If your renewal conversation is the only time a client hears from you, don’t be shocked when they leave. Risk advisors spend months chasing new business, only to lose it at renewal. Why? Because retention isn't reactive. It's relational.
The truth is your competition isn't another agency down the street - it's your client’s growing sense of indifference. That “meh” feeling that sets in when communication fades, service slips, and the relationship feels purely transactional.
Let’s fix that with five proven retention plays that don’t require a massive time investment - just intentionality:
1. Stop Selling, Start Strategizing.
Clients don’t renew because you placed a policy. They renew because you’re solving their business problems. Position yourself as a strategic risk advisor - someone who improves their risk profile and helps them control their total cost of risk year-round.
Schedule quarterly or semi-annual risk review meetings. Not to “check in” - but to show progress and adjust strategy.
2. Create a 12-Month Touchpoint Plan.
Many producers disappear for 11 months, then show up asking for a BOR or renewal meeting. Instead, build a retention rhythm with your team:
- Month 1: Post-renewal onboarding email
- Month 3: Risk audit or claims check-in
- Month 6: Mid-year update/satisfaction survey
- Month 9: Industry benchmark report
- Month 12: Pre-renewal strategy call
It’s not just communication. It’s choreography.
3. Give Them Something to Talk About.
Referrals come from delight, not discounts. Surprise your best clients with something meaningful: a personalized note, a gift tied to their business goals, or early access to a resource. Retention is driven by emotion, not logic.
4. Use Your Team.
Retention isn’t your job alone. Get your account managers, benefits team, claims advocates, and strategic partners involved. Visit your clients together and introduce them. Clients stay when they feel surrounded by value.
5. Measure What Matters.
Track your Google Reviews and Net Promoter Score. Log your client touchpoints. Analyze renewal rates by producer. Don’t just hope for loyalty - engineer it.