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The Express Markets platform has really transformed the overall agent offering. Smart Choice expanded our E&S, Specialty & Niche markets from 15 to 35 in just a few years. Adding expanded access for coastal markets, General Liability, Non-standard Auto, Commercial Auto, Specialty Dwelling Programs and additional distribution points with our core wholesale partners has elevated the program to best in class.

Several years ago, we started a program called “Express Markets™” – a providential venture given the recent dramatic rise in this corner of the insurance market. Today that program has grown to over $360 million in annual premium, over 35 partners, and has experienced 15 percent growth in the last year.

The insurance needs of manufacturers and wholesale distributors continue to evolve. With these challenges, proper assessment of your client’s assets (building, business personal property, and business income) and liability exposure are all key to achieving adequate insurance coverage and managing risk.

Many people fail to understand accountability, its importance, and where it begins. Whether you are a new business owner or an experienced leader, it starts with YOU! Good leaders know how to foster a culture of accountability and execution. They make commitments and they keep them.

Which is better – getting an appointment or calling back in X months?

After a year full of uncertainty, making predictions about 2021 may seem futile. While the future is never certain, there are a few personal lines market trends for you to watch in 2021. Some are the direct result of the events of 2020, while others have been in the works for several years. All of them are things to keep your eye on at your agency as you plan for 2021.

Despite all the turmoil of 2020, Smart Start Personal Lines boasted a banner year, breaking production records and writing over $1 million in premium for 7 months straight.

Business planning doesn’t have to be traditional, and you don’t have to follow any specific template. Sometimes, it’s simply about sitting down and asking yourself a few important questions about where you want to go.

2020 served as a turning point for insurance agency technology. Agents had to quickly adapt to working remotely and using digital channels to serve clients. To help independent agents adapt to digital, Liberty Mutual and Safeco’s Agent for the Future program put together two e-books and article series full of practical advice.

Salespeople often fall victim to being on the phone 24/7. After all, you never know when that ringing phone might be a sale. So with no one screening a salesperson's calls, they're bound to feel the need to answer every one. But sometimes, salespeople have to set boundaries to be productive.

While it might not be possible for agents to meet with customers face to face, it’s more important than ever to be a trusted resource for small business owners. Here are five ways agents can continue to support small businesses during the pandemic.

If you had to define successful goal planning, what would your answer be? As a businessperson, your definition may be making a lot of money. A salesperson may define success as becoming the top salesperson in the company. Success means many different things to different people. However, few have really thought through how they’ll actually become successful. Effective goal planning is the key to success.