Big ‘I’ Shares Insights, Reaffirms Commitments at Hawaii InfoXchange

With the theme, “Grow Your Business…Secure Your Future,” the Independent Insurance Agents of America (IIAA) Hawaii InfoXchange had plenty of valuable insight to share with attendees. The convention was held Oct. 27-30 at the Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu.

“Branding starts with you,” Peter van Aartrijk told the standing-room-only crowd at his Branding Workshop. “Ask yourself: ‘what are you doing well now that you can leverage to be more successful tomorrow?'”

William C. Wilson Jr., director of IIAA’s Virtual University, shared some tech tips with attendees, including that while most independent agencies have a website, “the vast majority of them do little or nothing to enhance revenue, reduce expenses or retain customers.” Wilson, along with co-presenter Gary Savelli, led a workshop titled “How to Build an Agency Website that Works,” leading agents through the planning, design, implementation and marketing phases of achieving a successful website.

“If you have no message other than ‘we sell insurance,’ then the only thing you can possibly sell is price,” Wilson explained. “Your website must offer unique, ongoing value to your target audience in the form of important, valuable information that is easy to find.”

IIAA’s Agent Council for Technology (ACT) released a new study titled “A Vision of the Future for Agency Technology Including the Essential Next Steps for Independent Agents” at the InfoXchange. The study, which has received support from many company representatives, provides a framework for agents to evaluate potential technological decisions.

At the Opening General Session, IIAA Outgoing President Bill Hofmann exhorted agents to prepare themselves for the future by investing in the necessary tools, namely technology, recruitment and improving the industry’s image in order to gain the trust and loyalty of consumers.

With this last in mind, Ronald Smith, IIAA communications committee chairman and past president, and Alex Soto, state national director-Florida, stepped up to introduce IIAA’s new consumer marketing brand, Trusted Choice. Aimed at building market share and communicating agents’ value to consumers, Trusted Choice will highlight “those qualities unique to independent insurance agents and important to insurance buyers; advocacy, customization and choice,” Smith said. The brand will be enforced through advertising, public relations, local marketing and Internet communications nationwide over the coming months.

To reinforce this theme, keynote speaker Ken Blanchard discussed the importance of having a clear vision and empowering everyone in your agency by sharing that vision.

“You’re in the peace-of-mind business,” Blanchard told attendees. “You must be clear about your purpose, your operating values, your rank and priorities.”

Blanchard, who is the author of many best-selling business books including “The One-Minute Manager,” said the two keys to success in leadership are vision and implementation. “You’ve got to create your future and manage your present—but I’m not sure you should have the same person doing both.

“What’s so important with your people is that you’re willing to share information with them. Get revenues, get ideas from your people. Part of sharing information with people is giving them power—make them feel they can make a difference.”

Carrying on with business as usual, the IIAA confirmed new appointments to its Executive Board: Thomas B. Ahart as the association’s 97th president; W. Cloyce Anders as president-elect and Louise “Bebe” Canter as vice-president. Soto was also added to the association’s Executive Committee.

“I think that people came here with a real focus on improving their business,” said IIAA spokesman Kevin Craiglow. “We’ve had outstanding and enthusiastic support for our sessions.

“Obviously, the tragic events of Sept. 11 have hampered some attendance here, but it seems as though interest in the individual sessions has been stronger. I think that’s a representation of the way society is these days—we’re still reeling from these events, and yet, as Blanchard said in his talk, it was the wake-up call that reminded us of what’s really important about our jobs and our lives.”