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... shared his experiences, telling us a number of stories. I believe that two of these should qualify for CE credits for all professions. Unfortunately I'm reasonably certain that neither story would be approved. They're separate, yet linked. These experiences are about innovations that have saved millions (if not billions) of dollars in productivity costs, but have probably never been studied at the Harvard Business School. These were lessons learned in fields with weeds, not in buildings with ivy-covered walls. &# 160 Lynn explained that when he first started in the timber industry, the companies would cut the timber, clear the land, and then replant new seedlings. The supervisor at each plant would stress the importance of lining the seedlings up in "perfect" rows so that the machine could cut them at harvest time. Lynn became curious because he knew that trees weren't cut with machines, but by men with band saws. One day he asked the supervisor about these new tree-harvesting machines. &# 160 The "boss" explained that, although these machines currently didn't exist, if we planted the trees right — in perfect rows — the machines would be invented some day because straight rows and a large supply of trees would facilitate their invention. This supervisor understood the future. I'd bet all I own that this guy had very little "schoolin'" (brain tissue), but I'm equally certain that he had great experience (scar tissue) . &# 160 Lynn then took us back to the future. He told another story — and he's a master storyteller — about a timber ...

... for cards was a small idea. Giving them away is a really big idea. David Cowan of Bessemer Venture Capital added, People expect a lot of things for free. And if you don't give it away, some other start-up will. So free' doesn't mean that the companies have to lose out. Advertisers are now paying visitors to visit their sites. 14. There will be no more hunters. In selling, the image of a hunter' (a male) going in for the kill remains intact. The notion of the gatherer' (a woman) as a salesperson is disdained. Now this notion is crumbling like the Berlin Wall. The Internet turns the tables- the successful salesperson will be the gatherer. Selling today requires nurturing prospects, and the gatherer uses a cultivation and harvesting process to make the sale. There's an interesting implication in all this. With such dramatic changes in buyer behavior, it's probable that sales, like other professions, will be rejuvenated by people in whom the traits necessary for cultivating and harvesting are often observed: Women. 15. It's 24/7 for everyone. Although some people erect firewalls between work and their personal life, the direction is toward a blending of the two. A wired world sets no boundaries on place or time. This translates into changing customers' expectations. In an amazing about-face, customers are less willing to travel to make purchases. Online buying is breaking the back of a deeply ingrained 50-year shopping-center mentality. You might want to check out the luggage at 7:35 a.m., browse again at 12 ...

... hand laborers in the field; to provide each employee reasonable use of the above; and to inform each employee of the importance of good hygiene practices. U.S. Department of Labor Program Highlights Fact Sheet No. OSHA 92-25 OSHA'S FIELD SANITATION STANDARD &# 160 SUMMARY Requires employers of 11 or more field workers to provide toilets, potable drinking water, and handwashing facilities to hand laborers in the field; to provide each employee reasonable use of the above; and to inform each employee of the importance of good hygiene practices. EFFECTIVE DATES May 30, 1987 for potable drinking water July 30, 1987 for toilets and handwashing facilities SCOPE OF COVERAGE Any agricultural establishment hiring 11 or more workers for hand labor. Includes work done by hand or with hand tools during cultivation, weeding, planting, and harvesting of vegetables, nuts, fruits, seedlings, or other crops including mushrooms, and the packing of produce in the field into containers, whether performed on the ground, on moving machinery, or in a shed. Does not cover logging operations, the care and feeding of livestock, or hand-labor operations in permanent structures (e.g. canning facilities or packing houses) . POPULATION COVERED An estimated 471,600 farm employees, about one-fourth of whom are migrant workers, on roughly 54,000 farms with 11 or more employees. From 25 to 30 percent of these workers are women; the number also includes young adults and children under 18. The greatest number of field employees covered tend or harvest fruits and nut trees (175,000) . Others tend vegetables and melons (137 ...

... producers build their skills - and grow their sales. I remember the time I first understood the concept of a system. It was mid-May, and my dad was planting cotton on our farm. I asked him why we planted cotton in late April. Dad told me that way, the cotton would have the summer to grow and be ready for picking in October or November. I had a brilliant idea: Why not plant the cotton in March, or even February? Then it would be ready in July, and we could beat everyone else to market. I excitedly explained this to Dad, who listened patiently, then gave me my first lesson in farming. Son, everything has a time. You have to plant when it's time, water and weed when it's time, and harvest when it's time, ' he said. You can't rush the first step, or you'll be planting in the wrong season, and your seeds will die. For the same reason, you can't forget to water and weed, or your plants will die. And you have to pick cotton at the right time, or it falls off the plant and is useless. So we don't fight the natural cycle of planting and picking - we learn to understand it and work with it. The best farmers are the ones who know the system, then take care to perform each step well. Years later, I found that this held true for selling as well. All you have to do is understand the system, be careful to cover each step, and harvest at the right time. ...

... go hand-in-hand these days. One is largely ineffective without the other. Clients will Google you to find your website and prospects will Google you to see if you exist. Clients and prospects will Google you to see if you are competent on a specific product. Carriers and Wholesalers will search for you to see if you are on the map. You website needs to be simple, succinct, mobile friendly and be ably supported by social media, blogs, articles, micro sites (a smaller version of your website on insurance related websites), relevant online directories and local review websites. Read my supporting article on insurance agency websites - which was first published on RoughNotes Magazine. 2. Social Engagement - Social media used to be the most cost effective and powerful way to communicate with clients and harvest prospects. A lot has changed in the past few years - most significantly, cutting through the fog and paid advertisements on people's news feeds has presented the most challenges. If you cannot get your great information to the top of people's social media news feeds, then it loses its efficacy very quickly. So, you either need to start paying for prime real estate or invest more resources into staying at the top (very similar to organic SEO on search engines) . However, Social engagement remains in the top 5 as the most effective way to brand, re-brand, engage, communicate and energize your users and prospects. It will probably remain a mainstay (and a modern fundamental) for a long while, although with social media website vertical breakouts you will need to do some analysis ...

... want to deactivate your CompleteMarkets Company Profile Deactivate Cancel Loading.. About Us Services Jobs PR Newsletters Employees Articles Blog Photos Group Connections Reviews IMMS Library Immerse yourself in our stacks. Take some time and browse through our library. We have thousands of articles, checklists, tip sheets, sales letters, and more! Communications Marketing Customer Service Planning Finance/Accounting Risk Management Human Resources Selling Legal and E&O Technology Life/Financial Services Glossaries Management Resources & Links Categories Popular Recent All Back Online Invoices Get Paid Twice As Fast 6/4 /2013 12:00:00 AM by CompleteMarkets Editor , Steve Anderson This content has not been rated yet. Web-based invoices that give recipients the option to pay online result in payments being made twice as fast as those that don't, according to data from Harvest, an online time-tracking and invoicing vendor. The company looked at data from more than 250,000 paid invoices from their system. They found that invoices that included the option to pay using PayPal were paid 16 days faster than those that did not, which took an average of 32 days. Although online payment isn't new to the Internet, few agencies have used it. As their clients become accustomed to being able to pay all of their bills online, agencies need to offer this method as an option. The increase in the use of direct bill options helps agencies manage receivables more effectively. It's important for agency Web sites to offer, and display prominently, all types of payment options. Steve Anderson is a licensed agent who heads The Anderson Network, Inc.;, PO ...

... /2013 10:39:13 PM by CompleteMarkets Editor This content has not been rated yet. LEGAL OUTLINE FOR CALIFORNIA INSURANCE AGENCIES &# 160 INTRODUCTION This outline is written for the owners of small or medium sized California property and casualty independent insurance agencies, and the broker/agents who own them or produce insurance for them. It is intended to raise practical legal problems facing agents, and to help them find practical answers. The outline is based on California law, but it may be helpful to broker-agents in other states as well. There are some legal areas which are California specific, such as covenants not to compete. An interest in an agency or a book of business is like a farmer's crop. There is a life cycle, from planting the seed to bringing in the harvest. By planning ahead from the beginning, an agency principal helps both the agency's operation and its ultimate disposition. Choosing the form of doing business is an important decision. Deciding whether to incorporate requires the agent to weigh the protection of a corporation against its increased cost in time and money. The small producer needs to consider the possible advantages of joining with others. The owner of a larger production agency needs to consider how to grow and to develop new producers. An agent also needs to think ahead about how he plans to sell or transfer his agency or book of business when he retires, and how to structure his business to accomplish his plans. I feel that an agent with any substantial assets should either be incorporated or join with someone who is. Important questions of structuring the ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Online Invoices Get Paid Twice As Fast 6/4 /2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Steve Anderson This content has not been rated yet. Web-based invoices that give recipients the option to pay online result in payments being made twice as fast as those that don't, according to data from Harvest, an online time-tracking and invoicing vendor. The company looked at data from more than 250,000 paid invoices from their system. They found that invoices that included the option to pay using PayPal were paid 16 days faster than those that did not, which took an average of 32 days. Although online payment isn't new to the Internet, few agencies have used it. As their clients become accustomed to being able to pay all of their bills online, agencies need to offer this method as an option. The increase in the use of direct bill options helps agencies manage receivables more effectively. It's important for agency Web sites to offer, and display prominently, all types of payment options. Steve Anderson is a licensed agent who heads The Anderson Network, Inc.;, PO Box 1546 Franklin, TN, 37065-1546; (615) 599-0085; e-mail [email protected] ; or visit www.SteveAnderson.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. ...

... go hand-in-hand these days. One is largely ineffective without the other. Clients will Google you to find your website and prospects will Google you to see if you exist. Clients and prospects will Google you to see if you are competent on a specific product. Carriers and Wholesalers will search for you to see if you are on the map. You website needs to be simple, succinct, mobile friendly and be ably supported by social media, blogs, articles, micro sites (a smaller version of your website on insurance related websites), relevant online directories and local review websites. Read my supporting article on insurance agency websites - which was first published on RoughNotes Magazine. 2. Social Engagement - Social media used to be the most cost effective and powerful way to communicate with clients and harvest prospects. A lot has changed in the past few years - most significantly, cutting through the fog and paid advertisements on people's news feeds has presented the most challenges. If you cannot get your great information to the top of people's social media news feeds, then it loses its efficacy very quickly. So, you either need to start paying for prime real estate or invest more resources into staying at the top (very similar to organic SEO on search engines) . However, Social engagement remains in the top 5 as the most effective way to brand, re-brand, engage, communicate and energize your users and prospects. It will probably remain a mainstay (and a modern fundamental) for a long while, although with social media website vertical breakouts you will need to do some analysis ...

... amount of information that can boost our business at the click of a mouse. The growth in available data has skyrocketed over the past few years, and although data is available, are you using this wealth of information to its optimal potential? No matter what industry you are in, you need to use information smartly to gain benefits to your business. Why collect data? Data is collected by businesses to gain a better understanding of how to provide a service of value to their customers, and drive forward efficiency and productivity from within their organization. While this all sounds good, with this knowledge comes an increase of risk of liability should it not be handled correctly and securely. Businesses that are data-driven have the competitive edge over those companies that do not. Companies that recognize the importance of harvesting data, are more likely to succeed and use innovative ways to realize its full potential in terms of productivity. .. 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 ...