SIXTEEN WAYS TO SURVIVE A RECESSION AND BUILD YOUR SALES by Patricia Berry Managers who approach tough economic times with a get-down-to-the-essentials attitude come out of a r...

SOCIAL MEDIA-IT AIN'T GOIN' AWAY by Tom Wetzel Social media. For many insurance companies and producers, the term conjures confusion and skepticism. For a smaller but growing group, social m...

THE 'CHICKEN LITTLE' SYNDROME by Brian Burke 'Brokers to Decline as Direct Sales Gain,' read the headline of the lead story in the Agent/Broker section of a r...

This four-part article offers a step-by-step, comprehensive plan for growing your agency’s business.

THE CAJUN COYOTE: FROM PREY TO PREDATOR By Mike Manes With your competition evolving from day to day, so must your approach to marketing. WARNING: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! Thi...

THE CUSTOMER LIFE CYCLE AND HOW IT INFLUENCES YOUR SUCCESS by Lynn Thomas Your customers have four distinct stages in their life cycle development with your agency. Lynn Thomas explain...

THE FACTS OF LIFE ABOUT PERSONAL LINES - AND HAVING A WELL-TRAINED STAFF by E. Al Diamond Now more than ever, the generation of Personal Lines as a viable part of your agency will be depen...

THE FUTURE OF COMMERCIAL LINES FOR THE INDEPENDENT AGENCY by Brian Burke If two issues of Burke Ink in the last two years can be devoted to the future of Personal Lines, then we ow...

Are independent insurance agents on the verge of extinction? On the MisFortune 500 list of endangered occupations? You might think so after reading some of the press. For a different perspective, Kevin Stipe offers his observations of current and past trends and market conditions to prove that we’re not necessarily going the way of the dinosaur and the door-to-door encyclopedia salesman.

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF MARKETING by John Graham Quite often, the problem is that companies fall into a marketing trap. In this article, John Graham explores the seven most likely reasons wh...