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... to their evaluation criteria in annual reviews. Everyone wins! The employees feel good about themselves, the agency becomes more visible within the community in a very positive manner, and the community in which you live and work is all the better for it. The Business Public Much of your effort with the general public and the trade public will pay off with the business public. The general public also happens to include the owners of businesses that buy insurance, and trade stories can definitely enhance your sales presentations. However, even allowing for this, you've got to roll up your sleeves and get to work on your PR efforts aimed at businesses. Add a third category to your media database that includes all the information for local business newspapers, business editors of regular newspapers, and trade publications that cater to niche markets you serve. For example, if you insure dentists, make sure that all their publications are on your press release mailing list. You may already know many of the publications, but it is a good idea to check with several clients within each niche category to find out which periodicals they tend to read. Large markets may also have a radio station or two that cater strictly to business and financial news, and don't forget the cable companies. Build your relationships with each of these free publicity sources in the same manner we've already discussed. Unlike the other two categories, you must rely more heavily on press releases, since there usually aren't organizations or associations you can join. However, some of the associations catering to niche markets have auxiliary memberships available for vendors and ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Financial Institutions - "An Investment In Insurance"4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor This content has not been rated yet. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS - AN INVESTMENT IN INSURANCE' Dear (Customer Name): WOULD YOU OFFER ALL YOUR CUSTOMERS THE SAME INVESTMENT PLAN? Of course not - for your financial institution to be successful, you have to cater to people's different needs, offering them a variety of CDs, bonds, securities, and other alternatives. You should demand the same flexibility of your insurance program. At (Your Agency Name), we specialize in insurance for financial institutions. We're familiar with the types of risk your business faces every day - and we can outline ways you can minimize or insure against those risks. You should meet with one of our financial institution experts. We'll take the time needed to assess your present program and offer our recommendations - free of charge. That way, you'll be sure that you're not exposing your business to dangerous gaps in coverage or paying for overlapping coverage you don't need. Consider this consultation an investment in the future of your business. We'll cater to your business needs and allow you to discover your options when it comes to insuring your business. We'll give you a call 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 ...

... After much soul-searching, we moved our offices and studios into a wing of our house. The pool quickly became my "stress-buster" during the course of the day. The restorative factor of several 10-minute breaks to swim a few laps is better than a good night's sleep. Today I'd be hard-pressed to ever return to a normal office routine. So what does all this have to do with insurance? Recently our UPS driver arrived for the daily pickup looking as if he'd been through the wringer. As he explained, "If one more home business opens up, they're going to have to declare this a commercial route!" Apparently more than 50% of the regular delivery and pickup stops on his suburban route are home-based businesses. Combine this with media reports and the increase in Web sites catering to home businesses, and you get a significant groundswell of opportunity for independent agents. Your Personal Lines department probably already insures the Home and Auto risks of these entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, many of these clients never hear from you on a regular basis. They get their direct billing statements and pay their premiums. They call you in case of a claim or a change in coverage. But when was the last time you called them? When's the last time you "caught up" on the circumstances of their lives? When's the last time you sat down and reviewed their coverages with them? Some home-based businesses, like our company, might have tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment on the premises. Some might have clients coming to their residences as we do. Few understand that ...

... a whole range of promotional services to ensure membership awareness and participation. &# 160 Finally, to close the marketing loop, a personal call is needed. Marketpac has an organized network of independent agents throughout the country who have agreed to call on local members of sponsoring associations. These agents present the program to members and report to us on the results of the call so that we, in turn, can report to the association on membership interest and participation. &# 160 This new breed of companies, such as Marketpac, also includes Market-Dyne, Famex, MMI, and a few regional concerns, whose entire purpose is based in the successful marketing of association insurance programs. In addition, many of the national brokers have in place or have announced full time divisions or development departments to cater to this growing market. &# 160 Loss Control &# 160 No discussion of the association market is complete without reviewing the important and member-responsive subject of loss control. Loss control can and does work for an association. Experts generally agree that to implement a loss control program for owner-operated businesses on an individual basis is very expensive and time consuming. Instead, the reality is that for small- to medium-sized businesses there is no consistent education or application of any loss control techniques, particularly in today's market. &# 160 However, loss control can be handled through the association, with demonstrated results, provided the following two conditions are met: &# 160 (1 ) The loss control program must be simple in its application and reflect the kinds and types of losses that are common ...

...ts and the increase in Web sites catering to home businesses, and you get a si...

...Ann Arbor, Michigan restaurant's catering and retailing business now brings in...

... This dilemma's creative answer is a message-on-hold service. For relatively little expense, you can have a message tape professionally produced that talks to your clients about your services while they're on hold. Do you fax information to clients and prospects? Do you use a cover page? You've probably answered yes' to both questions. Now comes the big one: Does your cover page list all the services and products you provide? ' If not, you're missing a creative opportunity to market your message. There are hundreds of ways to market your agency or brokerage creatively, and most of them are far less expensive than traditional advertising. Develop an opportunistic eye in your community. Brainstorm with staff members a couple of times per year. Maintain strong relations with the local chamber of commerce and other groups that cater to your particular market, whether commercial, personal, or both. Above all, get everybody involved. Many of the opportunities you encounter will come from unlikely sources, so it pays to have everyone keeping a watchful eye. Finally, like James Dunn, when you do have an opportunity, maximize it. Jack Burke is the president of Sound Marketing, Inc., which specializes in audio and video productions for corporate marketing, communications, and education. He may be reached (800) 451-TAPE. 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 ...

... . 1995) 62 F.3d. 1227. Warren v. City of Carlsbad (9th Cir. 1995) 58 F.3d. 439. St. Mary's Honor Center (1993) __U.S._, 125 L. ed2d 407, 113 S.Ct. 2742. Washington v. Garrett, Secretary of Navy (9th Cir. 1993) 10 F.3d 1421. McKennon v. Nashville Banner Publishing Co. (1995) 130 L.Ed.2d 852, 115 S.Ct. 879; Cooper v. Rykoff-Sexton, Inc. (1994) 24 Cal.App.4th 614, 29 Cal.Rptr.2d 642. (9th Cir. 1995) 49 F.3d. 1418. EEOC v. Newport Mesa Unified Sch. Dist. (CD Cal 1995) 893 F.Supp. 927 similarly held there was no age discrimination in preferring lower-paid starting teachers. O'Connor v. Consolidated Coin Caterers (U.S. Supreme Court 1996) 96 C.D.O.S. 2222. Chaffin v. Textron, Inc. (ED Cal. 1994) 861 F.Supp. 972. (1993) U.S., 125 L.Ed.2d 407, 113 S.Ct. 1817. (1993) 19 Cal.App.4th 1552A, 23 Cal.Rptr.2d 343. Original Article by Francis Willmarth. Edited by CompleteMarkets editorial team. 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 ...

... Everyone's looking for the connection of a human touch. Let your customers know the measures you've taken to ensure the security of your performance. Be prepared to reinforce the financial strength of your underwriters and markets. Let them know that you're there for them. This is a good time to review terrorism-related issues that have created new risks or that might impact their current coverages. Ask your best customers if there's anything you can do to help them get back to business as usual. Let them know that you have their best interests at heart — whatever that might entail. Continue your prospecting efforts. The media is using a heavy hand in touting the dramatic increases in premiums because of projected losses from September 11th. Business owners and managers will be thinking in terms of expense control and financial strength. Cater to those concerns. Because of everything mentioned in point #4 , it's critical that you contact every single customer. In this case, e-mail isn't the way to go. Personal visits are your best bet, with the telephone running second. You are your unique difference. Assuage customers' fears over potential premium increases and financial weaknesses of insurers. Explain that although you can't control the market, you remain their vested partner with a mandate to help them best manage their risks and exposures. As for your agency operations, I offer three suggestions: If you don't have a written disaster plan, get busy preparing one. If you do have an emergency plan, review it based on what we've learned since September 11th. Once you have a viable and current plan, share it with ...

... insurance industry and have been blessed to work for such a reputable agency, Atlantic Insurance Group (AIG) located right in Timonium, Maryland. While it may not be the most entertaining industry, it is certainly one where I have the platform to not only save clients money and better protect them, but more importantly build valuable relationships with my clients that I know will stay with me for the duration of my life. In the few months I have been working in this industry, the amount of friendships and connections I have made through simply selling insurance has been extremely rewarding. Since starting with AIG, I have learned a plethora of things that have made my transition into the real world as seamless as possible. A few of the many things I have learned thus far is how to cater to the needs of my clients, providing a service more superior than even the likes of, Chick Fil A. Something as simple as being able to articulate my conversations in a more thorough manner, and get my message across more effectively has been something I have constantly struggled with. However, with this new position, I have been fortunate enough to learn this skill fast, in order to assure that my clients are in good hands. They say the more you work on something, the better you become at the craft. Because of this seemingly old tale, I have been allocating the bulk of my time to become the best insurance broker possible. By doing so, my goal is to make the insurance process for my clients as informative, simple, and beneficial as possible ...