CONSULTANTS: TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR! by Mike Manes A consultant's work should go to the bottom line, not the bottom shelf. Mike Manes presents a set of quest...

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.”

CONTRACTORS - A DIFFICULT INDUSTRY Dear (Customer Name): Yours is a difficult industry. We at (Your Agency Name) know because we've been insuring general contractors for ( ) years. We also know yo...

CREATE WEALTH BY SHARING IT by John Jaques Over the last several years, I've noticed that higher-value, faster-growing, and superior-profit agencies have a strong willingness to sh...

In decades past, specialty insurance programs were often fraught with folly. Today, underwriters know that a combination of inexperienced underwriting with an ineffective national sales organization can kill almost any program. How do you create or participate in one with a significant life span? Thomas Gillingham’s document should answer all of your questions.

CUSTOMER LOYALTY AND RETENTION PRIMER by Lynn Thomas In todays highly competitive marketplace, customer retention is a critical success factor. IIAAs Best Practices lists i...

CUSTOMERS: COMPLEXITY, INTANGIBLES, AND INSURANCE by Chris Burand During the past few months, regulations have been proposed that would require agents and brokers to provide clients co...

Developing new business is an integral part of every insurance agent’s regimen. There are endless ways to go about looking for new business. Jack Fries explains why successful agents must know how to focus their efforts to engage in the most efficient methods possible.

DEVELOPING SUCCESSFUL PRODUCERS byCarol Hammes The most serious challenge facing the Independent Agency System today is...

DO YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS? by Emily Huling Well, of course you care about your customers! At least, you believe you do. How do you show it? If you're like most of the sales...