Quick Guide To Credit Scores

Your credit score is likely the most important three-digit number in your life.

Your score affects how much you pay for credit, and it can affect other bills you pay, where you live and where you work.

Banks and credit card companies review your score when deciding whether to extend you credit and how much interest to charge.

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Homeowners Policy: 13 Questions

13 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS YOUR AGENT SHOULD ANSWER BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR HOMEOWNERS POLICY

1. What is the financial rating of the company you are recommending?
2. Do you represent more than 1 company?
3. Do I have a replacement cost policy?
4. If yes, is it guaranteed or extended replacement cost?
5. How did you determine the replacement cost of my home?
6. Can I see the worksheet?
7. How do you know the quality of claims service the company you are recommending provides?
8. What do you do to help your clients prevent a claim?
9. How do you prepare your clients for a claim so that they get the settlement they deserve?
10. How do you educate your clients about their coverage and coverage gaps?
11. Do you have an emergency contact program?
12. Do you have a “Just Keep Talking” contest for your clients?
13. What is the Price?

Don’t be unlucky. Get all 13 answered!

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The Millionaire Club Keeps Growing

According to a report by Merrill Lynch and consulting firm Capgemini Group, the number of people around the world with at least $1 million in assets passed 10 million for the first time last year. The combined wealth of this planet’s millionaires grew to an estimated $41 trillion, making the average wealth a little more than $4 million, the highest it’s ever been. The United States still reigns supreme when it comes to the number of millionaires. One out of every three lives here.

However, the developing countries are minting new millionaires at a faster pace. For example, the number of millionaires in India grew at just under 23% according to the report. One thing to keep in mind: while 10 million might sound like a large number, it only represents less than one-fifth of one percent of the world’s 6.7 billion people. So if you’re in the club, congratulations. You’ve accomplished something very few of the earth’s inhabitants have…wealth.

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The Art of Gratitude

I can’t remember when I wrote my first thank-you note, probably when I could barely print.  I learned from my mother at a very early age that expressing gratitude was important and good manners.  At the time, the thank-you notes and personal phone calls seemed like a punishment.  Honestly, how thankful is a six year old for new pajamas?  Nevertheless, to this day I continue to express gratitude for gifts, interviews, appointments, referrals, and small acts of kindness I receive.  For me it has become a discipline of grateful living; a discipline which is sadly disappearing in an age of entitlement that puts less value on the importance of the written word and a sincere “thank you.”

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“PICK TWO”…But Why?

A long standing notion has existed in the world of selling goods and services is that you just can’t have it all – QUALITY, PRICE and SERVICE – you know “pick two”. And when you really think about it, there is more truth to that notion than there needs to be, but why?

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Trends in Garage Space

We often hear about trends in home design and efficiency, but what about trends in garage spaces? For many homeowners that’s a space that is often neglected. But if you’re in the market to sell your home, you should get familiar with what buyers are looking for these days in garages.

First of all, garages are making a comeback. For a while, many homeowners decided to convert that space into an office, extra bedroom, or studio. But according to Elizabeth Weintraub with About.com, many homes with similar remodels are lingering on the market, because discriminating buyers are looking for true garage spaces.

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Promotional Product Power

Promotional products are an integral part of the business world and a staple in nearly every office. Check your desk or cubicle, in all likelihood there’s a promotional item or several in your workspace. Maybe a pen, pencil, calendar or mug emblazoned with your logo or another logo that has been left behind to do its advertising duty. Maybe there is even a newer innovation such as a flash drive or computer mirror, a mouse or even a MP3 player — if it has a logo on it, promotional product it is. Chances are there is a shirt or two lurking about the office with a screenprinted or embroidered logo as well; wearable products are the top selling promotional items in the market.

Promotional items are everywhere, and they are seen and used many times with out even knowledge of it. A recent analysis showed that advertisers spent over $18 billion a year on promotional products via professional distributors, this out paced nearly every other traditional form of advertising.

Nearly three quarters — 72 percent — of business travelers surveyed at Chicago’s O’Hare and the Dallas/Ft. Worth airports had in their possession at least one promotional product.

More remarkably, over 70 percent of those carrying a promotional item could recall the name of the advertiser before showing the item to the pollster. There is power in promotional products, seek out a promotional product professional to help make effective use of your advertising dollars.

Tom O’Connor has over 12 years experience in the promotional advertising product marketplace. He has 15 years previous experience in restaurant/hotel hospitality management and marketing. A member of the Advertising Specialty Institute, the research and marketing leader in the promotional product industry. Tom is partnered with High End Concepts, Inc. headquartered in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

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Using Google Apps

…for Business Communication

At SpinWeb, we are always looking for ways to streamline our business practices, create more efficient systems, and implement smart customer service methods. We have noticed over the years that email and communications has always been a pain point for many organizations and so we would like to share a way that we’ve found to enjoy a more zen-like state of email and group communications. We use Google Apps.

Google Apps (short for “Google Applications”) is a suite of applications from Google that includes email, calendaring, instant messaging, and shared documents. Google Apps allows organizations to implement a full groupware suite at no cost at all. There is no setup fee, no hardware to buy, and no ongoing fee. Though there is a corporate level which includes a nominal yearly fee, the basic services are all free. So what does Google Apps include?

Email. If you’ve ever used Gmail, you know how powerful and easy to use it is. By using Google Apps for your business, you get Gmail but branded with your organization’s domain name. All of your employees or team members can have “yourname@yourcompany.com” email addresses and can access it via a Gmail web interface. You also have the option of using Outlook, Apple Mail, iPhones, Blackberries, or pretty much any other email program or device.

Spam/Virus Filtering. Email through Google Apps comes with outstanding spam and virus filtering. It is all handled seamlessly with no setup or configuration. We have found the accuracy of Google’s filtering to be excellent.

Group Calendaring. Google Apps includes a robust group calendering feature which give you the ability to manage multiple calendars as well as see other team members’ calendars for group scheduling. Calendars can be synced with Outlook, iCal, iPhone, Blackberries, or almost any other major calendaring program. Syncing can also be done “through the air”. For example, if you add an event on your iPhone, it will instantly show up on your Google calendar and vice-versa.

Group Instant Messaging. Google Apps also comes with built-in IM via Google Talk. Your organization can utilize the built-in chat server to see when other team members are online and can keep in touch via instant messenger.

Group Document Management. One great feature of Google Apps is its free office suite. Using Google Docs, Google Spreadsheet, and Google Presentation, your organization can have a free set of office applications that are hosted “in the cloud”. Additionally, your team can collaborate by editing a single document as a team and track changes online.

At SpinWeb, we manage Google Apps accounts for our clients as a courtesy. We have found that utilizing Google Apps has given us a powerful business communication system that rivals many of the “enterprise” systems in use today. Interested in implementing Google Apps in your organization? Contact SpinWeb to learn how.

Author: Michael Reynolds

Michael Reynolds is President and CEO of SpinWeb. His background includes information technology, design and branding, organizational productivity, and web marketing. In his spare time, Michael enjoys tennis, sushi, and his iPhone. Contact Michael at michael@spinweb.net or 866.SPINWEB x1200.

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Banking Humor

“The safest way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket.”

“I went golfing with my banker, but never again. Every time I yelled FORE he yelled CLOSURE.”

“Lots of banks are failing. I haven’t been worried until recently I went in to ask about a loan and they said, “Great! How much can you loan us.”

“The first drive-in bank was established so that people could show their cars who really owned them.”

“If bankers can count, how come they always have ten windows and two tellers?”

“A guy walked into a bank and said, “I want to open a joint account with somebody who has money.”

“One bank opened a branch near a cemetery. In the window the president put a sign that read, “You can’t take it with you when you go, but here’s a chance to be near it.”

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Auto Policy: 13 Questions

13 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS YOUR AGENT SHOULD ANSWER BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR
AUTO POLICY

1. What is the financial rating of the company you are recommending?
2. Do you represent more than 1 company?
3. What liability limit are you recommending and why?
4. What deductibles are you proposing?
5. What medical payment limit are you recommending?
6. Do I have rental reimbursement?
7. Am I covered if I rent a car? If yes, is the rental car covered for loss of use?
8. How do you know the quality of claims service the company you are recommending provides?
9. How do you prepare your clients for a claim so that they get the settlement they deserve?
10. How do you educate your clients about their coverage and coverage gaps?
11. Do you have an emergency contact program?
12. Do you have a “Just Keep Talking” contest for your clients?
13. What is the Price? What is your loss ratio?

Don’t be unlucky. Get all 13 answered!

Filed under: General