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...

BANK LESSONS FROM JOINT VENTURES AND AGENCY ACQUISITIONS by Robert Smith The trade press has been filled over the course of the past two years with announcements of banks entering the agen...

When a bank buys an insurance agency it's a marriage made in heaven. At least, it seems that way. On the agency side, principals have the opportunity to cash out at a time when values are declining. For those wanting to remain in the business, a bank offers a needed infusion of capital.

BUILD CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE AND LOYALTY FOR THE LONG TERM by Mary Beth Bolen Historically, it's been fairly easy to write and renew coverage on an account for one to three years, after which th...

Why Is the Referral Process the Most Powerful Way to Sell?

Without question, selling through referrals is the most powerful way to build your practice; not to mention the most enjoyable. Producers who really love prospecting for business through cold calls are rare birds. My guess is that you're not one of them. In this age of voice mail, increased competition, and everyone being super busy, cold calling has become less effective.

Bob Kerrigan, one of the most successful agents alive, says, "The way of the world is to meet people through other people. And the referral is the warm way we get into their lives."

Independent Agency System carriers that rank high on the Gomez insurance Web site index probably congratulate themselves on their achievement - the result of hard work, creativity, and spending in the nine or ten-digit range. But what if these high-ranking carriers are scoring well in the wrong game?

Suppose Gomez and other Web ranking services have no idea what they’re talking about? What if they base their evaluation criteria on an implicit misunderstanding of the insurance business? What if "winning" means embracing a bankrupt business strategy?

CHANGING AGENCY-COMPANY RELATIONS by Bobby Reagan On January 26-27, 1998, Reagan & Associates and the Independent Insurance Agents of America (IIAA) sponsore...

COMBINING INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES: REALITY CHECK by Carol Hammes After the Barnett decision in Florida and the subsequent passage of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financ...

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...

CSR EXTRAORDINAIRE by Mary Beth Bolen Tina Roberts currently works as a CSR for Cosmo Conte at his State Farm Insurance Agency in La Jolla, California-one of the top State Farm agencies in North...