ASSESSING YOUR FIRM'S RESOURCES by Bill Schoeffler and Catherine Oak Today, it is critical for insurance agents and brokers to plan their own destiny. One can never be quite c...

Those who own a business hold their peers in high regard. You might dislike someone personally, but give them a thumbs-up when it comes to running a company. Those who survived the recession deserve a special commendation. Only the native outsider thinks otherwise.

You've probably received great encouragement-- if not downright pressure-to put your business on the Internet. Whether you already have an Internet presence or are merely contemplating one, you should realize that just having a Web site doesn't guarantee that the people you want to reach will actually see it. You may have hung out your shingle, but the Internet customers you seek might be nowhere in sight.

Did you know that ...THE MAJORITY OF YOUR FELLOW DRIVERS HAVE HAD FEW OR NO ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING THEIR CARS?! In fact, The Insurance Institute...

AUTO DEALERS - 'CAR MODELS COME AND GO' Dear (Customer Name): Car models come and go. Each year brings in new models and new, improved options. But what about your insurance? Does your insurance p...

AUTO DEALERS - 'WE UNDERSTAND YOUR BUSINESS' NO ONE KNOWS YOUR BUSINESS BETTER THAN YOU Dear (Customer Name): Every business is special. In the auto dealer business, you have your own t...

AUTO-RV Dear (Customer Name): It's almost time to pack up the family and head for your favorite vacation spot - or visit someplace new. And it's so easy to do with your RV. But your recreational ...

AVOID THE EMPATHY TRAP by Chris Burand The ability to empathize is admirable. It requires listening, understanding, ...

In spite of 19th-hole braggadocio about rising sales figures, bottom-line results, and upcoming prospects, businesses do stall and stagnate. Streamline.com was a raging Internet stock until it ran into a wall. Kodak used to be a Wall Street favorite, and now it's struggling to find itself. P&G once had 99.44 % acceptance; now the tide seems to have turned. For years, Xerox set the standard; then it lost direction.

AVOID THE SIX ONLINE MARKETING MISTAKES MADE BY MOST AGENTS by Jack Fries These common errors can cripple your online marketing program. According to leading Internet consultant, Ross Jard...