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... over previous year's production, and been recognized as a top performer an established period of times consecutively. Agent-of-the-Month Award-You can assign points based on production or base the award on the producer's premium volume as a qualification for the Agent-of-the-Month award. See the "Life Production" graph at the end of this section. In order to qualify, the producer must meet a minimum of, for example, $5 ,000 of annualized first-year commissions during the particular month. Send a press release and a photograph of the agent to local newspapers. Make copies of the newspaper article and send them to the producer's top 50 or 100 clients. Agency Dedicator Program-This program provides recognition each month to those producers who, during the month, produce $5 ,000 in annualized first-year commissions. You can present an engraved trophy to each agent who qualified as a "dedicator"eight times or more in one year. New Producer Club-Organize a special club for trainee producers. If the trainee pays for 12 cases or more in a month, the producer and spouse will be your guests for a gourmet dinner. This also helps the new producer's spouse get better acquainted and feel a part of the agency. Lead-Day Participants-You can choose to assign qualified producers a "lead day." This means you give the recognized agent all of the phone and paper leads received on that specific day. This provides both recognition and the opportunity to develop more business. To qualify, the producer should be a member of the National Association of Life Under-writers and a Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) performer or be on track ...

... Other ideas might be to tie catastrophe preparedness (a timely topic) to business interruption insurance, or protecting leased equipment with property coverages (a lot of companies are being double dipped' by equipment-leasing payments that also include insurance coverage on the equipment) . When doing a seminar, test it out on some of your current clients first. If it works, invite prospects to join with clients for subsequent seminars. Don't forget to invite the local media; you might get some excellent press coverage! Awards. When was the last time, if ever, that you presented a client with an award for being an outstanding client? Several years ago, one of our suppliers sent a typical holiday gift to us, but there was a difference: On opening the package, we found a plaque engraved with the words, Sound Marketing, Inc., Outstanding Customer. A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us, we are dependent on him. He is not an outsider in our business, he is a part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him; he is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so. Needless to say, the plaque went up on our wall, and we are still doing business with that supplier. In fact, since their service matches the philosophy of the plaque, it is almost an impossibility to consider changing vendors. As an IMMS Member, you have a wealth of information that expands far beyond insurance to correspond to many of the issues faced daily by ...

... Other ideas might be to tie catastrophe preparedness (a timely topic) to business interruption insurance, or protecting leased equipment with property coverages (a lot of companies are being double dipped' by equipment-leasing payments that also include insurance coverage on the equipment) . When doing a seminar, test it out on some of your current clients first. If it works, invite prospects to join with clients for subsequent seminars. Don't forget to invite the local media; you might get some excellent press coverage! Awards. When was the last time, if ever, that you presented a client with an award for being an outstanding client? Several years ago, one of our suppliers sent a typical holiday gift to us, but there was a difference: On opening the package, we found a plaque engraved with the words, Sound Marketing, Inc., Outstanding Customer. A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us, we are dependent on him. He is not an outsider in our business, he is a part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him; he is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so. Needless to say, the plaque went up on our wall, and we are still doing business with that supplier. In fact, since their service matches the philosophy of the plaque, it is almost an impossibility to consider changing vendors. As an IMMS Member, you have a wealth of information that expands far beyond insurance to correspond to many of the issues faced daily by ...

... : Dear Margo E. Lewis: Congratulations! Because of the exemplary way you have handled your account you qualify for our new low variable rate on your Norwest credit card account. It's our way of saying Thank you' and to show you how much we value your business. The pitch is the standard credit card Transfer other balances to this account' sales argument, but couching it in a congratulatory message makes it both more readable and more palatable. 7. I INVITE YOU . .. This is the first cousin-no, closer than that, the sibling-of Congratulations. Need I make a point we all know (anticipating Opening #9 in this article)? The invitation has to follow through as an invitation. No, no, this doesn't mean locking into an invitation-size format and including an engraved enclosure-although some of the more thoughtful invitations do this. It does mean keeping the tone invitational throughout the letter, never lapsing into hard-sell or going out of character. I have a letter from a publication which begins: Dear Nominee Elect: It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been elected as an Associate Member of the American Museum of Natural History. We would request that you return the enclosed invitation as soon as possible, indicating whether or not you will be accepting this election. Your temporary Associate identification card is enclosed. You may sign it and begin using it immediately. Except for the factory-like phrase identification card' instead of membership card' and the Mother, may I? ' tone of You may sign it, ' this is a model of its type. ...

... : Dear Margo E. Lewis: Congratulations! Because of the exemplary way you have handled your account you qualify for our new low variable rate on your Norwest credit card account. It's our way of saying Thank you' and to show you how much we value your business. The pitch is the standard credit card Transfer other balances to this account' sales argument, but couching it in a congratulatory message makes it both more readable and more palatable. 7. I INVITE YOU . .. This is the first cousin-no, closer than that, the sibling-of Congratulations. Need I make a point we all know (anticipating Opening #9 in this article)? The invitation has to follow through as an invitation. No, no, this doesn't mean locking into an invitation-size format and including an engraved enclosure-although some of the more thoughtful invitations do this. It does mean keeping the tone invitational throughout the letter, never lapsing into hard-sell or going out of character. I have a letter from a publication which begins: Dear Nominee Elect: It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been elected as an Associate Member of the American Museum of Natural History. We would request that you return the enclosed invitation as soon as possible, indicating whether or not you will be accepting this election. Your temporary Associate identification card is enclosed. You may sign it and begin using it immediately. Except for the factory-like phrase identification card' instead of membership card' and the Mother, may I? ' tone of You may sign it, ' this is a model of its type. ...