A HEALTHY MARKET? PERCEPTION IS REALITY by Chris Burand A recent study by Zurich U.S. revealed what I believe could cause big problems for agents and brokers in the near future. The probl...

lsquo;AND KARNACK SAYS hellip; by Diane Herbert and Pamela Millard Take a close look at your capacity and take the steps needed to position your agency for the wild ride ahea...

You've probably received great encouragement-- if not downright pressure-to put your business on the Internet. Whether you already have an Internet presence or are merely contemplating one, you should realize that just having a Web site doesn't guarantee that the people you want to reach will actually see it. You may have hung out your shingle, but the Internet customers you seek might be nowhere in sight.

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...

CHARACTERISTICS OF STRONG AGENCY/CARRIER RELATIONSHIPS by John Jaques The compilation of agency/carrier relationship characteristics presented in this article is based on observatio...

Closing a sale getting your prospect to say “yes” can sometimes be as easy as asking for it. Once you’ve laid the groundwork by qualifying your prospect, uncovering their needs, and showing how your product or service satisfy those needs, it’s time to ask for the order. Here are five tips to make this procedure simple and successful.

Use this “one-two” technique to wedge your way into taking accounts from your competitors.

CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS TO CULTIVATE SALES by Maribeth Kusmeski Cultivating relationships proactively is often an afterthought. Were just too busy trying to get through the workloa...

DOES YOUR PREPARATION EXCEED YOUR PRESENTATION? by Preston Diamond Do you compare your presentations to a startup funding request for venture capital? How much money did you ask fo...

HOW DO COMPANIES SET THEIR RATES? by Chris Burand The market determines the price of gasoline, toys, and cars. The market, not actuaries, determines the price of insurance, too. Chris B...