotiable appointment with themselves. Set aside the first 1-2 hours of your workday exclusively for finding new prospects. This means no emails, no administrative tasks, and no distractions—just pure lead generation.
Whether you’re making cold calls, sending LinkedIn messages, or following up on referrals, consistent daily prospecting ensures you always have a pipeline of potential clients. New agents who skip this habit often find themselves in feast-or-famine cycles.
Action step: Block out 90 minutes each morning for prospecting activities only.
2. Track Your Numbers Like Your Income Depends on It
Insurance sales is a numbers game, and successful agents know their key metrics by heart. Start tracking these essential numbers daily:
- Number of prospects contacted
- Appointments scheduled
- Appointments completed
- Quotes presented
- Policies sold
- Referrals requested
When you track these metrics, you’ll quickly identify which activities produce the best results and where you need to improve. Most importantly, you’ll see that consistent activity leads to predictable results.
Action step: Create a simple spreadsheet or use a CRM to log your daily activities and weekly results.
3. Listen More Than You Talk
New agents often make the mistake of leading with product features instead of understanding client needs. The most effective salespeople spend 70% of their time listening and asking questions, and only 30% talking about solutions.
Ask questions like:
- “What’s most important to you when it comes to protecting your family?”
- “What concerns you most about your current coverage?”
- “If something happened to you tomorrow, what would worry you most?”
The more you understand their situation, fears, and priorities, the better you can position the right solution.
Action step: Practice asking open-ended questions and resist the urge to jump into product details too quickly.
4. Follow Up Relentlessly (But Respectfully)
Studies show that 80% of sales happen after the fifth contact, yet most salespeople give up after just two attempts. In insurance, where decisions often involve significant financial commitments, prospects need time and multiple touchpoints before they’re ready to buy.
Create a systematic follow-up schedule:
- Day 1: Initial contact
- Day 3: Follow-up call or email
- Week 2: Value-added content (article, tip, market update)
- Month 1: Check-in call
- Month 3: Quarterly review offer
Always provide value in your follow-ups rather than just asking “Are you ready to buy?”
Action step: Set up an automated follow-up system using your CRM or calendar reminders.
5. Build Genuine Relationships, Not Just Client Lists
Insurance is ultimately a relationship business built on trust. People buy from agents they like and trust, not necessarily from those with the cheapest rates. Invest time in getting to know your clients as people, not just policy numbers.
Remember personal details like their children’s names, hobbies, or upcoming vacations. Send birthday cards, congratulations notes for achievements, and check in during major life events. These touches separate good agents from great ones.
Action step: Keep detailed notes about each client’s personal life and set reminders for important dates and events.
6. Continuously Educate Yourself
The insurance industry constantly evolves with new products, regulations, and market conditions. Agents who stay current and knowledgeable position themselves as trusted advisors rather than just salespeople.
Spend 30 minutes each day learning something new:
- Industry publications and blogs
- Product training materials
- Sales technique books or podcasts
- Webinars and continuing education courses
The more knowledgeable you become, the more confidence you’ll project and the better solutions you can offer.
Action step: Subscribe to two industry publications and commit to reading for 15 minutes each morning.
7. Ask for Referrals Every Single Time
Referrals are the lifeblood of successful insurance agents, yet many new agents forget to ask or feel uncomfortable requesting them. The best time to ask for referrals is immediately after delivering excellent service—when clients are most satisfied and grateful.
Make referral requests part of your standard process:
- After completing a new policy
- Following a successful claim
- During annual reviews
- After resolving any service issues
Frame it positively: “I’m always looking to help families like yours. Who do you know who might benefit from a conversation about their insurance needs?”
Action step: Add referral requests to your post-sale checklist and annual review process.
The Reality Check: Consistency Beats Perfection
Here’s what most sales trainers won’t tell you: you don’t need to be perfect at all these habits immediately. You just need to be consistent with a few of them.
Start with the “Big 3”: Daily lead management, systematic follow-up, and asking for referrals. Master these first before adding the others. Many agents fail because they try to implement everything at once and end up doing nothing well.
Remember, a mediocre system followed consistently will outperform a perfect system followed sporadically. Your competition isn’t other agents—it’s your own consistency from yesterday. With quality warm leads provided to you, your success comes down to how effectively you work those opportunities and convert them into lasting client relationships.
Your future self will thank you for the disciplines you build today.
Ready to launch your insurance sales career? These habits are just the foundation. The real key is finding an agency that provides proper training, ongoing support, and a positive culture where you can thrive. If you’re looking for that kind of opportunity, we’d love to talk with you about joining our team.