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It is not easy being a new insurance agent. The insurance landscape is rapidly changing, becoming more competitive even as carriers are looking to pay lower commissions; both the economic downturn and the Affordable Care Act have made the industry more difficult to break into than ever.

Still, there are opportunities for new insurance agents to grow their business and thrive—even in these challenging market conditions. Here are a few things you should do immediately as a new insurance agent.

Get a website. Having a website isn’t just an extra in today’s industry. It’s essential. Your customers expect you to have one, and many of them will use the web to find an insurance agent and good insurance deals. You need to have a way for them to find you online as well as get quotes online, quickly and easily.

Build a referral system. Insurance agents often get new business based on word of mouth and trust. It’s essential, especially when you’re starting out, to build a system that encourages the customers you have to send new business your way.

Partner with local businesses. Depending on the type of insurance you sell, your business may be local or more widespread. However, building partnerships with businesses in your area can be a great way to get new business either way. These partnerships can be instrumental to your referral system, for instance; you may have little say in how much your premiums cost and unable to offer discounts for referrals, but you could partner with businesses who will offer discounts on their own products and services in exchange for you referring business to them in return. This type of arrangement could benefit both parties.

Get on social media. Potential customers these days are on all kinds of social media platforms—from LinkedIn to Facebook and Twitter. The appropriate platform for you depends on your market, but all of them can be great sources of business and good ways to make connections, both with potential customers and business partners. Best of all, they’re free.

Find trade groups in your area. Trade groups exist for almost every industry, and chances are you can find one that attracts the businesses or individuals who need the type of insurance you sell. These can be great places to make contacts and find local business in your insurance category, either by networking in person or finding advertising opportunities—or both.

Getting started as a new insurance agent isn’t easy. But there are a few things you should consider doing right away in order to get going. Forging connections at the local level, finding trade groups and associations where you can meet potential customers, setting up a referral system that relies on business partnerships, and establishing a strong web presence are all ideas that can move your business forward.