Texas Connection - March 2014

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

Texas Connection

The editorial content in Texas Connection is valuable information but as always you should do your own due diligence and evaluation. The content is meant to be for informational purposes only and does NOT warrant an endorsement by the Texas Professional Insurance Agents in any form or fashion Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

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March, 2014

TEXAS PIA CONVENTION 2014 June 4 – 8, 2014

www.MengerHotel.com

Special Room Rate for Texas PIA Conventioneers Only $99.00 per night!

Texas PIA Connections 2014 Invitation

more info at www.PIATX.org

Convention Agenda Attention: Golfers Wednesday, June 4th 1:00 p.m. Scramble at Brackenridge Park Golf Course $75 per player

Thursday, June 5th 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: 3 hours non-CE “The Money Pit” … everything you need to know about how to evaluate, buy & sell a “Mom & Pop” insurance agency 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 3 hours CE Going Viral: Growing Awareness Through Media Get heard in this noisy world. Learn the fundamentals of branding and ways to promote your message online, through social media, and through traditional media channels.

Emily Adams: Branding & promoting your business, cause, message, or group online and through social media. www.EmilyAdamsOnFire.com Carol Hargis: Generating publicity through traditional media, i ncluding writing and submitting press releases to newspapers and magazines, contacting local TV and radio outlets, etc.www.InsRecord.com 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

"Agents' Choice for Excellence" (A.C.E.) Awards Luncheon 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: 3 hours CE “Sneakers” … Everything you need to know on how to protect your agency and commercial clients from cyber hacking “Cocoon” … Roughly 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65 today, and about 10,000 more will cross that threshold every day for the next 16 years. Tap into that market with Medicare Supplements and earn over $400 per sale 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

"Hollywood Nights" Trade Show Free admission to everyone except company reps of non-participating vendors.

7:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

Hospitality Suites open to everyone.

Texas PIA Connections 2014 Invitation

more info at www.PIATX.org

7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Riverwalk Cocktail Cruises

Friday, June 6th 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

“The Color of Money” …

This CE class that explains the key differences between workers’ compensation and nonsubscription in a way that makes attendees very comfortable communicating the option with their clients. Attendees will learn the primary concerns of employers considering nonsubscription and how to respond to those concerns. Attendees will learn how to evaluate different nonsubscriber programs and insurance offerings.

10:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

Hospitality Suites open to everyone except company reps of non-participating vendors.

Saturday, June 7th

Attendees will learn who makes a good nonsubscriber candidate and how to present the option to potential clients.

Upon completion of the class every attendee will be able to knowledgably discuss the option with their client.

The Arbitration presentation will provide the audience with a detailed synopsis of the current case law affecting various causes of actions and claims of employees, consumer and companies. It will also offer information over how the Arbitration process operates and what it covers.

11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

"Officer Installation & Awards" Luncheon 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

“And Justice for All” … This mock trial has many twists and turns as it reaches for a verdict on how much homeowner’s insurance was requested by the applicant.

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Hartford Flood: New Flood Insurance Changes – What you need to know (2 hour CE)

8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

“The Hunger Games” … CSRs are welcome to attend for free and learn the latest techniques in finding and capturing clients.

Biggert – Waters 2012 overview Most Recent updates Flood rating changes Q&A "What's the harm in a little water?" flyer Sponsored by Hartford Flood and taught by Tom Langmead Regional Sales Director thomas.langmead@thehartford.com www.hartfordfloodonline.com 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

"Hollywood Nights" Trade Show Free admission to everyone except company reps of non-participating vendors.

Texas PIA Connections 2014 Invitation

Rooms only $99.00 per night ... Book Now more info at www.PIATX.org

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

Why Change is so Difficult

In this mini-webinar Brandie Hinen and George Nordhaus discuss change, and why it is so difficult.

Watch the Webinar Here Insurance Agencies' one-stop resource for Communications, Marketing, and Technology Each search engine (Google, Bing, Yahoo! etc.) has its own ranking algorithms. These are complex rules that determine how to rank your website for a search query.

Beginners Guide to SEO Congratulations! You’ve made the decision to take your business online.

The search engines never make these algorithms public and are regularly change how they work, so SEO can take a little guesswork.

You’ve built your website and you’re ready to start taking orders, but where are all the customers you thought would be knocking on your virtual door?

Perhaps they have gotten lost? Or is it that they would be on their way to you....if only they knew you existed!

When someone types an enquiry in the search box of any search engine, it is the job of that search engine to provide the most relevant websites for whatever query the searcher has asked.

If you are not clued up on Search Engine Marketing, then unfortunately it’s going to be the latter. They simply can’t find you.

Let’s say, for example, you search for a big brand such as “Progressive”. As you would expect, www.Progressive.com will pop up at the top of the list.

This website takes the number one slot in the search results because they have their SEO in place, as well as the fact that search engines often rank big brands higher automatically. Plus, Progressive has probably paid more to be there.

Search Engine Optimization, (SEO for short), is the process of improving the ranking of your website on the major search engines. The higher a website's ranking, the nearer it will be to the top of the search result listings.

Continued on page 6 Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

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March, 2014

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

Beginner’s Guide to SEO Continued from page 5 But what happens when you use the search term “insurance”? This is a much more generic term and can throw up thousands, if not millions, of results. How do Google and the other search engines determine who should be top of the pile?

Well, apart from the sponsored links from advertisers who have paid to have their ads displayed, (these are normally featured at the very top of the page), Google finds the most relevant website based on the SEO work that has been carried out.

Not only does it mean that the keyword “insurance” has been used well within the site, but that the website is known, trusted and has lots of links from other websites pointing back to it. SEO can be quite a complex business, but when carried out well it can give you great results.

Using Keywords in SEO Website Content One of the most important considerations in SEO is your website content. It needs to be well written and needs to target relevant keywords in a natural way.

But a word of caution: If you litter your website with too many keywords Google will penalize you by moving you down in the rankings. Never try to cheat the search engines. They are very clever and can tell the difference between keyword stuffing and well-written content.

For example, let's say you have a website that is all about auto insurance. Naturally, when people search for the word ‘auto insurance’, you want your site to come out top in the search engine results. You might be tempted to write an article which mentions the word auto insurance many times, in order to get your site ranked highly by the search engines and so appear at the top of the search results. It could even read something like this: Texas PIA’s Texas Connection Page 6

“If you are looking for information on auto insurance quotes, read this article which is written on the topic auto insurance quotes. This auto insurance quotes article is an excellent auto insurance quote article. This auto insurance quote article will help you make good auto insurance decisions. This auto insurance quote is an easy way to buy auto insurance. In this auto insurance quote article, you can find lot of information on buying auto insurance. This auto insurance quote article talks about which are the best auto insurance agencies to use, where to buy good quality auto insurance, how to make good auto insurance buying decisions, etc. Read this auto insurance quote article to learn more about buying auto insurance.”

It doesn’t make good reading and it certainly doesn't show a natural use of the word auto insurance, and overusing the keyword 'auto insurance’ in this manner will guarantee that Google and the other search engines will penalize your site by dropping it down the rankings.

So how do you go about optimizing your site for the best search results?

First of all, you need to determine what key words or phrases your potential customers are most likely to type in when searching for your particular product or service.

In the previous article we used the example of an insurance agency in North Carolina.

The keyword would not be ‘insurance. It is just too generic. There are thousands of insurance agencies out there, far too many for your customers to be able to find you. Most likely, they will be searching using the phrase “insurance agency in Dallas, Texas” or something similar in the search engines. So give some thought to what terms your customers might use to find YOU, (normally your product or server + your town or city).

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March, 2014

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More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

Beginner’s Guide to SEO

How to Get Fast Effective Results The quickest and best way to get more exposure for your business and turn that trickle of web visitors into a flood of sales is to hire a specialist SEO company. SEO is a steep learning curve which really can take a lot of time and effort, time that will take you away from the running of your business.

Continued from page 6 Come up with the two or three most obvious keywords for your business, and then use these within your website content. The basic rule would be to have your main keyword near the top of your web page or in the first paragraph of content and then use it a couple of times more throughout. Add your secondary keywords in the body of your web page content. Search engines will then be able to read these keywords on your website and send you potential customers who are looking for these phrases. Just remember NOT to overdo it. Use them in natural manner and they will work effortlessly for you.

An SEO consultant, on the other hand, can carry out all the hard work, monitor your site and ensure you are getting the best exposure.

You need a company who you can trust. A company who knows exactly what they are doing and who will get the best results for your business.

You need www.PIATX.org.

Keep Your Customer in Mind When Designing Your Site

Texas PIA Membership has helped many local insurance agencies to be successful online and get many more customers than they would have done had they remained offline.

It is so important to provide valuable and informative content for your visitors, as today, more than ever, Google rewards websites which provide good, helpful content related to whatever line of business you are in.

But Google wants to be sure your site is respected and an authority on the subject you deal with before it sends anybody your way.

Why not give Eddie K. Emmett a call at (770) 3122342 or e-mail to eddie@PIATX.org for a no-obligation, informal chat.

Eddie will give you a free 5-point inspection of your web presence along with ideas to improve it.

So if we use our insurance agency example again, you could provide an article or two about insurance coverages or how to choose the best insurance for young drivers. You could go a step further and create a video showing how file a claim, or show how to save money when renting a car. The idea is to create information that is going to interest your target audience.

Then you can decide if your time is best spent optimizing your web presence by claiming listings and building a non-descript website or letting professionals do the work so you can concentrate on the increased potential clientele.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Run your FREE report at www.AgencyThrive.VisibilityScore.com Then call Eddie at (770) 312-2342 for a no-obligation, painfully candid analysis of your web presence.

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

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March, 2014

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To learn more about AmTrust, visit us at amtrustnorthamerica.com or call 877.528.7878.

Connect with us A.M. Best rating of “A” (Excellent) FSC X

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

How to Protect Your Brand with Online Reputation Management In some cases, they might not even be genuine customers. It may be your competitors instead, using underhanded tactics to give you and your business a bad name.

Reputation Management Managing your online reputation is an important component of online public relations. In this day and age your potential customers will probably decide to ‘Google’ your name or company when deciding whether to buy from you or use your services or not. While this is great news for consumers who can now make informed decisions about whom they may or may not choose to do business with, it can be a nightmare for some businesses.

Why? Because image is everything! So every business (or individual) needs to monitor and manage their reputation. All you need is just one dissatisfied customer, determined to tell the world what they think of you and your business and who posts their comments on all of the review sites and your reputation could be ruined.

For these reasons, all businesses, no matter how big or small, need to protect their image on the internet by monitoring, managing and improving their online reputation. If not, potential customers searching for your company will see these negatives and choose to buy their products or services elsewhere – from your competitors.

These tips should help you take control of your brand identity: 1. Find out exactly what people are saying about you: Some businesses try to pretend the internet doesn’t exist. They bury their heads and don’t even try to find out what people are writing about them. Don’t make the same mistake. The only way you can manage your online reputation is to find out what is being said about your business. It might not all be flattering, but it's important to know what's being said about you online.

Unless you know what's out there, you can't respond to what others have to say. But there is an upside - if you find people giving you positive reviews, you can publicize it.

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Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

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March, 2014

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org 3.

Reputation Management Continued from page 10 So bite the bullet and ‘Google’ your name and the name of your business. Look at the results that appear.

In most cases you will find a lot of excellent reviews and some negative ones. Don’t worry if you do have some negative comments as this happens to virtually every single business and retailer online so you are not alone.

Never ignore negative reviews:

Ignoring the comments altogether is not a good course to take, and can be just as harmful to your reputation as responding to negative reviews with abusive messages.

It is not necessarily the negative reviews that could put potential customers off from doing business with you but how you handle these negative comments. If you handle them right you can still come out smelling of roses and look very professional. However, if you handle them badly, you could lose new customers in their droves.

2. Respond to the negative reviews in a professional manner: No matter whether you think the negative comments are justified or not, you must be utterly professional in your reply. Always remember: You are may be writing to the person leaving the negative review, but your comments will be read by thousands of other potential customers who will be very interested to see how you handle the complaint.

If you launch an attack on the person who left the negative comment by branding them a liar, rant at them for taking their complaint public rather than coming to you with it first, all you are going to do is add fuel to the fire and potential customers are going to avoid you like the plague. It will also add credibility to the person who left the complaint, even if it wasn’t true.

Disregarding even one negative review will seriously harm your business. Most people, when reading a negative review, will not take the time to carefully consider whether you or the customer is in the right, and by not addressing the adverse comments, you seem to be confirming them to be true. More often than not, that one negative review will create enough doubt or uncertainty to send your potential customers into the arms of your competitors instead.

It is so important to have a set game plan of how to deal with online complaints. It is much smarter and more effective option is to learn how to effectively reply to negative reviews. (See tip #2).

The best way to handle situations like this is: Be very professional Show care and concern for the fact that they did not have a positive experience.

Apologize for the service they received.

Accept the mistake and put down in writing the steps that you have taken to fix the problem to ensure that it never happens again.

4. Invite the Customer to Amend Their Review If you are able to resolve your customer’s issue and have shown them you want them back as a customer, the next step is to encourage them to return back to the site to remove their negative review, or at least amend it with a follow-up message describing how, with your help, the problem was resolved.

Invite them back to do business with you again so that they can see for themselves that you listened to them and do care that they were disappointed with your service.

This may require some incentives on your part, but clearing up a negative review is definitely worth any immediate costs. If the customer refuses or is unable to change or remove their review, then follow up with your own summary of the events in a factual way, taking care not to anger or infuriate the customer into responding further and so drag you into an online war of words.

Can you see how taking this course of action not only wins over the person who left the review but it also reassures all of your other potential customers that you are good to do business with.

For example you could politely explain that as a business owner these things are unfortunate but they do happen and that the customer received a full refund or whatever action you took to address the issue.

This public display of customer service will go a long way in overcoming any damage done by the initial review and will win you more customers in the long run.

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Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

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March, 2014

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org Reputation Management Continued from page 11

If they see that you are a responsible business owner who genuinely tries to take good care of your customers you will win lots of new clients.

5. Encourage Positive Reviews from Satisfied Customers An excellent way to manage your online reputation is to encourage your many satisfied customers to leave a positive review at the site hosting the bad one. Again you many need to offer some incentives. This does not mean paying people to leave positive reviews but there are some subtle ways to encourage your customers to leave honest reviews to crowd out the bad ones.

It’s worth remembering you don’t have to wait for a bad review to start motivating happy customers to leave positive comments. In fact, being proactive about this can prevent one negative review from having a drastic effect on your business. So make a habit of encouraging all of your happy customers to leave positive comment.

You will be surprised just how many will simply because you ask them to.

It can be more difficult to get customers to post positive reviews rather than negative ones, even if you offer the most exceptional service in the world. So take the initiative and try to steer them towards sites that will offer you the most benefits. Depending on the type of business you are or the service that you provide, look at identifying who your customers tend to be, (e.g. tourists, locals, foodies, professionals, homemakers, etc.). Then choose a review site that best fits your niche and invite customers to leave feedback there.

The whole purpose is to try and control as much of the online conversation about your business as possible.

By directing customers to a business-friendly review site (one that allows owners to reply to complaints or even offers some kind of reputation-management program) you’ll be able to limit the impact any bad review will have.

6. Never leave fake positive reviews for your own business.

As tempting or as easy as this may seem to write your own fake reviews there are many ways you can get caught doing this. Once your reviews have been exposed it will be much more damaging to your business’s reputation than a few negative reviews.

Try to realize that negative reviews are not the end of the world. In fact if you deal with the situation correctly, you can turn the situation around and come away with a positive boost to your business.

7. it’s Time to Get Social By creating social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest etc. you can manage your online reputation even easier. By being active on the social networking platforms there is less room for other, potentially negative, pages to gain visibility. If a negative news story should emerge, you can react to it quickly; get your point of view across so that people searching for the story will see your side before things get out of control.

You can use the same idea by creating accounts on YouTube, HubPages, Blogger, WordPress, Squidoo and other sites. It is important not to spread yourself too thinly, but the more Social Media accounts you can comfortably handle, the more opportunities you will have to increase your visibility, and the more control you can exercise over your reputation management.

This increased online presence will enable you to engage and interact with your followers and fans which will eventually build trust and loyalty with clients new and old.

8. Join Industry Specific forums There are literally thousands of discussion forums on the internet so there is bound to be one specific to your industry. If there is, then you should seriously consider joining. It is a terrific way to reach out to a brand new audience who previously might not have heard of you or your business. You can also build a solid online reputation by offering great tips and advice and generally becoming a respected authority within your niche or industry.

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Customers don’t expect a business to be perfect.

However, what they do expect is for a company to take responsibility for its occasional shortcomings and show that it cares about its customers and is willing to do whatever it takes to make them happy.

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

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March, 2014

Texas PIA Membership has More Advantages!

Here’s what you get for only $300.00 per year: Free Online CE Free Classroom CE Discount registration to Annual Convention Free Report complete with improvement tips on Your Agency’s Online Visibility If your website looks like this on a Smartphone

It could look like this for Free

Free Micro-Mobile Site & QR Code Marketing Strategy. Scan this QR Code for a current example. This could be your agency! $349.00 Value!

Free 30 second Agency Promotional Video. Click here to enjoy the one I created for Texas PIA Connections 2013. This could be your agency!

Free Customizable Business Forms: These documents are free to download and customize for your own professional use.

Free Mentoring: Whether you are a start-up or an existing business, our mentors will help you reach customers and achieve your goals with confidential, valuable advice.

Free Small Business Handbook: Everything you need to know to run your business, from equity to employees.

Free Marketing Templates: Sets of templates with a coordinated design including letterhead, envelopes, business cards, brochures, etc.

Free Office Poster Software: Templates to create your own custom office posters, all without any knowledge of design or graphical skills needed.

Free “How To” Booklets on Agency Management, Buy / Sell / Evaluate an Independent Agency, Internet Marketing & Social Media

Free Disaster Planning Toolkit: At least one in four small businesses that close because of a major disaster never reopen. Here’s a new tool for your agency (& your commercial policyholders).

Free Monthly CSR Online Training using interactive quizzes, videos and worksheets Free Monthly Agency Owner’s Tips ‘n Tools Free HR Policy & Compliance Guidelines

Main Street Store

Free Claims Apps for Policyholders

Available to all A1 (Agent) members in addition to State Level Benefits

Free Agency Valuation Consultation

Agency Revenue Tools Flood Insurance through The Hartford (to sell) Voluntary Products Offered By the PIA Services Group Insurance Fund

All this & much, much more for only $300.00 per year

Join today Online at www.PIATX.org

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org Reputation Management

What will your comments look like to everybody else reading what you have written?

Continued from page 12

Will it damage your reputation even further in the long run? If you need to, write down what you want to say, leave it for an hour or even overnight and then re-read it.

You might find that once you have calmed down you have changed your mind and decide to reword what you want to say.

9. Use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Management An essential way to build a good reputation online and have a strong presence on the Internet is make sure that your website and social media sites are optimized for the search engines. What does this means for your business? It makes your website more search engine friendly, so your site will be ranked higher in the search engines results AND your customers can find you much more quickly.

Never, ever publish anything that is going to cast you or your business in a negative light. Your aim is to protect your reputation and that means doing all you can to improve your company’s image online.

Above all….Stay on top of things.

SEO tactics can also be used to rank other pages that are not on your website too. For example, if you have written an informative guest post on a wellrespected industry blog or discussion forum, getting this to rank can be even more effective than getting your own social media profiles to rank and will give your instant credibility when potential customers search for your name or company.

It's very important not to get lazy about monitoring your reputation. We recommend regularly checking for information that could potentially harm your online reputation. Take advantage of automatic monitoring tools such as Google Alerts. This way you'll stay informed about what is being said so you can be proactive and limit the damage done.

You could take this one step further, using SEO to rank any positive press that you have received. If one of your products has received a glowing review in the national press, for example, use SEO to help this page to rank highly. This can present a very positive image of your brand even if you have negative reviews elsewhere and will win you over many more new clients.

Some local businesses realize the importance of doing this but are too busy running their companies.

They find they don’t have the time to monitor their online reputation enough. Or they find it hard to remain professional and not get too emotional when leaving replies to negative comments because they are so passionate about their business.

10. Communicate through photos and videos

Protecting a brand image is the most important thing a company can do. You probably have worked hard for years, if not decades, building your brand so you don't want to let negative remarks or reviews about your company hurt your bottom line.

When you think of companies like Virgin and Apple which people come to mind? You immediately think of Richard Branson and the late Steve Jobs. Their images and personality are instantly linked to their companies and you could do the same with your company. People like to know who they are doing business with so why not add photographs and videos of you, your business and your employees. Give your company a face your clients can relate to and get to know.

We Can Protect Your Online Reputation

It has far more impact on the relationship that you have with your customers than an anonymous website.

If you tag your pictures with keywords and your company name they will even have an effect on your search engine ranking and improve your branding.

11. Think Before You Post: Unless you want to stir up controversy and make situations worse, it's important to watch what you say and be careful what you post.

Anything you say can and will be used against you when it comes to social media. It is very frustrating when you read a comment about your business that is either unfair or even a downright lie, but before you post anything you need to think about the impact your words are going to have.

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

We can help create a positive buzz around your brand. By using our experience with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques we can shape the results of the first few pages of the search engine results.

You can rest assured we are quick and efficient at getting the results you and your business needs. Not all reputation management jobs are the same. While one company may have two negative mentions to push down another may have six or seven.

If you are concerned about your reputation online please get in contact with us today so we can discuss your situation and better understand your needs. You will be glad that you did.

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March, 2014

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More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY SOME LOCAL INSURANCE AGENCIES SEEM TO THRIVE AND BE INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL AT MARKETING THEMSELVES ON THE INTERNET WHILE OTHERS CAN’T EVEN MANAGE TO GET ONE CUSTOMER TO THEIR WEBSITE? If so, you are not alone. We realize that a lot of agencies find internet marketing very frustrating. There are literally thousands of different ways to market your business on the Internet, so we have put together some basic internet marketing tips we think will be useful to most local small business owners.

Google+ Local Even if you only started your agency very recently, the chances are it will already be listed on Google+ Local. However, your mission is to make sure the information on your Google Local page is accurate.

To do that, all you need to do is claim your page and make sure that you fill in all of the information correctly (contact us if you need some help as it needs to be done properly or your ranking will suffer).

Local insurance agencies benefit enormously from having their Google Places listing found at or near the top of the page 1 results on Google. Just this one tip alone could make a huge difference to your business.

Remember both Bing and Yahoo has their own local search platforms too Okay, so Bing Local and Yahoo Local might not be as big and effective as Google’s local search platform but you should not ignore them as they can still drive a lot of traffic to your website. Like Google, they are free and relatively easy to do but it is vital to make sure that you give the search engines the exact kind of information they require in order to benefit fully from them.

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

Check your <Title> tag Visit your website and look at the very top of your browser window. What do you see?

Does it describe the page that you are looking at?

Is it a personalized description relating to your website or is it a generic default description that could apply to any insurance agency online?

Does it contain keywords and phrases you would expect people to use when searching for a business like yours in the search engines?

If you are a local insurance agency depending on local customers in your area to find you, does it contain local search keywords?

If not then this will be another reason why you are not getting many visitors to your website.

Determine what you want your website to do A lot of local business owners give total control of their website to their web designers. While they may be good at actually designing websites they usually don’t have a clue about marketing and making the website work efficiently for their clients. So instead of letting your designer have free rein, spend a few minutes thinking about what the goal of your website is? Yes, you want it to boost your profits by driving extra sales but how exactly will it do that? Start with just one goal, such as increasing the number of phone calls, and branch out from there. Although it is important to set goals, you also need to come up with a system for measuring the results of those goals.

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More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

Top Website Marketing Tips Continued from page 16 Spread the word in Local directories There are numerous directory sites on the internet, each with hundreds of thousands of visitors. Some, like Insiderpages.com, even get millions of visitors per month. It makes sense to get your business listed in these online directories, especially if there is a directory relating specifically to your industry niche.

Not only will you benefit from the extra visitors from the directories but as an added bonus, being listed will actually strengthen your rankings in Google+ Local.

Check out your competition When was the last time you visited any of you competitors’ websites? Do you know who your competitors are? Find out what sites appear when you type in keyword and phrases that you think potential customers would use when looking for your site.

Visiting your competitors’ websites is a great way to get ideas and take stock of your own company’s online marketing efforts in comparison to theirs. Take a look at the kind of information they have on their site and see how their site compares to yours? Try to analyze why their site might be ranking higher than yours.

Join your local chamber of commerce and networking groups Although this comes with a price tag, the benefits of joining the local Chamber of Commerce or a local networking group are enormous. You have the potential to get much more business, save your business money with member-only deals and provide a boost in the local search rankings. Here is a list of just some of the benefits: Increased exposure to many other people and local businesses eager to do business with you.

Substantially increased referrals.

Participation in numerous networking groups each week Get invited to take part in tradeshows (where you'll have an opportunity to market your business).

Free workshops.

And much more.

The knock on effect for your business is definitely worth the investment and your local business is likely to grow as a result.

Post online videos

Using YouTube and other online video sites is free and well worth the effort to create a video and post it online.

Don’t panic. You don’t need to produce a Hollywood Blockbuster movie. If you have a video camera or even a decent smartphone with a video camera on it, you can video yourself or members of your staff showcasing some of the services you provide or displaying some of the products you have on offer. Record a demo of how to use one of your products or you could interview some of your best customers. You could even give people a video tour around your premises. If you don’t have a video camera, you could create a simple slide show presentation in PowerPoint with some pictures and add a brief voice over.

Then, create a YouTube channel and upload it. There are many videos on YouTube itself showing how to personalize and brand it. In the video’s description add a full link to your website and make sure that it is clickable. Don’t forget to add “tags” using words that people are likely to search for (keywords relating to your business or the area that you live including your city or town).

Late yesterday afternoon I came great bonus for Texas PIA Members.

with

a

I was video-chatting Joe Tipton who told me his agency was big on Renter's Insurance but was invisible on Google Search for that insurance product in his town.

Aardvark Insurance is now in the #1 spot on page #1 in Google Search for "Tips on finding Renters Insurance in Dallas, TX"!

It took less than one hour to get to #1.

Check it out at: http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=MgyoiuxHO5U It took me less than 5 minutes to create and upload to YouTube.

I also did it for Dean Auten's office in Brunswick just to prove it was not a fluke.

Dean's video was in the #2 spot on page #1 in Google Search for "Tips for finding insurance in Brunswick, GA" within one hour.

I can do the same for any Texas agency for any product or service.

The video can then be shared on the agency's website, Facebook page or Google Listing.

And it’s free for Texas PIA Members!

YouTube is one of the biggest search engines on the Internet and Google owns it. Google also rewards businesses who post videos on YouTube with higher search rankings, so it would be foolhardy to ignore it.

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

up

Contact Eddie at eddie@PIATX.org

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More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

Top Website Marketing Tips Continued from page 17

Advertise in the Texas Connection

BTW … Don’t just stick to YouTube. There are other sites such as Vimeo.com and Dailymotion.com to post on, and you can add your video to your own website by using the embed option from YouTube and your Facebook page.

Attention: Insurance Companies, MGA’s, Premium Finance Companies & Insurance Industry Vendors: Check out the rates for the most cost effective method of keeping your message in front of your customers …

The Independent Insurance Agent.

Make Friends with local journalists This is probably one strategy that your competitors are not doing and it works like a charm. But you are probably wondering how you would even start to make friends with a journalist. Watch your local news items on TV, read your local newspapers and compile a list of the local reporters. Most TV stations now include the journalist Twitter ID or email address alongside the correspondent’s name while they are presenting their news item.

Ad Size

Monthly

Pre-Pay 6 Issues

Full Page (7.5” x 10”)

$175.00

$900.00

Half - Page (7.5” x 5”)

$100.00

$500.00

Quarter-Page (3.75” x 5”)

$75.00

$375.00

1/8 - Page (3.75” x 2.5”)

$50.00

$250.00

Questions? Contact Eddie K. Emmett at eddie@piatx.org or (770) 312-2342.

Start off by commenting on a story that your journalist friend wrote in the newspaper or presented on the TV. Don’t flatter them but make your comment insightful. Add value to what they have reported and make them think.

You want them to remember you. Send them a story idea that has nothing to do with your business, something you think might be of interest to them. Write a blog post, Tweet or add a comment on Facebook about something that they have covered and explain why you found it interesting.

In time, you could start sending them stories you think would be newsworthy, or show them you are an expert in your particular field so if a story ever crops up relating to your business you will be the first person that they think of.

SEO for Beginners No matter what business you are in, you need to have an online presence. Your customers and prospects use the internet daily to find the products and services they need. If your agency can’t be found online, they will have no other choice but to buy from the places they can find online - and that is your competitors!

However, giving your agency an online presence is more than simply putting up a little website with your company's address and phone number.

Continued on page 19 Rooms only $99.00 at Menger Hotel for Texas PIA Convention in San Antonio on June 4-8

It means setting up a virtual version of your business, with an engaging, informative website, a Facebook page and Twitter account. In this electronic age, people search online for the products and services they need.

They don’t use the phone book any more so if you ignore this important potential marketing platform it is just like you saying, "I don't need any new business."

Check it out at www.MengerHotel.com Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

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March, 2014

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org Well, many budget-conscious companies have already started using these free marketing sources as a way to promote, connect and brand their company, and connecting with your customers is the main reason to use social media for your business.

You will be able to communicate with your customers easily because Facebook, Twitter, etc. have become a daily habit. Many log on to update as soon as they wake up, even before brushing their teeth.

To succeed with in social media marketing, don’t try and sell anything to your followers.

It’s a place consumers can go to easily access your phone number, address, and other key information, even on their mobile phones. Instead, start to engage with people interested in your business: Thank customers for their business; respond to customer complaints; market your business to people most likely to support your company.

Try offering/sending out exclusive discounts and deals on your social media fans and followers.

Once you have your Facebook page and Twitter accounts up-and-running, try giving LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube a go. The more you use the world of social media, the higher your return will be – perhaps not in direct revenue, but with increased brand loyalty, greater word-of-mouth, and stronger emotional attachment to your brand.

Top Website Marketing Tips Continued from page 17 Get involved on Social Media Why should you use Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter?

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

We can provide you with some great ways to use Facebook and other social media sites to their full potential and win over thousands of potential new customers. Give Eddie a call to discuss all the different ways we can help you gain more traffic to your website through effective marketing and increase the sales power of your website.

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More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

Texas PIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Texas Connection

Page 20

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More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

Texas PIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Texas Connection

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2014 PIA National Guide to

Member Benefits

PIA: Local Agents Serving Main Street America

SM

Legislative & regulatory outreach Whether we like it or not, federal politics greatly affects our industry. That’s why PIA National represents members’ interests on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Our lobbyists ensure that lawmakers understand insurance agents’ positions and how legislation will affect voters back home.

PIA National works closely with regulatory and legislative entities across the country, including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL), and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), to ensure that the concerns of independent agents are addressed.

PIA holds a seat on the board of the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). PIA is a fixture in countless working groups aimed at modernizing and improving insurance regulation, healthcare reform, producer licensing, flood insurance, crop insurance, and natural disaster planning. PIA fights to protect agents’ interests and ensure they have a seat at the table.

Here are some ways you can get involved: > Grassroots alerts. To ensure legislators feel the heat from their constituents, PIA occasionally organizes grassroots campaigns in which PIA members can easily send pre-written, fully-editable letters directly to their elected officials. Send one now by visiting www.piagrassroots.com. > PIA Federal Legislative Summit. The annual spring PIA Federal Legislative Summit (FLS) is a gathering of PIA members who come together in the nation’s capital to meet with their elected representatives. It is an opportunity to meet/reacquaint yourself with your Members of Congress and to discuss issues that are of importance to independent insurance agents. Learn more by visiting www.piafls.com. > District Lobbying Day…Capitol Hill in Your Backyard. Every August, while Congress is in recess and our elected officials are back home in their district offices, PIA members have a special opportunity to positively impact the politics that shape their lives. They do this by meeting with their elected officials and promoting the points of view of Professional Insurance Agents. Resources for these meetings can be found on www.piadld.com.

> PIA Political Action Committee (PIAPAC). PIAPAC is the Professional Insurance Agents Political Action Committee. The PAC contributes to the campaigns of candidates to federal office who share our pro-insurance, pro-business perspective and who support our issues. PIAPAC is funded by the contributions of individual PIA members.

To learn more visit www.piapac.com.

PIA Insurance Foundation The Professional Insurance Agents Insurance Foundation (c-3) strives to further the insurance knowledge and education of those engaged in the independent insurance agency system. Its most recent work product, entitled Future of the Business Disciplines, Regulation and Oversight of the U.S. Insurance Marketplace, is a white paper intended to assess the current status of insurance regulation and evaluate the range of potential reforms being discussed in Congress and throughout the insurance industry.

More information For more information about the PIA National member benefits described in this brochure, please visit www.pianet.com.

Contact Us Have a question? Not sure how to access a particular program? Want to vent about something? That’s what your staff at PIA is for. Please feel free to give us a call or send us an email.

To find specific PIA National staff members who can assist you, visit our online Contact Us web page: www.pianet.com/contactus.

Or call us at (703) 836-9340 or email membership@pianet.org and we’ll put you in touch with the proper person.

National Association of Professional Insurance Agents 400 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314-2353 (703) 836-9340 membership@pianet.org www.pianet.com 1/14

PIA: Local Agents Serving Main Street America

SM

For online access to the PIA National member benefits

Business-building tools

Insurance products

> PIA Branding Program. Write more business and demonstrate that you’re a Local Agent Serving Main Street AmericaSM by using our print and radio ads, available in English and Spanish. Look for new marketing tools in 2014.

> PIAPRO E&O. The PIA Professional Liability Insurance Company is a Risk Retention Group (RRG) formed to offer errors and omissions coverage exclusively to PIA members. To see if PIAPRO is available in your state, please go to www.pia-pro.com or contact your local PIA state association’s E&O producer.

They end at competitive rates.

We begin there.

As your local Professional Insurance Agents, we provide competitive rates and a whole lot more: > A choice of companies to better fit your unique needs. Where single company agents, 800 numbers, and websites fit a policy to you, we represent a number of quality companies that offer different policies and optional endorsements.

> Hartford Flood Insurance. Easy enrollment, dedicated local sales directors and book transfer/rollover team, training/CE, free certified zone determinations, 24/7 claims reporting and great commissions.

Not comfortable with flood insurance? Try the “Flood Solutions” option, which uses Hartford CSRs.

> E &O insurance. Professional liability, errors and omissions insurance. With access to multiple markets with differing appetites, including admitted and non-admitted markets, chances are we can find the coverage and price that’s right for you, even if you have a more unusual risk.

Visit www.pianet.com/eando.

> Rough Notes Producer Online. Helps identify risk exposures and provides detailed coverage analysis. Save up to $1,195 in your first year alone when compared to the regular list price!

> P IA agents umbrella program. Excess insurance protection includes E&O and business liability coverage, with available endorsements for EPL and personal coverage. Coverage not available in all states.

> DocIT from Drivers History. DocIT’s online database of driver violation data helps agents align applicants with the right carrier so they order fewer MVRs.

NEW

> Enhance Insurance by Agoragate. Internet marketing firm Agoragate (pronounced Agra-gate) enables independent insurance agents to dramatically increase their visibility online when people in their communities search the web for insurance.

> I ndividual and group insurance products.

Basic, voluntary, and dependent term life; long/short term disability; AD&D; business overhead expense; and hospital income protection for you, your employees, and families.

Visit www.piatrust.com.

> Agency Revenue Tools. Boost personal lines sales by engaging in employee worksite marketing using your appointed markets at regular commission rates.

Cutting-edge communications

> Agency websites from Emerald.

Cutting-edge website technology tailored specifically for insurance agents. Now it’s easy to have a good looking, user-friendly agency website.

> PIA Connection print newsletter.

Award-winning publication packed with news and analysis of national issues, published ten times per year.

> Using the PIA logo. Put the PIA logo on your business card, website, stationery and signage. Order items with the PIA logo in our online store.

> PIA National’s website, www.pianet.com.

> Consumer brochures. Answer your customers’ questions about insurance with PIA’s attractive brochures.

> PIA National Agency Marketing Guide. Hands-on marketing tips from industry experts. Published annually each summer.

PIA Responds to the McKinsey Report

November/December

pages 9-13

2013 National Association of Professional Insurance Agents

Buying Insurance Is Not Like Buying a Song on iTune s page 3

Special Report:

Maximize Your People, Processes and Systems to Increase Sales

PIA National

2013

> Personal support and service. Whether you have a question about coverage or need to submit a claim, we’re here for you— over the phone or face-to-face.

Agency Marketing Guide Brought to you by these

sponsors:

A Berkshire Hathaway Company

Learn more about these PIA National member benefits at www.pianet.com.

A product of the PIA Branding

Program

PIA: Local Agents Serving Main Street America

SM

s listed here, please visit www.pianet.com.

Carrier relations

Tools from The PIA Partnership The PIA Partnership — a joint effort of leading insurance carriers and PIA — develops hands-on tools for PIA member agencies such as: > Closing the Gap — Growth NEW & Profit. The PIA Partnership’s newest tool provides PIA members with calculators so they can project and plan for new business growth and profitability.

Agencies are then offered three proven, turnkey approaches for improving retention, sales and account-rounding in their agencies. > Agency Touch Points — The Voice of the Customer. Learn how to capitalize on Partnership research to give personal lines customers what they really want, instead of relying on commonly held misconceptions.

Because good relationships with the carriers you represent are vital to your success, PIA National keeps an open line of communication with insurance companies—and uses it on your behalf. PIA members can constructively voice their concerns, so carriers understand how their decisions affect their agency partners.

Our Agency Agreement Review Service, available to both PIA members and carriers, provides an opportunity for PIA to advocate for agents when carriers consider changes to their agreements. Staff highlights concerns for members to consider so they can make informed decisions about the agency agreements that govern their business relationships.

> Practical Guide to Successful Planning. This valuable resource helps agents plan for success within their own agencies and coordinate their plans with those of the carriers they represent.

Through our ongoing activities with The PIA Partnership, PIA agent and insurance company leaders work together to identify areas of opportunity for PIA member agencies. The PIA Partnership then develops handson tools specifically designed for use by agents to help them achieve maximum success. Recent PIA member benefits from The PIA Partnership include Closing the Gap — Growth & Profit, Agency Touch Points — The Voice of the Customer, Reaching Gen Y, the Practical Guide to Successful Planning and Perpetuation Central.

These programs are described at left.

Agency management tools

Industry & business affairs

> Reaching Gen Y. This online tool helps agents understand and reach Gen Y age group insurance consumers and convert them into loyal agency customers. > Perpetuation Central. This hands-on, interactive tool guides agencies through the decision-making, planning and implementation steps of agency perpetuation or ownership transfer.

> Agency Agreement Review Service. Free to members and carriers, PIA recommends changes to carriers and highlights concerns for members so they can make informed decisions about the agreements they sign. > Agency Preparedness and Recovery Plan. The PIA guide to creating an agency-specific business contingency plan. > Discounted producer licensing services. Available from Sircon and Central Licensing Bureau. > Prescription discounts. Save money on prescriptions not covered by insurance. Available to PIA members and their clients.

NEW

> Employee profiling. Hire the right people with skills and personality testing from OMNIA. > Discounts on shipping with UPS, calendar products from Mines Press, and car rentals from Alamo. > Free subscriptions to industry publications.

PIA National works with industry groups such as the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD) and the Insurance Services Office (ISO) to improve processes and address challenges facing the insurance industry. In doing so, PIA works to ensure that changes are in the best interest of agents.

PIA also provides our members with practical guidance to help them keep their agency practices in compliance with insurance and general business regulations and more aligned to the way other agencies do business.

Guidance is also provided to assist PIA members with protecting their ownership and control of agency expirations.

Learn more about these PIA National member benefits at www.pianet.com.

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

Bad Weather Absences: What Should Pay Policy Be? Q&A

By Robin Thomas, Managing Editor The “polar vortex” left most of the US facing frigid temperatures, snow, and ice last week and caused school and work closings all across the country. Do you know what your obligations are to employees who cannot get to work on bad weather days?

Q: We had frigid, severe weather last week but our offices were able to remain open, although some employees could not make it to work either because schools were closed (causing childcare problems) or icy roads made driving difficult. How should we deal with these absences?

A: If you have operations in areas that experience severe weather, such as winter storms, flooding, or hurricanes, you should include provisions in your policies for weather-related absences. Most employers discuss weather-related absences in their attendance policies.

Any policy dealing with attendance during periods of inclement weather should give employees an incentive to get to work and should distinguish between nonexempt and exempt employees.

Nonexempt employees (those employees who are covered by, and not exempt from, the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)) generally only have to be paid for time actually worked. Accordingly, many employers do not pay nonexempt employees for weather-related absences, although the absence usually is excused.

Some allow nonexempt employees to use accrued paid vacation or personal days so that they do not lose compensation. In exceptional situations, some employers pay all nonexempt employees for the day but recognize the efforts of those who worked by providing them with an extra floating personal day.

Some employers allow nonexempt employees to make up the missed time. However, if the employees make up the time in a week in which they also work 40 hours, you will owe them overtime for the additional hours worked over 40. For this reason, most of these employers do not allow the make-up time unless it is scheduled within the same workweek as the time missed. But, this approach is likely to cause scheduling headaches.

Exempt employees should be handled differently.

They are exempt from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime requirements because of the nature of their job duties and the fact that they are paid on a salary basis.

The most common exempt classifications include executive, administrative, and professional employees.

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

Under the “salary basis” definition, exempt employees generally must receive their full salary for any week in which they perform work, without regard to the number of days or hours worked. Deductions may be made for less than a full week only in limited circumstances, such as for full-day absences for personal reasons or under a bona fide sick policy.

However, deductions for less than full days are not allowed under any circumstances.

Deductions for absences of a day or more because of bad weather are not specifically allowed for exempt employees by the FLSA regulations. However, two Department of Labor (DOL) opinion letters indicate that you can require exempt employees to use paid leave when they are absent because of weather related conditions. In addition, the DOL opinions indicate that it may even be okay to make deductions from exempt employee pay for full-day weather-related absences in certain circumstances.

In the letters addressing snow day absences, the DOL indicated that if an employer is open for business and an exempt employee does not come to work that day, the employer may require the employee to use a paid vacation day or dock the employee for a full-day absence. According to the agency administrator, when a vacation day is used, the employee still receives the same guaranteed salary for the week, so the salary basis is maintained.

To make the case for docking an exempt employee’s pay, the agency reasoned that any absence caused by inclement weather is considered an absence for personal reasons if the employer’s business is open.

The employee in effect chooses to stay home instead of reporting to work when the business is open.

If your organization is closed for the day, the opinion letters indicate that you cannot make deductions for full day absences from exempt employee pay because the FLSA regulations specifically do not allow deductions for absences occasioned by the employer or the operating requirements of the business. Under the regulations, no deductions are allowed when work is not available.

However, you can require that exempt employees use their paid time off (PTO) since they then would receive their entire salary. But, if they do not have any accrued PTO time, you still cannot make a deduction from their pay.

Please note that the information in every issue of HR Matters E-Tips is the original, copyrighted work of Personnel Policy Service, Inc., and is protected under U.S. copyright laws. As such, you may not reprint or publish in any format any article or portion of article from HR Matters E-Tips without the express permission of Personnel Policy Service, Inc.

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More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

The Most Important Lessons I’ve Learned about Selling for a Living

by John Chapin After 26+ years as a successful salesperson, here is what I know to be true about sales.

Six Sales Lessons

Unsuccessful and mediocre salespeople use the creative brain to find ways to look busy, waste time, and otherwise avoid the hard work necessary for success.

They clean their desk; do paperwork in the middle of the day, or schedule doctor appointments and other personal items during prime calling times. This is the same theory behind why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Lesson #1: If you’re looking for 9 to 5 and safety and security, sales is not for you.

Lesson #3: Sales success or failure comes down to you.

Sales really is the hardest high paying work or the easiest low paying work. Top salespeople are extremely hard workers, they get in early, stay late, and most work the weekends. While it’s true that well-established salespeople sometimes cut back a bit on their hours and weekends, when needed, they are still able to call upon a great work ethic and put in the extra hours. Top salespeople go above and beyond, they answer their phones off-hours, and they are always ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

This ties in with #2. Successful salespeople know that if you do the proper amount of the right activities during the day, you will be successful, if you don’t, you won’t. This of course assumes that you have a decent product and work for a reputable company. If that is the case, and you still fail, you have no one to blame but yourself. It’s not the economy, your upbringing, or the bad break you got 15 years ago. Many others have had it much worse than you and have been successful; the top salespeople understand that you and you alone are responsible for your success or lack thereof.

In addition to putting in extra hours, working outside of “normal” hours, and working extremely hard, top salespeople are able to take the ups and downs of a sales career. They are experts at overcoming adversity and pros at controlling their emotions. They realize that sales is not for the feeble or faint-of-heart. They know you need to keep your mental edge at all times and you must learn to use everything to your advantage.

Lesson #2: Successful salespeople always find a way to succeed.

Have you ever noticed that the most successful salespeople are always successful regardless of how bad the economy, the market, or anything else seems to be?

Lesson #4: You need to have a burning desire to succeed.

Successful salespeople know what they want for themselves and their families, they have a plan to get there, and they will either win or die trying. They do not allow for anything other than success. You can see it in their eyes, hear it in their voice, and sense it in the way they carry themselves. There is an overwhelming confidence that they will achieve the outcome they desire and they do so time after time. Top salespeople know that you can have it all and you don’t have to sell your soul to get it, but you do occasionally have to go through hell.

Continued on page 28

Have you also noticed that unsuccessful and mediocre salespeople are always, at best, average no matter how good things are? 90% of your brain, the subconscious, is super creative. Successful salespeople use the creative brain to come up with resourceful ways to increase business, get through hurdles, and overall, become more successful.

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

Free QR Code Marketing Program Contact Eddie Emmett eddie@PIATX.org

Page 27

March, 2014

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

The Most Important Lessons I’ve Learned about Selling for a Living Continued from page 27 Lesson #5: You are the parent of an 18 year old… and the 18 year old is you.

Any parent of an 18 year old knows how tough it can be to get them to do some things. Well, when it comes to sales, you are your own 18 year old. Top salespeople are self-starters and have the self-discipline to govern themselves and get themselves to do what must be done every day. They realize that in sales you are selfemployed and that if you make the sales, you’ll stick around, if you don’t make the sales, you’ll be gone. The bottom line is: if you need someone standing over you to make sure you are doing what you have to do, you’re in the wrong business. Top salespeople have the drive and motivation to push themselves extremely hard even when they’re all alone.

Lesson #6: You always have to be learning and improving.

Top salespeople know that you can never know it all.

There are always new techniques, new technology, and new ideas that are being created every day.

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

Top salespeople stay up on changes in the industry, keep abreast of the latest sales ideas, and constantly look for ways to stay positive and motivated. They are always looking for ways to develop themselves personally and professionally. Top salespeople get that there is no neutral or standing still, you’re either getting better and moving forward, or losing your edge and moving backward. They know that school is never out and there is always more to be learned.

John Chapin is an award winning sales speaker and trainer. For his free newsletter, or if you would like him to speak at your next event, go to: www.completeselling.com John has over 26 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia. For permission to reprint, e-mail: johnchapin@completeselling.com.

Complete Selling, Inc. Helping you find and get all the business you want Cell: 508-243-7359 johnchapin@completeselling.com www.completeselling.com LINKEDIN: once logged in find me under: johnchapin1 FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/johnjchapin TWITTER: http://twitter.com/johnjchapin

Page 28

March, 2014

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PRODUCER LEAVES AN AGENCY AND TAKES AGENCY BUSINESS Every year some insurance producers leave their employer agencies for “greener pastures.” This is normal and natural and bears no negative reflection on either the producer or on the employer. Although many times the departure is less than friendly. Whether the producer feels (s)he can earn more money, get better support, enjoy better benefits or any other number of reasons, nothing stops them from moving to another employer to earn a living producing new insurance clients for the new agency/employer.

The difficulties arise when the producer believes that (s)he has the right to take clients from the former employer to the new employer without the former employer’s agreement.

A Matter of Employment First we need to cover the subject of employment.

Whether a producer is paid a salary, a commission or a draw is of no consequence to either employment status or to ownership of the ensuing business. An insurance producer may be an employee or an independent contractor, but the differentiation is not dependent upon whether the employer chooses to pay the producer on a W-2 or on a 1099. That specifically addresses the issue of payroll tax allocation and benefits distribution. The key to whether the producer is an employee or an independent contractor is whether the producer works only for the specific employer or can (and does) place insurance business with a variety of agencies or brokerages or general agencies – at the discretion of the producer.

In other words, if a producer only works for the agency in which he has a desk or office, to which he comes to and from work every day, for which he carries a business card, whose marketing gets him/her leads, whose insurance company contracts the producer uses for quoting and placing business – that producer is considered an employee of the agency and, barring specifically granted ownership rights, the producer’s generated business belongs to the agency.

Why is this important?

Agency Value Related to Book of Business Ownership The value of most insurance agencies is primarily comprised of the value of their books of business (the continuing revenue flow of its clients). If every producer could simply walk away and transfer the insurance Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

clients to another agency at will, there would be virtually no value to any produced insurance accounts in an agency. The departure of books of business would not necessarily result in the loss of administrative employees, facilities, automation costs, marketing and advertising costs and other overhead. This would diminish profit potential, the core of value, much more than just the diminishment of top-line revenue.

Roles and Control of Clients Most insurance agency clients are attracted to the agency because of the quality of the front-line producers that form the relationship between the client and the agency. However, that producer creates the link between the insurance buyer and the agency in a sales capacity. The agency acts as the administrator, servicer and advisor of coverage and supplies the carriers that license the agency to provide their products to the public. Once the insurance products are provided, the producer moves on to introduce the agency and its products to other prospects and the rest of the agency staff and insurance companies provide the on-going service and administration to the client. Often the producer remains a part of the relationship between the agency and the client but rarely the only (or even the primary) relationship. But regardless of the importance of the relationship the death or loss of a producer without other reasons or enticement would rarely lead to the loss of that producer’s clients. The insurance client values consistency and the carrier relationship far too much to simply move because a producer is no longer at the agency.

Insurance agencies have historically employed three types of employees, administrative, service and production. The agency represents the ‘mother ship’ for its employees to provide products and service to its clients. The agency holds the contracts for products with the insurance companies. It provides and maintains the database agency management system that permits the staff to register, administer, change and renew insurance products for its clients through the insurance companies.

It provides the product training for its employees and the claims support on behalf of its licensed companies. It provides marketing support to market and price both new and renewal accounts for delivery to the clients. It provides and pays staff for all of the agency’s day-to-day services to its clients.

Continued on page 30 Page 29

March, 2014

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org Takes Agency Business - Continued from page 29

While Non-Competition refers to the confidentiality of information about clients for which the producer had direct sales relationships, Non-Piracy refers to the protection of the agency’s other insurance accounts for which the producer may not have had direct relationships but about whom the producer may have had access to information confidential between the agency and the clients.

While both service and production employees are responsive to client needs, the production employees have primary responsibilities for the sale of insurance products to agency prospects and the establishment and management of strong relationships on behalf of the agency with its clients. Internal contacts with the service staff and external contacts with the production employees combine to retain clients for the agency.

Even when a member of the production staff leave an agency, the agency maintains the responsibility for managing the on-going and continuing client relationships by using other production staff.

Summary Insurance agencies must protect their only asset, their books of business. Without that protection, they will make a living for the agency owner but not provide the owner with a retirement benefit in the sale of the asset, itself. Too many agencies play freely with “ownership” rights to parts of their books of business. However, the value associated with those books of business relate to the profit and earnings that are derived from that business, not simply from the revenues associated with that business. You may give away or sell parts of the books of business, but it is harder to separate and diminish the relative expenses that would still be incurred even without the client base that supported those expenses.

Non-Piracy and Non-Compete Protection Agencies differ in the number of contracts they have with different varieties of insurance carriers and involving different product lines and different pricing structure. The movement of a producer from one agency to another shouldn’t interrupt the service and insurance coverage provided to the clients by either agency.

The departure of a producer from one agency to another doesn’t prohibit or forbid him from pursuing his career by soliciting and forming relationships with new prospects through a new agency employer. The movement of a part of an agency’s client base by a producer to a new employer disrupts the original agency (and sometimes the insurance company) relationships with its clients, for which the producer has been compensated every year to maintain on behalf of the original employer-agency. The producer was compensated annually to maintain confidential information about the clients on behalf of the original employer.

If you have producers, make sure they understand (and sign an agreement) that provides that the book of business belongs to the agency and that their compensation is their benefit for their work effort.

A non-competition period of between two and three years is common practice during which the agency is expected to convert the personal relationship of the agency with the clients using other production personnel.

Because of the creation of confidential information about the clients during the producer’s tenure, the prior employee is prohibited from accepting conversion of the insurance products from the clients with whom she/he was paid to maintain strong relationships with his/her prior employer.

If you choose to make any producers your successors, don’t give or sell them parts of their own books of business (if you do, be prepared for them to care more for their clients than yours). Incent them through the potential ownership of the agency. Provide minority ownership rights to stock as they prove more valuable to you. Sell them more stock or rights to the stock as your perpetuators. Do NOT sell them rights to parts or all of “their” books of business. If you do, you immediately acknowledge that the books of business could be “theirs”, not yours. Our contention for continued value in insurance agencies is that the books of business generated in any way in the agency forms the basis of value of the agency asset that will eventually be your retirement value.

507 N. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill NJ 08034

At the conclusion of that period it is assumed that the “playing field” has been leveled and any information generated by the former agency producer for his new employer is fresh and created without benefit of previously generated confidential information, so the prohibition against the former employee competing for the agency’s clients is ended.

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

AGENCY CONSULTING GROUP, INC.

info@AgencyConsulting.com P: 800-779-2430

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F: 856-667-6224

Copyright © 2014 Agency Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Page 30

March, 2014

“ What’s the harm in a little water?”

Real facts about flood protection

You’ve worked hard to live the dream of owning a home or business. Most of the time, hard work, property insurance and a little luck are enough to keep both safe from harm.

Then along comes a flood through a hurricane, rapid snow melt, new development in your area, or rain that just won’t go away.

It happens more often than you might think: If your property is in what is called a “100-year floodplain”, for instance, you have a one in four chance of a flood during the life of a 30-year mortgage.1 Greater odds than many other risks, including fire.

Let the facts be your guide A flair for flood protection: The Hartford has been a leading carrier for federal flood insurance for nearly three decades.

All policies are written subject to the National Flood Insurance Program, administered by FEMA.

Some common misconceptions about floods and flood insurance: “I’m protected. I have property insurance.” Normally, homeowners insurance or your commercial/Business Owner’s Policy exclude flooding.

“Fire is my number one fear.” Understandable. But in reality, flood is the number one natural disaster in the U.S.2 “A little water couldn’t result in that much damage.”

Think again. And see the chart on the next page.

continued

One inch of water can add up to thousands3

Put a wall of protection around what’s yours

It doesn’t take a foot of water to ruin property and goods. Consider a 1,000-square-foot home and the damage that can result from just one inch of water:

With federal flood insurance, you can protect your buildings and contents from damage caused by rising water from a flood. You can purchase a policy to protect the following:

Personal items (clothing, television, stereo)

$250

Accent furniture (floor lamps)

$70

Washer/dryer

$70

Computer accessories

$40

Living room furniture

$250

Kitchenware & food

$100

Bedroom furniture

$150

Appliances

$70

Kitchen & bathroom cabinets

$50

Finished floor/wood/carpet Electrical & plumbing

$7,900 $150

Doors & base trim & windows

$450

Cleaning

$850

Grand Total

$10,400

Without flood protection, you could bear responsibility for all of the above. Why leave yourself vulnerable, when policies start as low as $129 a year for a preferred risk policy?

The standard policy provides separate coverage options to protect against damage to: • The building itself

• Its contents

• Or both

Depending on your need, you may decide to purchase both to protect against damage to: •S tructural elements, such as walls, floors, equipment and fixtures •T he property’s contents, such as furniture, appliances, wall and floor coverings •P ersonal items, such as clothing, audio equipment and televisions

Don’t wait until water is at your door Consider purchasing flood insurance sooner rather than later. Keep in mind that there’s often a 30-day wait after purchase for the policy to take effect. So call your independent agent today about flood insurance through The Hartford. It’s rainy day protection that could help save your most valuable investment: your home or business. www.thehartford.com/flood

Map your risk. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers flood insurance, works with local communities and experts to revise aging flood maps in communities across the country. You can get a detailed, digital flood hazard map of your area by visiting: www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/flooding_flood_risks/understanding_ flood_maps.jsp.

Let your Hartford agent help you interpret it.

1,2,3

Source: floodsmart.gov

All policies are written subject to the National Flood Insurance Program. Please note that this product is available in most states.

Features and credits may vary by state. For simplicity, this brochure does not include all the features, exclusions and limitations of the policy. For full information, The Hartford suggests that you read your policy or consult with your independent agent. On all losses and claims, policy terms apply. All information and representations herein are as of October 2013.

13-0287 Printed in U.S.A. © October 2013 The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org

* Fire damaged Amelia Lester's home and the Tennessee woman filed a claim with Allstate. The insurer investigated, asking Lester and her husband to come in for an Examination Under Oath. Lester said she'd answer questions only if Allstate first showed her its investigative files. The insurer refused, saying that could damage the probe. Lester never did the EUO and sued for payment in federal court. The district court dismissed, so Lester appealed. The policy and Tennessee law both are clear that an insurer can deny a claim if the policyholder refuses an EUO, the court ruled.

Nor does an insurer have to first share its claim file.

"Why is it reasonable to expect an insurance company to share its investigative files with a policyholder before examining her?" the opinion says.

Reports of Convictions From the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud â&#x20AC;&#x201C; http://www.InsuranceFraud.org .

"The point of an examination is to allow insurance companies to sort out fraudulent claims from honest ones, exorbitant claims from accurate ones. Telling the policyholder what the investigation has already uncovered undermines that purpose, as it would allow the policyholder to tailor her answers to the facts already discovered by the company." [Amelia Davis Lester v.

Allstate Property & Casualty. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. No. 3:12-cv-00299]

* Police responded to a suspicious fire at a mobile home in Hartsville, S.C. Betty McRaven impersonated a crony named Cynthia Lighty to buy policies on the structure, lying that she was renting the home from another crony. One policy with Homesite Insurance was for $65,000; the other with Assurant Property and Casualty was for $35,000. McRaven used a stolen credit card number to pay for they policies. McRaven and Calvin Jackson then set the mobile home on fire.

McRaven, Jackson and Lighty then worked out the false insurance claims. The insurers grew suspicious when they discovered there were no belongings in the mobile home. McRaven withdrew the claims when pressed about the discrepancies. She was handed 5 years in state prison, the state AG announced Monday. McRaven didn't learn from an earlier conviction. She received 15 years suspended for setting her house on fire to score a $99,000 insurance payout.

* Milton Lopez bought coverage for his single-family rental home in Fresno, Calif. On the application, he said the house was 1,600 square feet with 8 rooms and had 1 resident. In fact, the house was over 3,000 square feet, with 8 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. Six of the bedrooms also were rented out. Fire destroyed the house and Allstate denied his claim based on material misrepresentation in the application. Lopez sued for breach of contract. The insurer asked specific questions on the application, and that's enough to establish materiality under California law, the appeals court ruled.

Allstate thus was entitled to rescind the policy. [Lopez v.

Allstate Ins. Co., No. F065514 (Cal. Ct. App. Feb. 3, 2014)]

* A pharmacist stole a doc's identity to bill insurers $1.7 million for a drug that patients never received.

Robert Kielar made more than 600 false claims for a med that stimulates production of red blood cells. The Chicago man stole the DEA number of a doc who'd been a friend for 40 years. Kielar also stole the identities of patients who didn't need the drug. He forged prescriptions, patient receipts and invoices to fool insurers. He used the money to pay his salary plus mortgages on his Illinois home and properties in North Carolina and Illinois. Kielar received 7 years in federal prison.

* From our Thank Goodness It Didn't Happen Here files: UK man Jagdeve Singh Rai slit a longtime friend's throat threw his body into a river for a life-insurance payout. He'd stolen Jasbir Singh Bain's identity and taken out a large life-insurance policy in Bain's name.

Rai's kids were the named beneficiaries. Bains was a perfect victim: homeless and struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. Rai invited Bains to a park outside of London and changed the angle of outdoor security cameras to hide the gruesome murder. Cell records also linked the two around the time of the murder. Bains received life in prison.

Continued on page 35

Texas PIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Texas Connection

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March, 2014

More Information about Texas PIA Membership at www.PIATX.org * Threatening to murder a witness in his disabilityfraud trial didn't help Thomas Coscetta's cause. The former Long Island Rail Road conductor scammed $307,000 in disability money by lying that he needed early retirement because he was so pained that he couldn't even grip a pen. Still, he retired to a cushy life enjoying bowling and competitive shooting, and working as a funeral-home pallbearer. Coscetta threatened to kill a "rat" he believed was a witness against him, refused to cooperate with the feds, then somehow squeezed the gall to ask the court for lenience after his conviction.

Coscetta received 33 months in federal prison. He's one of 3 LIRR retirees who've received prison time while 6 got off without time. Gregory Noone claimed he couldn't sit at a computer station yet played tennis several times a week after retiring. Kevin Nugent said he couldn't bathe or walk yet competed in golf tournaments after retiring. They received modest terms of house arrest.

Thirty-three docs, retirees, consultants and others have been convicted in the massive disability swindle of LIRR.

Membership & General Information Joe Tipton Membership Director PO Box 700877, Dallas, TX 75370 TEL: 972-862-3333

FAX: 972-307-7888

Cell: 972-965-2025

Joe@PIATX.org

PIA National

www.pianet.com

E&O Solutions Renewing your E&O every year isn’t much fun, is it?

Don’t you want to make sure that you’re getting the best price for the best coverage you can get on your renewal?

Why not compare with another company for your peace of mind?

It costs you nothing and you don’t have to be a member of PIA of Texas to move your coverage. Go to the E&O Program link at www.PIATX.org and print the applicable application and e-mail or fax it to us.

Do you want higher E&O limits but your carrier won’t quote what you want? That’s not a problem. Go to the E&O Program at www.PIATX.org and print the umbrella application from the link shown. Fill out the application and send it to us.

E&O Contacts

E&O Contacts

Houston area

Dallas area

Bob Dixon

Ray Reyes

bdixon@piatx.org

ray@piatx.org

866-577-7428

214-618-2365

832-375-0787

Texas PIA’s Texas Connection

* Unsavory public adjuster loses. Soon after Megastorm Sandy struck New Jersey in October 2012, unsavory contractors and public adjusters began coming out of the woodwork to reap the riches from stricken homeowners and their insurance companies. While most contractors and adjusters are honest and honorable, natural disasters tend to bring out the ethically challenged ones, even some that are unlicensed and from far-away states.

That's a reality that resident Mike Kramer lived through for the last year or so as he battled a Texasbased public adjuster who showed up at his doorstep after the storm. The surge from Sandy brought two feet of water into Mike's bay-front summer home in Harvey Cedars, N.J. An affable and convincing salesperson used the typical sales line that Kramer was apt to get a lot more out of his insurance company by hiring a public adjuster.

Having neither the experience of a major loss nor working with a public adjuster, Kramer signed on—even though his insurer already had given him a $12,000 check as a down payment on his claim. Months passed, the water receded and soon the insurance company paid the remainder of the claim—a total of $80,000. Mike began to rebuild. Then a bill for $10,700 from the public adjuster showed up in Kramer's mailbox. He refused to pay it.

"There was no evidence that the public adjuster did anything to help settle my claim," Kramer told The Coalition in a phone interview. The public adjuster sued Kramer, telling him that he'd better pay up because it would cost him more to hire a lawyer to fight the suit.

Little did the public adjuster know that Kramer had a good friend who happened to be an ace attorney and who was just as outraged over the public adjuster's arrogance. That friend took Kramer's case pro bono and defeated the claim.

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March, 2014