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AGENDA / April 2011
Just because it’s BIG, doesn’t mean it shines.
By Rafael Hurtado
Now, more than ever in my insurance career, I have to stay informed and aware of what is around me, otherwise I will lose my opportunity to stay ahead of my competition and the same rings true to all of you. I find myself attending more seminars, more meetings and more gatherings so that I can gage where I am and what I can improve upon. I also ask myself two very important questions before any activity… 1) What do I get out of it? 2) Why do they want me there? Always ask yourself what will I get out of it. Make a list of things that you want to
IN so that you can retain your perspective
learn or accomplish, and then find out who
as to how to HELP YOUR AGENCY GROW
is attending and mingle with those that
from the material presented. Be aware that
might be beneficial to you. Create “Real”
not all that is BIG shines. Always question,
relationships. Stay close to those you
why do they want me there?
meet and run your ideas by them. Do not
organization putting the event together to
be afraid of sharing ideas. Follow through
help you, themselves, or their employers?
with what you are convinced will be good
You be the judge. I guarantee you that
for your agency and others.
the events delivered by the LAAA are put
Is the
together to BENEFIT YOU. Remember, There are many reasons why associations
our leadership is comprised of insurance
like ours hold events. Most of the time it is
agents and independent entrepreneurs
to give a carrier a sales boost. While there is
just like you.
nothing wrong with this, be aware GOING
Are you a Member yet? LAAA Membership Benefits:
AGENDA / April 2011
EDITORIAL
1. Market Information. 2. Networking 3. Education & Seminars. 4. Quality Presentations 5. Representation 6. Tradeshow 7. Monthly Meetings 8. Industry Recognition 9. Qualified Vendors. 20. Strong Leadership. 11. Meaningful Discounts. 12. Preferred Positioning.
LAAA Meeting Calendar
4
05.19.2011 - Meeting L.A. Monthly Meeting Stevens Steak House Commerce, CA 05.25.2011 - Training Las Vegas Commercial 101 Training National Golf Course Las Vegas, NV 12.01.2011 - 12.04.2011 - Convention Convention and Christmas Gala Long Beach Reinassance Hotel Long Beach, CA
For up to date meeting info in your area, go to www.latinagents.com/calendar
L.A.A.A. P.O.Box 4564 Valley Village, CA 91617 (818) 635-4848 rafael@latinagents.com
www.latinagents.com
5
AGENDA / April 2011
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AGENDA / April 2011
Ten tools to get FREE extra traffic to your website By Andree Ochoa
Within the last six months, we at An-
Hope they work for you, the way they
dree & Associates had been working
have work for my company and differ-
with many different companies in build-
ent clients.
ing better websites and driving significant traffic to their websites. With each
1.- Event Coverage: this is simple try
website we initially started with the goal
attending events that are related to
of building better search engine rank-
your customer niche. Basically narrow
ings, by doing some website re-design,
your audience, target groups of people
search engine optimization and other.
that have interests in certain things for
Along the way we found many different
example, Off-roading, insurance, law-
ways of driving traffic to their websites
yers, computer consultants, car racing,
as described below.
chamber of commerce meetings, or just Continued on page 06
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AGENDA / April 2011
business oriented groups. You can also
notes and publish them on your website
narrow by county, city, state or country
so people can browse the pictures and
depending on your advertising budged.
comment on them.
So for example if you are targeting
It’s very important to let people in the
people in the car racing area you would
event know that you will be posting a re-
need to participate in a car show, be a
view and pictures on your website. Also
racing team sponsor, or just attend a lo-
print some flyers and hand them over to
cal car racing event. Take pictures and
help people remember your website ad-
Picture of the Month!
We encourage you to send us pictures and the story behind them. Send them to info@latinagents.com
Are you taking advantage of Social Media? If not you could be leading your agency to a dead-end.
Magazine Staff: Editor in Chief - Rafael Hurtado LAAA President - Gustavo Contreras Art Director - Amara Poolswasdi Technical Director - Andree Ochoa
Contributing Writers For This Issue: Greg Mckewen Curtis Nordhagen Andree Ochoa Stephen S. Santoro
The opinions expressed by Agenda columnists are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the Latin American Agents Association, its Board of Directors or membership at large.
Get to the point! And deliver the right message to your customers.
ing a site re-design at DomainCarts.com for a while now and believe me the results are going incredible, each time we grow or change the website our traffic grows and grows. 3.- Leveraging Social Networks: there are many social networks and book-
dress, if available create a special offer,
marking sites out there, it’s not just
something like “Browse the event pic-
facebook, twitter or linked in. There’s
tures on our website after X or Y date
also Digg.com, Storyfollower.com, red-
and get 15% discount on any product”
dit.com, newsvine.com, delicious.com,
will do the trick.
buzzy.com and many, many more. Post your links to as many social net-
2.- Graphic and web design: graphic
works and bookmarking sites as possi-
and website design is a must, both your
ble, many of these sites will require you
website and graphics need to be simple
to create a FREE account with them, but
and to the point remember the old say
hey let me tell you, it requires some time
“Keep it Simple Stupid”, no need for a
but the juice is worth the squeeze.
really complex site or graphic. Get to the point! And deliver the right message to
4.- Blogging and blog comments: Blog-
your customers. I know we’ve been do-
ging is always a good method to bring
extra traffic to your website, the prob-
Similar or same offers can drive tremen-
lem with blogging is that many website
dous traffic to your website without too
owners don’t have the time or they just
much effort and will get you results over
don’t know what to blog about when in
time. The point is to get potential cus-
fact it’s pretty easy, write about what
tomers interested in visiting your web-
you know or like, for example; I have
site.
a client that owns a cleaning company and they serve customers in the greater
6.- Lead magnets: Basically a lead mag-
San Diego area, we currently maintain
net is a special offer made for one pur-
their website www.powercleanusa.com
pose only, for example if you were in the
where we post blog articles about clean-
need to build an email list you would
ing tips, these are then publish on social
them develop a graphic that could read
media sites and clicked by fans, follow-
“Signup for our newsletter and receive
ers, and also crawled by search engines
an instant 15% discount on any car in-
.
surance”, you would then print this as
5.- Offer something incredible: This
a poster and or a big banner an put it
is simple! Make people an offer they
in your office entrance right by the door
can’t miss, something like “Buy a do-
so every customer can read it and know
main name online and get 10% dis-
what it’s about. Additionally let every
count on all orders of $50 or more! At
customer know about this special offer
http://domaincarts.com/50w10off.htm”
that you have.
or “Quote your car insurance online at
You don’t have to use a lead magnet to
http://sameday-insurance.com and start
build your email list only, you can also
saving money now!”
use magnets to drive customers to your
Every time you submit
website but you would then change the advertising line a bit, a simple wording
a press release on
change can work! “Visit our website and
the internet you get
car insurance when you quote online”
hundreds of back links to
7.- Free classifieds: I know what you’re
your site that generate
receive an instant 15% discount on any
thinking! Really FREE classifieds!!! Well yes! There are many sites out there that
more and more traffic to
offer free classified services, some ex-
your website and we all
classifiedsforfree.com,
know traffic equals cash!
ly because it’s free advertising and you
amples would be: freeclassifieds.com, craigslist.com
and other services. This is great special-
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AGENDA / April 2011 also get a back link to your site totally
or per submission. It’s always good to
free.
submit your site at least once a year. If you would like more information on this
8.- Search Engine Optimization : SEO
subject you can always visit our site at:
the way I’ve come to understand it, it’s
http://www.andreeandassociates.com/
easy but it does require a lot of ongoing
search-engine-submission.html
hard work and constant website content updates, it’s not just putting keywords
10.- Press Releases: :Publicity is always
on the website, it’s a lot more than that
good right! And press releases is a good
and my recommendation is that you
form of publicity on the internet, it’s a
should hire a professional to do this
form of spreading the word and letting
work for you. The whole idea about SEO
everyone know what NEW thing/prod-
it’s a simple basic concept: to focus
uct/service/event you have in your com-
your webpage content on the specific
pany/business. Every time you submit
product or niche you’re trying to sell or
a press release on the internet you get
go for. You can read more in detail about
hundreds of back links to your site that
SEO at my blog at: andreeochoa.com
generate more and more traffic to your website and we all know traffic equals
9.- Search Engine Submitting: This is
cash! In addition once search engines
pretty simple, if you want to get your
crawl these links, your site becomes
website listed in Google, Yahoo, Bing
more popular on the internet and helps
and other search engines around the
you with site ranking and other details.
world. It is not required for you to sub-
If you’d like more information on writing
mit your website, most if not all search
a press release you can always contact
bots will find your website in time, but
the LAAA expert writer Don Lukenbill
this could take months if not years,
at
so it’s always good to submit it and
you already have the press release and
let search engines know that you ex-
would like internet submission you can
ist! There are many SEO companies or
contact me directly at my website www.
webmasters that will submit your site
andreeandassociates.com.
wordsmith_works@yahoo.com,
if
to search engines around the world for a small cost giving you the opportunity
If you would like more information on
to be a little more prominent in search
this or any other internet subjects please
engine results, good SEO companies
don’t hesitate to contact me online at
are usually around $29 to $69 per year
www.andreeochoa.com, I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.
12
AGENDA / April 2011
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AGENDA / April 2011
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Together, we’ll make a difference. As we join you in celebrating Cinco de Mayo, we’d like to express our continued commitment to bilingual services and culturally responsible care. We look forward to working together to improve health care in the community. For more information, visit kp.org/espanol, or contact Carmen Salcido at carmen.p.salcido@kp.org or 562-833-0197.
kp.org
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AGENDA / April 2011
Becoming a Broker Partnering with State Compensation Insurance Fund By Curtis Nordhagen Senior Marketing Representative Los Angeles-Tri County Regional District Office State Compensation Insurance Fund State Compensation Insurance Fund welcomes the Latin American Agents Association membership to our organization and we look forward to establishing a partnership with each of you. State Fund is the
largest provider of workers’ compensation insurance in California and plays a stabilizing role in California’s economy by maintaining an open door policy, ensuring all employers have a strong and stable option for their workers’ compensation needs. We recently had the opportunity to speak at your association membership meeting and would like to give your membership community the opportunity to learn more
18 about State Fund and becoming a State Fund appointed broker. The time is right to act now and partner with State Compensation Insurance Fund. We are excited about working with the Latin American Agents Association and the opportunities it represents for your membership. Our central focus is providing you with the best possible tools and servicing to make your experience an easy one. We have renewed our efforts on customer service with our broker partners and their clients. We are committed to establishing State Fund as the Gold Standard in workers’ compensation customer service. We’re focused on making it easier for your members to get a quote, including preparing conditional quotes when appropriate. We’ve developed our online submission and renewal products incorporating suggestions brought forward by our broker community. This expansion of services and information available to you electronically make State Fund Online one of the best online resources in the industry. And we haven’t forgotten what drives your business and ours, and that’s the people behind these services and products. From our claims liaisons to our marketing representatives, we’re available to meet personally with you and your clients on a one-on-one basis. The cornerstone of any successful operation is the people who make up that organization and at State Fund we make this a priority. We’ve created a simple commission plan, expanding payments for policyholders who are new in business and eliminating more than 25 percent of our nonstandard
AGENDA / April 2011 non-commissionable classifications. We now pay commission on lapses in coverage and those clients in bankruptcy. These changes and others would not have happened without the help and input of our broker community. We look forward to LAAA and your members continuing this tradition of open communication and strengthening our broker product. We are always interested in hearing how we can improve our products and servicing performance. Your input helps us determine where our strengths can play a key role in the success of our business partnership with LAAA. This feedback is a key to improving State Fund’s standing with our broker community and local area customer-centricity. Don’t hesitate to talk with your State Fund marketing representative if you have an idea or suggestion that can make a difference for your association and clients. Let’s take a closer look at what State Fund offers to your membership as an appointed broker. CLAIMS MANAGEMENT: Claims management is one of the biggest workers’ comp challenges that you and your clients face. As a State Fund broker, you have an inside track for staying on top of claims and achieving better outcomes for clients. State Fund not only has certified claims adjusters working with you but claims liaisons who are experienced specialists, serving as your direct contact for all your claims questions and needs. They are a single point of contact within our claims department dedicated to the goal Continuing on page 20
20 of customer service. They can meet with you and your clients in person and provide claims narratives and resources to summarize and analyze claims and the potential impact they may have on your client’s experience rating. Here in state Fund’s Los Angeles/TriCounty region, we are staffed with eight of these specialized representatives working with our claims and policy staff, bridging the gap between the two disciplines to achieve the most customer-centric information delivery system possible. Each liaison has an average of nearly 20 years of expertise spanning claims and other workers’ compensation functions. Ultimately, the goal of our claims resources is making sure your client’s needs are met when the untimely injury does occur. In all aspects of the process, your membership can feel confident that State Fund will pro-actively communicate and work towards getting your client’s injured back to work.
AGENDA / April 2011 a time of industry austerity, we haven’t reduced the availability of our services. Our Loss Control specialists work with your clients to deliver effective safety solutions, from injury and illness prevention programs, to tailoring your client’s loss control program to fit their needs and that of their workplace. When you’re evaluating carriers, pay close attention to the loss control services, especially the range of industries and premium levels covered. Your clients in today’s economy need to make each premium dollar count, and State Fund’s loss control resources are offered at no additional cost, and represent a competitive advantage. We help make your client’s workplace safer, and this can have a positive impact on your clients’ productivity and business costs. GROUP INSURANCE PROGRAM:
We help brokers and clients promote safety in a way that keeps employees healthy while reducing losses, premiums, and your client’s experience modification. Everybody gains, and you have an opportunity to market real loss control value to your LAAA clients.
State Fund is the leading writer of group workers’ compensation programs in California. We partner with more than 200 associations that represent the vast majority of industries in the state. Such industries as construction, agriculture, manufacturing and other services are well represented within Group Insurance. The Latin American Agents Association owes it to their members and clients to explore group insurance opportunities with State Fund.
Our loss control services offer the most comprehensive loss control portfolio in California workers’ compensation, and in
Starting in 2012, we will phase out our Safety groups and focus exclusively on strengthening our partnerships with Trade
LOSS CONTROL RESOURCES:
Associations and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) groups. The goal is to price risks appropriately, and ensure that we remain a strong and stable provider for you and your clients. The benefits of group insurance with State Fund include a six percent premium discount, lower minimum premiums within a group and customized industry-specific safety and loss control services. Experienced group insurance specialists are available to assist you in working with our group program and help provide experience in select industries, which can help improve your agency in their target marketing efforts. Group business can earn you an extra two percent on your State Fund commission and because group accounts are overall good business with favorable loss histories, they reflect well on your book with State Fund. These clients help with your retention and renewal stability, as they have an incentive to stay in their group program and maintain their benefits. State Fund’s Online Group Lookup tool is your one-stop source of information about our group insurance partners. With Group Lookup, you can easily research and identify group programs that might be a good match for your clients. Group Lookup is accessible via the Policy menu of your State Online Welcome page once you become an appointed agency with State Fund. You can search by trade association, group name or by classifica-
tion code. Your search results will direct you to association membership information and eligibility requirements. LOCAL MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES: As a member of the Latin American Agents Association, you want to know that you have a single point of contact with State Fund who can answer all your inquiries as well as provide you the valuable and timely information you need to market State Fund’s products, service and resources. The State Fund Los Angeles-Tri County marketing staff (see picture above) is ready to assist you in all of these areas. Our staff, with an average of over 20 years experience spanning many different levels of work comp disciplines, are experts in the products and resources you as an agent need to have in order to make your partnership with us a successful one. They put you and your clients needs first in all levels of your interaction with State Fund. We know whether you are working as an agent of a small or large employer, the client faces a myriad of choices and challenges. Carrier pricing methods, resource choices, compensation rules and regulations, as well as other requirements can seem overwhelming. Although a marketing representative cannot change these facts, they can help by explaining much of this to you in a concise and informative way that can help in your marketing efforts with each and every client marketing choice.
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AGENDA / April 2011
Our marketing staff is available to come out to your agency and assist in all levels of training to make working with State Fund easy. They are ready to help you understand your State Fund broker agreement, how to submit an application, the use of State Fund Online and related e-business applications, to providing the skill sets to market State Fund to your clients. They assist our broker partners in evaluating pricing comparisons, industry trending and general worker compensation rules and procedures.
Workers’ Compensation Payroll Audits. We are also rolling our 1-hour CE classes for 2011.
In whatever level of need your agency has in working with State fund, the knowledge that a local marketing representative living and working in the community you serve provides piece of mind that assistance is only but a phone call away.
One of the benefits you and your clients get from insuring with State Fund is the opportunity to become well-versed in workers’ compensation issues that affect everyday business. State Fund’s Employer Education Series gives clients the competitive edge of seminars that help them enhance workplace safety and reduce costs. All told, this year we will sponsor more than 80 seminars across California.
CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES-SEMINARS: As an appointed brokerage of State Fund, you are afforded professional development opportunities with a variety of continuing education (CE) courses available to fulfill licensing requirements mandated by the California Department of Insurance. These courses are all free of charge to our appointed brokers and are conducted at various locations and State Fund offices throughout the local broker community to provide easy attendance access. Several 2-hour CE courses are available, including The Life of a Workers’ Compensation Claim, Workers’ Compensation 101, The Experience Modification Rating Plan, and
Also currently being offered is various State Fund Broker Business Seminars to help make your use of our many Broker internet-based resources easy and manageable. One such course is E-Business. This course provides brokers training in the use of State Fund Online, online submissions as well as the recent rollout of StraightThrough Renewals.
For more information on the courses and upcoming classes in your area, simply contact your local State Fund marketing representative or our website.
BECOMING A STATE FUND APPOINTED BROKER: Service, accessibility, and convenience sum up the California State Fund’s Broker Program. The Latin American Agents Association membership can now access State Fund by becoming appointed with us. More than 4,000 brokerages throughContinuing on page 24
24 out California have already made the commitment to establishing a partnership with State Fund. Your decision to get appointed is a good one for your agency and for your customers. As an appointed broker with State Fund, you will find your contact with us is made easier because: -24/7 access to policy, claims, quotes and commission information services through State Fund Online speeds brokers’ client response times.
AGENDA / April 2011 -Assigned underwriting/marketing representatives will assist you with all your policy needs from getting a timely quote to arranging support services for your accounts. - We are a “direct bill” carrier and handle all billing and premium collection so you as a broker can focus on other areas of your business. -Our expert, professional safety/claims support staff will assist you with everything from loss control services to claims resources to make doing business with State Fund easy and puts front and center the emphasis on your client’s needs. If you are interested in becoming a broker with State Fund, all it takes is to please call us at (800) 834-2393 or visit our website at www.statefundca.com. Our marketing representatives are also ready to assist you in all levels of getting appointed. State Fund is an important asset to the workers’ compensation industry and the California economy. We are an extremely sound enterprise, with the strongest balance sheet in California workers’ compensation. This strength serves us sell as we uphold our promise of providing a stable and open market to LAAA and your clients. We have a strong financial foundation and staffing to respond to the demands of the ever-changing California marketplace, and we stand ready to meet the needs of your association and clients. We look forward to a strong partnership with LAAA and welcome your membership.
Get started now! Call 1 (800) 834-2393 or visit our website at www.statefundca.com
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AGENDA / April 2011
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RELAX & THINK
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NUESTRA MUSICA -VOL. 48
Jorge Celedon & Jimmy Zambrano There are songs that touch you because of their raw truth, “Sin Perdon” is one of those songs. Jorge Celedón & Jimmy Zambrano are some of Colombia’s best. The rest of their music is good to dance to or just listen to. Now that I spend more time in South America I’ve gotten to know their repertoire a lot better and enjoy it. Jorge Celedón also known as Jorgito Celedón (born March 4, 1968 in Villanueva, La Guajira) is a Colombian musician, singer of vallenato music. Celedón was one of the backup singers for the vallenato group Binomio de Oro de America who joined after the death of Rafael Orozco Maestre. In 1998, he decided to create his own vallenato group and teamed with accordionist Jimmy Zambrano Jimmy Zambrano was born in Colombia but graduated from a Venezuelan music school, multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Zambrano began his career after teaming up with Omar Geles in Los Diablitos. Before joining singer Jorge Celedon, Zambrano had the opportunity to work for Latin pop artist Adriana Lucia and local band Los Emigrantes. If you want to lively up a party listen to these guys, if you want to be romantic, listen to these guys!
Discography 2001 - Romántico Como Yo 2002 - Llevame en Tus Sueños 2003 - Canto Vallenato 2004 - Nuevas Canciones del Alma 2004 - ¡Juepa je! 2006 - Son... Para el Mundo 2009 - La invitacion
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