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B E S T P R A C T I C E S
Include Best Practices in Your New Year’s Resolutions

Have you had your fill of platitudes and magic bullet solutions to your agency’s problems? Do you wish there was a source of accurate and credible information on what the top agencies are really doing that makes them successful? Do you need to improve your agency revenues and profits in the New Year? What if you could tap into the accumulated wisdom of 195 of the top agencies in the country, at least 30 of which are in your same revenue bracket? What if you had the ability to compare your results with theirs and establish realistic, attainable benchmarks for each operation in your agency? Do you think you just might be able to make more money and have more success in 2006?

Good news! That source already exists; it’s the IIABA Best Practices Study. IIABA and Reagan Consulting work together to find the most successful agencies, study their procedures and create tools that other agencies can utilize to learn and implement those procedures in their own operations.

A key goal of the Best Practices program is to create opportunities for you to make real change to your agency and its success by providing practical tools that you can use to create a Best Practices culture in your own agency. What better time to do that than now? There are a host of Best Practices tools available, including how-to publications and quick-check programs. For a more complete description of each tool, click here. Each has been designed to address a specific area of the study’s findings and provide the information and methods you need to get started.

Make your resolution a reality today. Take the first step to being the best! Take advantage of a great savings special on these tools running until Feb. 15, 2006. To get the entire library at 50% the retail price off when ordering the entire bundle, or 25% off one or two items, click here.

Get ready for the highly successful Elite Force Sales Training program’s 2006 schedule, with first-quarter course beginning March 7. For three days per quarter, through the end of 2006, highly motivated professionals can commit to become the very best in their craft—hence the name the ELITE Force.

During the first three days of the program, attendees will study planning, goal setting, time management, consultative relationships, customer personality types and more. Attendees will spend several hours laying out their goals for the year, working out reporting requirements and accountability groups. To earn the IIABA's national Associate in Insurance Production (AIP) designation, an Elite student must have perfect attendance and submit monthly reports.

Class size is limited to 15 due to the nature of the course and to track each student’s progress throughout the year. The Elite Force Sales Training class provides personal attention to training in that elusive but all-important skill: increasing production. A sale encompasses more than just good prospecting or closing skills. This in-depth, comprehensive insurance sales training course helps to develop a personal sales style, a successful way of thinking, good habits and teaches critical skills that will last a lifetime.

To view the 12 days of the Elite Force Sales Training program click here, and to download an application click here. For more information, contact Jennifer Becker at jennifer.becker@iiaba.net; 800-221-7917.

G O V E R N M E N T A F F A I R S
California Bill Overlooks Federal Junk Fax Act

Past IN&V issues apprised readers of Congress’ laudable decision to pass the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005 (JFPA), creating an "established business relationship" (EBR) exemption that allows individuals and businesses to continue to send commercial faxes to people with whom an EBR exists. This legislation was signed into law July 9, 2005.

In a move that overlooks the JFPA, the California legislature approved a bill on Sept. 8, 2005, that puts significant restrictions nationwide on businesses communicating with California customers via fax. SB 833, approved by state lawmakers and subsequently signed into state law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, creates a far more restrictive state statute by requiring that businesses obtain "express permission" before sending fax communications, and the new law has no exception for an EBR. Furthermore, the law applies not only to faxes sent within California, but also to interstate faxes, meaning that it regulates commercial faxes sent into and out of California. The California law took effect Jan. 1, 2006, for faxes within California, but a court order delayed it for interstate faxes until at least Jan. 31, 2006.

More than two years ago, IIABA was a founding member of the Junk Fax Coalition, a diverse group of businesses and organizations representing a large stake in the American economy. The coalition is responsible for passage of the JFPA and opposed SB 833 from the start on the basis that it overreaches its authority at the state level as a result of preemptive provisions incorporated into the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 and the JFPA of 2005. While some independent parties of the coalition filed suit in federal court in California challenging SB 833, the coalition as a whole filed a petition asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a declaratory ruling on preemption of state fax statutes. IIABA is in the process of independently filing comments in support of the merits of the petition, and to request that the FCC rule in favor of federal preemptive authority over conflicting state statutes governing unsolicited commercial faxes.

Largely due to the ongoing litigation challenging the new California law and the FCC’s consideration of the petition, a federal judge in California issued an order on Dec. 21 staying the application of the California statute until Jan. 31, 2006 for interstate faxes. As a result of the stay, the California law's prohibition against commercial faxes where there is an EBR will not go into effect on Jan. 1 for interstate faxes. In other words, all of the provisions of the federal JFPA, specifically the reliance on the EBR provision, remain in force for faxes into and out of California. The same court has scheduled another hearing on Jan. 23 to determine if the stay (preventing application of the new state law to interstate faxes) should be continued past Jan. 31, 2006. Keep in mind, however, that the law as it applies to intrastate faxes went into effect on Jan. 1, 2006.

IIABA will continue to weigh in on this issue with the FCC in an effort to protect the important role the JFPA plays in providing independent agents with an effective and convenient means for communicating with their policyholders.

The Big "I" Virtual University contains a variety of unique, quality online classes to enhance and expand your insurance technical and business skills. Here are five reasons you should check it out:

· Online learning is geared to lifelong learning. You will be learning for the rest of your life, and much of it will be online.

· You have access to rich content, including multimedia images that explain ideas better than text books and words. Learning online also provides you with rich and interesting resources accessible by simply clicking a link.

· You can learn where and when you want—24/7. Help and support is available to you through online connections to the course developers, your state association and technical experts.

· Quizzes and interactive tests provide immediate feedback so track your progress.

· The Big "I" Virtual University has quality online classes that can’t be found anywhere else, all one place! Our classes are well worth your investment!

VU’s current roster of classes, available for members and non-members to purchase, include certification and designation programs, as well as beginner, intermediate and advanced classes...all online and available anytime.

Participate in the InVEST Silent Auction to support the program’s annual scholarships, awarded to InVEST graduates pursuing higher education with an emphasis on insurance. The InVEST Board of Directors will hold the 2006 InVEST Silent Auction during the Big "I" National Legislative Conference & Convention. This groundbreaking insurance industry event will take place April 26 through 28 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C.

A 501(c)3 educational trust, InVEST introduces high school and community college students to insurance and the more than 350 diverse careers available within the industry. The program also offers insurance agencies, brokers and carriers a diverse and talented group of entry-level recruits.

Play an important roll in the future of InVEST’s brightest students by making a donation to the 2006 Silent Auction. Visit www.independentagent.com and click on InVEST to download a Silent Auction Contribution Form. Thank you in advance for your contribution and support of InVEST.

The Big "I" National Young Agents Committee is seeking submissions for the 2006 YAC awards in the following categories: membership development, state committee project, communications, young agents meeting and political involvement. Also awarded are Outstanding Young Agents Committee of the Year and first runner-up honors. Participating in the National YAC awards program demonstrates state young agents and brokers committees’ commitment to perpetuating the independent agency system, and it solidifies their presence as the driving force behind its future. The 2006 YAC awards will be presented at the inaugural 2006 Young Agent Leadership Institute, held in conjunction with the National Board of State Directors meeting tentatively scheduled for Sept. 8 through 10 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.

Entries must be postmarked by July 1, 2006. Click here to download the 2006 YAC Awards Criteria. For more information, contact Leslie Mularski at leslie.mularski@iiaba.net; 724-779-2076.

N A T I O N A L L E G I S L A T I V E C O N F E R E N C E & C O N V E N T I O N
Hotel Update

Have you secured your guest room at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C., for the week of April 23 to 28, 2006? Have you registered for the Big "I" NLC & Convention?

The Grand Hyatt Hotel (the location of the Executive Committee Meeting, National Board of State Directors and the National Legislative Conference) is sold out of rooms at the Big "I"-negotiated rates. Rooms are still being sold at the Grand Hyatt, but at higher per-night room rates.

Additional rooms are available at an overflow hotel just one block and away from the Grand Hyatt at the Renaissance Hotel, located at 999 Ninth Street, NW. To reserve your room at the Renaissance, call 800-228-9290 or 202-898-9000, and tell the reservations agent that you will be attending the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America meeting.

The Renaissance Washington Hotel is located directly across the street from the Washington, D.C. Convention Center. The Washington, D.C. Convention Center is the location for the exposition, workshops and general sessions for the Convention portion of the program in April.