USE COMPLEX PASSWORDS by Steve Anderson Passwords seem to be the bane of our existence. However, until better technology comes along, were stuck with having to manage multiple pass...

You could be better off by acquiring a sales superstar than buying another agency.

Every year the numbers seem to get more outrageous. Pay levels for “impact player” athletes such as LeBron James and Tiger Woods continue to climb into the stratosphere. And it isn’t just athletes. You name the endeavor, whether it’s in the business, entertainment, or even the academic world, and there’s a near-universal phenomenon occurring: Impact player inflation. Despite the fact that it drives a lot of people crazy to hear that some people are making so much money, there’s a simple reason for the inflation: The impact players are worth it.

PRODUCER MANAGEMENT: BY THE NUMBERS by Al Diamond A proven method for giving your producers every opportunity to sell. Producers fail because of either a lack of sales ski...

YOURE UNIQUE - SO, SPREAD THE WORD! by Maribeth Kusmeski If your agency were truly unique, your clients would be letting others know. Do they? If youre delivering...

CUSTOMERS: COMPLEXITY, INTANGIBLES, AND INSURANCE by Chris Burand During the past few months, regulations have been proposed that would require agents and brokers to provide clients co...

HOW TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN A CHANGING INDUSTRY by Sharon Cunningham Sharon Cunningham's consulting visits with agencies hav...

WORKING TOGETHER-WITHOUT STRESS by Grace Bauer This week, I received a call from an agency principal, who told me the difficulty he was having getting his employees to work together. We wer...

A TAX BONANZA: S CORPORATIONS AND ESOPs by Robert Nein The 1997 Tax Relief Act has made possible the best of all worlds for insurance agencies. One could not hope for a better opportunity. There ha...

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.

AGENCIES AND BROKERAGES OF THE FUTURE How will the agency/brokerage of the future be managed, and what will be its profile? A preview of the future should help insurance companies determine what valu...