Many agents that own insurance agencies are under the impression that this is a bad time to sell their agency. Our statistics show that over the past 5 months, we’ve received 32 buyer inquiries to every 1 seller. Many agency owners that are considering selling, are afraid that the soft market and bad economy will not fetch them top dollar for their book of business. The reality is, it’s the exact opposite!

Continue reading "This is a Great Time to Sell your Independent Insurance Agency"

We recently took a listing from an insurance agency owner that has been trying to sell their agency for over a year. They called us extremely frustrated over the lack of results they were getting from a Business Broker that sold all types of businesses. This wasn’t the first time we heard this, since we’ve been selling insurance agencies for over 5 years. Continue reading "Selling an Insurance Agency Needs Expert Representation"

Many times we fall into the trap of believing that we can’t be competitive unless we have this market or that one. The reality is you can be appointed by every carrier under the sun but you won’t sell insurance unless you’re closing sales. If you’re salespeople base the entire conversation on price, then the client will base the entire conversation on price. If you don’t have the lowest insurance rate they’ve heard, you lose the business. Continue reading "Insurance Agencies Need Salesmanship In Order to be Successful"

Some of the services offered by Ganis Consulting include Buyer and Seller Representation. If you own an insurance agency and want to sell it, you can hire us to do all the heavy lifting. We’ll conduct a summary valuation, put together a profile, contact our 500+ buyers on our buyers list and help you obtain the best price and terms for your agency. We’ll negotiate on your behalf, advise you every step of the way and most importantly, keep the transaction confidential. Continue reading "When Buying or Selling an Insurance Agency, Use all Resources Available"

Insurance Agency Owners become so overwhelmed with the day to day grind of operating an insurance agency that accounting and financial reporting become secondary until tax time. There are endless benefits to organizing your accounting and by setting a few goals for 2010, you can change the way you manage your agency and add an abundance of value to your business. Continue reading "Getting started with Accounting in your Insurance Agency"

A few sellers we’ve spoken to recently say they want to wait until the economy improves before selling their insurance agency. Most buyers looking to buy agencies today are having a hard time finding quality books of business to buy which is why now is a great time to sell. Continue reading "Don’t Wait if you’re Considering Selling your Insurance Agency"

Most Insurance Agency clients we consult with have experimented with Internet Leads at one time or another, but most don’t have the success they expect.  We recently learned at the Alliance Convention that 85% of consumers go to the internet before purchasing an Insurance Policy. That means 15% of consumers start in the yellow pages, newspaper ads and other forms of print media, yet many agents insist that Internet Leads are garbage and aren’t worth the time or money required. Continue reading "Insurance Agents and Brokers Need More Focus On Internet Marketing"

Both Personal and Commercial Insurance Agents and Brokers are always looking for ways to drive new business to their agency. Many depend on the customary local newspaper, yellow pages, flyers, sign holders and other forms of print media to send their message. The message is usually “Lowest Down”, “Lowest Rates” “Coverage for $19.00 per month” and so on.  Continue reading "Are Insurance Agents and Brokers Spending Advertising Dollars Wisely?"

If you own an agency with a heavy carrier concentration in Mercury, Safeco, Travelers, Hartford, Allied or other preferred market and are considering selling in the next year, you can fetch top dollar for your agency. Even though the economy is sour and banks aren’t lending money, there’s a lot of money on the sidelines from  buyers looking to grow their agency through acquisition. Continue reading "Preferred Personal and Commercial Lines Insurance Agencies in High Demand"

Insurance agency owners are always looking for ways to generate more income and grow their business.   This typically involves spending a lot of time, effort, and money on marketing and selling to new prospects.  As acquisition brokers and consultants to insurance agents, we frequently discuss the value of and help agencies create a true sales culture in their offices. Continue reading "Want To Grow Your Insurance Agency? Try Building a Retention Culture"