Many readers have been asking me for scripts that cover the first phone call to a new referral prospect. Obviously, this first call will vary greatly for a number of reasons: The nature of your business, the circumstances of the referral, and whether or not your client introduced you in some way — just to name a few.

CAN YOUR AGENCY BECOME PARTNERS WITH A BANK? by Roger Thomas Are you an agent who wants to sell to, or partner with, a bank? If so, you're probably searching for a banker who is in...

A soft insurance market is often used as an excuse for ignoring certain issues. Why bother figuring out whether to retain risk or transfer it to...

Ten years ago it took $5 million in total agency revenues and about $30 million in Property/Casualty premiums to land on the top 100 agency list. Now an agency needs to have in excess of $10 million in revenues and $60 million in premiums to make the cut. Ten years ago the average independent agency in the country had $250,000 in total revenues with six to seven people. Today the average is close to $600,000 in revenues, also with six to seven people. To use a phrase from Bob Dylan, "the times, they are a changing."

COMMUNICATION BUILDS TRUST by Bill Cates Why we all need honest communication in our business and personal lives. In his book Just Be Honest, Steven Gaffney believes that withhold...

Very few employees will leave your agency simply for more money. They will usually have other valid (to them) reasons that, when also combined with a higher salary, push them to seek employment elsewhere. If a review of the compensation survey results (from another Middleton letter) confirmed that your agency is paying people within a reasonable range of 'average,' the level of compensation should not be of major concern. What you do have to worry about is how you are paying those dollars and how your management philosophy and style complement the overall compensation administration plan.

DO BANKS OVERPAY FOR P/C AGENCIES? by James M. Campbell Since 1998, the banking industry has been the most active acquirer of Property/Casualty insurance agencies....

You've recently welcomed a baby into your family, and now you're ready to plan for your child's future. You already know that life insurance is a wise financial decision for you, but does your newborn need life insurance?

ETHICS IN LIFE INSURANCE AND RELATED FINANCIAL SERVICES by Samuel H. Weese, Ph.D., CLU, CPCU and Egnar F. Jensen In recent years, ethics has become a highly visible issue in the world of financial ...

Being a versatile industry, Forex trading consists of several different approaches, trading techniques and functionalities. With a multitude of diverse traders and investors all around the globe, a common characteristic that often creates a split in terms of trading style is the standard and automatic factor. While many traders still prefer to engage in trading manually, there is a rise in automated FX bots among traders for certain obvious reasons.