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...at Produce Great Referrals
A few days ago, I received a call from one of ou...what I do for our clients. We wrap the day up with simple awards and a nice co...

...ork will help set your mind for the day. BE EASY ON YOURSELF! Take time during the day to refresh yourself. If you've just ha...

... , obtaining signed contracts, securing studio time, or acquiring any backing? Of course not. Chris Burand wonders why so many agency principals take this approach to getting good producers. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Referral Events that Produce Great Referrals This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Bill Cates 3/5 /2018 12:00:00 AM A few days ago, I received a call from one of our Referral Boot Camp graduates, Greg, who was experimenting with Referral Events and not having the success he'd hoped for. Although many clients attended his events, they didn't always bring a guest for him to meet — even though it was requested on the invitation. Greg didn't feel that he could turn down his clients' desire to attend his ... , even though they didn't have a guest to bring. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Sales Center - Part 1 This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor 4/24/2018 12:00:00 AM The following section is a varied and important one to a profitable independent agency. In it, you will learn the basis of the Sales Center concept and how Sales Centers have brought increased profitability, retention, and total-account sales into many agencies. Many agencies establish a Sales Center with their existing personnel, or hire an additional administrative or customer service person to take over additional duties. Others find that the increased efficiency of a Sales Center allows them to expand their marketing efforts, and they hire an in-house or outside telemarketing staff to keep leads coming in ...

... employee higher than a general agency. In fact, target marketed' programs, as he calls them, are so profitable the Everhart has abandoned more conventional lines of business. Two of his four niche programs-notary public bonds and used-car dealer bonds-are marketed solely within Texas . The others-personal watercraft (jet ski) insurance and hole-in-one coverage-are marketed outside the state as well. When Everhart started his agency on April's Fool's Day 1970, he handled standard fire and casualty lines and specialized in the trucking industry. But he quickly found that he was spending most of his time convincing carriers to underwrite programs instead of selling products to potential customers. That seemed like a waste of time. So he dabbled in niche markets, enjoyed the change of pace and eventually dropped his other lines of business. From that early experience ... niche markets, I might quote ten customers and get three. Now, I quote ten and get nine or ten. It's a lot more efficient. The agency, which wrote $23 million in premiums in 1991, expects $37 million this year. The agency's niche marketing program include self-insured workers' compensation for Texas school districts and other governmental bodies, and a variety of coverages for children's summer camps and plant farms. These target markets account for a significantly higher profitability ratio than the agency's regular business, Monaghan says. Expanding programs to a statewide operation also requires a great deal of homework, Monaghan adds. You need to put together a lot of information to build programs like these, ' he says. You need to look at the number of prospects that are available, do a ...

... a real learning experience.' Today, due to a lot of hard work and a commo...n exclusive contract with a carrier. Today, it insures about 60 camps in Texas, Arkansas and Missouri ,...