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The Power of One Extra Degree in Your Insurance Agency

Today’s inspiration comes from a devotional by David Villa (Davidvilla.com). I’ve adapted it for our world as insurance agency owners and leaders.

At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils—and that one extra degree produces steam powerful enough to move a locomotive. In business, it’s often that one extra degree of effort that makes all the difference.

For independent insurance agencies, this principle is huge. The extra degree isn’t about working 24/7 or burning yourself out—it’s about small, intentional improvements that separate a good agency from a great one.

Where Agencies Can Add One Extra Degree

Client Follow-Up – Don’t stop after one voicemail or one email. The extra degree is the second or third touch that shows clients you care and helps you win the account.
Retention Strategies – Most agencies send renewal notices. The extra degree is a personal phone call, a thank-you gift, or a quick “insurance checkup” conversation that strengthens the relationship.
Cross-Selling – At 211 degrees, you quote the client’s home insurance. At 212, you also ask about their auto, umbrella, or life coverage—and suddenly, you’ve added more revenue and deeper loyalty.
Team Development – Training your staff on systems is standard. The extra degree is investing in leadership development, sales coaching, or tools that make them more efficient and fulfilled.
Marketing Consistency – Posting once in a while on social media keeps you warm. Posting consistently, sending email newsletters, and optimizing your website turns up the heat—and drives inbound leads.

Practical Steps to Apply the 212 Principle

Set Clear, Measurable Goals – Define where you want your agency to go, then identify one extra degree of action in each area (sales, service, marketing).
Commit to Daily Consistency – Small actions—daily follow-ups, weekly team meetings, monthly marketing pushes—compound into breakthroughs.
Embrace a Growth Mindset – See challenges not as setbacks, but as opportunities to stretch. One degree of learning today is exponential growth tomorrow.
Welcome Feedback – Ask your team and clients how you can improve. Honest feedback is the thermometer that tells you where you stand.
Stay Resilient – Often, success is just one more call, one more attempt, or one more degree away.

Final Encouragement

At Jenesis Software, we see this truth every day. Agencies that lean in just a little more—making the extra call, sending the extra email, showing the extra care—are the ones that grow and thrive.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is often just one extra degree.

Question for you: Where can you add one more degree this week in your agency?