RE: Professional Development

Dear Young Agent,

As the Director of Education and Technical Affairs for the Alabama Independent Insurance Agents, I am often asked by new insurance professionals about a ‘career path.’ “What can I do in a short period of time to get me into the competitive world of insurance?”

The answer of course, is education. You must be devoted to a highly specialized field of study, namely the technical and competitive sales skills necessary to become successful. It takes both sales and technical courses of study to become successful.

You can be technically proficient and also sales proficient in less time than you think. Today’s young agents are starting their technical and sales training earlier than ever. Technical courses such as Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR), and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) are two excellent choices for technical information. Dynamics of Selling, Best Practices and the annual Young Agents Conference are great sources for sales instruction.

You will find the link to our online Education Calendar and a schedule for the CISR and CIC courses at www.aiia.org/flat/aieducation.html we offer over the year. If you have any questions on these, or any of our educational programs, please give us a call. We will be happy to help you in any way we can to become the success you want to be!

Ted Kinney, CIC, CPCU, ARM, AU, AAM, AAI, CPIA
Director of Education & Technical Affairs