Almost two years ago, after 10 years of consulting, I accepted a temporary assignment of managing an independent agency that generated 85% of its income from Property/Casualty Lines and 15% from Life, Health, and financial services products.

COMMUNICATING INSURANCE JARGON Good communication skills are necessary to satisfy clients' needs-and that is the most important part of a CSR's job. A common barrier to good communication, an...

What you want will only get done if you make it an A+ priority. Jack Fries tells you how a business plan can reward you with survival, planned growth, and profit.

IF I WERE MARKETING MANAGER FOR A DAY by Janis Williamson, CPCU, CPIW The role of the marketing manager is quite different than it has ever been before because the marketplace is li...

This is not the time to be passive about company relationships. If you want to stay in business, you must develop and maintain strong company contacts. As you continue to court new markets, also devote time to enhance relations with your current carriers. Remember, decisive interaction with company personnel is a powerful tool in agency-company relations.

MANAGING COMPANY RELATIONS by Carol Hammes In recent reports, I have addressed the changing nature of the relationship between the American agency companies and the independent a...

SECURE A COMPANY APPOINTMENT, PART I: ANALYZE THE NEED by Jack Fries This two-part article focuses on how to get the companies and markets your agency needs. Securing a com...

SHARK-PROOF YOUR ACCOUNTS! by David Connolly Use this strategy to insulate newly written accounts against the comeback attack of the incumbent agent. Youve sold y...