GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS WITH REFERRAL PROSPECTS by Bill Cates During a referral seminar last week, a participant came up to me at the break with a question. He told me that our Referral...

Cross-marketing between banks and insurance agencies remains largely virgin territory. Most of the potential has not even been charted, let alone mined.
In working with banks as partners, owners, or co-venturers, insurance principals should recognize the pros and cons of the affiliation to neutralize the negatives and build on the positives.

Ever since independent agencies were invented, their owners have wondered how to find, motivate, and keep good producers. But according to one consultant, most principals still aren't getting a good deal.

'Across the United States, more employee producers are overpaid yet underproduce,' says Jeffrey Wodicka. Wodicka is president of a consulting firm called Directions Agency Management Resources Limited of Rockville, New York, as well as principal of The Greystone Agency, also of Rockville.

GIRAFFES, EGGS, FROGS, AND OTHER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES by Emily Huling Bringing out the best in employees takes creativity. A successful boss treats customers and employees ...

GIVE A lsquo;THANK YOU' GIFT by Bill Cates Giving a Thank You gift is a simple strategy that will have people saying good things about you and generating ong...

We've all heard of the wondrous salesperson who can sell sand in Arabia or refrigerators in Antarctica. But actually finding one for your business can be as hard to do as-well, selling sand in Arabia or refrigerators in Antarctica!

We've all read about excellence, heard about excellence, talked about excellence, and quite frankly may be sick to death of excellence because the parameters...

GOOD COMPENSATION PLANS ATTRACT GOOD PEOPLE by Mark Shlien Many agencies have had to change their approach to compensation during the recession. Faced with declining revenues and profits,...

GOOD NEWS ON TAXES! by Robert Nein Make no mistake. Taxes are one of the most vexing problems facing today's business owner. Of the many forms of taxation, estate taxes are considered the most...

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS by Mike Manes Before the days of political correctness, there were great 'good news and bad news' jokes. 'Did you hear the one about the doctor who told t...