In the next few years, you'll probably be devoting more time and resources to Life and Health insurance products - that is, if you're at all like the estimated 2,000 independent agents who participated in the "Future One Agency Universe Study."

The study shows that independent agents are increasingly aware of the need to be full-service insurance providers. Agents who have traditionally focused on Property/Casualty insurance see the need to expand more aggressively into Life and other types of insurance products. In fact, slightly more than half the agencies surveyed said that over the next three years, they'll devote a higher proportion of agency resources to Life and Health products.

All producers know that overcoming objections is part of the selling process. However, many forget that making objections is just as intrinsic to the buying process.

To identify the root causes of objections, producers should put themselves into the buyer's shoes. You also buy in your personal life, so use your own experiences to sharpen your expertise.

Though faced with the realities of dramatic economic change, the reconfiguration of the business landscape, and globalization, U.S. companies continue to go down the wrong path. Former U.S. Treasury Department official Michael Jacobs calls it "business myopia."

It may be argued that "enhancing shareholder value" drives the myopic vision of publicly-traded companies, but "shareholder demand" is perhaps more accurate. In privately held companies, myopic thinking results from a desire to increase market share or simply beat last month's figures.

Do you own any antiques, fine arts, collections or other special value items such as tamps or Coins?

Do you own any jewelry or furs valued at over $1000 which are not specifically insured?

You've made the decision to form a captive premium finance company. You've also chosen to run your operation either by outsourcing to a third-party vendor or using software to run the operation in house. Chances are that your lending arrangement and state licensing are also in place. You're now ready to get started and you want to book your first loan. Before you open your doors for business, take a moment to consider some important factors in this new frontier of insurance premium financing.

Electronic document storage is an issue that every agency should address as part of their management process. Steve Anderson offers some ideas to help you stay ahead of the storage curve.

During recent months, I've been asked to do a number of workshops on team building. These principles cover the basics.

IMMS Consultant Mike Manes strives to facilitate change, communication, learning, and positive results. To that end, Manes has written this powerful, substantial document. The IMMS Management Center will post it in three installments. Used singly or in combination, these documents will help you build your skills and achieve your goals.

AGREEMENT made and entered into this ____ day of ____________, 20__ by and between [NAME OF INSURANCE AGENCY], a [State] corporation having a principal place of business in [City, State], (hereinafter the 'Agency') and _____________ of ____________, [State] (hereinafter the 'Producer').

Producer Success Lesson 1

Nothing happens until somebody sells something. To make sales happen, IMMS.com Key Sales Consultant Randy Schwantz has created a comprehensive series of 43 Producer Success Lessons. Used singly or in combination, these powerful tools can help your producers build their skills - and grow their sales.