Insurance Consultant's Newsletter
Scott Simmonds, CPCU, ARM
June 3, 2006

Helping Insurance Experts Build Great Consulting Practices
www.icmentor.com

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Feel free to forward this newsletter to colleagues. Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome. Email: Scott@InsuranceFixer.com or call 207-284-0085.

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How To Write A Magazine Article

Articles and white papers are a great way to build marketing gravity - getting prospects to come to you. The investment in time can really be quite small and the yield in credibility and "remarkabilty" is enormous.

Step One - Pick a Topic.

-Five Ways To Save On Car Insurance
-Six Work Comp Insurance Mistakes
-Insurance Traps For Metal Workers
-Why Your Insurance Is Too Expensive
-Rental Car Insurance; To Buy or Not To Buy

Step Two - Find The Audience

Get approval from the publication you want your article to appear in - local newspapers, trade association newsletters, trade press, chamber of commerce publications. Know your market. Read back issues. Review the organization's web site. Send a quick email to the editor suggesting that she might be interested in an informational piece geared specifically to and for her audience.

Get the editor's marching orders - tone of the article, length, due date, etc.

Step Three - Write The Article

Follow the publisher's requirements. We all have our own style of writing. Here's my approach:

-List your five major points (or 3 or 6).

-Write three paragraphs on each point.

-Put the article away for at least six hours. Come back, reread and edit.

-Have a coworker or friend proofread it. Put it away again and reedit.

-Send it in.

Obviously you can use the same formula to write articles for your website or white papers for distribution to prospects. It's all a part of marketing with an emphasis on value.

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Referral Network

The concept of using an insurance consultant to help a business manage insurance and risk is far from ubiquitous. The general public doesn't know we are out there. When I mention my businesses in conversation I repeatedly get comments like, "I didn't know anybody did that!" I'd like to improve our visibility to the general public.

I'm investigating building an online listing of insurance consultants. This may grow into a referral network and directory. First, however, I need to know who is out there!

If you're interested in being a part of a directory, please complete the form at http://insuranceconsultant.org/listform.htm. There is no cost or fee for now. Obviously, the information you share will be held in confidence.

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Visit My Insurance Blog - http://www.InsuranceBuzzer.com/.

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Insurance Consultant Mentor Program - Designed to help you build your business faster, with less hassle, and fewer false starts. Grow your current practice or gain the edge in your startup. The object is for you to make your business the best it can be - faster and more profitably. Go to http://www.icmentor.com/mentor.htm.

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Scott Simmonds, CPCU, ARM
Insurance Consultants of Maine, Inc.
Phone 207-284-0085
Scott@InsuranceFixer.com
http://www.InsuranceFixer.com

Insurance Consultant Services Website: http://www.icmentor.com

© 2006 Insurance Consultants of Maine, Inc. All Rights Reserved. We encourage sharing this newsletter in whole or in part if copyright and attribution (including my web address) are always included.

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