Small business insurance is cyclical and many brokers choose torelax in advance of the busy season ahead. However, some of theindustry’s most successful brokers follow a different rule: Use thebeginning of fall to prepare for open enrollment. Here are some tipsfrom brokers on how to make the most of September and October tomaximize sales this enrollment season.

Set clear, aspirational sales goals

Most successful brokers set key milestones and aspirationalsales goals. One trick to doing so is to quantify performanceexpectations by identifying metrics that can help you betterorganize for the busy times ahead. Successful brokers like to see acontinued upward trend in their performance, and continue tomeasure their performance on a regular basis. In doing so, they notonly give a sense of direction to their efforts, but also add anexciting element of motivation to their daily schedule.

Find tools to help you sell

Once brokers have a set of goals and metrics for the upcomingseason, they can arm themselves with a set of new tools focused onincreasing their efficiency and maximizing their earningspotential. Technologies and sales tools that can replace cumbersomeExcel spreadsheets and disconnected systems can significantly helpbrokers reach their milestones. Successful insurance brokers areaware of the competitive landscape and leverage their industryknowledge to get ahead of their competition by using simple butsophisticated tools and technologies focused on increasing the speed oftheir sale. Whereas some brokers spend hours spreadsheeting andsending proposals to clients, those who add the right tools totheir arsenal close deals within minutes.

Set yourself up to be chief communicator

There is a shift happening in the sales strategies of topperforming brokers. Small business insurance in particular isincredibly complex, requiring brokers to think of themselves notjust as intermediaries in a sales transaction, but also as industryexperts clients rely on for up-to-date information. Utilizingtechnologies that can automate sales processes, which used to takea long-time to perform manually, can help brokers focus on theirrole as chief communicator. Top performing brokers are aware thatthe key to success lies in long-lasting relationships. By selectingthe tools they want to use in the fall, brokers can focus theirremaining time on existing relationships ahead of the busy seasonof new enrollments and renewals.

The spread in the performance of brokers is widening, so settingclear goals and arming yourself with the appropriate tools willenable you to stand out as a top performer and focus on realvalue-added services for clients. Simplifying your workflow withnew technologies and movement towards clear milestones betterpositions you to retain clients by communicating the details of thehighly intricate industry.