THE POWER OF TESTIMONIALS by Jack Burke Preachers might have been the first to understand the power of te...

THE PRESS RELEASE: MAKE SURE IT'S NEWS Press stories on your business, products, services or employees can be extremely valuable promotional tools. Published articles often carry greater credibil...

Many marketing managers and representatives may ask: "Why is a sales center important to me? Isn't it designed for niche- or target-marketing? How would this fit into my company, that wants Main Street business?"

Having a marketing-representative background provides me with a unique perspective on sales centers. I know that the marketing representative is much more than a "go-for" problem-solver, running down endorsements, acting as portable shrink between underwriters and agents, or being "the official news agency TAS," spouting party line. I know that marketing is the precursor to selling.

THE SALES FUNNEL: AVOID FEAST OR FAMINE by Al Diamond Use this proven system to maintain consistent sales results month after month. The Sales Funnel provides an invaluable res...

THE SALES PERSONALITY: THE CHAMELEON By Al Diamond Great salespeople have the ability blend with and mimic their surroundings. Agency principals have often asked me to hel...

When it comes to marketing, all too many agents are sinners. Many agents focus on the single client or prospect...

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF MARKETING Craig Shields, president, Direct Marketing Agency, Inc., Irvine, CA, recently identified seven categories of basic mistakes that make marketing expensive, wasteful,...

THE SEVEN MOST DEADLY SINS COMMITTED BY AGENCY MANAGERS by Robert Westin This article has nothing to do with morals. I'm not in the business of saving souls but of helping others ...

THE SOFTENING MARKET: DON'T CHANGE HORSES by Rob Ekern Use these six proven ways to beat the soft market. Those of you who are historians will recall one of the grea...

THE TELEMARKETING CONCEPT Telemarketing separates the prospecting and sales functions in an insurance agency, leading producers more time to sell. Telemarketers spend the majority of the...