JUST LIKE SHOPPING FOR INSURANCE AT A SUPERMARKET! Dear (Customer Name): When you want to buy groceries, do you run around town to the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker...

SPEED: A NEW ENTITLEMENT by Jack Burke A benefit or a gift can quickly become something the receiver expects to get. Customer satisfaction, for instance, was originally a goal for businesse...

STAND TALL WITH STEWARDSHIP REPORTS by Rob Ekern Don'tbe left dangling on the hook of price and commodity. Stewardship is one of the most important techniques that agents and br...

It's a world in which insurance is converging with financial services, virtual companies are challenging traditional suppliers for market space, and agencies and brokerages are feeling the competition from new distribution channels.

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.

STAY FOCUSED ON SALES AND THE CLIENT The Dartnell Corporation, Chicago, IL, points out that the day-to-day activities of sales can easily distract producers from selling. Phone calls, meetings, paper...

STOP TRYING TO AVOID OBJECTIONS! by Bill Cates Whether youre asking for referrals, calling to set an appointment, or asking a prospect to become a client and you seem to get a r...

STRATCH THEIR I.T.C.H. - WATCH PEOPLE BEAT A PATH TO YOUR DOOR! by Mitch Axelrod What business are you in? Today, you, I, and everyone else is in the I.T.C.H. business! ...

STRATEGIC VS. TACTICAL COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE by Patricia Berry Any information about a competitor is i...

Problem:The insurance industry is under attack from consumer groups, is the subject of political debate and radical legislative...