lsquo;POWER SHIFT - NICHE MARKETING IN TODAYS WORLD by Mike Manes This article by Mike Manes is the setup for an argument on niche marketing. Manes relies on a...

Just when we think we've grasped what's happening in business, something changes to disrupt the precarious balance. It may occur in the economy, an industry, a region, a particular market, or technology that alters even the most flexible business plan.

Establishing a strategy, then staying with it, was possible for most businesses until the last decade. Planning a year or more in advance was relatively easy. Ups and downs would occur but with a high degree of predictability. Hitting sales and revenue targets was almost a natural outcome.

COMMUNITY BANK INSURANCE SALES: THE OUTLOOK by James Campbell Are community banks being left behind as the bank insurance business lurches forward? While nine of every 10 U.S. banks with gr...

Change — it’s inevitable. A recent article stated that “change is not progress; change is the price we pay for progress.” As consumers, we all want more, better, less costly stuff than we have today. As providers of products and services, we feel that we’re already doing more with less and shouldn’t be expected to sacrifice again. Maxine, the cartoon character, summed it up best when she said, “change is good, as long as I can do what I’ve always done.”

CONTINGENCY COMMISSIONS: A WIN-WIN PROPOSAL by Al Diamond This solution to the contingencies controversy benefits everybody in sight. In October 2004, New York Attorney-General E...

Open the way to sales success with these three keys to interacting with prospects.

It's a world in which insurance is converging with financial services, virtual companies are challenging traditional suppliers for market space, and agencies and brokerages are feeling the competition from new distribution channels.