A RELATIONSHIP AUDIT by Michael Manes Before the agency marriage, both parties need to answer these questions. The article was thought provoking...

This is a tale of three agents and what all agents should know about what could be a booming market. The story carries a challenge and a test to see what you would do in a not-too-rare scenario. After all, you might be just like one of these agents.

ACCOUNT ROUNDING BY CSRs by Ralph Manfredi In this article, Ralph Manfredi focuses on a proven system for turning service into sales and profits. Learn how to turn every service...

ACCOUNTING AUDITS AND REVIEWS: WORTH THE EXPENSE by Chris Burand Agencies can avoid a lot of grief by obtaining annual accountants reviews or audits. An audit can catch inno...

ACCOUNTING VS. THE FRONT OFFICE by Gail Franzen Is there friction in your office between your accounting department and your service staff? Gail Franzen advises you to tackle ...

Selling in every industry and every size of business is changing so radically...

You could be better off by acquiring a sales superstar than buying another agency.

Every year the numbers seem to get more outrageous. Pay levels for “impact player” athletes such as LeBron James and Tiger Woods continue to climb into the stratosphere. And it isn’t just athletes. You name the endeavor, whether it’s in the business, entertainment, or even the academic world, and there’s a near-universal phenomenon occurring: Impact player inflation. Despite the fact that it drives a lot of people crazy to hear that some people are making so much money, there’s a simple reason for the inflation: The impact players are worth it.

ACQUISITIONS: IS BIGGER REALLY BETTER? by Chris Burand Although, in general, growth is essential for agencies to retain markets and profitability, unrestrained growth via ac...

How is an unorganized pool of data in your files transformed into a systematic stream of active leads for Life production?
You want to avoid the pitfalls that many P/C agents have encountered -- pitfalls that have killed Life-sales operations. To build a successful, positive lead program, it's prudent to identify potential negatives.

Here's a letter I received recently:
Dear Dave:
I am the manager of a four-person Life/Benefits department of a P/C agency. The agency is set up with profit centers such as Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, Surety, and Life/Benefits. Each profit center shares in the common overhead of the agency office supplies, salaries, etc.
I have no problem having my department pay for what it uses.