April 20, 2015
It’s easy to imagine that being positive about everything in your life is the ideal mental state. It’s a wonderful fantasy, but it’s not real. Negative thoughts exist – and in some ways these musings are positively enlightening. One example …
March 23, 2015
There are endless ways to grow your agency. Yet today, pretty much all you hear about is using social media and establishing a strong mobile presence. These biggies are essential weapons in your agency’s arsenal, but they can cast a …
February 23, 2015
It’s easy to overlook the continued importance of email as a marketing device with today’s digital focus set firmly on social media. Email, as we know it, has been around for about a quarter of a century and it has …
November 17, 2014
It’s a fatal mistake to disregard the massive impact of digital marketing and selling. Insurance shopping is diving headlong into this direction and every forward-thinking agency must accept it as inevitable. But recognizing the inevitability of digital dominance does not …
October 20, 2014
Prospecting for fresh insurance leads is the soil of sales. And as any horticulturist can tell you, good earth is required to grow anything – including your agency. You can delegate this core function to a third party and buy …
September 22, 2014
It is common knowledge that if an agency wants to employ a dedicated marketer, hire a young person. They, and only they, know what is happening in social media. By virtue of their youth, and their presumed familiarity with all …
August 18, 2014
You can’t grow your agency without the right attitude. No, I’m not talking about a “proactive” sales stance. This cheerleading concept has been floating around the industry ever since the word was invented. Rather, I am referring to the attitude …
July 21, 2014
Imagine running an insurance agency 150 years ago. Essentially all that was available to sell was fire insurance and perhaps some marine. Fast forward to today and that same operation – now celebrating its sesquicentennial – has not only survived …
May 19, 2014
Some independent agents imagine that they are involved in an eternal sales conflict. Their mortal enemies include the large national insurance marketers, area captive agents, plus a wide swath of local, regional, and digital competitors. This battle-vision hardens their resolve …
April 21, 2014
To survive, think backwards. Consider what you shouldn’t do before contemplating what you should, as avoiding negative acts improves your agency’s health. Don’t just promote from within. As important as it is to have a career path for your staff, …