THE AGENCY MISSION STATEMENT An agency mission statement is a simple outline of the agency's overall goal. It should be phrased in terms of meeting the needs of current and potential cl...

THE ART OF LISTENING by Jack Burke Picture yourself at your desk shuffling through some new paperwork you've just received from one of your companies. Propped to your ear is the telephon...

THE BENEFITS OF CROSS-SELLING EMPLOYEE BENEFITS by Rob Ekern Adding Employee Benefits offers a great way to strengthen relationships with Commercial Lines accounts, while d...

The old marketplace selection process is futile. There simply aren’t enough carriers to go around, it’s not in the client’s best interests, and it doesn’t allow a firm to differentiate itself. To make matters worse, the average hit ratio is a whopping 15%! Rob Ekern recommends (and explains) the Brokerage Selection Process for developing and retaining revenue.

THE CONSULTANT CONTRACT by Paige Proctor So you decided to hire a consultant. You received the proposal and liked what it said. You then checked the references and decided to move the propos...

THE FIVE WAYS AGENTS GET FIRED! by Rob Ekern Independent agencies and brokerages are facing a growing threat to their middle market Commercial clients. These firms are being squeezed from...

THE HARDENING MARKET: PROBLEM OR OPPORTUNITY? by Jack Burke I never sold an insurance policy in my life, unless you include Credit Life insurance and Automotive Extended Care c...

THE HERO FACTOR-USE IT FOR REFERRALS! by Bill Cates One reason people like to give referrals is to help their friends, ...

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESOURCES: HOW CONSULTATIVE BROKERS DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES by C.R. Ekern Consultative brokerages develop spheres of resources to provide their clients a higher level of expe...

THE LOST ART OF BROKING by Rob Ekern Write quality, profitable business in soft and hard markets alike. I was speaking with a broker several weeks ago about the importance o...