Latest Sales Headlines
All the headlines from our Sales Topic Page, ordered by recency.
The Magic and the Power of Brand Positioning
Aug 6 2001 // If you are like most owners of retail agencies, you get tired of hearing about this new marketing tactic called “branding” that will someday revolutionize the way you are supposed to market. Too many marketing...
Commentary: P/C Cold Calling Can Provide Targeted Leads
Aug 6 2001 // It’s been said that convincing a property/casualty salesperson to adopt a really new idea is somewhat akin to inducing an elephant to make a right-angle turn. However, perhaps the good news is that p/c cold calling...
“E-insurance: Creating a Competitive Advantage” Excerpted from a report written in co-operation with
Jul 3 2001 // Levels of e-business development Despite the desire to deepen customer relationships, reduce costs and develop new sources of revenue, few have gone far in terms of creating distinctive web-enabled services. To date, only...
How to Develop a Smart Advertising and Marketing Strategy
Jun 25 2001 // How do most agencies get new business? The answer is usually from referrals. Business generated this way is great—it’s already “half sold” and the new client’s perception of the agency, products...
The Middleton Group Releases its Biannual Compensation Survey: How Does Your Agency Compare’
Jun 11 2001 // Not surprisingly, compensation continues to be the single largest agency expense. The average independent agency in the U.S. spent between 62.2 percent and 66.3 percent on compensation in 2000, according to The Middleton...
How Does Your Agency Compare’ The Middleton Group biannual compensation survey
Jun 4 2001 // Not surprisingly, compensation continues to be the single largest agency expense. The average independent agency in the U.S. spent between 62.2 percent and 66.3 percent on compensation in 2000, according to The Middleton...
BrokersPortal Restructures, Aims to Get Insurers on Board
May 21 2001 // Contrary to some rumors, BrokersPortal is not going out of business. It is, however, taking on a new look as it restructures operations and positions itself to be a major player. With a new investor and a new company on...
How Agents Won on the Web, Four Web Venture Profiles
May 14 2001 // A century ago, agents found customers where they gathered—at church, their place of business or the local watering hole downtown. This marketing strategy still works today—only now many agents are going through...
IIAT’s 104th Annual Convention Set for June 14-15 in San Antonio
May 14 2001 // The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas’ annual convention set for June 14 and 15 has a new look this year. This year’s event, at the Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio, will be a jam-packed two days of...
The Producer Dilemma Revisited: There are Solutions
Apr 23 2001 // Four years ago, we wrote an article for Insurance Journal that outlined what we called the “Producer Dilemma.” This article follows up on what has been a chronic problem of finding good producers for the...
Are You Ready to Put the Life Back into Your Agency’
Apr 9 2001 // Traditional p/c agencies may consider a life department for increasing profits, retention Insured households carry more coverage than ever before, but at the same time, the insurance industry is reaching fewer U.S....
SAFECO Considers New Distribution Channels in Rebound Efforts
Mar 26 2001 // Circumventing independent agents. Under-mining agents’ sales. These are phrases that don’t set well with SAFECO CEO Mike McGavick. And it’s no wonder. Appointed as the man to turn the struggling...
CPIA Takes National Sales & Marketing Education Conference to San Diego
Mar 26 2001 // Members of the Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) Society enjoyed a valuable National Sales & Marketing Education Conference March 7-10 in San Diego’s balmy climate. Attendees had the opportunity to...
Safeco Considers New Distribution Channels In Rebound Efforts
Mar 19 2001 // Circumventing independent agents. Undermining agents’ sales. These are phrases that don’t set well with Safeco CEO Mike McGavick. And it’s no wonder. Appointed as the man to turn the struggling...
How To Sell Umbrellas to Everybody
Mar 19 2001 // Selling personal umbrellas is a nuisance, yes? Some agents say, “Forget the $15 or $20 commission; it’s the perception of value-added service to the client. It helps round accounts and keep accounts. And a lot...
CPIA Holds Sales, Marketing Conference in San Diego
Mar 14 2001 // Members of the Certified Professional Insurance Agent Society attended an educational National Sales & Marketing Education Conference March 7-10 in San Diego. With a smaller-than-anticipated turnout, attendees had the...
P/C Insurers’ Web Efforts Lacking Strategy, Conning Study Says
Mar 5 2001 // A new Conning & Co. study reports that the majority of property/casualty insurers did not have a guiding Internet strategy when developing their websites and only a few insurers use the Internet effectively to...
How To Sell Umbrellas to Everybody, Not Just Millionaires
Feb 26 2001 // Selling personal umbrellas is a nuisance, yes? Some agents say, “Forget the $15 or $20 commission; it’s the perception of value-added service to the client. It helps round accounts and keep accounts. And a lot...
P/C Insurers’ Web Efforts Lacking Strategy
Feb 22 2001 // A new Conning & Co. study reports that the majority of property/casualty insurers did not have a guiding Internet strategy when developing their web sites and only a few insurers use the Internet effectively to...
InsureHiTech Sets Its Sights High, Opens Austin Office
Feb 5 2001 // Redefining the insurance industry is no small task. Just ask Rick Maloy, president of InsureHiTech, a company that has great hopes of changing the agency management system of every insurance agent, broker and carrier in...
