A CPA firm spends $11,200 on a Web site that attracts only a handful of visitors. An insurance agency invests $80,000 in an advertising campaign and no one sees the ads. An alternative health clinic sends out 8,000 direct mail fliers and gets 26 responses. A manufacturer spends $28,000 on an attractive brochure that no one uses.

BEFORE YOU SELL-SELL-SELL, MARKET-MARKET-MARKET! by Emily Huling It's 8 o'clock Tuesday morning. You have your prospect list in hand. Every Tuesday and Thursday you diligently put aside t...

Every company faces crises that have the potential for doing serious damage to its reputation, image, and/or financial stability. Events that might’ve been minor or even unnoticed a few years ago could now wind up on the evening news or on page one of the newspaper. While some incidents are insignificant, others can be devastating. Yet when they occur it’s often difficult, if not impossible, to know whether the problem will evaporate or escalate, blow over or boomerang.

DEMAND CAREFUL POLICY REVIEW Because insurance policies are legal documents, some risk managers might assume that theyve been subject to meticulous examination by the insurer and the bro...

GETTING IT STRAIGHT
Marketing may be second nature in large companies, but smaller firms tend to have a tough time implementing, managing, and monitoring an effective marketing strategy. The title of 'marketing director' is often conferred on the person designated to answer requests for sales literature, or the title is added as an afterthought to the role of the sales manager who thinks that marketing is just an alternative spelling of 'sales.'

HOW TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY DURING CRISES No amount of planning will prevent all emergencies, nor will it stop the media from showing up at your door when a crisis strikes. In addition to having a...

HOW TO MAKE VOICE MAIL USER FRIENDLY by George Nordhaus Scenario #1: The fourth menu selection says press #4 for service, another recorded voice advises 'hold for the next available operator,...

It's popular to hate the press these days. Between visions of Princess Diana's mangled black sedan and MSNBC's apparent broadcasting credo of 'all Monica, all the time,' it's easy to see why. Many who don't go so far as to hate the press still distrust it, thinking that a broadcaster's emotional ties begin and end with the Nielsen ratings. Again, given today's programming, this isn't difficult to understand.

THAT PERSONAL TOUCH by Grace Bauer Are you still sending those personal thank-you notes to your insureds throughout the year? How about the initial claim letter expressing your concern an...

THE BALANCE SHEET DOES MATTER! by Chris Burand Chris Burand explains why a balance sheet definitely matters in an agency sale. The degree to which it matters depends on the quality of t...