THREE TIPS FOR SETTING GOALS by Bill Cates As you set goals, consider these three guidelines. (Although most people dont think of the third one, its just as important as the...

THREE WAYS TO LOWER YOUR AGENCY VALUE by Bill Schoeffler and Catherine Oak When you sell your business, heres what youre really selling. When agency owners sell thei...

TIE IN WITH AN INSURER Dear (Customer Name): You know the pride involved in being an independent business owner. It took courage and foresight to forge your own business, and you did it. But it's ...

TIME FOR E&O ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS by Grace Bauer Although most agencies seldom have an E&O claim, practically every agency procedure from thank-you notes to meetings can hav...

TIME FOR THE YEARLY ACCOUNT REVIEW AGAIN by Grace Bauer It's about time to discuss the yearly account review process again. As we all know, most agencies have difficulty performing the year...

TIME MANAGEMENT FOR PRODUCERS by Ken Buehler Avoid these common traps that can waste producers time - and your money. Time management is an essential ingredient to ...

TIME OFF: THE GUILT TRIP by Grace Bauer What happens in your agency when an employee calls in sick? As with any other event, if you have a plan in place youll be able to ...

For a business to be successful it doesn’t only need to make sales and hit its targets they need to collect the cash from these sales too. It may sound obvious but businesses need to have cash available and have liquid assets if they are to operate smoothly and thrive.

The best way to master the tools reviewed here is to practice using them on the next spreadsheet you create. Sometimes it pays to take a step back and ask, "How can this basic spreadsheet be enhanced?" When these tools (along with a myriad of others that Excel has to offer) are applied properly, it's amazing what a spreadsheet can do.

Once these tools are mastered, it will be difficult to go back to that old pocketknife. When preparing your next spreadsheet, keep in mind the Excel tools discussed here, and use them often. Just as your trusty pocketknife comes in handy in many different situations, so will these tips for Excel spreadsheets.

TIPS ON WRITING SALES LETTERS Sales letters have many purposes: to sell a specific product, to sell the agency image, to keep customers informed of new coverage options, to complement service f...