A new year is upon us—and that means an opportunity to take stock of what we’ve done right in the previous year, and what we could do better. Here are a few bad habits that are surprisingly common among people in the insurance industry—and other industries besides. Cut these habits, and you’re likely to have a successful new year.

When you’re selling to businesses, your sales and marketing tactics may often differ greatly from those you’d use to reach individual consumers. There are significant differences in terms of the buying cycle and what influences a buying decision when it comes to B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) markets.

Here’s an overview of the main differences.

In any sales position, building rapport with your customers is crucial. The same is true with insurance. Building good relationships with customers results in increased loyalty and retention, as well as referrals and more revenue for you.

Here are a few ways you can strengthen your relationships with customers more—and make those relationships the foundation of your business.

It’s not easy to make your business stand out when you work in the insurance industry. Competition is intense, and sometimes it can be hard to put your finger on exactly what sets you apart—and why customers should work with you instead of your competitor.

But knowing why customers choose you over competitors can drastically increase your sales. Here are a few ideas for determining your unique selling proposition.

In today’s marketing landscape of social media, online quote forms, email newsletters, and email marketing, direct mail can seem out of touch. But the reality is that many insurance agents are still mailing prospective customers directly—and making money at it. Here’s a look at why.

Fresh, original content. Search engines love it—and so do your visitors. As an insurance agent, you can build your credibility, generate leads, and make your website an informative destination for visitors by running a successful blog.

But what goes into an insurance blog? To do it right, you need to discuss topics that are of urgent concern to your ideal customer. That takes a certain amount of planning—and a firm understanding of who you’re selling to and what they want.

Here are a few tips for developing your content strategy.

When it comes to social media marketing, Instagram is still under-utilized by the insurance industry. And that’s a shame because if you do it right, Instagram can be very effective.

According to TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/20/instagram-1-billion-users/, Instagram sees approximately 1 billion users per month (as of 2018). Chances are you’ll find all the same prospects on Instagram that you’d find on LinkedIn, which is where many insurance agents tend to focus their marketing efforts.

When it comes to branding, the key is consistency.

Brand consistency just means keeping your branding the same across all your marketing platforms and campaigns. It also means keeping your company’s actions and communications in line with your values.

According to a report by Circle Research, 77% of marketers say branding is absolutely crucial to their growth. So, why is it so essential to present a brand-consistent face to the world?

Here are three reasons.

Because consistency builds trust—and insurance is all about trust

Millennials-those born between the early 80s and the early 2000s—are among the most challenging markets to sell insurance to. But you can generate a lot of business by targeting millennials, if you know how to reach them. Here are a few tips.

Pricing is important. Younger buyers are extremely price-sensitive. True, you probably don’t have much control over how much one customer’s plan will cost per month; that will depend on the company whose products you sell, and that customer’s situation.

Social media accounts are practically mandatory these days when you’re considering promoting any business—and that includes insurance. They can be a great way to expand your reach and get people interested in what you sell. But each social media platform has its own culture—and its own potential pitfalls.

That said, there are a few common social media mistakes that lots of people make—across many platforms. Here’s an overview.

Chatbots are ubiquitous these days. These AI computer programs simulate a conversation—either via voice or text. Some can be quite convincing, and there’s been an uptick in applying this technology to customer service—including among insurance companies.

We assume you want to make more money in 2019—we all do. Here are a few ideas for boosting your business in 2019 that you can implement immediately.

Enhance your customer service. A lot of insurance agents talk a strong game on customer service, but not everyone delivers. Being the agent who walks the walk can differentiate you from your competition.

These days, insurance prospects want to find the information they need immediately online, without having to call to get a quote. If they can’t get that, they’ll often move on to your competitors.

Yet many insurance agency websites are little more than glorified brochures—static sites that haven’t been updated since the 1990s. If this sounds familiar, here are some steps you can take to bring your website up to the present day—and land more business.

Make sure your website is mobile-responsive.

Are your email open rates down? If so, there’s probably a reason. People skip reading emails and unsubscribe from lists for lots of different reasons—but luckily, you can do something about it. Here are some of the most common reasons people unsubscribe from your list.

Hate asking for referrals? You’re not alone. It can be difficult to ask for anything, especially in a professional context. But people are much more likely to give you a call if someone they trust has recommended you.

Here are some ways to make it less awkward to ask for—and get—referrals.

Make it an official program. What’s less awkward? Asking each customer for the names and contact info of three friends or family members who could use your insurance expertise—or telling them you have a referral program that they might be interested in?