The Pipeline - national monthly newsletter for agency principals

A national monthly newsletter for agency principals dedicated to agency management topic

We have been in continuous publication since 1987 and The PIPELINE circulates to agents, association executives and insurance company personnel in every state of The U.S.

If you are interested in receiving The PIPELINE via e-mail subscription for $60, please complete the subscription form.

We have compiled our archived PIPELINE articles for your viewing. Please select a main topic to jump to the associated articles, browse through all the articles by scrolling, or enter keywords in the search field below.

Search the Pipeline Article Archives:

Article Topics

Please click on any topic below to access all articles within that topic.

Acquisition Management
Agency Analysis
Agency Arbitration
Agency Automation
Agency Clusters
Agency Valuation
Asset Protection Model
Automation Analysis
Benchmarking
Brainstorming
Budgeting
Clustering
Compensation Analysis
Crisis Management
Expert Witness
Incentive Compensation Program
Litigation Support
Market Planning

Merger Management
Merger Acquisitions and Divestitures
Network Monitoring
Org Development
Perpetuation Planning
Producer Acquisitions
Producer Compensation
Sales Development
Sales Planning
Sales Training
Strategic Planning
Tactical Planning
Valuation Service
Virtual Insurance Agency
Producer Management
Web Development
Workflow Management
Miscellaneous

Acquisition Management

ACQUIRING AGENCIES
GUARANTEEING THE PAYMENTS FOR AN AGENCY SALE
IS YOUR AGENCY WORTH ANYTHING??
MOTIVATIONS BEHIND AGENCY AQUISITIONS
NON-COMPETE AND NON-PIRACY
SECTION 338 ELECTIONS: ACQUIRING AGENCIES WITHOUT THE TAX BURDEN
Webinar: Today’s Market for Mergers and Acquisitions
WHEN IS A SMALLER AGENCY WORTH MORE THAN A LARGER ONE
WHY USE A CONSULTANT FOR ACQUISITIONS?
Return to Top

Agency Analysis

“AIN’T NOBODY’S FAULT BUT MINE”
AGENCY CONSULTING GROUP HIRING SYSTEM
AGENCY VITAL SIGNS
BALANCE SHEET LIQUIDITY RATIOS
BALANCE SHEET LIQUIDITY RATIOS - PART THREE
BALANCE SHEET LIQUIDITY RATIOS PART TWO
IS EBITDA A VALID WAY OF LOOKING AT INSURANCE AGENCY VALUE?
MEASURING THE HEALTH OF YOUR AGENCY HOW TO READ YOUR BALANCE SHEET AND WHAT IT MEANS
MOTIVATION AND DE-MOTIVATION
Once And Done
Projecting Cash Flow - Killing The Bogeyman
VALUING YOUR AGENCY TANGIBLE NET WORTH AND WORKING CAPITAL
What we do: Agency Analysis
WHEN IS A SMALLER AGENCY WORTH MORE THAN A LARGER ONE
Return to Top

Agency Arbitration

Return to Top

Agency Automation

21st Century Agency Managment Systems
Advertising and Marketing Insurance In The "Tivo" Age
Agency Automation in The 21st Century
Agency Websites and Customer Communications As A Marketing Tool
Bits and Bytes or Bricks and Mortar
Companies and Automation: Are They Saving Me or Costing Me??
Computer Hardware Purchases
Contact Management Software
Cool Conference Live-A Service That Can Change Your Businesss
Cyberspace and Insurance
Cyberspace and The Internet - Are you ready?
Information Overload
Insurance Agency Websites
Internet Marketing
PROBLEMS OR ROADBLOCKS
Slaying The Automation Monster
The Automation Plan
The Future Of Agency Automation
The Internet For Insurance Professionals
The Referral Tree Program
The Retention Dimension
The Video Brochure
To Web or Not To Web
Welcome To Agency Consulting Group Inc.'s Insurance Agency Benchmarking!!
What Effect: The Internet
Return to Top

Agency Clusters

What is THE MOST important thing for an agency?
Return to Top

Agency Valuation

Agency Valuations
Agency Valuations: How and Why
Asset Sales To BE Taxed In The Year Of The Sale
Can You Value Your Own Agency?
Comparison Of The U.S. Financial Crisis To Agency Acquisitions
Federal Tax Depositing Made Easier
Goodwill Value In An Insurance Agency
Hidden Assets in Independent Agents
How Much is my Agency Worth?
Important Tax Change Affecting Your Agency
Installment Sales Are Back - New Law Change
IS EBITDA A VALID WAY OF LOOKING AT INSURANCE AGENCY VALUE?
Limited Liability Corporations
Management Information Systems
MEASURING THE HEALTH OF YOUR AGENCY HOW TO READ YOUR BALANCE SHEET AND WHAT IT MEANS
Risk Factors In valuing Your Agency
Risk factors To Be Considered in Agency Analysis and Valuation
So What is a Liquidity Ratio and Why Should it Be Important For an Insurance Agent??
Solving The Receivables Dilemma
Tax Benefits for "S" Corporations
The Agency Valuer
The Baby Boomer Business Owner
Whats your Agency Worth?
Who Owns The Accounts
Why Values Can Be Different
Return to Top

Asset Protection Model

Bledding Clients
Clients for LIfe
Consultative Sales
CREATING PRODUCERS – ROLLING YOUR OWN - THE PRODUCER RECRUITMENT PROGRAM
Hail The Dinosaur
How To Become A "Shark Hunter"
How to Maximize Agency Income
HOW TO MAXIMIZE AGENCY INCOME BY STOPPING SELLING INSURANCE
Identifying Prospects Who Wont Buy from You-Before You Waste Your Time
Intelligence And Marketing
Never Been Better
Protecting Assets vs. Selling Insurance
Putting the Customer First
Relationship Selling
RELATIONSHIP SELLING – COSTS AND RETURNS
Relationship Selling / Consultative Selling
Sales Call - Back to The Basics
Shepherding Claims
The "Keep-In-Touch" Program
The Asset Protection Model
The Asset Protection Model
The Asset Protection Model - Update 2007
The Contact Grid In The Asset Protection Model
The Contact Grid In The Asset Protection Model
The New Hard Market
The Referral Tree Program
We Didnt Know You Can Do That!
What is THE MOST important thing for an agency?
YES, THERE IS A PLACE IN THE AGENCY FOR PERSONAL LINES PRODUCERS
You Can Lead a Horse to Water
Return to Top

Automation Analysis

Return to Top

Benchmarking

2012 - Composite Group 1 - Net Revenue < $1,000,000
2012 - Composite Group 3 - Net Revenue $2,000,000 - $3,000,000
Agency Benchmarking: Frequently Asked Questions
Agency Benchmarking: Laying The Track for Your Future
Agency Consulting Group - 2010/2011 Composite of Agency Operations
Agency Consulting Group, Inc.: Composite Groups of Agency Performance
Agency Profiling
ANNUAL COMPOSITE GROUP ISSUE - THE RUSH TO SELL IN 2012
Benchmark Your Agency ONLINE in 5 Easy Steps
Benchmark Your Agency ONLINE in 5 Easy Steps
Benchmark Your Agency ONLINE in 5 Easy Steps - 2012 Issue
Benchmarking
Benchmarking Announcement
Benchmarking Via Internt
Benchmarking Your Agency
Composite Group 2 - Net Revenue $1,000,000 - $2,000,000
Composite Group 4 - Net Revenue > $3,000,000
Contingencies as a Percentage of Prior Year P&C Commissions
Definition of Terms
Gross Profitability Relativity
INSURANCE AGENCY - PRODUCTIVITY FACTORS
NEW, EASIER ACCESS TO BENCHMARKING
Project Driven Benchmarking
SHIFTING COMPOSITE GROUPS - ACQUISITIONS CONTINUE UNABATED
Return to Top

Brainstorming

Agency Survival In The Down Economy
Can't We Just Get Along?
Catch-22
Coping with The Future
Cultural Shift to Service
Customer Surveys
Do Your Employees "Bleed" When Retention id Poor?
Earning a Living or Running a Business
Intelligence And Marketing
Outsourcing in an Insurance Agency
Return to Top

Budgeting

BUDGETING
PLANNING AND THE BUDGETING PROCESS
THE AGENCY BUDGETER
THE EMOTIONAL BANK ACCOUNT
Return to Top

Clustering

Return to Top

Compensation Analysis

Combining Incentive Compensation
Compensating Owners
Employee Motivation Programs
Evaluations and Compensation
Owners Compensation
OWNERS’ COMPENSATION
PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS
WHY DO YOU NEED A CONTINGENCY BUY/SELL AGREEMENT AND A SUCCESSION PLAN
Return to Top

Crisis Management

Agency Survival In The Down Economy
Can't We Just Get Along?
Disaster Recovery Plans
Managing By The Numbers
THE TROUBLE WITH GENERATIONS
When A Career Turns Into A Life Sentence
Return to Top

Expert Witness

Return to Top

Incentive Compensation Program

Combining Incentive Compensation
COMPENSATING NEW PRODUCERS
Compensating Owners
COMPENSATING OWNERS IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
Employee Motivation Programs
Evaluating Employees
Evaluations and Compensation
If You Want The Sweetest Music You Need To Pay The Piper
Incentive Compensation For Non-Producer Employees
Incentive Compensation Programs
Incentive Programs
Investing In The Future
IS INCENTIVE COMPENSATION REALLY FOR YOUR AGENCY??
Owners Compensation
OWNERS’ COMPENSATION
PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS
Severe Worker Shortage Forseen By 2015
SHADOW STOCK
When Does Incentive Compensation Make Sense
Return to Top

Litigation Support

Return to Top

Market Planning

ACTIVE REFERRAL PROGRAMS
ARE YOU STILL USING THE TELEPHONE BOOK AS YOUR ADVERTISING MEDIA
ATTRACTING NEW PROSPECTS TO YOUR AGENCY 24/7
But I Cant Afford to Advertise
Competitive Marketing
Concentric Marketing
Creating and Implementing Marketing Plans
CREATING PRODUCERS – ROLLING YOUR OWN - THE PRODUCER RECRUITMENT PROGRAM
Designing Your Agencys Brochure
Focusing on Target Markets
HOW TO BUILD A BOOK OF BUSINESS
Market Research - The Key to Program Development
Marketing Insurance Products
Marketing Insurance Products
Marketing Tip: Success Story Marketing
Neighborhood Marketing
One Size Does Not Fit All
Programming Your Marketing Efforts
PROSPECTING – THE GREAT DILEMMA
RADIATING MARKETING
Re-thinking Your Marketing Approach
Social Media 101 - For Insurance Agents
Social Media 101 - For Insurance Agents - Part 2 in a 3 part series
Social Media 101 - For Insurance Agents (Part 3 in a 3 part series)
SOCIAL NETWORKING AND INSURANCE AGENCIES
Soft Market Selling
THE GLASS CEILINGS IN THE INSURANCE AGENCY INDUSTRY
The Ultimate Marketing Tool
WHY BOTHER WITH MARKETING PROGRAMS
Return to Top

Merger Management

Webinar: Today’s Market for Mergers and Acquisitions
Return to Top

Merger Acquisitions and Divestitures

A GUIDE TO SELLING AN AGENCY
Asset Sales To BE Taxed In The Year Of The Sale
D I V O R C E
GUARANTEEING THE PAYMENTS FOR AN AGENCY SALE
Installment Sales Are Back - New Law Change
Is Innovation Impossible in The Insurance Business?
Limited Liability Corporations
PERPETUATING AGENCIES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MERGER FOR PERPETUATION AND AN ACQUISITION IN DISGUISE
Perpetuation Or Succession?
Perpetuation Planning - Planting People
R.I.P. Retired In Place
The Baby Boomer Business Owner
The Tale of Two Family Businesses
Webinar: Today’s Market for Mergers and Acquisitions
What Makes A Great Agency?
What To Do When An Owner Retires
When A Career Turns Into A Life Sentence
When It's Time To Say Good-Bye
Return to Top

Network Monitoring

Return to Top

Org Development

Welcome to The PIPELINE

A national monthly newsletter for agency principals dedicated to agency management topic

Article Topics

Acquisition Management

Agency Analysis

Agency Arbitration

Agency Automation

Agency Clusters

Agency Valuation

Asset Protection Model

Automation Analysis

Benchmarking

Brainstorming

Budgeting

Clustering

Compensation Analysis

Crisis Management

Expert Witness

Incentive Compensation Program

Litigation Support

Market Planning

Merger Management

Merger Acquisitions and Divestitures

Network Monitoring

Org Development

Perpetuation Planning

Producer Acquisitions

Producer Compensation

Sales Development

Sales Planning

Sales Training

Strategic Planning

Tactical Planning

Valuation Service

Virtual Insurance Agency

Producer Management

Web Development

Workflow Management

Miscellaneous