A helping hand goes a long way 

If there’s one thing that has stuck with me over my 25 years of being in the insurance industry, it’s that the most valuable asset you can have will always be a partner who’s willing to go above and beyond to help others. Whether it’s for their friends, family, new brokers, or existing clients – the best partners often have an altruistic willingness to help others.

When someone helps you, there is almost a natural response to feel a sense of indebtedness to that individual, and you are more likely to reciprocate by helping them in the future. So, when you’re willing to offer a helping hand, it can define your broker-client relationship. Trust is built, relationships strengthen, and it facilitates a win-win situation for all parties involved.

Earning your right

I’ve always felt the instinct to help others as part of building strong, meaningful relationships. But even though my need to help others comes naturally, it doesn’t mean that I don’t have to earn my friends, family, or broker partners' trust and foster strong relationships.

As my kids were growing up, I was the father who would coach their sports teams to help foster more genuine, meaningful relationships both with them and their peers. I would regularly volunteer at the Scottish Rite Hospital helping mentor admitted children to help build stronger relationships with my community in Dallas. At work, it’s that same mentality which has helped me succeed. I’ve fostered my work relationships by always being hand in hand with the brokers I was working alongside to ensure I was earning their trust. I’ve always wanted to show the people around me that I am willing to put in the work to create valuable relationships and earn their trust.

The value of a trusted partner

When a broker makes a recommendation to an employer, they’ve put their full trust in their carrier partner. Because of this, I believe brokers should always look for a trusted confidant – someone to be their subject matter expert. It can be critical when trying to quickly problem solve and makes pushing cases over the finish line more efficient.

For example, years ago I developed a great relationship with a broker. I had demonstrated time and time again my ability to be hands-on, highly involved, and to ensure accounts were always in good hands. I was willing to do anything I could to showcase to the broker that I could be trusted – that I was willing to help them by being their go-to subject-matter expert in the industry.

Because of my eagerness to always provide a helping hand, we developed great communication with one another, which reduced our chances of misunderstandings and helped align our shared goals. As a result, this partner offered me an opportunity to join him to help pitch a jumbo employee case for a government entity. The deal moved incredibly fast – I was on-site within a day helping to negotiate and facilitate a deal. After a 5-day period, various discussions, and working with a variety of colleagues in different time zones, we managed to get the deal across the finish line. It was an unbelievable opportunity – knowing that I had earned my right to be there because of my ability to give a valuable helping hand – it was an experience I will never forget. It truly was a win-win for everyone involved.

And while every deal isn’t as hands-on as my experience from the carrier’s perspective, brokers should expect the partners they are working with to offer as much support as they need to get a deal done so that all parties involved are successful.

Once success comes from that working relationship, greater trust is formed, and the relationship becomes stronger, and will inevitably help secure more deals over the course of your career. Not to mention the invaluable experiences that can occur as a result of the relationships you’ve helped build and maintain.

What strong broker-client relationships can do for you

In some cases, the relationships you create by lending a helping hand throughout your career can pay off in exciting ways you may not expect. For example, I developed a connection with a variety of brokers and carrier partners, including Trustmark’s Shaun Urista. I had known Shaun for a number of years, so when there was an opportunity to join Trustmark, Shaun was able to provide me with in-depth insight into the culture Trustmark has created and how it aligns with my values – something you wouldn’t normally do for just anyone.

Once I decided to pursue the opportunity with Trustmark, Shaun was also able to vouch for my passion for helping others and building strong relationships, ultimately helping me land the opportunity. All of this because of the working relationship we had developed and maintained over the years. And, obviously it’s worked out spectacularly – I’m diving into a new opportunity that will offer me tremendous potential to support clients and employees with voluntary benefits.

So, if you’re someone who’s been in the industry for as long as myself, or are just getting started, I suggest taking some time to recall who’s lent you a helping hand, when you’ve gone above and beyond or others, and who hasn’t always been reliable or reciprocated the same behavior. Because in the insurance industry, relationships that don’t have a foundation of trust may make it harder for you to push deals across the finish line. But your strong relationships can be your greatest asset for facilitating future deals, supporting clients, and making genuine lifelong connections.