February La Voz 2011 by Independent Insurance Agents of NM

2011 Legislative Session Underway Continuing Education Seminar

New Mexico Mutual is proud to announce

that we can now take care of your Ticketing Information

Now boarding your out-of-state workers’ compensation clients... From now through March 31, 2011, qualify for Southwest Airlines gift cards by using our new program. Give us a look! $500 Southwest Airline Gift Card Drawing • For an out-of-state application submitted, the agent/CSR name will be placed in the drawing once. • For any out-of-state policy that is bound with premium less than $25,000, the agent/CSR name will be placed in the drawing twice. Bind it with us! $100 Southwest Airline Gift Card • Qualify by binding any out-of-state account (can include any new New Mexico business premium towards the premium goal) with premium of $25,000 to $49,999. $250 Southwest Airline Gift Card • Qualify by binding any out-of-state account (can include any new New Mexico business premium towards the premium goal) with premium of $50,000 to $100,000. $500 Southwest Airline Gift Card • Qualify by binding any out-of-state account (can include any new New Mexico business premium towards the premium goal) with premium over $100,000. The preferred workers’ compensation insurance carrier of the Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico, New Mexico Mutual wants your business! Just submit a completed Accord application, loss runs and emod worksheet to your underwriter and we’ll take it from there. Fact information for New Mexico Mutual Out of State Program Midland Management Corporation/PMA Companies – AM Best Rating - A- VIII Submission requirements Accord Application Loss Runs – 3 to 5 years E-mod Worksheet

Underwriters for out-of-state program Evelyn Symonds Renee Pagan reneep@newmexicomutual.com evelyns@newmexicomutual.com 505-343-2827 505-343-2852

Requirements to bind Signed Accord Application Down Payment Direct bill from Midlands Management Corporation

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customers with out-of-state exposure.

All states are eligible for Other States Coverage Program except the “monopolistic states” of North Dakota, Ohio, Washington and Wyoming.

We are now where your clients need us to be.

www.NewMexicoMutual.com • 1-800-788-8851

a L

â&#x20AC;&#x153;La Vozâ&#x20AC;? is the official monthly publication of the

Independent Insurance Agents of NM 1511 University Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87102. (505) 843-7231. Fax (505) 243-3367. Web site www.iianm.org. This publication is intended to provide accurate and authoritative information on the subject matter covered, but is distributed with the understanding that neither IIANM, nor any contributing author, publisher, contributor or advertiser is rendering legal, accounting or any other professional service and assume no liability whatsoever in connection with its use. Further, the electronic links to our advertisers and/or contributors found in this publication are provided as a courtesy to our readers and do not necessarily indicate an endorsement by IIANM.

Features

"The Voice" of Independent Agents since 1934

o VZ

IIANM's Annual Continuing Education Seminar

Insuring the Loss of Your Customers' Data

P&C Agents Working to Get Their Financial Houses in Order

News items from members of Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico and the general insurance industry are encouraged. The advertising deadline is the fifteenth day of the month, preceding publication.

What's in a Name?

Social Networking's Value to Insurance Agents - Making the Case

Deductibility of IIANM Dues

Advertising rates are available upon request.

Looking to Hire a Top Performer?

Pictures of IIANM's 2011 Legislative Mixer

Killing Me Softly vs. Cruel to be Kind

Two for Tuesday / Big "I" Markets

Tired of Throwing Your $ Down the CIC Money Pit?

Please contact Rachel Sheffield at rachel@iianm.org for details

IIANM Staff President/CEO Thom Turbett, CIC VP Of Membership Services Lorri Gaffney Director Of Communications Rachel Sheffield

In Every Issue Tech Talk

Education Edge

Director Of Insurance Programs Carmen Reese Porter, ACSR, CISR

February's Clickable Calendar

Receptionist / Member Services Associate Renee Rivera

Odds n Ends

IIANM's Partners Program

2010-2011 Officers Chair Kathy Yeager

Advertiser Index Acuity

American Mining Insurance Company

Burns & Wilcox

Secretary/Treasurer PJ Wolff

Colonial General Insurance Agency, Inc.

Litchfield Special Risks, Inc.

National Director Sam Conlee

Market Finders, Inc.

Immediate Past Chair Alma Franzoy-Capron

Neff Risk Services, Inc.

New Mexico Mutual

Vice-Chair Scott Jones

Colonial General Insurance Agency

Commercial Lines/Brokerage Department Founded in 1985, Colonial General Insurance Agency, Inc. is a wholesale General Agency providing quality insurance products to the Independent Insurance Agent. Colonial General specializes in both standard and non-standard business. Our Property and Casualty business includes:

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With 2,500 active producers under contract, Colonial General operates in eight states throughout the South-West. Our offices are located in Murray, Utah and Scottsdale, Arizona. Most of all, we pride ourselves in our friendly customer service and our ability to help our producing agents with their many insurance needs.

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You will never pay a fee to access our companies. No volume or binding contracts. Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

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Insuring the Lo$$ of Your Customers’ DATA Many businesses have extremely valuable information in electronic form. How can it be insured from loss, in particular, theft? What if your own employees steal it? What if it’s stolen by computer hackers or burglars? Is it a crime exposure, a liability exposure, or something else? Well, based on our investigation, it’s “something else” all right.

he stories of breached data security have become almost too familiar: An employee takes home a laptop against regulations, A hard drive is sent out for repair, but disappears. A disc with sensitive data is stolen from an office. For business owners and managers, the threat is real, and there is a need to protect against such violations of data security. Big businesses are not the only targets of data theft. Doctor’s offices, retail shops, contractors, salespeople, and most other professions store personal information electronically. Some, businesses that lose personal information are victims of sophisticated hacking schemes concocted by the most crafty computer cons. More often, data theft comes from the inside - a dishonest employee seeking wealth or a disgruntled employee seeking revenge. Regardless of the culprit, victims, including employees, customers and others shoulder the risk of someone else gaining access to their information. Information stolen from your business can result in significant costs, including the following: • Expenses you incur to inform those who may be victims of the theft. • Expenses you incur to replace the data and income lost during the recovery process. • Victims will incur expenses to recover lost information and expect you to pay for it. • Victims will likely no longer do business with you, resulting in lost income. • Victims who suffer financial losses resulting from identity theft may sue you for their damages. • Personnel may lose confidence in you and seek employment elsewhere.

Traditional insurance products - such as general liability, property, business income and crime insurance - are designed to cover losses to tangible property. Since information in intangible, the insurance your business currently buys will not go far in covering this exposure. Some insurance companies have created products to address data theft that occurs electronically, such as when someone uses a computer to steal electronic data. These policies may cover costs you incur to restore the data, including lost income. Others may cover liability, helping you cover costs incurred by others who are victimized by the theft of your data. Such policies are often called “Cyber Risk” or “Cyber Insurance” policies. Data theft and the unpredictable methods by which it can happen are why there is no substitute for an effective data security plan.

Note: Policy coverages and circumstances can change at any time, so the information may not be accurate at the time of reprinting or subsequent to that time. IIABA does not assume and has no responsibility for liability or damage which may result from the use of any of this information. The most current, up to date version of this article can be found at IIABA’s Virtual University at http://www. iiaba.net/vu

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

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This article outlines three levels of involvement for agencies with social media, depending upon the agency’s objectives and the amount of time it wants to dedicate. With each level of involvement, the author recommends specific timesavers that will help agency employees get the greatest impact from the time they spend working on the social web.

Social Media Time Savers by Matt Marko

s a Marketing Process Manager for Progressive, I speak with independent agents across the country about the importance of social media. For most, finding time in their busy schedule is one of the biggest concerns.

customers and follow their updates, track your competitors’ tweets, and watch how people respond. Note what’s working, record the questions and topics that dominate the conversation, and think through how you’d respond.

But you don’t have to dedicate hundreds of hours to see a return from social media. A well-defined strategy (and a few time-saving tools) can help you strike a balance between the time you invest and the value your investment adds. When it comes to social media planning, there’s no right or wrong level of involvement. The most important factor is consistency. Start by setting goals for your agency’s participation. Whether it’s regular interaction with customers on Facebook, a tweet every few days, or a weekly blog post, you can strengthen your social media presence by having clear goals in sight.

By first using social media as a listening tool, you’ll learn best practices for status updates, tweets and blog posts before creating your own. Plus, you can apply what you’re learning from online chatter to shape quoting and in-person conversations with your customers.

Here are three levels of social media involvement to consider based on the time you want to commit and the goals you set:

Listen (1-2 hours a week) This should be the first step of any social media strategy. After you’ve set up your agency’s accounts on sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, study what people are saying on the platform. Check sites like Google Places or Yelp! for customer reviews of your agency. Friend your

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Time-savers • Clearly outline actions and responsibilities within your agency to prevent redundancy, maintain focus and meet your social media goals. For example, you could assign a single person in your agency to review Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for one hour, twice a week. • “Like” competitor Facebook pages from your personal profile to more easily follow their updates when you’re online. • Search Twitter and third party directories like WeFollow and Twellow to identify popular profiles associated with insurance. Create Twitter lists to organize the people you follow by category (customers, competitors, etc.), and use programs like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck to monitor your Twitter lists at a glance. • Use a reputation management tool to monitor what

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

people are saying about your agency. Consider using free services like SocialMention and Google Alerts, or more robust paid services like ChatMeter, LocationMonitor, or Trackur. • Create a Google Reader account for one-stop monitoring of key insurance blogs and publications. Content hubs can save you hours a week by better organizing content for quick review.

Respond (2-5 hours a week) After taking some time to listen, join the conversation by responding to questions, posts, and comments with a helpful link or thoughtful answer. Note that while answering questions or directing people to another online resource builds goodwill and trust, “hijacking” an online conversation to explicitly promote your agency can undermine your efforts. Provide helpful advice over time and associate comments with your agency through hyperlinks or a simple signature with contact information. Remember, showing your value doesn’t require you to give “pro bono” advice. Asking the right questions and outlining relevant points customers should consider can demonstrate the value of an independent agent, and lead to a follow-up phone call.

Time-savers • Focus on a few active online communities rather than jumping around looking for every opportunity to respond. You’ll get to know the members better and your participation will build credibility that can lead to references across the social network. • Develop a FAQ of common topics, your responses, and online resources you can share. Using these responses as a starting point can save time when responding to similar questions or comments.

Publish (5+ hours a week) The final level of social media engagement is proactively communicating to your audience. Although most businesses prefer to jump right into engagement, by listening and responding first, you’ll be more comfortable with the

medium and your audience. By starting slow, you’ll also have a better understanding of the time you have for social media, and you’ll be more likely to provide the consistent presence necessary to build trust.

Time-savers • Put a process in place to keep your involvement consistent and efficient. Assign a producer, CSR, or a marketing intern from a local college as your social media manager to ensure a single point of contact. Make sure they work alongside everyone in your agency to get questions answered and develop content without bottlenecks. Remember that effective social media engagement is timely and human. Delayed responses and overly-corporate language limit your effectiveness online. • Share any quality information you think followers may be interested in—it doesn’t always need to be about insurance. Not only can this save you time developing your own content, it provides value to fans, followers and readers and increases the chance that others will share your content with their communities. • Distribute the work among a few employees to keep it manageable. This adds variety to your posts, and prevents disruption due to vacation, job changes, or illness. • Mix up your content. A thought-provoking question can be as effective as a blog post, and takes a fraction of the time to compose. Discussing community events or commenting on your favorite sports team can also engage your audience without the research and writing time longer posts may require. Plus, consumers will appreciate seeing the personality of your agency and its employees. Editor’s Note: Please visit the “Websites & Social Media” quick link at www.iiaba.net/act for more articles and recorded webinars on social media issues.

Matthew Marko is a Marketing Process Manager for Progressive Insurance. He works to provide local marketing strategies, tools and co-branded collateral to help independent agencies grow their businesses. E-mail him at matthew_marko@progressive.com. Matt prepared this article for ACT. For more information about ACT, contact Jeff Yates, ACT Executive Director at jeff.yates@ iiaba.net. This article reflects the views of the author and should not be construed as an official statement by ACT.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

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P&C Insurance Agents Working To Get Their Financial Houses In Order In 2011 by Mark E. Ruquet

Three major themes of the challenges facing property and casualty insurance agents in 2011 come under the headings of managing finances, technology and political mandates

More than half of all agencies do not have a presence on the Web, he said, noting that they could be using online initiatives to save time and money. For example, an agency that makes virtual deposits--scanning checks and depositing them electronically--saves a half-day or more in an employee's time by avoiding having to run to the bank and make deposits. The story that banks are not lending is simply not true, Mr. Pettinicchi added. They are not lending to people with questionable credit. This is especially true of any business owner who may have good credit with the business, but has allowed his or her personal credit to lapse. "It is an integrity issue," he said. "That tells me I don't want to lend money to you."

nsurBanc's Bob Pettinicchi, the bank's executive vice president and chief lending officer, said that when it comes to finances, there are several challenges agents will face concerning revenues, business management and credit. He said one major mistake agents make is not diversifying their revenue streams. One way to accomplish that goal is through developing specializations within the firm, he said. Agents should also be seeking to expand the sizes and scopes of their businesses by hiring more producers, he added. In this down economy, there are able people looking for work, and training can be very cost effective with the educational opportunities offered through carriers and associations. A new person can help to expand the size and scope of an agency. "If you're not thinking about that, then you're missing an opportunity," he said. Working within the limits of an agency's revenue stream is important, however, and he emphasized that a well-run agency does not make its contingent commissions part of that revenue stream. If they get contingents, it should be treated as a windfall that could be used as a donation to charity or reinvested in the business. Mr. Pettinicchi suggested that agencies can become more efficient by adopting and utilizing technology.

He said agents who find themselves in this predicament need a plan, which is to pay down debt and produce good financial statements. "Try to control your destiny more," he advised. "Make your path and have your plan." Jill Bookman, president of American Collectors Insurance Inc., in Cherry Hill, N.J., an insurance agency specializing in collectable automobiles, noted that online competition for insurance business is becoming more intense. To combat the commoditization of the insurance transaction, agents need to demonstrate to clients the value they bring to the transaction. "The agent can interact with the client and provide value to the process," said Ms. Bookman. "Agents need to interact with their client and provide so much more," beyond buying a policy. She said the online transaction is driven by price. The challenge for agents is to step in and explain to the client that they need to consider more than that. That means communicating with the client and going beyond e-mail messages. Agents have to utilize a combination of old and new technology involving mailings, phone calls and social media. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let them [customers] know in a meaningful way that you are interested in them and willing to partner with them to purchase insurance and help evaluate their decision,â&#x20AC;? she said. continued...

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

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trust. acuity.com

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Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

Interest in the client must extend beyond the agent-client relationship to the staff as well, she added. That means not placing limits on the amount of time a service representative spends with the client. Instead, CSRs should listen and learn about the client and aim to deepen the client’s investment in the insurance decision with the agency, she said. Fred Thomas, branch manager of the Bitterroot branches of Missoula, Mont.-based Western States Insurance agency said the number one challenge agents face is the soft market. There is no end in sight to the soft market, and agents will have to continue to battle for market share and revenues.

He said that the future of federal legislation related to implementation of health care reform and some tax issues will be important areas for agents to pay attention to.

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Health care reform implementation could remain in flux as provisions are fought out in the courts and the future remains uncertain. The former Montana State Senator said there could also be a move within Congress to starve

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Another point of legislative combat is the reporting requirements under the health care bill for purchases from vendors of $600 or more. The requirement to issue 1099 forms to the IRS for such transactions “is a major impediment” that needs to be kept on the front burner. Mr. Thomas said he hopes to see repeal of the reporting requirement within the next 60 days.

For many, meeting that challenge has meant getting their expenses under control. Any agency that has not done that “needs to get its house in order and get it right,” Mr. Thomas noted.

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part of the legislation by not funding the bill. “If down the road health care is taken over by the government, where does it end?” he asked. “That is a big challenge.”

Other items agents need to keep an eye on include the Optional Federal Charter, which he believes will not come to pass in this Congress, and updates to the National Flood Insurance Program. He said agents need to take their message of concern to congressional representatives That message, he explained, should be less government, less regulation and rejection of one-size-fits-all-government in America. “Let them listen to real people who work on Main Street, and pay attention to that message,” he said.

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Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

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The topic of this column has been rolling around in my mind for a few years now and I've finally screwed up the courage to put it into words. The specific "name" that I'm referring to in the title is CSR, or as some say, CSA. Those initials, of course, refer to the back-office people who manage the day-to-day facets of our clients' business with us.

hen I talk with agency owners and management, they describe their CSRs as the front line people who deal with customer concerns and issues. However, when I talk with CSRs, they describe their roles in the agency as primarily data processing and paper pushing. This dichotomy between service and paperwork is further nurtured by the annual performance reviews at most agencies. Unfortunately, it is difficult to quantify quality of service, so many agencies evaluate on the basis of processing efficiency, backlogs, computer proficiency, etc. This further alienates the staff from the role of service! After all, if you're going to be judged on how well you process the paperwork, then a phone call from a customer becomes an annoyance, rather than an opportunity. So let's look at the moniker of CSR. First, we generally allocate the "C" to customer. Webster defines "customer" as "one who purchases a commodity or service." On the other hand, Webster defines "client" as "a person under the protection of another; person who engages the professional services of another." Understanding those definitions, do you want customers or clients? If you want clients, why would your service people be identified as serving customers? So, from my perspective, the first thing I would want to do is switch "customer" for "client" so that the title now becomes "Client Service Representative." This brings us to the word "service." We all know what that used to mean, but what does it mean today? If a client has a claim, particularly in personal lines, most agencies defer to the carrier's call centerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as opposed to handling them in-house as in years past. Are your CSRs truly charged with serving the needs of your clients? Do they proactively call clients to review coverages, ask about changes, identify gaps, and discuss future needs or plans? Most never do that! In fact, agency owners complain incessantly that they can't get their CSRs to cross sell and up sell. The reason is simple: their desks are piled high and computers are overloaded with data processing that needs to be doneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and those pesky backlogs will hurt their performance review and future pay increases. From my perspective, we need to evaluate what we want our CSRs to do, rather than use a title just because that's what they've always been called. As for the "R," that takes us back to the last question: What do we want them to represent? For instance, if the data is the critical issue, then perhaps they should be called CDPs (Client Data Processors). If your agency has a serious backlog in policy checking, maybe you need a CPC (Client Policy Checker). If you want your staff to re-

ally focus on the relationship, fostering growth and retention for more profits, then perhaps you want do define their role as CRDs (Client Relationship Developers). Note: I prefer Client Relationship Manager, but CRM is already in use on the risk management side. By way of example, watch one of your people when they check commercial line policies. Seldom do they actually sit down and check an entire policy through to the end without any interruptions. Usually they get started, and then someone comes by their by Jack Burke cubicle and interrupts them. They lose their place, and start anew. Then the phone starts ringing, and again they lose their place and start anew. Is it any wonder that mistakes slip through and backlogs seem to increase? Imagine the growth potential within your agency if your production team was 100% focused on getting new business and your client-interfacing staff was 100% focused on nurturing the client relationship for loyalty, growth, and retention. "Producers" could spend all of their time "producing" and your Client Relationship staff could spend all of their time protecting the client relationship. Then, CDPs and CPCs could handle all the processing work, eliminating the inconsistencies of today's reality. Before you classify me as a crazy utopian, I do acknowledge that the perfect world doesn't exist and there will always be some crossover duties within every position. However, changing a title can be an initial step in the right direction. Classify your employees based on what you really want them to do. They just might surprise you with the results they bring forth. On a final note, for the past year and a half I've been working with ReSource Pro, a business process outsourcing company. I've seen firsthand the remarkable growth that an agency or an MGA can realize when the routine and mundane processing activities are removed from the back-office desks. Properly redeployed into true relationship activities, fully supporting the producers and clients alike, these firms are achieving growth significantly beyond their expectations. Every agency has a lot of talent within the ranks, so ask yourself if you are using that talent to the maximum potentialâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or are you dis-incenting people with low-level tasks that usurp their productive time? As you proceed forward in 2011, step back and ask yourself if you're getting the maximum value and performance from your staff. If not, are there things that can be done to change that? SOURCE: The Anderson Agency Report

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

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Social Networking's Value to Insurance Agents & Brokers

Making the Case

he growing popularity of social networking has attracted the attention of agencies, brokers, and carriers that believe these platforms open up new business opportunities. They are discovering its value as an essential tool for communication, customer engagement, lead generation, immediate customer contact, customer service, customer interaction and relationship building. There are a couple of key factors driving this trend. First, there has been a rapid rise in the popularity of social networking. Insurance customers continue to migrate online and adopt social networking and growing numbers of customers turn to the Web to research and buy insurance. Secondly, there is now a “Main Street” acceptance of social networking as a powerful persuasive tool. Regardless of political affiliation, one only needs to study the role that social networking played in the Obama campaign to understand the power of social networking and influence it is having on our society.

Social networking is not new – only the tools are For many, social networking seems complicated, mysterious, intimidating and even a bit scary. While the social web is a “hot” topic it is not new. Many of the social activities on the social networks are no different than the real life activities we have engaged in most of our lives. If you have ever asked or given advice, given or received a recommendation, shared an experience, collaborated on a project, or interacted with a group you have participated in social networking. Page 18

So, what is social networking? Think of it as a virtual community where people with common interests can gather and connect, to share stories, ideas, thoughts, and opinions. Social networking is similar to a cocktail reception without constraints of time or space.

Marketing Transformed “Soon, being the loudest and broadest messenger in a medium consumers don't trust simply won't count as much as being the most authentic, available, and accessible brand in the media consumers do.” - Experience: The Blog by Augie Ray The business of being an insurance agent or broker relies on building trusted relationships. The era of mass marketing was a threatening time for insurance agents. The impersonal era of “big” everything – mass mailings, cold calling and blast email – all had the effect of disenfranchising the independent agent and broker. They had a hard time standing out, differentiating themselves and competing in a marketing world filled with clutter. There has been a transformation and societal shift. Consumers have had it with the impersonal “push” marketing of yesterday. Spam filters, do-not-call lists, DVRs, and the like give the public the power to say, “I have had enough.” Social networking is fostering fundamental changes in the way people communicate, gather information, form opinions, and build relationships. It is all about listening, building community, engaging in a conversation, sharing an experience, being transparent, being engaging and

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

Social networking reflects a societal transformation that is taking place and it is important for your agency to keep up with it. Learn how other agencies are benefiting from social networking and how you can create and extend trusted relationships with prospects and clients using these tools, while building your agency’s online brand.

interesting and adding value. In short, social networking is all about building and strengthening relationships. This is encouraging news for independent agents and brokers. The meteoric rise of tools like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are all telling us that customers want to do business with people whom they feel like they know and trust. This should be reason enough for agents and brokers to get in the game and implement a social networking strategy. Further, support for the role social networking plays in facilitating trusted relationships and the importance of those relationships in consumer behavior can be found in the Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey.

Social networks offer more substance and value than the familiar “what are you doing” status updates. Building and maintaining relationships is core to sales, promoting organic messages and monitoring customer trends are part of an agency’s overall marketing effort and social networks serve a variety of public relations functions. Here are some practical agent inspired examples. 1. Provide the forum for discussion of social and family issues. Agents should use their blogs, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to start and facilitate discussion to enable customers to engage in dialogues around important and relevant social and family issues. Founders Group Insurance uses their Blog and Twitter to engage their followers in both cultural and insurance related topics. http://foundersgrp.wordpress.com/ 2. Help customers through with disaster preparedness and disaster recovery. Agents can use social networks to respond and help customers involved in catastrophes like floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes with a wealth of helpful information. Nibby Priest, an agent in Henderson, KY used Facebook and Twitter to communicate with customers during an ice storm. Claims were actually submitted over Facebook. http://blog.govaughn.com/ 3. Educate customers on insurance and allow them to share feedback. Agent Dennis Volz uses his San Diego Insurance Blog to help customers and prospects understand the world of insurance. http://dennis-insurance.blogspot.com/

4. Develop communities for targeting customer segments. Irwin Siegel Agency is a provider of insurance and risk management solutions to the social services field and uses social networking to help generate interest with target customer segments. http://www.siegelagency.com/ default.htm 5. Enhance your brand and marketing message. Social networking provides a wonderful opportunity to reach new audiences. Rick Dinger of Creseda Valley Insurance has used YouTube and Facebook to attract a new audience. http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU6JrRrsyk0. http://cvins. com/ 6. Create a virtual presence Atlanta Insurance Live has used the social web to create a virtual agency and has made very effective use of video to help educate his audience on insurance related topics. http://www.atlantainsurancelive.com/ Your agency has phones on your desk and email on your computer to allow people to communicate with you. Social networking is simply a new tool for the communication you and your staff have always done. These agencies are also finding that when they link their websites and their social networking sites, it greatly improves their positioning on search engines.

Getting Started – Creating a Plan There are an infinite number of online networks available. Listed below are a few that can assist you in getting started in your social networking journey. It’s not enough for a website to be a static brochure anymore. Your customers want to do things, find things, share things, and participate in things. Invest in making your website a resource and destination for people, and a conduit to information and interaction with you.

Blogs A blog is a website with regular entries of commentary, news, opinion or other material such as links, photographs or video. Unlike traditional and typically “static” websites, a blog enriched or “blog forward” site can easily be kept current and relevant. A blog can add a level of credibility and a sense of accessibility to an agency brand. Blogs should be a mix of information. They can be used to explain products and services, promote an agency sponsored team or event, as well as offer opinion or topics of general interest. Blogs posted with valuable and relevant content are an essential aspect of a successful social networking strategy. continued...

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

Page 19

“insurance from people who know mining”

We offer Workers’ Compenasation Insurnace for:

c c

Coal mines: surface and underground coal truckmen

c c

quarries sand and gravel digging

c c

other types of mining mining related risks

For more information, contact Bryant Brown, V.P. Marketing • 1.800.448.5621, x 249. 3490 Independence Drive • Birmingham, Alabama 35209 WWW.AMERICANMINING.COM

Deductibility of IIANM Dues / Lobbying Percent By federal law, we are required to provide each of our member states with the following disclosure regarding their 2009-2010 dues. Dues to the Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico (IIANM) are not deductible as a charitable contribution but may be deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense. To the extent that IIANM engages in lobbying, the portion of the dues that relate to lobbying expenses is not deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense. This law was enacted in 1993, effective January 1, 1994 [Section 13222 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA 1993)]. The non-deductible portion of dues for 2009-2010 is 21.37%. The following is a recap of the non-deductible portion of dues for the past six years: FY 2004-05 FY 2005-06 FY 2006-07 FY 2007-08 FY 2008-09 FY 2009-10 FY 2010-11

Page 20

Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated

18.74% 18.51% 22.98% 25.16% 18.23% 17.72% 21.92%

Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual

17.84% 18.88% 24.93% 17.99% 17.35% 21.37%

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

Facebook Facebook can be a great way to connect with your customers. Facebook’s popularity means that many of your prospects and customers already use Facebook to keep in touch not only with family and friends but also companies. With over 400 million active users, having a presence on Facebook is a core component to any social web strategy. Perhaps knowing that the largest demographic on Facebook is 35-50 year olds, and one of the fastest growing groups is women over 55, will help provide a level of comfort. Creating a business “fan” page is free, easy, and a positive way to communicate with “fans”. http://www.facebook.com

and participating in your company’s social networking initiative. The value you gain from social networking will not only affect the way you communicate with your customers, but it can also change the way you advertise, provide service, manage relationships and perhaps even how you sell products.

Summary Social networking is quickly evolving and the issues which seem most pressing today will most likely be replaced by new ones in the future. It is important to remember that it is the sociology not the technology that is key. Therefore, while the technology will change, it is the societal transformations that represent the lasting trends and the challenges for our profession.

LinkedIn is a social network for business professionals. Members create detailed personal profiles much like a resume. LinkedIn also offers online groups for individuals who share common interests and goals. Participation in these groups through discussion forums can serve as a means to deliver news about your products and services. http://www.linkedin.com

There are a myriad of conversations taking place on the web and our industry – and perhaps even your agency – is more than likely being discussed. Social networking provides agencies and brokers with an opportunity to be an active and trusted participant in that dialogue. Being a company that people trust and want to interact with is undeniably good for business.

Twitter

There are no hard and fast rules for organizations wishing to use social networking. And yet, openness and transparency are key elements – with the end goal of building and strengthening trusted relationships. Social networking isn’t about you – it’s about your on-line “community” of friends, fans and followers and connecting with them so that when they have a need for insurance, they remember they have an agent friend on the social web who specializes in that.

Twitter asks the question, "What are you doing.” Your followers will be able to view your messages or tweets on their screen instantly in real-time. Agencies can tweet company announcements, ask for feedback, answer customer questions or share relevant website page links. http://business.twitter.com/twitter101 http://twitter.com

YouTube Yes, even video should be considered when determining your social web strategy. Video is becoming a very effective way to deliver your message. http://www.youtube. com/

Managing your Social Web Presence Like any business initiative, good management is key to long-term success. Social networking is no different. When you purchased your first agency automation system, success depended on re-thinking how your business would be run and putting a team in place that possessed the skills necessary to leverage the new technology. As underscored above, social networking is more than just a marketing tool. Sales, customer service, support, claims, and risk management can all benefit from a comprehensive social networking strategy. To that end, it is prudent to engage people from all agency disciplines (including management, customer service, legal, IT) in the process of planning, creating strategy, implementing,

Editor’s Note: ACT’s social web work group has created several resources to assist agencies with social networking, including a guide to creating a social web policy, which can be found at www.iiaba.net/act at the “Websites & Social Media” quick link. You will also find the schedule of upcoming ACT social networking webinars and recordings of past sessions there. Rick Morgan is a consultant with four decades of experience in innovative technology, marketing, and publishing in the independent agency system. He chairs ACT’s Social Web Work Group. (rickjmiv@gmail.com; http://www.rickmorganconsulting.com/blog) Rick produced this article for ACT (www.iiaba.net/act ). It reflects his views and should not be construed as an official statement by ACT.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

Page 21

Looking To Hire A Top Performer? Develop A Personality Profile by Herb Greenberg & Patrick Sweeney

ow can you tell if a promising job applicant has the qualities needed to become one of your top producers? Does he or she have the empathy needed to understand prospects, the drive to make cold calls time and time again and the resilience required to bounce back from rejection? You’ve got to delve below the surface to find out if the first impression applicants make will be a lasting one or if they are what we call “interview stars:” people who know how to turn it on during a hiring interview, but never quite hit that level of performance again. The latter are individuals who, after months of coaching to improve their performance, you have to let go. And, as you try to figure out what went wrong, you say to yourself, “But they were so good in the interview.” During the hiring process, applicants and employers are often so busy putting their best feet forward that they end up tripping over each other. How can you delve below the surface to determine if a promising applicant really has what it takes to become one of your top performers? The unfortunate truth is that hiring people who will fit in with your company is hard. And hiring top performers is brutally hard. You can get a Masters in Business Administration from one of the finest schools in this country and not learn two of the most important things about running a business: (1) how to hire the right people; and (2) how to avoid hiring the wrong ones. That’s why the insights gained from an in-depth personality profile can provide employers with the information they need to make a better-informed decision. The insights that a consultant can provide from a validated personality profile can provide a measurable, objective view of an individual. The consultants can also serve as a trusted advisor, a sounding board for discussing whether someone has the qualities an employer is seeking. Will the individual fit in with your culture? Work well with others on your team? Connect with his or her manager? Those are the important nuances that can make all the difference as to whether an individual will ultimately succeed or not. Page 22

Developing an i deal profile The starting point to hiring effectively is to be absolutely clear about the kind of person you are looking for to succeed in the job. You don’t just want a job description; you want a description of the person you are looking for. You begin by gaining a clear understanding of the personality qualities shared by your top performers. No doubt, they are all persuasive, able to read others and can bounce back from rejection. But what else do they have? Is it high energy? Discipline? A strong need to accomplish? Or is that they are they bright? Assertive? Trustworthy? Are they responsible? Reliable? Capable of solving complicated problems? Those attributes, once pinpointed, become the profile of your top performers. And that profile becomes the model toward which you hire. The closer your applicants match the ideal profile of your top performers, the more likely they will meet or exceed your performance expectations. Personality assessments can provide the insights into applicants that resumés, interviews and references cannot uncover. This approach to hiring is how enlightened employers are dramatically improving their ability to identify top performers during the hiring process and to develop their potential. Ultimately, what you’re trying to uncover during each of the interview stages is whether a promising applicant is really driven to succeed. What is the applicant’s sense of urgency? Is the candidate persuasive and resilient? If those are the qualities that are important to succeeding in your organization, then how can you tell if someone has them or not? By incorporating the insights from an in-depth personality profile into your hiring process, a consultant can help you discover whether a promising applicant has what it takes to succeed. A consultant can review the applicant’s underlying strengths, motivations and any areas of concern, providing hard proof, either substantiating what you may have perceived in the interview or causing you to dig deeper into something you might have missed. For example, if your consultant is concerned about the ap-

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

plicant’s level of resilience, then you have the benefit of exploring that area in your next interview, asking questions about situations where the applicant struggled. You can ask about how the applicant felt in that situation and what he or she did to make sure the situation wouldn’t happen again. Through this exploration, you may discover that the individual is well suited for the position. Or it could save you from an enormous mistake. Knowing that beforehand—so you can bring on the right people and avoid the wrong ones—can save you enormously.

In today’s uncertain economy, you need to be as certain as possible about whether an applicant has the qualities needed to succeed—the drive to come through for your customers immediately. And the insights a knowledgeable consultant can provide from in-depth personality assessments can significantly increase your ability to hire and develop top performers. At the end of the day, that’s the advantage that can set you apart from your competition.

In the hiring process, what you are looking for is that which is not so easily seen. It’s what’s inside an individual that matters. To succeed in sales, for instance, you need to know if promising applicants enjoy being in stressful situations. Do they like competing? Can they cope with losing? Will they go out of their way to develop relationships with high-level contacts? Will they ask difficult questions? Will they challenge prospects? Are they assertive enough to put themselves in a position to be successful? The insights from an in-depth personality profile can also provide you with an understanding of the skill gaps of each of new employees. Your managers will then be better able to work one-on-one with them to enhance specific skills, such as listening well or asking tough questions. Ultimately, succeeding means constantly looking for, hiring and developing top talent. It all comes back to having a clear understanding of the personality qualities shared by your top performers. Then you hire and develop people who start off with those defining qualities.

A clear formula In-depth personality assessments offer objective insights that can help you determine if an applicant’s fit for a specific job, as well as how well they will fit with a particular manager, and whether they will fit your corporate culture. The formula is clear: The better the fit, the higher the probability of the applicant’s success. Multiply that by all the individuals within your organization and you have a powerful strategy for improving your company’s success and profitability.

Another IIANM Member benefit! Big "I" Members receive exclusive discount pricing on the premier personality testing product in the industry. Let Caliper tell you what you need to know before you hire. A test and comprehensive consultation is just $245.

Click here for more information.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

Page 23

To counteract the effect of Roberta Flack's "Killing Me

“Killing Me Softly” vs “Cruel to be Kind”...

Softly," I recommend Nick Lowe's "Cruel to Be Kind. " Rela-

As strange as it may seem, these two popular 70's songs epitomize agency management and particularly, producer management.

tive to producers, a great piece of advice the best managed agencies keep to themselves is the need to be cruel to be kind. In other words, if you leave producers and sometimes even staff to their own ways, you will not get the performance you need. Forcing accountability can seem cruel be-

s a group, agency owners have to be among the nicest people in the world. One reason I've stayed in

cause accountability is often not welcomed with open arms. Don't confuse accountability with truly cruel management,

this industry for so long is that I enjoy spending time with agency owners. They are intelligent. They are great communicators. They are incredibly nice. And because they are incredibly nice, many agency owners are softly killing their producers and even their own agencies. In a typical agency, everyone knows management does not want confrontation. Everyone knows the owner just wants everyone to get along. Everyone knows management just wants the producers to be self-motivated and produce. Everyone knows few consequences exist for producers who don't produce. Everyone knows few consequences exist for employees who do not come to work on time and/ or leave early. Everyone knows there's no consequence

when employees don't meet deadlines. In other words, everyone knows that no one is held accountable. Without accountability, every organization dies. It is the flaw of communism. It is the flaw of many political organizations and political theories. These concepts are based on the assumption that accountability is unnecessary because everyone will be self motivated to do a great job. It is absolutely no different than the flaw that is a fundamental aspect of many insurance agencies and it is the counterpart of what got many agency owners to where they are today— they are extremely nice people. And it is what makes the situation so much harder to resolve. Because being nice and hospitable is great for making sales and even attracting people to the agency, it is a

"Killing Me Softly"

fantastic trait. However, when hospitality is not balanced by a willingness to deal with conflict and hold people accountable, the benefits of being nice will eventually be outweighed by the negative effects of not addressing conflict. When rates are going up and the economy is booming, no one gets too concerned. In today's market though, everyone is concerned. But still, most agency owners are not yet concerned enough to institute accountability. The result is many agencies are being killed softly. Page 26

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

however. I've known managers that literally threw objects,

one is not pushing them and holding them accountable.

made people cry just to make them cry, created stress

Accountability can help people try things they were

just to maintain total power, and even falsify employee records to get them fired. That is cruel. It is not cruel, though, to hold employees and producers accountable when they do not do the job they are paid to do.

scared of trying without accountability such as calling on larger accounts, more complex accounts or even simply calling on more accounts. Accountability helps people grow. Sometimes they grow in different directions. I've

Many times, in fact, by holding employees accountable,

witnessed many people discover insurance is not for

they will develop their skills in ways they never thought

them. They go on to much more rewarding careers in

possible. Few people work as hard as they can if some-

other industries. Many agency owners may be vehemently disagreeing because they personally didn't need anyone holding them accountable and yet they have achieved great success. They are fortunate people to be so self-motivated, but it is not realistic to expect the same of every producer in their shop. Many agency owners may also be thinking this is "babysitting" or "micro managing," and I can understand this misconception of holding people accountable. Holding people accountable, though, has absolutely nothing to do with babysitting or micro managing. It has everything to do with establishing a person's job, the method in which the job will be done, when it will be done, and the rewards and consequences for doing or not doing the job. This is not babysit-

ting. Nor is it micro managing. It is responsible management. by Chris Burand

This type of management is scarce in this industry. For example, in over 90 percent of agencies, producers only have an incentive to produce more. They have no consequences for not producing. Sure, they might make less, but not always. A lot of agencies pay producers some-

"Cruel to be Kind"

thing regardless of what they produce. And even if they do make less for selling less, that is simply an outcome. It is not a consequence. A consequence is a penalty and humans have an extremely different reaction to penalties. Studies have shown that people place a higher significance on the prospect of losing something than they do on gaining something. It's a curious aspect of the human condition that we prefer a death of a thousand cuts over acting cruel in order to actually be kind. This is especially true with the many agency owners whose natural inclination is to please anyone and everyone. For those agency owners, the future of your agency depends on whether you can overcome this tendency or at the least, acknowledge the issue and hire someone internally or externally to take the hard actionsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not necessarily the hard decisionsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for you. If you do, you'll be doing everyone a favor.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

Page 27

Two for Tuesday is a weekly newsletter designed to provide you with information concerning commercial products and services available to you through Big "I" Markets. (Product availability varies by state.) IIABA, your professional association, along with its subsidiaries, including Big "I" Advantage, Inc., works hard to bring information to you about valuable products and services that could enhance your ability to succeed in the industry's competitive environment. Are you signed up?

Another Record Year It was a two-peat! 2010 was a record-breaking year for Big “I” Markets. That makes it two consecutive years of record breaking performance. And this in the midst of the prolonged soft market! Big “I” Markets increased 7% over prior year in total written premium and set a new record for most new premium written in a year. So with even more markets soon to be announced, here is hoping that more of you write more new business with Big “I” Markets than ever before, because if you do then we are accomplishing our mission, which is to “help the independent agent to live, thrive and survive!” In the meantime, in the words of Sly and The Family Stone (who remembers them?), immortalized in their song “Thank You”, we thank you for letting us serve you.

Big “I” Markets 2010 Top Five Products: NEW BUSINESS PREMIUM Rank Product

New Premium

Affluent Homeowner

$1,955,095

Habitational

$1,835,520

Non-standard Homeowner

$ 588,166

Restaurants

$ 185,744

*Travelers Specialty

$ 152,510

*Includes community banks and real estate agents E&O

Page 28

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

• Non-standard Homeowners: Many of you have taken advantage of this E&S market, especially the coastal homeowners and the non-admitted vacant home product. Also, don’t forget that if you have a high value home that is declined for value, unprotectSome other results of note from 2010 include the following:

ed town class or seasonal exposure, Big “I” Markets can help. Click here for a listing of all markets that fall under the banner of non-standard homeowners.

• 1,381 agencies registered for Big “I” Markets for the

• The restaurant markets recently expanded to

first time in 2010, which brings the total number of

include multiple classes of hospitality markets. Here

registered agencies to over 8,900.

is a list.

• 15,109 quote requests were submitted, an increase

• In this difficult real estate market, now more than

of 19% from 2009.

ever real estate agents need E&O protection, and

• Big “I” Markets helped members place 3,596 pieces of business they may not have otherwise been able to write. This represents a 23% increase from 2009. That means we are succeeding in helping member agents where it helps the most: closing sales, generating revenue and making money.

you can offer them the best product on the market – 1stChoice+SM from Travelers. Meanwhile, all the news regarding community banks is less than encouraging, so they too need the best insurance coverage they can get. The SelectOne® product from Travelers offers one of the most flexible policy forms on the market.

Product round-up: • The affluent homeowner program grew over 15% in premium over prior the year. Many agents are availing themselves of the Chubb Masterpiece® product and/or the Fireman's Prestige® Portfolio product to provide superior coverages to the high-end market. The recent addition of ACE and Chartis as carrier partners means you now have access to all the main

FREE IIANM Member Access! Big "I" Markets is the independent agent's gateway to specialized insurance products and services with no access fees, no volume commitments, and competitive commissions.

players in the high net worth market niche. Don’t let the mortgage crunch and down economy fool you. While it is true that many high net-worth households are challenged by the economic times, they still have risks that require the unique coverage options offered via the affluent program in order to get the most appropriate coverage. Keep an eye out for some more webinars designed to educate you on the coverage advantages of our affluent products. • Habitational: With this market you can write apartment buildings, condominiums, and in some states, vacation rental property. Specialty niches include stu-

• • • • •

Product Listings Registration Guidelines What’s New More Two for Tuesday Contact Big I Markets

Not registered? Click here to register online Click here to update your Agency registration.

dent housing, senior housing and affordable housing. Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * February 2011

Page 29

Are You Tired of Throwing Your

Down the

Bottomless CIC Money Pit? Then you should consider the IIANM endorsed Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI) program.

Why earn the Accredited Adviser in Insurance designation? Compare:

CIC

AAI

Cost to obtain designation $1,795 $1,575 Annual Cost to maintain designation $ 434 x forever $0 9 classes x 1 day each = Time 5 classes x 2.5 days each = Commitment 12.5 days + exam time 9 days (including exam time) Update Requirement Yes (2.5 days/every year) None

Designation = Professional certification A designation is earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task. Many certifications are used as post-nominal letters indicating an earned privilege from an oversight professional body acting to safeguard the public interest.

Download AAI Brochure

2011 Dates Please click the links below to register on-line. March 3

AAI 83A - Principles Agency Management

April 7

AAI 83B - Agency Company Relations

May 5

AAI 83C - Agency Financial Management

June 9

AAI 81A - Principles of Insurance

July 7

AAI 81B - Personal Lines

August 4 AAI 81C - Commercial Property Insurance

• 95% of program completers said earning the designation was important to demonstrating their professional competency. • 89% of completers stated that earning the designation provided them with increased job opportunities. • 82% of designees believed they gained greater job security during times of organizational consolidation and transition. • More than 83% said earning the AAI designation helped fast-track their career progression.

IIANM’s

EducationEDGE Insurance Education Programs in New Mexico are critical to a successful and profitable career in the insurance industry. Every year, we offer exciting opportunities to expand your professional horizons. All of these education programs are designed to help insurance agents thrive in the most competitive of marketplaces. The pre-licensing classes are designed to be a review for the state licensing examination. We recommend that students be familiar with the study material prior to attending class.

Pre-Licensing Study Materials

Pre-Licensing Classes Study materials are NOT included in class prices.

To see a list of what is available and to purchase your study materials online, click here.

Property & Casualty Review Class (2 days)

Life & Health Review Class (1 day)

Regular Price: $150 Member Price: $120

Regular Price: $115 Member Price: $90

Instructor: Instructor:

Jack Cleary Kitty Leslie

- February 8 - 9 8am - 5pm - March 8 - 9 8am - 5pm

Click here for a full listing of our education program.

Instructor: Instructor:

Bob Ouellette - February 10 8am - 5pm Manny Mansour - March 10 8am - 5pm

The FINE PRINT: IIANM reserves the right to cancel/reschedule classes. Please call ahead to verify when classes will run. Decisions will be made three days prior to class. Cancellations received after 5 business days, will be assessed a $50.00 cancellation fee. Cancellations received on or after deadline and ‘no shows’ will forfeit the registration fee altogether. A substitute is always welcome, with no extra fee, but prior notification would be appreciated.

Class Name/Date: Full Name:

Method of Payment:  Bill Agency (Members Only)

First Name for Badge:

 Check Enclosed (Payable to IIANM)

Agency / Company:

 M/C  Visa  Disc  Amex

Address:

Amount:

(all prices include tax)

Card No:

City, State, Zip:

Exp. Date:

Telephone: ( Fax: ( Send in your registration:

)

E-Mail:

Signature:

) Go on-line: www.iianm.org or E-mail: jeff@iianm.org

Give us a call: (505) 843-7231 (800) 621-3978

Mail in: 1511 University Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87102

Fax in: (505) 243-3367

February s Clickable Calendar - Click on a class to register online -

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

1 P&C Pre-licensing Class

2 P&C Pre-licensing Class

Friday

Saturday

L&H Pre-licensing Class

Classifieds

Thursday

e Offic sed Clo

28 New Mexico’s Job Bank Looking to fill a position within your agency? Trying to find a job but don’t know where to look? Whether you are looking for somewhere new to share your special skills or an employer looking for quality, professional employees, we are there to lend a helping hand. Click here to take advantage of IIANM’s Job Bank. Do you have an agency you’re trying to sell, or in the market to buy one? Check out our Classifieds!

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lon

Odds n nds E

Are these the 10 best corporate blogs in the world? Corporate blogging has evolved far beyond the idea of personal journaling. Think of any company goal and there is likely to be an example of a company blog supporting it. You may be surprised at the diversity of blogs in these examples.

Feeling unmotivated? Even cheerleaders lose their enthusiasm from time to time. If you’re feeling sluggish and unmotivated, reviewing this checklist may help you reignite your spark:

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Alw a exa ys trea ctly t yo trea a u t yo s you r empl wan ur b oye e est t cus them t s tom o ers.

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides. ~David Viscott

Time for spring?

Or more winter? Ask the groundhog

Everyone knows that on Feb. 2, a groundhog coming out of its burrow to look for its shadow will either signal an early end to winter or predict another six weeks of snow and cold weather. The science may not be accurate, but Groundhog Day has become a major event in many U.S. towns and cities. How did it start? Many historians believe that Groundhog Day is related to Candlemas Day, a medieval Christian celebration that falls on Feb. 2. An old sailor’s saying from English lore states: If Candlemas Day is clear and bright, winter will have another bite. If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, winter is gone and will not come again. Another possible source for the belief may be the fact that the first official day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere’s western lands comes almost seven weeks after Feb. 2, while under the early Julian calendar, the spring equinox fell on March 16—exactly six weeks after Feb. 2. Groundhog Day may reflect the confusion created by dueling calendars.

More information can be found about IIANMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Partner Program by visiting our website at iianm.org or calling Lorri Gaffney at (505) 999-5805.