Whether you refer to yourself as a “newbie,” or “rookie,” we have all found ourselves in a new job at a time or the other. New insurance agents understandably feel overwhelmed as they begin sailing the complex world of insurance, customer service, sales, and even agency management. This is a great challenge that makes most insurance salespeople quit in their first two years.

But have no fear! We have made a list of some of the best advice for all newbies in this industry. Follow these tips to be an insanely successful insurance salesperson:

1. Hone Your Customer Service Skills.

If you think your past job as a waiter was a waste of time, think again. There are some interesting parallels between serving clients in the food industry and serving clients in the insurance industry. In both cases, you are dealing with a client who expects the best customer service, and as fast as possible.

Selling insurance differs from selling everything else. You are selling ideas. You are selling trust. You are selling promises. Most importantly, you are selling yourself. In very competitive businesses such as insurance, customer service sets competitors apart from one another. A good insurance agent understands that when their quote isn’t the cheapest, their ability to make the customers feel esteemed and important can tip the scales in their favor with clients.

So take note: Interpersonal skills are a must.

2. You’re running a business

You’re self-employed and you’re your only job security. If you do a great job and you’re able to generate enough sales and profit, you’ll remain in business but if you don’t generate enough sales and profit, you’ll be out of business looking for another job faster than you think.

As a business, your highest priority is not just staying in business but making a profit.

Prospecting, closing, and servicing accounts are the three activities that will make you money. These activities are where most of your prime selling time should go into. If possible, pay someone to do the administrative and other non-profit-generating activities to create time to focus on the important ones.

3. Learn From the Experts

If you are new to sales, observation is key: look, read, listen and watch what the top salespeople are doing. How they dress, what they say and never say. Learn from their success stories and horror stories. However, figure out what works best for your individual selling style, and what sets you apart from your competitors.

Finally, you have to work really hard and smart and also follow the best practices of successful agents. Put in the hours to cold call and do whatever it takes to achieve success. Identify the number of sales you need to make daily and people you need to contact, work hard to make those numbers a reality.

If you are a young insurance salesperson or know a young insurance salesperson, please pass this article along to them.