SUCCESS STORY MARKETING by E. Al Diamond Last week, I got a notice from my real estate broker announcing that she had just sold another house in my neighborhood. Then I realized that...

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.

SUCCESSFUL TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES: PART 1 by Bruce Shaffer Do you find it hard to use the telephone to help build your business? A lot of people do. This two-part series...

SUCCESSFUL TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES: PART 2 by Bruce Shaffer In 'Successful Telephone Communication Techniques: Part I,' we talked about initiating a phone conversation ...

SURVEYS SUBSTANTIATE THEORY: RETENTION EQUALS GROWTH When striving to make an agency grow, most agency managers focus on increasing new business. But it's just as important to address improv...

SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF: SUCCEEDING BY SERVING THE CUSTOMER by Jack Burke The top-selling book Don't Sweat The Small Stuff gave me pause to think. Many businesses today aren't sweating the...

SWOT: ASSESSING YOUR CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES by Pamela Millard There are signs that the economy is improving. Some have even suggested that the recession is over. Lets hope s...

TARGETING THE ETHNIC CONSUMER by Jack Burke In the marketing field, the debate continues as to which is better, a well-aimed shot with a 22-caliber rifle or a broad spray of buckshot fr...

The virtual office concept, also known as telecommuting or a mobile office, emerged as the American work force shifted from physical labor to knowledge-based work. Workers who create or manipulate information can generally perform anywhere there is a telephone, desk, chair, and computer. Technology enables the knowledge-based worker's office to be portable.

TELEMARKETING CAN BUILD BUSINESS by Randall Marc and Adam Seid Before beginning a telemarketing campaign, some internal research needs to be done. Everyone would like to believe th...