IS AN ESOP FOR YOU? by Angela Bemiss Don't Sweat the Small Stuff . . . and It's All Small Stuff is an enjoyable little book that has spent a long time on the New York Times...

IS YOUR AGENCY SENDING THE RIGHT SIGNALS? by Emily Huling When was the last time you viewed your agency, either by phone or in person, as if you had never done business before? If you're...

IS YOUR BUSINESS DELIVERING OUTSTANDING SERVICE? by Emily Huling Most agencies want it, but few are successful at achieving it: consistent delivery of outstanding customer service. Organi...

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.

Improved communication has turned us into less adroit communicators. With e-mail, voice-mail, and cell phones, getting the message to another party is so easy that we no longer worry about the content of the message. Poor communications skills translate into lost business. This article by John Graham discusses these consequences and offers guidelines for improving communications.

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...

JOIN FORCES WITH A LIFE PROFESSIONAL by Harlan Warthen Harlan Warthen provides a simple, field proven, cost-effective program that you can use to produce a consistent flow of highly qualifi...

The major goal of any agency or brokerage can be expressed in just one word: survival.
The mounting failures involving seemingly strong, well-established businesses that have been around for 15 to 75 years are of great concern.
The time has come for agencies and brokerages to take immediate action in order to survive a protracted economic downturn that may extend for several more years in some sectors of business or regions of North America.