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Selling insurance to small business owners can be its own special challenge. Individual owners often have considerable risk exposure, as a larger business would—but without the same resources, in terms of money or time, to research or buy the coverage they need.

But the potential for business in this market is great: according to the US Small Businesses Profile https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/advocacy/2018-Small-Business-Profiles-US.pdf, there were approximately 30 million small businesses in the United States as of 2018. All of them need some form of insurance.

And it’s an underserved market. Many insurance agencies focus their efforts on consumers or larger companies with more resources. It can take time to work with and educate small business owners on the insurance they need—but spending the time can be worth it. Here are a few tips for connecting with this underserved audience.

Know what your prospect needs. Many small business owners face a specific challenge: they don’t completely understand their risk exposures, or the type of coverage they need. And they don’t have someone on staff whose job is to understand the issue.

That’s where you come in. As a professional with a thorough understanding of their business and risk, you can educate them on what they need—and help them get the coverage necessary to protect their business.

Understand the pressures they’re under. Most small business owners don’t have a lot of resources in terms of money or time. This can make it more difficult to sell to them, and it’s why many insurance agents focus on other markets.

But working with small business owners can be very rewarding. By thoroughly understanding their business and working with them to choose a coverage strategy that’s both effective and cost-efficient, you can help them ensure that they’re protected from catastrophic financial loss when they most need to be.

Bear in mind that small business owners don’t have a lot of time—and adjust your tactics accordingly. Work on ways to break complex insurance issues down into easily understandable concepts that simplify the process for them.

Meet them where they are. Where can you find your ideal small business prospect—both online and in person? Consider in-person industry conventions as well as online industry forums, discussion groups, and social media communities.

Before you sell, join the conversation. Find out what issues these prospects face on a daily basis, the challenges they deal with and the concerns they have, and think about how you can address those concerns in your marketing and content strategy.

Working with small business owners can be challenging—but it can also be very rewarding. Meet them where they are, be willing to work within their time and financial constraints, and listen to the conversations in their communities, both online and off—and you should be able to have great success in this market.