vol. 2024, ed. 5

Registration now open for Young Agents Scholarship Golf Tournament
To be held April 29 in Orangeburg - you do not need to be a Young Agent to play!
Registration is now open for the Young Agents Scholarship Golf Tournament to be held April 29 at the Orangeburg Country Club in Orangeburg, SC. Sponsorship opportunities (including hole sponsors) are also available. Our tournament is for anyone who wants to play, it's not just for young agents, nor is it just for insurance industry professionals. It is a fundraiser to benefit our young agents program. Register individually or as a team, but team registration is the only way to guarantee pairings. Tournament starts with lunch and then a shotgun start. Registration deadline is April 19. See event page for details.    (+ More...)

See also:   NEW Empower Her women's leadership conference registration opens this Friday

Welcome New Members
Agency members

Citizens Choice Agency of SC
Estill

Coastal Insurance Group
Myrtle Beach

Founders Insurance Services
Lancaster

Huguley Insurance LLC
Greenville

Jones Insurance Group
Travelers Rest

Nation Insurance Group LLC
Columbia

Jason Taylor Agency
North Charleston

Associate members

Omaha National - NEW PALMETTO PARTNER
Omaha, NE

Risk Advisor - NEW PALMETTO PARTNER
Lexington, SC

United Midwest Savings Bank - NEW PALMETTO PARTNER
Mount Pleasant, SC

Utica National Insurance Group - NEW PALMETTO PARTNER
Richmond, VA

Stacy Boan joins IIABSC staff
Professional Development & Events Manager
We at IIABSC are pleased to introduce our newest staff member Stacy Boan, Professional Development & Event Manager. Her previous career was in another industry, but she has been planning and directing events part-time for 21 years. She lives in the Columbia area, and is married with two children, a 21-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son.    (+ More...)

Upcoming FREE agency management webinar series this May
FREE member webinars presented by Carey Wallace, Agency Focus
Join us during the month of May for a series of four FREE one-hour webinars designed to help agency owners and managers elevate your agency's performance and equip you with the tools you need to assure continued growth. This series will provide you with essential knowledge on agency valuation, understanding agency financial statements, producer compensation, and even planning for transition of ownership. 

Whether you're planning for growth, succession, or simply seeking to optimize profitability, these sessions will provide invaluable insights to help you make informed decisions and drive success in your agency. Instructor Carey Wallace with Agency Focus has worked with hundreds of independent insurance agency owners helping them understand what drives the value of their agency and plan their agency’s financial future. She is a past speaker at both our Spring Conference and Young Agents Conference events. Register via Zoom on the webinar series event webpage.   (+ More...)

ARE YOU PURSING A CIC DESIGNATION? Apply for CIC Scholarship!
Covers one full institute registration, deadline extended to April 1, 2024
IIABSC is accepting member applications for a CIC Scholarship that covers the registration fee of one SC classroom or LIVE webinar institute held in 2024. Any licensed member agent or broker pursuing their CIC designation with a minimum of two years' full time experience in the industry is eligible. Application deadline extended to April 1, 2024.    (+ More...)

Let IIABSC license and train your new CSRs
InsurAcademy spring session starts April 8, register by March 28
InsurAcademy is a comprehensive training program to make your new hires “job ready” for a Customer Service Representative position. The training is provided in a live virtual format and includes both pre-licensing preparation and skills training. In just six short weeks, your new hire can be licensed and ready to be a productive member of your staff. Training is provided in a half-day format to make it more manageable for the students and provide them with the opportunity to apply what they learn each day in class. At the completion of InsurAcademy, the student also receives a 12-month professional development plan. InsurAcademy will be offering quarterly sessions in 2024, but class size is limited in order to provide personalized instruction. Registration for the April session is open now with March 28 deadline.  (+ More...)

See also:   LIVE VIRTUAL P&C producer pre-licensing course starts April 8

Trusted Choice offers a new tool to automate your social media
Is your agency having a hard time keeping up with the requirements of a strong social media presence?
Trusted Choice is excited to announce a new partnership with a robust social media automation tool called Social Jazz. In just a few minutes, Social Jazz can create a 12-month social media calendar that posts directly to agency accounts using our existing content library.  Members can opt to "set it and forget it" or maintain a hands-on approach, according to their preference. The platform offers users the ability to select the topics and insurance products they want to feature in their posts and supports integration of brand colors and logos. This service is normally priced at $199 per month, but your membership with the Big I means you can now get it for only $15 per month, or at a discounted rate of $150 per year when paid in full. All users will get a one-week free trial to explore the service before being required to provide payment.  (+ More...)

Please complete Catalyit's Annual Tech Stack Survey
Catalyit technology knowledge center helps agencies discover, evaluate and implement technology solutions
Catalyit is a tool every agency can benefit from. Catalyit is asking for your help by participating in their annual Tech Stack survey. They want to learn which tech software and platform agencies like yours use and how you feel about them. By participating you'll have access to their exclusive report and be entered to win $1000 to use towards a Catalyit Consulting project. Anyone in your agency is welcome to submit. Results will be published in April. Catalyit is an IIABSC agency member benefit bringing you all the agency tech guidance need all in one place.  All Big I members have FREE basic access to the platform, upgrade to full access for only $17/month.    (+ More...)

Spring Conference pre-registration closes March 8 — one or two exhibit booths remaining
To be held March 20-21 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia, SC
Spring Conference returns to the Columbia Metro Convention Center in downtown Columbia on March 20-21. A few spaces remaining in exhibit hall.  Our Spring Conference offers valuable opportunities for insurance professionals to multiply their visibility, increase their knowledge, enhance industry resources, and engage with exhibitors, new contacts and colleagues. CE sessions on coverage standards, agency perpetuation, legislative issues and business income. View updated agenda and session topics on our event webpage. All pre-registration closes March 8.  Onsite registration will be available.   (+ More...)

IA-MBA: the business course made for insurance agents
Program starts March 27 | live sessions to be held on Wednesdays
We have partnered with GoalMakers to bring you another session of the virtual IA MBA program starting March 27 that will empower participants with the business knowledge, skills and resources to grow an even more successful agency. It is both an education and a networking program built for current and future independent agency leadership to learn skills needed to enhance their agency's profitability and success. These skills include building organizational alignment, enabling your team to better serve clients and applying financial fundamentals to build a more profitable agency. 

The program is 10 weeks long and combines self-paced learning with expert-led facilitated live sessions. It has more than 300 engaging elearning modules, eight hours of live coaching and insights from industry experts as well as a community of collaboration with industry peers across the country.  (+ More...)

Use ABEN discount code for 20% off
Use code Spring20% at checkout
Use discount code "Spring20%" at checkout for 20 percent off our entire ABEN catalog at iiabsc.aben.tv. Courses are available live or on-demand and can be browsed by category or by broadcast date.  (+ More...)

Use My Agency Campus discount code for 20% off
Fall in Love with Learning - enter code "LoveLearning" at checkout
Use discount code "LoveLearning" at checkout for 20 percent off My Agency Campus courses and training packages. My Agency Campus provides interactive and engaging courses for insurance coverage training and other business skills for new employees and emerging leaders. Once purchased, participants have four months to complete on-demand curriculum with the ability to provide weekly updates and transcript reports to their supervisor.   (+ More...)