FINDING NEW TALENT STARTS WITH SMART HIRING PRACTICES by Mark Shlien Although the recession has resulted in layoffs, many insurance agencies are still hiring. However, changing job requir...

HIGHER EXPECTATIONS EQUAL GREATER PROFIT MARGINS by Carol Hammes Greater profit margins and elevated agency values are the direct result of higher levels of productivity attained by...

How Healthy Are Your Agency's Finances? by Tom Doran To keep your agency finances sound, balance revenue generated (production) with benefits paid. In 1950, there were 16.5 workers pa...

HOW TO USE CONSULTANTS by Al Diamond Sooner or later, many agencies realize that they have problems that only an objective outsider can help resolve. Time to work with a...

IMPLEMENT THE RIGHT PROCEDURES TO RAISE REVENUE by Grace Bauer Is your agency using step-by-step procedures to train its employees? Has it reviewed its procedures to make sure they save tim...

MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP Management implies the existence of formal authority, while leadership may not have any connection with formal authority. Marketing managers are in their...

Motivation is tied closely to compensation, but the two are very different. Compensation is simply one form of motivation. There are many forms, all of which should accomplish one thing: encourage producers to sell and make them feel good about what they're doing and where they're doing it. A good motivational environment will help both Life and P/C producers. You should have a motivational atmosphere for your CSRs, as well. You should maintain a high recognition level in which all agency members can participate.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO AGENCY GROWTH by Carol Hammes Deal with agency growth problems before they reach a crisis point. Unfortunately, this agency scenario is all too common. Enough new bu...

PERPETUATION OR SUCCESSION? by Al Diamond Planning for succession can be highly rewarding if you have the right people behind you. It can be downright dangerous if you dont. Al Diamond...

SECURE CONSISTENCY! PROTECT YOUR AGENCY! by Grace Bauer A year has passed since I began talking full-time to agencies nationwide. I found the main concern of 99.9% of the agencies to b...