Sales and Marketing

Picture Perfect

“It’s much easier to consume the visual image than to read something.” Poet, painter and activist Lawrence Ferlinghetti made this observation long before YouTube and Instagram. Yet the concept is acutely relevant today when it comes to managing your agenc

Death of a Salesman?

Three sales gurus track the rapid evolution of the sales process—and what it means for independent agents.

What If?

What would you do if all of a sudden your clients and prospects told you they didn’t like the way you communicated or sold and serviced them? Would you tell them: “tough luck, that’s the way we’ve always done business and that’s how we are going to do it

Avoid the Crash and Burn with Young Producers

Millennials enter the nation’s sales teams as the most “parented” generation in history. This upbringing often leads to crash-landing when millennials try to take on the demanding responsibilities of monthly sales production. Sales managers are often not

How Inbound Marketing Saved a Business

Marcus Sheridan almost lost his swimming pool business during the recession. But instead of accepting defeat, he says he grew the business into “one of the largest of its kind in the world”—and he credits his success to inbound marketing.

Why Every American Needs an Independent Insurance Agent

Independent insurance agents are becoming one of the best-kept secrets of the industry. While America is being bombarded with cute TV commercials, witty billboards and ear-catching radio announcements from direct writers promising to save us $400 on our c

Get in the Front Door Selling to Small Business Owners

Small businesses are the engine that keeps the U.S. economy running, and as insurance agents, we have the opportunity to help them be more successful by writing business owner policies that protect their assets. They are often in need of specific coverage

Ramp Up Digital Marketing

After detailing the awesome new matching grant opportunities with Trusted Choice® in my column last month, I thought bringing you as up-to-date as possible on CAP (the consumer agent portal) would be appropriate in this issue.

Take Advantage of the Trusted Choice® State Grant Program

There are some exciting changes to the Trusted Choice® state grant program for 2013, which were recently announced by the Trusted Choice board of directors, chaired by past Big “I” chairman, David Daniel. David and the board feel these changes will presen

Using Trusted Choice® and CAP to Get Ahead

As I write my fourth Chairman’s Voice column, it is turning much cooler in Oklahoma and the leaves are really falling. Nanette and I recently made visits to the Kentucky and Indiana conventions; both were very well attended with lots of activities, contin

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