THE CONSULTANT CONTRACT by Paige Proctor So you decided to hire a consultant. You received the proposal and liked what it said. You then checked the references and decided to move the propos...

SURVEYS SUBSTANTIATE THEORY: RETENTION EQUALS GROWTH When striving to make an agency grow, most agency managers focus on increasing new business. But it's just as important to address improv...

E-commerce is influencing the insurance industry in subtle ways. Instead of being a dramatic paradigm shift, it seems to...

WILL YOU BE READY WHEN A CRISIS COMES? by Janine Reid Is your company vulnerable to a crisis? Most of us would respond by saying, 'It won't happen on my watch!' Realistic...

Public relations is all about credibility, without which you have little chance of getting your message across. In this document, Michael Maynard asks you to ask yourself, 'Would I buy it?'

CREATING INITIATIVES AND OBJECTIVES Your planning meeting should focus on the areas that need atte...

DEFINE SERVICE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS SERVICE ABOVE AND BEYOND Most agents, when asked by the consumer why he or she should do business with them, will say, 'Because we give great service.' But w...

Follow these guidelines to develop a comprehensive, effective e-marketing program.
With spam at epidemic levels and phishing and virus attacks threatening the industry, e-marketers face the challenge of getting their messages through to the right audience, while following e-mail marketing best practices.
Although many of the principles that govern print and broadcast media apply to e-mail, e-marketing has its unique set of opportunities and pitfalls. Here is a list of do’s and don’ts to consider:

CENTRALIZING CUSTOMER SERVICE by Carol Hammes Time is a precious commodity for almost everyone. Ease and speed often take priority over minor price variations in purchasing anything from groce...

THE ROLE OF LIFE IN A MERGER Recently, we discussed the role and potential of Life/Health production in agency clusters. Related but different factors are involved in the buying, selling...