When someone is reluctant to give you referrals, it's likely that they're concerned about their friends' or colleagues' reactions to their names coming up in conversation and to your calling them. They could be afraid that their friends or colleagues wouldn't appreciate having a salesperson unleashed on them.

The following section is a varied and important one to a profitable independent agency. In it, you will learn the basis of the Sales Center concept and how Sales Centers have brought increased profitability, retention, and total-account sales into many agencies.

Many agencies establish a Sales Center with their existing personnel, or hire an additional administrative or customer service person to take over additional duties. Others find that the increased efficiency of a Sales Center allows them to expand their marketing efforts, and they hire an in-house or outside telemarketing staff to keep leads coming in to producers.

TELEMARKETER'S SKILLS

You might look toward four basic types of people when you're searching for prospective telemarketers:

Your own administrative or service employees
Professional salespeople
Experienced telemarketers
New employees who express an interest in telemarketing, but have little or no sales background

[NAME OF COMPANY HERE]

Presented by:

Producer's Name Here

Date

ABOUT YOUR PROPOSAL

We ask that you do not accept our brief description of the insurance coverages as a complete explanation of the policy terms. A narrative description can never replace a policy. The actual policy language will govern the scope and the limits of the coverage provided. You may wish to consult your attorney concerning this.

Although the technology is in place to sell insurance via the Net, consumers aren’t giving up the one night a year when they sit in their living rooms and listen to their agent pontificate about the advantages of "Plan A" versus "Plan B."

This dynamic might be changing. Insurers have cleared a huge hurdle for online sales — the need for a customer signature — either by using credit cards to bind coverage until the policy can be issued or by legalizing electronic signatures. Despite this advance, a very low percentage of insurance transactions are being handled online.

With summer approaching, the lull in autumn's new business results can't be far behind. September, October, and November are the weakest months for revenue and sales for a majority of agencies. Theories abound as to the reason, but probably it's because too many producers take the summer off from new account prospecting, or they spend their time continuing to round existing accounts. Sunshine, golf courses, and family take priority, and little new business is set up to be written in the fall.

STUFF EMPLOYEES NEED TO KNOW by Mitch Axelrod A recent article from a scholastic business journal, entitled something like the Three Things Your Employees: Need to Know, imp...

In a recent edition of The National Underwriter, Editor Sam Friedman recommended that risk managers begin to explore the capabilities of sophisticated regional and local brokerages. This recommendation was based on recent broker megamergers and the growing lack of choice available to buyers.

For an independent agency or brokerage to take advantage of this opportunity, it should adopt the consultative brokerage style. In particular, its managers must learn the techniques that these sophisticated buyers have come to expect. The stewardship report and the executive summary are two techniques that firms must master to be successful in large accounts.

TEN QUESTIONS SENIORS SHOULD ASK BEFORE BUYING AN ANNUITY by Jim Summers Senior Americans considering the purchase of an annuity to help save for or provide income during retirement shou...

THE 'CHICKEN LITTLE' SYNDROME by Brian Burke 'Brokers to Decline as Direct Sales Gain,' read the headline of the lead story in the Agent/Broker section of a r...