A recent article in a national training magazine used "insurance" as an example of a commodity sale. Do you agree with that? Is insurance a commodity? Do you sell it that way? Should it be sold that way? How do your insureds and prospects view it? In this article, the IIABA Faculty explores some of these issues.

LEARNING PLANS FOR CSRs by Mary Beth Bolen Customer service is a dynamic, changing field. A stick-in-the-mud agency that clings to outdated practices often stays right where it started - in the ...

LOSING THOSE MEETING BLUES by Jack Burke Meeting, noun. 1. A coming together; assembly. 2. A joining. 3. A hostile encounter, as a duel. (Webster's American Dictionary) Meeting, n...

INFORMATION DATE 19920814 DESCRIPTION USDOL Program Highlights, OSHA's Area Offices TOPIC Area Offices SUBJECT OSHA's Full Service Area Offices ABSTRACT Local offices of the Occupational Safety ...

PLANNING: A SURVIVAL TOOL As agency manager, every task you undertake on a daily basis should be one step nearer the completion of an overall agency plan. '...

Nothing happens until somebody sells something. To make sales happen, IMMS.com Key Sales Consultant Randy Schwantz...

Last week I was at a regional meeting where I met up with several producers from Texas. Having been a producer (a long time ago) and knowing how to swing a golf club, I fit right in. Being as committed to growth as I am, I ask the killer question that quickly exposes a problem. “John, what’s your growth goal for this year?”
He pauses and says “Um...around 65%.”
“Uh-huh. Where’s that from?” I asked.
“Well, I doubt I can do 80% and I didn’t want to sound like a loser and say 50 %, so I came up with 65%.”

PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS FOR CSRs by Mary Beth Bolen Education is often termed a 'ticket to success'-and with good reason! More and more career-conscious agents and their office-support perso...

SEXUAL HARASSMENT: SOME PREVENTIVE MEASURES by Edward Piantek What can employers do to reduce the occurrence of potentially costly third-party liability lawsuits? Plenty. Keep in mind that court...

STAY FOCUSED ON SALES AND THE CLIENT The Dartnell Corporation, Chicago, IL, points out that the day-to-day activities of sales can easily distract producers from selling. Phone calls, meetings, paper...