ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE VIEW OF THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY by Mary Beth Bolen What are two 'facts' most customers 'know' about insurance? One, it costs too much. Two, if they make a claim, their po...

FINDING THE RIGHT CSR by William Vericker Where, and what, to look for hiring quality CSRs. When clients call, e-mail, or visit your agency, they count on someone to service their bus...

If you're thinking about what will be happening on the business scene in the future, the first step is to clear your mind of several popular misconceptions. More than ever, it will be dangerous to harbor-let alone act upon-erroneous ideas which can lead a business down the wrong road.

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.

Jack Fries looks into the differences between agencies that sell and retain a lot of business and those that don't. This applies to not only the sales people, but to the CSRs, who have the responsibility of account development.

Last week I was at a regional meeting where I met up with several producers from Texas. Having been a producer (a long time ago) and knowing how to swing a golf club, I fit right in. Being as committed to growth as I am, I ask the killer question that quickly exposes a problem. “John, what’s your growth goal for this year?”
He pauses and says “Um...around 65%.”
“Uh-huh. Where’s that from?” I asked.
“Well, I doubt I can do 80% and I didn’t want to sound like a loser and say 50 %, so I came up with 65%.”

Follow these guidelines to develop a comprehensive, effective e-marketing program.
With spam at epidemic levels and phishing and virus attacks threatening the industry, e-marketers face the challenge of getting their messages through to the right audience, while following e-mail marketing best practices.
Although many of the principles that govern print and broadcast media apply to e-mail, e-marketing has its unique set of opportunities and pitfalls. Here is a list of do’s and don’ts to consider:

TRIED AND TRUE MARKETING PRINCIPLES by Jack Burke The Internet is changing the way we do business. Thats true. Unfortunately, the hoopla over the Internet has caused people to forget t...

In the last decade, you may have heard the term 'program manager' or 'program administrator' being used frequently. They're often used interchangeably. This article will use 'program administrators,' or 'PAs.'

John R. Graham is president of Graham Communications, a marketing services and sales consulting firm. Mr. Graham is the author of The New Magnet Marketing and of 203 Ways to Be Supremely Successful in the New World of Selling. He can be contacted at 40 Oval Rd., Quincy, MA 02170, (617) 328-0069, fax (617) 471-1504, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.grahamcomm.com.