Yesterday I had the good fortune to attend an Edward Tufte conference here in Denver.

Tufte, a professor emeritus at Yale, is an expert in the art and science of presenting data and information. He’s the author of Beautiful Evidence, Envisioning Information and The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. He also wrote the now-classic anti-PowerPoint manifesto: The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint, which could also be titled “How PowerPoint Makes Us Stupid.” The New York Times calls him “the Leonardo da Vinci of data.”

Although I knew he had fans in design circles, I was amazed to observe yesterday that people were treating him like he was Mick Jagger, lining up for his autograph during every break. The audience consisted of everyone from business school teachers to trial lawyers to young designers from Crispin Porter. Everyone in attendance shared the same desire: to be better at presenting their case. Or their company’s case. Or their client’s case.

Tufte makes his living by telling people how to give better presentations, so the bar was pretty high going into the day-long seminar. He sure delivered—all without using a single PowerPoint slide. (He did show a couple short videos.) Anyway, I was scribbling notes the entire time he talked. This morning I translated my notes from handwritten scrawl to type. Check out a few of my paraphrased notes (in the form of 9 tips) after the jump …

Continue reading "9 Tips from Edward Tufte" »

Posted by Jeb Foster at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

If you're interested, head over to the Agent Resource Center to read a new article on sales style. (And by style we don't mean fashion.)

Posted by Jeb Foster at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

It’s possible—difficult yet possible—to be a tough guy without being a jerk. Tim Russert showed us that.

Russert was old school. Honest. Hard-working. Fair. A intensely likable guy who wasn’t driven by the need to be liked. His guests, the most powerful people in the country, never seemed to begrudge his relentless questioning. (Even the ones who left “Meet the Press” less powerful than they were before.)

If you’re asking ‘What do those qualities have to do with being a good insurance agent?’ then you’ve got your work cut out for you. But let me be clear—I’m not advocating that you grill your clients with tough questions.

My point is this: Russert built a brand on integrity—and it took him very far. “Brand” may seem a crass word. Integrity was clearly something that came to Russert naturally. But every one of us is given opportunities—a lot of them—to make choices that dilute integrity.

But he never did. And that’s what we can all admire about Tim Russert.

Posted by Jeb Foster at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Here is one definition of commodity, courtesy of InvestorWords.com:

A physical substance, such as food, grains, and metals, which is interchangeable with another product of the same type.

That’s the bad news. Here’s the other news (you tell me if it’s good or not): having a unique personality can help you stand out in a field of hyper-competitive commodity-sellers. Personality is the oldest and most essential form of branding, and if you think it’s not worth being aware of and cultivating, well, the chances are good you either have the lowest prices or are looking to change careers anyway.

“I believe job #1 for any business, particularly small businesses, is to find a way to stand out, to be different. Doing so in a meaningful way (meaningful to a market segment that cares) is the secret to long term success, word or mouth buzz and ultimately more profit,” writes Jim Jantsch, author of the Duct Tape Marketing blog.

Insurance carriers have already realized this, and the evidence is plain in their television advertising. Take a look at any ad for insurance and ask yourself: How much time is spent talking about the actual product? In most cases, whether you’re watching a caveman in a fancy restaurant or old man in a giant red umbrella, there is nary a mention of the actual features and benefits of the product in question. There is good reason for this, too: There aren’t any differences between the products. In watching the Geico and Travelers ads, however, one notices a large difference in … personality.

Consider doing a Seth Godin-style exercise. On an index card, write down the five aspects of your personality that might/may/could/would endear you to prospects. Next, narrow it down even further: Of the five, which three personality traits could potentially convince a prospect to pay an extra $4 each month and buy a policy from you?
Now, leverage those three things.

Posted by Jeb Foster at 03:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
 

We're featuring a new article (written by yours truly) over at the Agent Resource Center on how to procrastinate less. (Note that it’s not about how to stop procrastinating altogether. That would be an unreasonable proposition.)

But I’m sure you don’t need to read it. I mean, people who read blogs aren’t the procrastinating type, right?

How to Stop Procrastinating So Much (10 Easy Steps)

Posted by Jeb Foster at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
 

Yes, the economy is acting like your schizophrenic uncle. Yes, there seems to be a natural disaster every day.

While there’s no silver lining for the latter, there is for the former: if you’re a enterprising and innovative agent, these times of uncertainty allow you to pull ahead of the pack and demonstrate your marketing ingenuity.

Which brings me to the title of this post: Walking in the park with my dogs the other day, I noticed a web site address had been written on the pavement in chalk. Coloradopetfitters.com was the address. It occurred to me that this was a perfect example of contextual marketing. Contextual because I was in a park that is, on most days, a veritable Russian circus of dogs and dog-lovers. Talk about targeting your ideal market!

Here's another anecdote: A local State Farm office offered free pumpkins (last fall—I meant to blog about this earlier). You didn’t have to talk to anyone to get a pumpkin. They were just there for the taking. The office, in return for the pumpkins, was given a hefty dose of goodwill that will pay dividends for a long time to come.

The problem with times of uncertainty is we tend to tighten up. We become more fearful and less apt to take risks. Instead of grabbing sidewalk chalk or setting out three dozen pumpkins, we tense up, and our sales pitches get more strained, marred by nervous energy.

The challenge is to take that energy—that anxiety over our less-than-stable economy—and channel it into something new.

Posted by Jeb Foster at 02:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Whether it's my dad asking me why people use Facebook or my own curiosity about what meme actually means, I put together the answers to the internet-related questions people have asked me recently.

Why do people use Facebook?

More people every day set up their own Facebook page. If you aren’t familiar, Facebook is a social networking site that was created by a Harvard undergrad with some friends. At first it was only open to individuals in college, which is why many people opted for it over the similar MySpace. But in 2006 it opened its doors to all, and has seen tremendous growth since then.

Not just young adults use this site now; it really is a social network for all age groups and walks of life. Most people will tell you they use sites like Facebook, Myspace, Orkut (Google’s version) and even LinkedIn to stay in touch with people—family, friends, former colleagues. Like any social network, its purpose is to allow you to easily maintain a set of connections online. This way, you are able to keep up relationships (albeit somewhat superficial) with people you would have likely lost touch with.

Continue reading "A Few FAQs" »

Posted by maribeth neelis at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Gas prices are up, rice prices are up. And there is talk of a downturn, a recession or worse.

So if the current economic climate lasts throughout 2008, how will you protect your business? Here are some bits of advice from several successful business people.

Eliminate unprofitable customers. Evaluate the profitability of each customer. If you have a customer who demands a lot of attention and time, but you see little in return, it may be time to let them go.

Severing unprofitable or exhausting relationships can, after the initial fallout, boost your company's revenues by allowing you to focus more time on gaining new business. Read more about Customer Evaluation Scoring.

Keep in close contact with your customers. Show them that you care. They are also experiencing the downturn. Understand how their business is being affected and look for ways you can help.

According to Gregg Landers, director of growth management consulting at CBIZ Accounting Tax & Advisory Services, “Lasting relationships are built in hard times. And look for new market opportunities, recognizing that when the business climate changes, customer needs will change as well. That may mean new markets will open up for you,” he says.

Amp up sales to land more customers. Jay Siff, CEO and founder of direct marketing firm Moving Targets and Loyal Rewards, has told his clients to literally steal customers from their competitors, if they want to see their companies grow.

"The pie is shrinking and the successful small business is going to have to win a bigger share of that shrinking pie," he says. One way to do this is to give your customers a better consumer experience. He also advises his clients to reach out to the new community members. “You should have an active campaign to greet and bond with them," he explains.

Continue reading "Recession-Proof Your Business" »

Posted by maribeth neelis at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
 

Optimism is an incredible advantage. Look at all the successful people around you and ask yourself: How many are pessimists? Exactly.

The Power of Positive Thinking. The Secret. Whatever you want to call it, it works.

Marketing maharishi Seth Godin took a look around recently and observed high oil prices, corporate bailouts and a mounting financial crisis. His take?

“Opportunity of a lifetime.”

And because Godin sees opportunity, he's more likely than others to find it. The guy who's panicking with each dip in the Dow? Research says that he's less likely to succeed, simply because he doesn't think he will; he'll be blind to opportunity because he doesn't believe it exists.

Posted by Jeb Foster at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
 

When I woke up at 6a this morning, a blog post topic popped into my head. It was a euphoric moment, since the only thing that's ever in my head when I wake up is an annoying song (yesterday it was Kelly Clarkson's "Since You've Been Gone;" the day before that it was Whitney Houston's "So Emotional").

It's 2:45 MST and I have totally forgotten the topic.

So, keeping in theme with awesomely bad songs, here's one of my favorite InsureMe videos of all time, Aurora Borealis' "Stardust Wishes."

Of course, Aurora Borealis is made up of InsureMe's James Omdahl and Jeb Foster. And those scenes couldn't have been funnier to shoot.

And, speaking of Jeb, he's recently been promoted to lead copywriter. It's a well-deserved accolade and you should all wish him a hearty congratulations. He'll be heading up the blogging efforts here so stay tuned from more bloggy greatness from Jeb!

Until next time,
Megan

Posted by Megan Mahan at 02:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Oh, this was another fun video. For this installment, we went to my apartment to film the agent training segment: The Dos and Donts of Selling Insurance.

We've given a bunch of insurance sales and marketing tips on the Agent Blog over the years, which have started some good conversations. Here are some of my favorites:

Marketing is like Dating
Tacos, Burritos and the Importance of Listening to Clients
Always Be Prospecting
Is Your Netiquette Turning Customers Off?

Posted by Megan Mahan at 04:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Sometimes we cast too wide of a net. Divide and conquer by carving out a niche for yourself, whether it's servicing boomers, college kids, women—or selling only certain types of policies. Try pouring your time and energy into a niche group and see where you end up. You might be happily surprised with the results.

Stephanie Diamond: Not Everyone is Your Customer

Related Agent Blog posts:
How Pinko Marketing Can Help Your Insurance Business
Women-Only Insurance: A New Niche?
13M Gen Y'ers without Health Insurance

Posted by Megan Mahan at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

You don’t have to be in the Michael Moore camp to see the truth in this argument put forth by liberal writer Ezra Klein. You just have to have an understanding of what motivates corporations in a capitalist system—profit.

And the bottom line is that it’s more profitable for health insurers to insure only healthy people, and to fight tooth and nail to avoid insuring unhealthy people, who, after all, will end up costing them more money. If you disagree with this premise, you might as well stop reading.

This is not a criticism, rather it's a statement of fact. Whether your inner economist is Karl Marx or Adam Smith, that's just how it is.

That’s why it’s silly to be shocked or outraged by the recent actions of California insurers, who are in the hot seat for rescinding tons of individual policies. They’re just doing what they can only be expected to do. To get mad at them is as pointless as getting mad at cows for overgrazing a field. Vilification is not the answer.

Continue reading "Give Health Insurers a Break" »

Posted by Jeb Foster at 03:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
 

“Why do I hate door-to-door salesmen?” my friend asked me yesterday.

Hate is a strong word, and maybe she used it more for emphasis than accuracy, but it seemed like she sort of meant it and was unsettled by the intensity of her feeling.

Earlier in the day, she’d been approached by someone selling a subscription to some kind of art magazine or newsletter. And as a full-time artist and an avid reader, my friend was an ideal prospect, someone probably more receptive than most.

(Keep in mind, though, this is an urban setting, and there was probably the natural apprehension that accompanies opening a door to a see stranger selling something.)

This particular person proceeded to recite a canned spiel in a tone that was both dogmatic and lazy. Put off, my friend tried to halt the monologue and say thanks but she wasn’t interested.

Bowling over her attempts to interject, he kept going with his routine. His lack of originality was impressive, and she would have felt sorry for the guy had his delivery not been so arrogant at the same time.

She firmly stated her non-interest.

Continue reading "Don't Be That Guy" »

Posted by Jeb Foster at 02:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
 

I used to have a pretty serious problem with insomnia, which, thankfully, I've nearly nipped in the bud in my adult years by exercising five times a week and donning ear plugs (...and tossing out my alarm clock).

And, as we've recently learned, sleep deprivation can cause some serious problems, from productivity loss, to immune deficiency—it can also put you at risk for physical harm.

To avoid that groggy, brain dead feeling after a night of bad sleep, hack your way to a restful night with these tips from Lifehacker.

Among the list of tips (including alarm clock adjustments), the following have worked for me:

• Reading before bed
• Writing out tomorrow's to-do list before leaving the office (then I don't think about work for the rest of the night)
• Consuming low-cal foods before bed
• Sleeping and waking at the same time every day

If I'm really in a jam or need to make sure and get a good night's sleep, I'll take some Simply Sleep for good measure. What helps you get your Zzzz?

Posted by Megan Mahan at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

We’ve said it before: marketing is a lot like dating.

We’ve all been on bad dates before. We’re especially creeped out by the people who take it too seriously, are too fast or pushy. After all, it’s just a date. A first meeting to see if two people are compatible.

Likewise, when it comes to marketing your services to someone, you don’t want to be overzealous or intrusive. While we may subscribe to the “don’t judge a book by its cover” theory in daily life, it goes out the window when you’re marketing to us, and we’re forming lasting opinions of you based on what you look like and how you treat us.

Case in point: Recently, some friends and colleagues have gone out to their cars at the end of the day and found curious sticky notes stuck to their windows and mirrors.

The note, not surprisingly sounds internal alarms, causing the recipient to get out of their car, guard down, and walk around their vehicle to check for damage.

Of course, there is no damage to the car. Call the number and you’ll reach the culprit—Smart Glass Denver—who is trying to get your business by scaring the crap out of you.

A lot of people don’t like marketing and sales folk. It’s because we no longer tolerate being interrupted. Annoyed. Taken for a ride.

Earn prospects’ trust by respecting their boundaries. Asking permission to market to them. Not triggering their fight or flight mechanisms.

Posted by Megan Mahan at 09:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
 

Whether you’re sending out an e-newsletter or simply emailing a rate quote to a new prospect, you’ll want to pay careful attention to one very important piece of email real estate: the subject line.

The contents of a subject line help us quickly discern SPAM from legitimate mail and differentiate between the messages that deserve our immediate attention and what can be pushed off until later.

MarketingProfs has a few pointers to encourage recipients to open your emails—which includes avoiding the following in email subject lines:

Continue reading "The Dirty Words You Can't Use in Email Subject Lines" »

Posted by Megan Mahan at 01:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Good writing displays real professionalism to coworkers, clients and prospects. Good writing saves time (which is, of course, money) because it isn’t misunderstood and doesn’t need to be repeated. Best of all, good writing is persuasive.

Take it from Donna Baier Stein, the author of “Write on Target: the Direct Copywriter’s Handbook”:

From tongue, pen, or computer screen … written in jest, anger, supplication, love … words entertain, stab, coax, restore. And even in this age of high technology and low attention span, words are one of your most vital marketing tools.

Commentators in the middle swath of the 20th century lamented the day that people would no longer read or write. They predicted the telephone and television would render those endeavors obsolete. Their worry now seems quaint.

Continue reading "Writing for Results" »

Posted by Jeb Foster at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

As promised and confirmed by Google Analytics, here are the top 10 Agent Blog posts of 2007!

10. The Future of Captive and Non-Captive Agents
9. Should You Get Into Social Media Marketing?
8. Get More Callbacks with These 5 Voicemail Tips
7. Use Copywriters to Convert Customers
6. Knocking On Doors: Worthwhile Lead Generation or Waste of Time?

Continue reading "Agent Blog: Best Of 2007" »

Posted by Megan Mahan at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Thankfully, 37Signals (creator of various business web applications like Basecamp, which is what we marketing folks use at InsureMe) sheds some light on setting up credit card processing online. Because paying insurance premiums online via PayPal just isn't going to cut it.

Jason, kicks things off by telling us about merchant accounts:

First off, we have a merchant account. A merchant account is needed to accept credit cards. Every business that accepts credit cards needs to have a merchant account.

As you begin your search for a vendor, Jason recommends looking for a reputable company with good rates (they currently use account through Chase bank). While the rates might not make a big difference in the early stages of your business, they will affect your bottom line if your daily volume picks up.

The caveat: Getting a merchant account could provide a challenge. Take 37Signal's experience when they were developing Basecamp:

Continue reading "For the Indie Agent: Processing Credit Cards Online" »

Posted by Megan Mahan at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
 

Admittedly, I have holiday gifts on the brain. I haven’t done any shopping, and as it is, the older you get, the more people you have on your list.

I have some future in-laws who I feel compelled to buy something for. But the glitch is they hate when you spend too much. It would almost be better to buy them nothing at all then spend over $15. At the same time, you don’t want to look cheap.

Lifehacker offers a few suggestions for what to give for under $10, and some more expensive suggestions, like the Leatherman Micra, that you can get for the guy or gal who has everything. (Or who is just really picky, like my dad.)

So hopefully, you can get some ideas, get all your shopping done and get back to work.

Posted by maribeth neelis at 04:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Hey, you're a busy salesperson. There are a lot of things to do in a day. Take phone calls. File claims. Follow up on leads. Schedule appointments. Go on appointments. Talk to underwriting. And on and on.

So how can you get it all done—and done right—and still make it home at a decent time? Freelance Switch tells us the secret: Focus on actions. More specifically, learn how to immediately recognize the action item of every phone call, conversation and email.

Here's how:

Continue reading "How To Do Everything More Efficiently" »

Posted by Megan Mahan at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

E-mail is an imperfect medium. Our inboxes are full of both important messages and ads for spurious herbal remedies. And the tedious and time-consuming process of sorting the wheat from the chaff can result in accidentally deleting something important (such as that letter from your old college flame an InsureMe lead or other business-related message).

One imperfect but helpful method is to set up two e-mail addresses—one that you use for purchases and signing up for newsletters, the other for business and personal correspondence. Why do this? Well, because not everyone has a privacy policy that’s as good as InsureMe’s; when you sign up for a newsletter or buy something online, many will turn around and sell your address to a third party, which then often sells it to another, and so on. Pretty soon, everyone on the intarweb has your address and you’re up to your eyeballs in strangely worded offers for ED pills.

The two e-mail address approach can help in other ways, too. Some online services (like InsureMe’s) ask customers for a backup e-mail account, in the event that their primary one flakes out. (Known to happen; in fact, many InsureMe agents who use Yahoo free e-mail know first-hand the importance of having a backup e-mail.)

Posted by Jeb Foster at 03:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

I came across an article by way of Lifehacker this week, which detailed the value and how-to of starting meaningful conversations.

In life you have to do this a couple times a month, maybe. In sales, you have to do this a few times a day.

And whether you're following up on an InsureMe lead or talking to someone on the metro, the opportunity for these conversations are everywhere.

Here are some tips for getting off on the right foot:

Don't be Negative Nancy. Sure, negative comments can break the ice, but given in a positive atmosphere (like a party or networking event), they can be a real turn-off. Even if the event is pitifully lame, a positive comment can improve the mood of the person you're talking to—and yours, too.

Ask the right questions. Asking questions is a great way to get people to open up, but no one likes a question master. Keep questions contextual and outside of the normal, "So, what do you do?" Author Ralph Jean-Paul suggests asking questions related to:

• Thoughts on the event or occasion
• Reasons for attending
• Who they are associated with (at the event) and how they are acquainted
• Past experiences at similar events

Continue reading "Start Meaningful Conversations" »

Posted by Megan Mahan at 09:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
 

Yesterday afternoon as I filled up my coffee cup, a colleague said to me: "You won't believe what I was on my doorstep when I got home yesterday. Another phone book. For the third time this year!"

The conversation grew to include four people and I listened as each of them complained about the frequency of deliveries, the bulk of each new phone book, the complete waste of paper, etc. Soon, the conversation turned to our customers—insurance agents—and why many of them were still wasting money on Yellow Pages ads.

"We use the internet to find everything," one colleague said. "And who's going to pick a random insurance agent out of the phonebook and give them their business? Whenever I've moved, I've asked for agent referrals from friends and coworkers."

She's right. So why are insurance agents still dumping money into the Yellow Pages? As far as I can tell, it's out of habit. It's been done for years and years and, come on, it's not that expensive.

Continue reading "Record Online Ad Spend & The Death of Yellow Pages Advertising" »

Posted by Megan Mahan at 01:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
 

Productivity blog Zen Habits has an inspired post on reducing stress. The key? Get one important thing done per day:

[Do] less but do more important things. When I say important, I mean things that will have a huge impact on your life (personally or career wise) over the long run. Not things that need to be done today or else. Here’s why: If you get something important done, something that will help you in the long run (even if it’s only a step towards a major accomplishment, it’s important), you will feel great! You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment. That makes any day a great day.

“If you cut your list down and do only half the things you want to do for today, you’ll have a much better day," says Zen Habits author Leo Babauta. "You’ll thank me.”

Let that message soak in, Agent Blog reader. This is subversive stuff, but it's the most important thing you'll read this week.

When it comes right down to it, much of our stress can be eliminated through simple accounting and proper perspective. If you’re perpetually not getting things done that you set out to do, you’re probably trying to do too much. Or you’re stressing over little things that won’t matter in the long run.

This isn’t rocket science here, folks. Sometimes increased productivity isn’t the answer. (We can only be so productive.) Sometimes doing less is the answer.

So do less, do it better and be happier.

Link: 10 Simple, Sure-fire Ways to Make Today Your Best Day Ever
Via: Lifehacker

Posted by Jeb Foster at 01:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Oh, pet peeves at the office. We've all got 'em. And now an official poll has been taken to tell us what honks American workers off the most.

According to said poll, which was conducted by Harris Interactive, 60 percent of respondents noted gossip in the workplace as their biggest office annoyance. 54 percent reported poor time management (including making personal phone calls during work time) as they're biggest grievance.

Another annoyances included:

• (45%) Messiness in communal spaces (like the kitchen),
• (42%) Potent smells (like smoke or perfume)
• (41%) Loud noises (cell phone rings, loud talking)
• (28%) Overuse of electronic devices in meetings
• (22%) Misuse of email (notably, "reply all" and excessive use of blind carbon copy)

Despite the amount of office grievances, 42 percent said they would say something directly to a person if they were being too loud, while only 34 percent would raise concerns about gossiping. Only 25 percent would talk to someone about their misuse of email.

Anyone who works in an office (or, for that matter, watches "The Office") probably has quite a few peeves of their own. I'm sure Harris Interactive missed a few. Care to share yours? Feel free (but keep 'em clean!) via comments. :)

Posted by Megan Mahan at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

Ever wonder why InsureMe started blogging? Check out this recap of The Skinny on Blogging for Business as published in the September issue of the TAAR Report, and learn why.

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Blogging: How to Get Started

Read. Listen. Participate. Read other blogs. Starting with those related to your industry is a good idea. Listen to what the readers are saying. Participate in the conversation.

Once you’ve got a handle on the blogosphere:

Hone in on a topic. Generally, blogs that are focused on one topic gain more visibility than the ones that cover everything.

Define your audience. Who do you envision writing to? Health insurance professionals? Auto insurance underwriters? Defining an audience will help keep your blog tight and focused.

Once you’ve thought these factors through, it’s time to start writing. There are a handful of free and low-cost blogging platforms available for public use, and most of them require little to no knowledge of HTML or web design. In fact, Blogger (Blogger.com), Wordpress (Wordpress.com), and Typepad (Typepad.com) all come with tech help and templates to make your transition to blogging an easy one.

Once your blog is up it’s time to:

Continue reading "The Skinny on Blogging for Business: Part Four" »

Posted by Megan Mahan at 04:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
 

This week, the Senate received a warning: global warming is stirring up health problems and will continue to worsen.

Witnesses at the hearing cited the 35,000 deaths in the 2003 European heat wave, the spread of the West Nile virus to 47 states (unseen in the U.S. eight years ago), and most recently the droughts, heat waves, and massive wildfires.

Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that it's not a question of whether there will be ill health effects from global warming, but of who, when, where and how.

The director also presented a CDC chart showing that rising temperatures are likely to affect public health not only in the form of heat waves, but of severe weather, increased air pollution, water contamination and disease, and disruptions to food supply—yielding increases in cardiovascular disease, malaria and dengue, among other afflictions.

We've seen the property-casualty industry start to react to global warming; will the health and life industry follow suit?

[Related]: Lloyd's: Denial Not Just a River in Egypt

Posted by Megan Mahan at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
 

We've all seen this commercial. But earlier this week I saw it on the Denver Egotist with this headline: Which One Are You?

Really makes you think about what you put in—and get out of— your day-to-day operations.

Posted by Megan Mahan at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)