INDUSTRY IMAGE IMPROVEMENT PLAN by Mary Beth Bolen How to improve the industry? One day at a time, says the National Association of Insurance Women (NAIW), Tulsa, OK. To mark NAIW Week (...

INSURANCE COMPANIES AND AGENCIES: THE PARTNERSHIP DREAM by Carol Hammes A proven way to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with your carriers. Most insurance companies have ...

INSURANCE COMPANIES: WILL THE REAL COMPETITORS PLEASE STAND UP? by Chris Burand Chris Burand tells why companies need to know their competition inside and outside their agency plant...

INTELLIGENCE AND MARKETING by Al Diamond 'Some agents wouldn't dig for gold even if you guaranteed them a strike!' Does any insurance agent truly believe that there is LESS Personal or Comm...

INTERNAL CREDIT POLICIES: CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION by Mary Beth Bolen Let's face it-few people enjoy collecting funds for premiums. Collecting on past-due accounts is even less pleasant. W...

INVEST ESOP DIVIDENDS INTO A 401(k) An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) allows workers to invest a percentage of income into their company. Most stocks produce quarterly dividends in t...

Marketing may be second-nature in large companies, but smaller firms often have a tough time implementing, managing, and monitoring an effective marketing strategy. The 'marketing director' title is often conferred on the person designated to answer requests for sales literature, or given as an afterthought to the sales manager (who thinks that marketing is just another way of spelling s-a-l-e-s).

Selling isn’t about making sales — it’s about engaging customers, entering into a conversation with them, and letting them respond when they’re ready to buy. That’s called marketing, and marketing makes sales. In this article, John Graham uses Krispy Kreme Donuts as an example of how a company finds ways to create excitement and build customer loyalty.

As the corporate misdeeds of executives continue to dominate the news, we hear about the curses of greed and immorality. But John Graham calls these executives disloyal. This article focuses on the importance of loyalty in a company and the need to hire loyal employees.
It’s time to get our heads on straight. That 60s phrase is a perfect fit for today’s confused and disturbing business climate, as each newscast brings darker revelations of corporate abuse.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BRAND: USING PUBLIC RELATIONS TO BRAND by Michael Maynard How do you brand your business? A catchy name and logo certainly help, and if you have an advertising budget t...