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... x No Thanks Loading.. Are Antiquated Phrases Hurting Your Business?4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Gary Blake This content has not been rated yet. As someone who travels from one insurance company to another teaching Effective Business Writing for Claims and Risk Management Professionals, ' I'm often amazed by how many claims letters are weighed down with stodgy phrases reminiscent of the 19th century. How many letters do you see each day that contain enclosed please find, ' under separate cover, ' and please do not hesitate to contact me'? I recently gave a seminar at a 200-employee insurance firm in upstate New York. One of the claims adjusters showed me the claims department's book of form letters. There were more than 80 of them, not counting ones that had exclusionary language by state. Each of these letters is sent out an average of 30 times a month. 80 x 30 = 2,400 letters a month x 12 months = 28,800 letters a year. Only four of those awful outdated phrases per letter would total more than 100,000 in a year! If you think this stilted language isn't hurting your business, think again. These phrases not only alienate the insured and engender a distant tone, they chip away at the long-lasting relationships your company seeks to maintain. They damage a claims professional's relationships with doctors, attorneys, insurance commissioners, and colleagues alike. Risk managers (who write internal audits, loss control recommendations, risk reports, and answers to inquiries) also must eliminate stodgy phrases from their documents to enhance their range of relationships ...

... . Granted, video can get expensive, but audio tapes are fairly reasonable and can be packaged in any number of ways- depending on your budget and image. There's also an additional benefit to this type of creativity. Too many business cards, brochures, and letters end up in the prospect's wastebasket. Audio and video cassettes are valuable to the holder and are seldom tossed. I've received calls as long as a year after an audio mailing. The caller generally says, It's been sitting on my desk for a year, and I just got around to listening to it. Sponsoring a local golf tournament is another great way to market your agency or brokerage. It's done wonders for Nissan and many other national corporations, so why not duplicate their efforts on a local level? Bring in an antique dealer as a co-sponsor, and buy some hole-in-one insurance to cover an antique giveaway. Local realtors and banks are also excellent co-sponsors who can help with the prizes. Not only is the publicity great, but the tournament affords you the chance to network with clients and prospects. Closer to the office, think about your telephone system. Does a client on hold hear silence or a radio station? If you answered radio station, ' beware of a couple of facts: (1 ) that your clients and prospects may be listening to a competitor's commercial; and (2 ) that ASCAP and BMI can levy stiff fines if you haven't purchased a licensing agreement to rebroadcast the music over your phone system. Don't laugh! Some agencies have been caught and fined. This dilemma's creative answer is ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Personal Protection Service Questionnaire 6/25/2015 by CompleteMarkets Editor This content has not been rated yet. If you have any questions regarding this questionnaire or your insurance, please call. Name____ Occupation____ Address____ Phone____ Best time to call____ YES NO Do you own any antiques, fine arts, collections or other special value items such as tamps or Coins? Do you own any jewelry or furs valued at over $1000 which are not specifically insured? Would you like us to send a form to assist in making an inventory of your personal property? Do you own seasonal property anywhere in New Hampshire? Outside New Hampshire? (please circle) Do you maintain an office in your home - or give private lessons, such as music lessons? Do you want a costimator to help determine what it would cost to rebuild your home at today's prices? Do you plan to buy or sell any property within the next 12 months? Do you live in an area that could be flooded? Do you have a smoke detector or burglar alarm system? (please circle) Do you or anyone in your household smoke? (If not, you may qualify for a non-smoker's credit) Would you like to review the current limits and other coverages on your vehicles? If your car was damaged, is it important to have a substitute car furnished for your use? Do you have a stereo in your vehicle, not factory installed? Do you own a boat? If so, what horsepower? _____ Length____ Sail___ Power____ Do ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Furniture Dealers - "You Don't Just Sell Furniture"4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor This content has not been rated yet. FURNITURE DEALERS - YOU DON'T JUST SELL FURNITURE' Dear (Customer Name): You don't just sell furniture. You may also offer antiques and curios. You may provide decorating services to your customers. In short, there are complexities to your business the average person wouldn't understand. (Your Agency Name) does. We've been designing customized insurance programs for furniture dealers for ( ) years. We know you are more vulnerable to product liability lawsuits than the average business. We are aware that you need more insurance for your merchandise. Let us take a look at your business. We can review your particular risks and give you an analysis of coverage recommendations and risk management suggestions. We'll be calling you soon to set up an appointment. Sincerely, (Your Name) Login or Register (for FREE) to gain access to thousands of other great articles. Need more reasons to join? Need insurance for you, your business or your family? Get quality appointments - Save yourself a whole lot of time & money when you use our directory of carriers, wholesalers and service providers. Negotiate lucrative contracts with carriers and wholesalers. Net result. More revenue for your agency! Clients & Prospects will research you, your co-workers and your agency here. The most comprehensive online insurance industry reference library for - Personal Lines Professionals Commercial Lines Professionals Life/Health & Benefits Professionals Online newsletters and content that you can use for ...

... #160 Smoke &# 160 Weight of ice, snow, or sleet &# 160 Freezing of plumbing, heating, air conditioning, or other household systems &# 160 Theft or vandalism &# 160 Falling objects &# 160 Your Business &# 160 Commercial or business insurance offers property and liability coverage whether you operate from your home or another location. While homeowners insurance may cover business property within specified limits, it typically is insufficient and does not protect against lawsuits related to your business activities. Selecting the right insurance is just as important as the choices you make for company stationery, equipment, or services. Your independent insurance agent can help you review your options and tailor coverage that best meets your needs. &# 160 Kay &# 160 Kay is the owner of an upscale antique shop in a trendy part of town. Her sales have grown steadily during the past several years with the public's renewed interest in antiques. Kay takes great pride in her ability to spot the best pieces and prominently displays them in her shop. A series of break-ins in the neighborhood prompted Kay to review her insurance to ensure that her business is adequately covered. &# 160 Kay and her independent agent reviewed her most recent financial statements, the lease on the shop, and her business ledger showing sales, purchases, profits, etc. To assess the state of her business and identify changes from the last review. Given the growth in her business, her agent recommended that Kay consolidate her existing multiple policies and purchase a package policy. &# 160 < Login or Register ( ...

... use? What is the estimated worth of your software? Section I Coverages Do you or anyone in your household own a single item of jewelry, watches, furs, or precious or semiprecious stones worth more than $1 ,000? Does the total value of your jewelry, watches, furs or precious or semiprecious stones exceed $1 ,000? Do you own firearms worth over $2 ,000? Does the value of your silverware, silver-plated ware, gold-ware, gold-plated ware, or pewter, exceed $2 ,500? Do you keep any belongings in your home that are used in any manner for business use worth more than $2 ,500? Do you belong to any association of property owners responsible for something owned collectively? Do you have articles of value such as antiques, stamp or coin collections, fine arts, furs, golf equipment, musical instruments, silverware, china or the like, which you would like to insure on a scheduled per-item basis? Section II Coverages Would you like a limit of liability higher than $100,000? Would you like a higher amount of coverage for medical payments than the $1 ,000 limit? Do you own any other residence? Do you rent the other residence? Do you conduct any farming on your premises? Is farming your principal occupation? Do you own a snowmobile? Would you like to be covered for libel, invasion of privacy or false arrest for an additional $13 a year? Would you be interested in a personal umbrella policy covering you for $1 million above and beyond the ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Homeowners Confidential Checklist 6/26/2014 by CompleteMarkets Editor This content has not been rated yet. Please check yes or no to these questions: YES NO Do you own any antiques, fine art, or paintings? Do you own any collections such as unique dishes, Indian items, coins or stamps, etc.? Do you own any jewelry, or furs valued over $1 ,000? Do you own valuable cameras and/or sporting equipment? Do you frequently keep over $200 of money in any form in your home? Would you like us to send a form to help you make an inventory of your personal property? Do you maintain an office in your home or give private lessons, such as music lessons? Would it cost more to rebuild your home at today's prices than is covered by your current insurance? Have you remodeled your home recently? Do you plan to in the near future? Does our agency insure all the autos in your family? (only one) Would you like to review the current limits and other coverages on your vehicles to see if they still suit your needs? Do you have a vehicle, not your own, furnished for your use? Do you own a boat? If so, what horsepower? ___ Size? ____ Where used? _____ Do you own any camping or recreational vehicles (including electric or gasoline-driven golf cart or trailer)? Do you own any rental or investment property? Do you or any member of your family own a business? Do you have ...

... words such as, Why aren't your people selling more new business? With as much as we pay them, they ought to be out there in the field contacting new customers, and all I hear are excuses. Then comes the threat, veiled or outright: If things don't pick up pretty soon... All this kind of talk will get you is turnover, inconsistent sales, anger, and inaction. Here are tips that can dramatically change the selling atmosphere at your agency, improve the bottom line, and foster the development of your own group of wondrous salespeople: Change focus. The focus of your company must change from selling insurance to active competition. Your mystical mission statement sounds great in print, but probably means nothing to your customer or your sales force. You must replace this antique with a reality statement such as, Our goal is to replace XYZ Agency as the No. 2 company in our marketing territory! ' Without this extremely narrow focus, you don't stand a chance of motivating your sales force to action. This change of view will probably engender a fight with your staff, but unless you make a decision to do something concrete-and let your sales force know the goal-your efforts are misguided. Find your customer. Do you really know who your customer is? Are you assuming that Jane and Jim Doe are the buyers and ignoring the fact that your real buyers may be the wholesale, retail, or franchise establishments? Without a realistic analysis, your sales force is out there beating the bushes for squirrels when the real prey should be lion. Target your customer ...

... company is actively prospecting two to 10 years in advance, you'll always find yourself pushing for sales! 3. Marketing makes selling easier.If customers have a predisposition toward doing business with your company, product, or service, making the sale becomes far easier. This empowers salespeople to become consultants (and not just to call themselves one) . Such common selling problems as overcoming objections and closing techniques become irrelevant. In fact, relying on "selling skills" to get the order is an indication that a company has no marketing. Everyone in business receives calls that start out something like this: "A couple of weeks ago, I sent you information about our company " This is a call that goes nowhere today. Of course, salespeople (very good ones, too) run from such antiquated and stifling working conditions. Trying to make the sale when prospects lack a clear understanding of why it's in their best interest to talk to you wastes your company's time, personnel, and money. Jacking up commissions or lowering the price only drives up the cost even higher. The role of marketing is to create the right environment for selling to be successful. Without marketing, the cost of doing business becomes too high. 4. Marketing extends your reach. Whether it's drilling down into existing companies to find new opportunities, further penetrating a market or market area, or opening the door to new markets and new territories, marketing is the engine that drives the effort. To grow your business today, the task is one of going from "nobody knows us" to "everybody knows ...

... listed on your Auto policy? 4. Would you like to include your car stereo (if mounted under the dash), car phone, CB, or two-way radio on your Auto policy for an additional premium? 5. If you own a pickup or a van, does it contain any customized equipment? 6. Do you own a pickup camper unit or camper shell? 7. Do you own minibikes, mopeds, or motorcycles? If so, how many? 8. Do you have vehicles furnished for your regular use that you do not own, such as a company car? If so, how many? 9. Do you want rental reimbursement coverage in the event that your car is damaged in an accident? HOMEOWNERS/RENTERS Yes No 1. Do you own any antiques, fine arts, silverware, or collections such as unique dishes, figurines, and so on? 2. Do you own any jewelry? 3. Furs? 4. Valuable camera equipment? 5. Do you frequently carry, or keep in your home, more than $200 cash? 6. Do you have a coin or stamp collection? 7. Do you own any guns? 8. Would you prefer to cover your personal belongings for their full replacement value (i.e., no deduction for depreciation?) 9. Would you be interested in adding Earthquake or Flood insurance to your Homeowners protection? 10.Do you presently have either a burglar, fire or smoke alarm in your home? 11.Would you like an estimate of your home's replacement cost at today's prices? 12.Do you ...