Choosing the right insurance conference to attend can be as daunting a task as picking an agency management system.

…and maybe this needs to be said, but yes, you should be attending conferences.

Mixing with other like-minded insurance professionals willing to share their experience and expertise can help you sidestep common pitfalls and accelerate growth in ways you’d never imagine on your own.

Episode 007 of The Inside walks you through a step-by-step process for filtering through the hundreds of insurance conferences put on each year and choosing the right insurance conferences to attend for your agency.

You can find resources and watch past episodes at The Inside Headquarters.

How to Pick the Right Insurance Conferences to Attend

Below is an outline of the XX step process discussed in the video above you can use to select the right insurance conference to attend:

1) Set Your Agency Up Properly

Before you even consider attending a conference, it’s imperative you set your agency in order. The last thing you need is to pay for and travel to a conference only to find yourself working the entire time.

2) Set Your Schedule

Take time and plan out when and how often you can leave your agency to attend conferences. Without planning there will always be an excuse not to go.

3) Set Your Budget

The reality of agency life, especially in the early years, is that conference cost, including travel, food, etc, is a major factor in attendance. Set a budget and choose accordingly.

4) Determine Conference Category

There are many different types of insurance conferences. My recommendation is always to try and attend a healthy mix of conferences to ensure a variety of inputs to your knowledge base. Here are just a few:

• Association events
• Agent-run events
• Technology (insurtech) events
• Boutique workshop-style events
• Carrier events
• Vendor events

5) Determine Conference Goal

You never, ever, ever attend a conference without a clear goal for why you’re attending. Have one goal. Just one. Choose a conference that will allow you to execute on that goal.

6) Determine the Implementation Process

This is the most important part of choosing in a conference… ask yourself, “Will I be able to implement what I learn at this conference?” If the answer is no, don’t go. Attending a conference is about moving your business forward.

If you can’t implement, you cannot move forward.

The Rub

I am a huge believer in conferences. Mixing with other insurance professionals has expedited my growth in the insurance industry.

Right now, as I write this, I’m headed to IAOA’s INNOVATION 2020 conference in San Diego.

See you there!

Hanley

p.s. Visit The Inside Headquarters for access to all member resources.