Whether you watch the Super Bowl for the competitive drama or just for the commercials, Kevin Stipe asks you to consider these three similarities in strategy between championship caliber football teams and Best Practices insurance agencies.

WOWING EMPLOYEES: THE FOUNDATION TO HIGH PROFITS by Lynn Thomas Recently, I participated in a 10-day road show for an insurance company. During a dry run of my presentation on customer re...

WRESTLING PROFITS FROM SMALL COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS by Sharon Cunningham This article by Sharon Cunningham will discuss the difference between the agencies that handle small accounts because t...

WRITING AND CREATING YOUR AGENCY'S BUSINESS PLAN by Paige Proctor Use this proven, systematic approach to ...

In Canada, they call them "expiry dates." In the U.S., they are called "expiration dates."

No matter what name they are given-"renewal dates," "anniversary dates," or any other name-one point is abundantly clear: People are more willing to change their agent or broker at renewal time than at any other time of year.

That is the way it has been in the past, particularly in Personal Lines, and surely that is the way it is going to be in the future.

X-dating is the name of the game. If you anticipate to grow; if you expect to even maintain last year's volume in this price cutting market; then you'd better believe X-dating is a must.

Expiration Date! Renewal Date! Anniversary Date! Call it whatever you wish. But without a pocket full of X-dates, you are "whistling Dixie" while some direct writer or, even worse, your fellow association contemporary, is marching off with your share of the market.

Over the past 4 years or so, we have been overwhelmed with information regarding social media marketing for use in your agency. Selecting the most direct route for engaging clients and worthwhile prospects...

YOURE UNIQUE - SO, SPREAD THE WORD! by Maribeth Kusmeski If your agency were truly unique, your clients would be letting others know. Do they? If youre delivering...

Now is the season to be on the lookout for the thieves. In rocky economic times, they come out to prey on companies eager to hold on to current customers and find new ones, introduce new products and services, or simply increase their market share.

YOUR AGENCY NEEDS TO SAVE TIME RIGHT NOW by Grace Bauer In these tough times, your agency needs to operate as efficiently as possible so that you can maintain your book, sell more busines...