Search CompleteMarkets

... released some marvelous advertising material recently, but the material constantly refers to the agent as he. In our particular agency, the chief executive officer is a woman, and virtually all the first-line agency people are women. So the material that refers to an agent as a man does not apply to our situation. The material needs to be rewritten to fit our agency. Also, you shouldn't run pictures furnished by companies or national associations that show everyone in a suit and tie if you don't happen to wear suits and ties. LOOK FOR CREATIVE IDEAS You always want to check other advertisements for ideas. One simple creative idea can catch more attention and do more for you than all the year-round advertising you could dream up. One of the greatest ad programs was done by a Denver man who sells beach towels nationwide.The company that makes the towels sent people to see him to find out what his secret was. He simply took high-quality beach towels and printed Beech Aircraft' on them, and then invited people to come see a Beech airplane and pick up a beach towel. No one sells more beach towels than he does, and he's a thousand miles from the nearest ocean. Sometimes ideas like this can hit. If you find something that may work, capitalize on it. Look for a concept. One of the highest forms of intelligence is to take an idea and add to it. RADIO ADS When you're working with a radio station or a newspaper, they immediately try to tell you that you should advertise regularly. They of offer discounts if you do. Negotiate with them. ...

... advertise uses that particular ink; instead, they substitute various other similar' colors. Not only did the firm lose consistency in their branding, but the metallic ink increased their letterhead costs considerably. Use a competitive analysis to gain a competitive advantage. Do your research. Find out who your competition is. Learn what they look like and how they market their products and services. Learn from their mistakes. Then create a unique and compelling look and image for your business based on who you are and what you do. Keep true to what makes you unique. Own your corporate look before someone takes it. Make it a priority to trademark or copyright what is yours, now. Take the necessary steps to make sure you're protected. Illustrator Katherine Walter, doing business since 1978 as Pearl Beach, used a small shell and pearl logo on her business cards, ads, and promotional postcards. In 1998, Mattel, Inc. used the name Pearl Beach Barbie for its pool and beach' Barbie. Walter brought a suit against the toy maker, yet despite the similarity of name and sandy print with large seashell' logo, a court ruled for Mattel because Walter hadn't trademarked her business name. Pepperidge Farm, which has made gold-colored fish-shaped cheese crackers since 1962, sued Nabisco over trademark dilution and won. Apple Computer wasted no time in filing a lawsuit when personal computer manufacturer EMachines introduced the eOne computer with an iMac-inspired design. Ringling Brothers Circus' trademarked slogan The Greatest Show on Earth' was protected and won a court decision when the Utah Division of Travel used the tag ...

... The Economist/PwC report, in the overall scheme of things it's not very big. I regard it as sort of the exception that proves the rule. The Economist/PwC report and National Underwriter story missed the real part of the agency business that's in decline: The role played by many traditional carriers (headed by many of the very people, presumably, to whom the researchers sent the questionnaire) who've been in denial about what's really happening or who are unable to shift their entrenched cultures in response. This was a novel and provocative observation a few years ago, but it has now become obvious. People who don't know the insurance business very well look at the Property/Casualty marketplace and conclude that agents and brokers are in decline. It reminds me of a child watching a beach erode and concluding that there's no more sand, unaware that it's just moved elsewhere and formed a new beach. I don't mean to imply that insurance agencies and brokerages are rising in unison and marching in some victory parade. Many agencies are in retreat, and there are big changes afoot, along with some failures, heartbreak, and lots of consolidation. Firms that are focused on the customer, willing to learn continuously, and building capital to invest in people and systems can ignore our clucking friends. The sky is not falling. 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 ...

... something to "get over with." It's the bread and butter of what makes a great agency; hiring great people. Let go of the losers so you can focus on the winners As we all know, some accounts just aren't worth the time and effort. Sometimes it's because it's a one-policy account or the premium is so low; in other cases, the client needs so much hand-holding that the account is a money-losing proposition. Send these accounts to the competition, so they can lose money over there. In the same way, you have to be adamant about keeping "the right people on the right seat of the bus," as Jim Collins says in his excellent book Good to Great. I remember that Les Breedlove, the owner of Slaton Risk Management (West Palm Beach, FL) had all of his employees read Good to Great, and then gave each employee a miniature yellow bus with the Slaton logo to place on his or her desk. There was no doubt about the importance of excellence at that agency. If somebody isn't performing at your agency, the first question to ask is, "Why not?" Did you hire a misfit to begin with? Did you allow the employee to turn into a dinosaur because you didn't insist that he or she get training? Does the employee have the skill set but not the team attitude you're looking for? Here's my question, whether it's for a client or an employee: If they quit, would you be relieved or upset? If the former, then why are they still there? Do ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Unleash the Power of Radio Advertising 3/13/2018 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Henry Stimpson This content has not been rated yet. It's amazing to think that the first commercial radio station didn't go on the air until 1920- KDKA in Pittsburgh for trivia buffs. From that modest beginning, radio has grown to be a ubiquitous presence in our lives. It wakes you up in the morning and gives you the news. You get in the car, and you probably turn on the radio. It goes to the beach, the ballpark, and the office. It gives everything from "heavy metal" to talk shows to Bach. For all the talk about television and its power, many people spend far more time listening to radio than watching TV. Unlike TV, radio lets you do other things while tuning in. Radio sets are cheap, light, and portable. You can even listen while jogging. A study done several years ago by R.H. Bruskin Associates shows the huge reach of radio. The study revealed that radio reaches a whopping 65% of all Americans older than 12 years old between 6 a.m. and noon on an average weekday, compared to 36% for newspapers and 29% for television. From noon to 6 p.m., radio is less dominant and reaches 50% of the populace, still outstripping television by 6% . After 6 p.m., television dominates, reaching 74% . Radio is king during the day; television rules the evenings. That makes radio a natural for independent agents because radio ads ...

...tropical rain forests, are dying. Beaches are fouled by oil spills and wastes....

... with one stone. Remember to shop wisely, since many expensive seminars are not very informative. When shopping for a seminar, ask the coordinator for a list of past attendees, and call for references. Read the policy. If you really want to learn the details of EPL coverage and sell more coverage with confidence, there's no substitute for reading and understanding as many different policy forms as you can. Knowing what to look for and what to avoid is essential, but learning how to do this can be time consuming. New references on the subject are available to help guide your learning. Check around to learn which ones are best. Gary Griffin, ARM can be reached at Warren, McVeigh & Griffin, Inc., 1420 Bristol Street N., Ste. 220, Newport Beach, CA 92660, (949) 752-1058, fax (949) 955-1929, E-mail [email protected] , Web site www.griffincom.com . 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 your clients ...

... with me based on gathering more information about me, not trying to sell me a car! Here are a few thoughts about the role information plays in the sales process today: Giving customers a satisfying experience is what satisfies them A couple of hours before a speaker was to present a seminar, he discovered that he had forgotten to pack the A/C power supply for his laptop computer. Even though it was 6:45 a.m., he found a local store in the Yellow Pages and dialed the number. To his surprise, the call was answered on the second ring. After hours, the owner uses call-forwarding to his cell phone. The missing part was located and delivered by taxi before the laptop's batteries gave out. The owner of the Apple computer store in Virginia, Beach, VA, understands what his customers require. He focuses on making sure they have a satisfying experience. To him, making the sale has nothing to do with "establishing a relationship" with the customer but everything to do with creating a satisfying experience by giving the customer access when the customer needed it and providing necessary information. Jim Bezos, the founder of amazon.com, notes, "In the old world, the right thing to do was to spend maybe 30% of your time, energy, and dollars on creating a great customer experience, and 70% spouting about it. Today, you want to invert that." Sales hype, so-called "salesmanship," and traditional selling techniques don't work any more. Personal contact is not nearly as important as personalized contact. ...

... a fire extinguisher? Is the work surface area adequate for the task to be performed? Are employees trained to lift heavy boxes-for instance, paper and supplies? Auto This exposure is to be avoided whenever possible. Ground rules for telecommuters can pay off in lower costs, increased productivity, improved quality of the product, and more satisfied employees. Because home accidents far exceed on-the-job accidents, be prepared to counsel your clients to inspect each work site to identify and eliminate hazards. You can lay the foundation to ensure telecommuter safety. Arthur Moll, CPCU, CLU, CIC is president of CompAudit ServicesÒ . He's an expert in Workers Compensation and risk management and a past president of the National PIA. He can be reached at Compaudit Services, 2509 Egret Lake Drive, West Palm Beach, FL 33413, (800) 665-5628, fax (800) 665-5638, E-mail [email protected] . 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 your clients and social media efforts ...

...fences, etc. Stay away from beaches and any open areas of water SU...