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Take Advantage of VU’s Offerings |  National TV Trifecta for the Big "I" |  Big "I" Staff, Agents Featured in WSJ Article |  D.C. Media Tap Rusbuldt's Political Expertise |  What’s in TV Network Selection? |  Only 25 Minutes Completes Survey  |  National YAC Promotes Committee Development Guide |  Feb. 15 is Deadline for Donations |  What Markets Do You Need? | Industry News

V I R T U A L   U N I V E R S I T Y
Take Advantage of VU’s Offerings

As a member of the Big "I," your entire staff can receive VU’s award-winning, bi-monthly newsletter that contains brief, thought-provoking articles on personal lines, commercial lines, agency management, sales and marketing, customer service and technology topics for free. Big "I" members also can submit any insurance, technical or business-related question to VU’s "Ask an Expert" service and receive a real response from one of the VU’s 40 insurance experts within 48 hours or less for free. The research section has an ever-growing library of more than 4,000 articles on commercial lines, personal lines, technology and agency management topics, as well as a Best Practices section, where you can input a few operational numbers to compare how your agency stacks against Best Practices agencies nationally, for free. You also can access quality online education, many with CE credits, at very competitive member-only pricing.

Take a minute to review this resource, which will give you and your agents a huge competitive edge. All Big "I" members can take advantage of their free access to the site by ensuring that each agency employee receives their ID and password. Click here to obtain your login information. For help ensuring that all employees have access, contact Madelyn Flannagan at madelyn.flannagan@iiaba.net.

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B I G   " I "   I N   T H E   M E D I A
National TV Trifecta for the Big "I"

Some familiar Big "I" faces shone in the TV spotlight in recent weeks. In the first of three high-profile national TV hits this month, Big "I" CEO Bob Rusbuldt was live on Fox News Channel’s "Big Story Weekend," debating and discussing the business of lobbying. He offered an insider’s perspective on how the process really works. In another national news story, "Business Week Weekend," a nationally syndicated personal finance program airing in the top 100 U.S. cities, interviewed Big "I" member Sharon Emek of CBS Coverage Group in New York, N.Y. Emek’s interview focused on Trusted Choice®’s new consumer survey on common insurance mistakes. The report also featured one of Emek’s clients for whom she performed a comprehensive insurance review and policy update. Rounding out this media trifecta, Big "I" President-Elect Alex Soto of InSource, Inc. in Miami, Fla., appeared on PBS's Jan. 26 "Nightly Business Report" in a story on health savings accounts, a key component of President Bush's State of the Union address this week. He discussed the pros and cons of HSAs and his own experience as both a user and seller of the products. For more information, contact Sue Nester at 703-706-5448; susan.nester@iiaba.net.

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  Big "I" Staff, Agents Prominently Featured in WSJ Article

On Monday, Jan. 31, the Wall Street Journal published the article "No Coverage. So, you think your homeowners policy protects your home-based business? Think again." Featured in the article was Madelyn Flannagan, Big "I" vice president of education and research. Flannagan provided much of the article’s background information, working with the reporter to make sure home-based business owners understand the importance of checking their coverage. Agent Scott Hauge of CAL Insurance & Associates in San Francisco discussed the importance of workers’ comp insurance. Agent Andy Thompson of the Thompson Group in Parker City, Ind., encouraged business owners to sit down with their agent and discuss all aspects of their business—so the agent can best determine coverage needs. The Associate Press picked up this article, so it will appear in newspapers across the country. If you are interested in becoming an agent spokesperson and working with IIABA in conjunction with local and national reporters, contact Emily Crane at 703-706-5445; emily.crane@iiaba.net.

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  D.C. Media Tap Rusbuldt's Political Expertise

President Bush wasn't the only one with lots of media airtime Tuesday, the day of the State of the Union Address. Big "I" CEO Bob Rusbuldt was interviewed live during morning drive time on Washington, D.C.'s top ranking radio station, WTOP, previewing President Bush's address. Rusbuldt discussed the political implications of the speech and expected highlights, such as health care and Medicare changes. Later in the day, Bob appeared on local ABC cable affiliate, NewsChannel 8, on the "NewsTalk" program to discuss and debate the political atmospheres on Capitol Hill on State of the Union day. He also participated in a segment on the business of lobbying and the actual day-to-day work it includes. Immediately following NewsChannel 8's live coverage of President Bush's address, Rusbuldt provided commentary and analysis of the speech and offered his insight on a number of the key issues throughout the station's special political programming for the rest of the evening. For more information, contact Sue Nester at 703-706-5448; susan.nester@iiaba.net.

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T R U S T E D   C H O I C E ®
What’s in TV Network Selection?

Fox News, CNN, ESPN, Fine Living Channel, Food Network, Home & Garden TV (HGTV) and the Travel Channel have something in common: They all will feature Trusted Choice® TV ads in 2006.

For two weeks in March and two weeks in May, during Trusted Choice® Month, ads will air nationwide from Presque Isle, Maine to Niihau, Hawaii and everywhere in between.

Why these networks? Network selection is a science supported by in-depth research that helps to demystify the viewing preferences of the Trusted Choice® target audience. Trusted Choice®’s target audience has a passion for homes, food, sports, news and travel. These passions in turn have a direct influence on the programming individuals tend to watch. With this in mind, identifying the programs that best match Trusted Choice® with its target audience increases the likelihood that these individuals will see multiple airings of the Trusted Choice® ad was the next step.

The March TV ad flight will feature 54 spots during a two-week span of March 13 to 26. Trusted Choice® Month, a month-long concentrated promotional campaign to spotlight Trusted Choice® agencies, will boast nearly 250 nationwide television ads from May 1 to 14 as well as an Internet ad flight that will further drive consumer brand awareness. Click here to view the May TV ad schedule; click here to see the March TV ad schedule.

Other advertising highlights this year include Internet ad flights in February, May into June and July; targeted business-to-business advertising; and a Washington, D.C. metro-area ad flight timed with the Big "I" National Legislative Conference & Convention in late April.

To tie your agency’s advertising plans into each of these nationwide ad activities, order or download tag-able TV, print and radio ads from the Trusted Choice® Web site and run them in your agency’s marketing area. Each type of tag-able ad explains the benefits of using your Trusted Choice® agency and reserves space for adding your agency’s name, contact information and logo. Go to the "Agents/Brokers" area of www.TrustedChoice.comand click on "Advertising" to access the tag-able ads and to learn how to conduct local TV, radio and print advertising campaigns. Additional advertising activities for September through the end of the year will be announced this summer. Not a member? Click here to join today! For more information about these cable networks or Trusted Choice®, contact Jeff Myers at 800-221-7917; jeff.myers@iiaba.net.

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A U G I E   S U R V E Y
Only 25 Minutes Completes Survey

The AUGIE Agency Technology Survey is up and running. You can start, stop and continue the survey whenever you want—just be sure to finish!

Good news: the survey only takes 25 minutes, as opposed to the estimated 45. It seems faster processing, better Internet connections, more tech-savvy agency professionals and a smarter survey (automatically redirecting to the most appropriate next question) combine to reduce the time in half.

Sparing 25 minutes is a valuable investment, especially when it goes to helping shape the future of agency technology and workflow. Remind everyone in your office and all of your industry colleagues that this survey will make a real difference in the way you do business.

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Y O U N G   A G E N T S
National YAC Promotes Committee Development Guide

The Step-By-Step Guide to Developing a Young Agents Committee (YAC) is a valuable tool the National YAC offers state associations and young agents committees to use when starting, revitalizing or rejuvenating state young agents programs. In addition to this helpful guide, the National YAC—consisting of a committee chair and representatives from five regions of the country including the Northeast, Great Lakes, South, Mid-America and Far-West—offers states assistance for strengthening and building their young agents programs through the National YAC Mentor Program. Click here to download the Step-By-Step Guide. For more information, contact Leslie Mularski at 800-221-7917; leslie.mularski@iiaba.net.

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I N V E S T
Feb. 15 is Deadline for Donations

Don’t miss your chance to support the next generation of industry professionals! Participate in the InVEST Silent Auction and support the program’s annual scholarships awarded to InVEST graduates who pursue 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. 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 giving students a new outlook on the future. The program 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. Deadline for contributions is Feb. 15. Click here  to download a Silent Auction Contribution Form. Thank you in advance for your contribution and support of InVEST! For more information, contact Sandra Skipper at 703-706-5437; sandra.skipper@iiaba.net

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B I G   " I "   M A R K E T S
What Markets Do You Need?

Big "I" Markets, the online market access program available exclusively to Big "I" members, needs your input. Already, 224 members responded to the market access needs survey. Add your voice to those members and tell us how we can help you by taking five minutes to complete the simple survey. All you have to do is check boxes to indicate which markets you need access to. You also will have the opportunity to write in products/markets that the survey may not ask about. Some markets—like access to property markets in coastal areas—are already known problem areas, so they are not included in the survey. You do not need to be a registered Big "I" Markets agents to take the survey, but you can complete the free registration process at www.bigimarkets.com so that your agency can access the suite of already available products. Click here to take the survey.

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