Showing posts with label insurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label insurance. Show all posts

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Consistency is Key! Creating Meaningful Social Media Strategies with Cindy Crescenzo

For the second year in a row, PICA has involved Crescenzo Communications in our annual workshop, with very good reason. Their contributions to our learning have been phenomenal! While we’ve had some primers on the ins and outs of various social media mechanisms, Cindy Crescenzo joined us this year to help us understand how to use social media to our companies’ advantage. Today’s recap is brought to you by Kirsten Faherty.

“Social media is necessary in one way, shape or form. Your customers expect it or you’re shutting them up,” Cindy explains.

After all, social media is cost effective, right? And everyone is online, right? So, does one method of communicating replace another? And how do we know what works best for the communicator and the company?

Cindy broke it down for us by explaining that in order to communicate using social media, we need a purpose, plan, real voice and way to tell if it is effective.










Through a series of examples and studies, Cindy showed us how Facebook and Twitter can be used in ways that guide comments and participation, so your online communications don’t just turn into a giant complaint chat room.

The State Farm example showed us that their Facebook wall could be used for much more than general comments. “It’s a conversation, not a marketing tool,” Cindy shared. So, while it is insurance-related, it’s not blatantly saying, ‘buy our insurance…we’re the best.’ Rather, it’s showing something that State Farm believes in and the insurers commenting on the site are telling the stories for them.

A great tip that Cindy shared with is was to “use You Tube to thwart bandwidth issues.” So, instead of begging for space on your company’s intranet, reserve a You Tube channel and put your videos there.

Twitter is something that has always seemed tricky to me…how can it be taken seriously when so many individuals use it so frivolously?

Cindy advised, “Put a person behind the social media, not just your company’s name. Who is the person? Whoever is closest to the problem.” Makes total sense…let the person in your organization who is in the know and who can resolve the issue be that particular Twitter account’s voice. Brilliant!

Beyond improving and building your own company’s online presence, what can we do to better serve our agents?

Allstate provides templates for their agents to customize and even feeds useful content. The agent’s part is making it happen…they take the initiative to update the information and provide their own Twitter and Facebook information. From our Allstate example of Joe Schneider, we can see how his carrier-provided webpage complements with his more conversational Facebook page.

What about the other things we’ve all debated, like how to handle negative comments, or knowing which method is the best, or finding the time to maintain the sites? (We know firsthand about this, right, PICA? As we build this site and redesign our static site? It’s HARD to keep up with them all!) Measuring the usage through comments, hits and impact can let you know where your time is best spent and also reveal where you’re spending time and don’t need to.

Remember the Six Phases of Social Media that Cindy described? I think a lot of us are still in Phase Two: aware that it exists, but aren’t sure that it applies to our company. I like what Cindy said about this; that we should “consider the end result.” So I think we’re all ready to move on to Phase Three: experimenting with social media.

If that’s where you feel like you are, remember Cindy’s good advice to refrain from being an evangelist about communicating this way, and construct a good case for social media by tying it to and existing business objective.

For more information about Cindy’s presentation, you can click here for a limited time to view her PowerPoint and share the notes with your supervisor as you look for ways to incorporate social media into your business culture and communication plans. Please remember that Crescenzo Communications can work directly with your organization to review all of your communications and help you plan for the future.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Agent Panel - "We Have a New Normal Now"

Today's PICA Workshop recap comes to you from PICA member Kirsten Faherty.

We are so fortunate that PICA Board Director Ted Besesparis arranged an extraordinary panel of agents for our workshop. Robert Page, Ritchie Clements and John Faucheux talked with us about their experiences as agents, communication wish lists, dedication to their policyholders and communities after Hurricane Katrina, insurance legislation and what the future holds. Ted moderated the panel, asking thoughtful questions to help guide the dialogue and keep us on track.



Ted asked our agent panel, "What is the biggest misconception people have about Katrina?"

"It's hard to imagine the magnitude. One and a half million people had to evacuate the city, and all the highways dumped into two-lane roads. Most people didn't have a place to go, the means to go and because this happened at the end of the month, many were counting on government checks that were supposed to arrive a few days later," answered Ritchie Clements.

"What did agents face without communication?"

"Gustave destroyed my office. But Katrina destroyed all communication. Smoke signals wouldn't even work because the wind was blowing so hard!" Robert Page explained.

The agents described desperate conditions. Not only had their communities lost their homes and belongings, and in some cases, loved ones, but also, agents were not able to easily do their jobs. Phones and Internet services were not available. In fact, the claims that did start to roll in the first days after Katrina were from residents who had fled the area and reported what they estimated their claims to be as they called from safer grounds. Satellites were operational and texting worked.

Tips for insurance companies that want to provide better service?

• Provide agents with both a local area code phone number and a 1-800 number as a contact number or claims reporting number. In the case of Katrina, access to area code numbers were restored before 1-800 numbers.
• Think about items, like generators, that agents may need to get up and running. If your company offers a storm team service, where your claims people travel to the site to provide support, bringing along generators (that you can later retrieve) can help ease some the basic difficulties agents may have conducting business.
• Plan in advance and work with agents to find out what technology they have, and devise a plan to back up information that works for both carrier and agent. "Carriers need to be prepared. Technology is changing daily. Paper isn't helpful, so agents and carriers have to understand where the other stands on technology. And we need better ways to back up information," Clements explained.
• Carriers should consider the "burnout factor" for both agents and claims representatives who are on the front lines during disasters. "You listen to every story and provide comfort. You let people know 'someone will help you.' Anyone can sell insurance, but we are the ones facing those who need help," Page explained.
• Plan in advance and help agents consider disaster scenarios. What is the plan B? "Clients have tremendous fear, and all the plans to mobilize and prepare are key. But more, people need reassurance and human contact," Faucheux explained.

Clements explained, "We have a new normal now."

The agents joked a little, from the safe place of recollection, about Clements' personal experience with Katrina. "He told us that he only had two feet of water in his home, and we thought, 'great!' And then he told us that the two feet of water were actually on the second floor," Page recalled.

One of the most inspiring aspects of listening to the agency panel is how everyone banded together to help not just claimants, but community members and each other. And to somehow stay positive and productive all the while.

"Our area didn't have Internet or phone lines restored until April. I worked out of the Department of Insurance and then a friend's agency. I ended up working out of an 8' x 20' trailer from Thanksgiving of 2005 until April of 2006," Clements recalled.

"People didn't know who their carriers were, so we helped everyone by letting them use dedicated computers and phone lines to report losses," Page described. His wife, an ER nurse, volunteered at an EVAC shelter to help out. "Every hotel was full," so Page surveyed other agents he knew, and through motor homes, campgrounds and houses, they were able to invite adjusters to stay.

"People returned not knowing that there were no resources. Many people came back thinking, 'the storm is over, I can go home,' as they have so many times. We always hear, 'there's a big storm coming,' and cries of wolf. Hurricane Katrina was no different," Faucheux said.

"We're dealing with uncertainty, fear, death and devastation," Page explained, emphasizing the partnership between carrier and agent, "Good insurance companies step in where agencies alone may fail."

Monday, May 23, 2011

Workshop Recap - Commissioner Jim Donelon

Welcome to our first speaker recap from this year's outstanding workshop! Today's post comes from PICA member Kirsten Faherty:

What an honor it was to have Commissioner Jim Donelon speak to PICA, especially considering that everyone in New Orleans' insurance industry is very busy right now with the recent need to open area spillways to avoid additional flooding. In fact, Commissioner Donelon was coming to us right from an interview on the morning news. I really appreciate that he was able to join us.

The first thing I noticed about the Commissioner is that he is truly a take-charge person. While Jan Wright had prepared notes to introduce him, she didn't need to use them because as Jim came in, he said hello, found a chair toward the front of the room, asked if he could sit in it and then jumped right in! That capable attitude is exactly what you'd need to have if you were going to oversee all of the insurance happenings for a state like Louisiana, which has had more than its fair share of catastrophic events.

Jim covered a lot of ground during his hour with us. He had a lot to say about Louisiana, both from a professional standpoint and because he has lived there his entire life. Here are some of the main points that stood out to me:

- Even after Hurricane Katrina, only 40% of people living in Louisiana have flood insurance. I thought that number would be much higher!

- The National Flood Insurance Program paid $15 billion in property damage in Louisiana alone. That number is just staggering and really illustrates just how much damage people experienced as a result of Katrina.

- Katrina is the highest insured loss in the history of our industry, at $25 billion total paid.

- The levees are now the best they've ever been, and Commissioner Donelon believes that with $15 billion in reinforcements over the last five years, they are now equipped to withstand another hurricane like Katrina.


Commissioner Donelon explains the state of the insurance industry in Louisiana.


A good question asked by our group was, "How has Louisiana avoided insurers pulling out of the area (due to previous loss history)?" Donelon explained that, unlike what has unfortunately happened in Florida, Louisiana agents are able to profitably write insurance. The way that the state and most carriers handled losses after Katrina has made Louisiana "a poster child for how to do things right." Considering that in Florida, Citizens Insurance is first in the state, and it's sixth in the State of Louisiana, we can see that other carriers are able to do business profitably.

The Commissioner has been involved in the insurance industry for a long time and has seen many losses, but he maintains a sensible, positive attitude. Considering everything he has witnessed, it was reassuring to hear him say, "Our city is stronger today than it was the day before Katrina hit," and that he is, "cautiously optimistic that the bad days are behind us and good times are ahead of us."

I learned a lot during our hour with Commissioner Donelon, but the strongest fact that I came away with is that Louisiana's insurance industry rests in very capable hands.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

2011 PICA Workshop in New Orleans is Almost Here!

Hi Everyone –

After months of planning by your Administrative Committee, it’s hard to believe that the 2011 PICA Workshop is finally almost here!

I’m very excited about the program the team has put together and, once again, we’ve taken advantage of our location to get some new and interesting perspectives on the cornerstones of our name – “Insurance” and “Communications.”

On the Insurance side, we’re grateful that Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is able to join us to kick things off and provide his view of the industry’s challenges and opportunities. As a communicator employed by an insurance company, I’m keen on learning from our agent panel about what types of company communications work – and what doesn’t. I think everyone will also be ready to hear something good about the industry when we hear from another area agent, Angelyn Treutel, who will present some real world examples of the difference insurance can make with our customers.

On the Communications side, we’ll also learn about the latest in social media and do some exercises on how to best utilize these ever-evolving tools. Professor Ashley Nelson from Tulane University will concentrate on writing for social media, while PICA favorite Cindy Crescenzo steps up as lead presenter to provide insight on how to make social media work for your organization.

We’re also honored to have Kay Wilkins, CEO of the Southeast Louisiana Chapter of the American Red Cross, on hand to talk about the importance of disaster preparedness and how we can share this information with our policyholders. We’ll also have the traditional open forum as we discuss our own specific challenges while also looking for ways to make PICA a more effective organization.

One program change note: On your original program, we were going to do some volunteer work with a local agency on Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, and despite some extensive research and investigation by one of our committee members, the original plan fell through and new logistics for this activity could not be arranged. Therefore, you will have some extra time that afternoon to explore more of what New Orleans offers, whether it’s the Audubon Zoo, the new “Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond” exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum, the World War II Museum or a trip to one of the many interesting neighborhoods outside the French Quarter.

In the meantime, I hope you’re excited about this year’s Workshop – and we haven’t even talked about the special charms of New Orleans! Bring your appetites, as the Crescent City was named “The Most Affordable Dining City in the Country” by Zagat in November. We’re not just talking Krystal, either, with some of the finest restaurateurs in the country setting up shop. Of course, the city is also known for its live music, so whether you like blues, jazz, folk, country or rock – there will be something for you to enjoy. Finally, New Orleans was named one of the “Coolest Cities in America” by the search engine Bing – which we already knew.

See you there and laissez les bons temps rouler!


Patrick Faherty
Public Relations Manager - Grange Insurance
Chairman - PICA, Inc.

Monday, March 28, 2011

May is Right Around the Corner

We say it every year, but if you are sitting this year's conference out, you are missing the best one yet. Never before have we had:

  • an insurance commissioner address us

  • a chance to interact with agents

  • the opportunity to give back to the community in which we're meeting

  • the chance to look at insurance through the eyes of an area that has needed our industry's help in a big way

If you've attended a workshop before, you already know how you feel when you leave - informed, rejuvenated, focused and ready to tackle the World of Insurance Communication. If you've been, you know just why you simply must find a way to attend again this year.

But if it's been a while, or if you've never attended, you're missing out on a great opportunity. I encourage you to sign up, or if you'd like more information, simply comment below and we'll get it for you.

Friday, January 28, 2011

PICA's 2011 Workshop Agenda - Let's Try Something New!

Friends,

We've finally got our plans together and we're ready to tell you the GREAT news about our 2011 Workshop Agenda.

And wow. I mean, WOW! We have had some fantastic speakers at past workshops, but this year...this year...well, just see for yourselves:

We've got:

  • Louisiana's Commissioner of Insurance, Jim Donelon, to give us the scoop on insurance trends and the state of our industry
  • Professor Ashley Nelson of Tulane University to talk to us about effective writing using social media
  • Cindy Crescenzo to give us a crash course on using all lines social media to promote our companies the right way
  • Kay Wilkins, CEO of the Southeast Louisiana Chapter Red Cross to talk about disaster preparedness and response
  • An AWESOME panel of local Agents, moderated by Ted Besesparis (and yeah, you get to ask them questions about how they'd like to receive communications and what they need from our organizations!!)
  • Angelyn Treutel of the Treutel Insurance Agency to revive our spirits and remind us of all the good our industry does.
  • A field trip to a Habitat for Humanity site where we can literally dig in and HELP someone in need

See what I mean? This year has so much potential...this might be the GREATEST PICA WORKSHOP EVER!

The only thing that will make it better is if you are there...so, what do you think? Are you in?

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Headin' to New Orleans in 2011!


Hello, PICA People!

Great news - we've got location, dates and the beginnings of a fantastic agenda for you. Here's a message from our Chairman, Patrick Faherty, (who also made the awesome logo for the conference...thanks, Patrick!)

Dear PICA Members and Friends:

Make plans now to join PICA May 16-18, 2011, for our Annual Workshop in New Orleans!

More details will follow, but for those working on budgets for next year:
• We’ll stay at the Royal Bourbon Hotel, located at 800 Iberville Street in the heart of the French Quarter. We’ve secured a room rate of $139, including for those who would like to check in up to two days early or stay an additional two days. Click here for more information about this property.
• Workshop rates remain flat, with Early Bird Registration set at just $400 for PICA members and $550 for non-members. We will keep Early Bird rates available until mid-March for those of you who need to pay out of your 2011 budget.
• One-way transportation costs from Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport (MSY) are $15 on the shuttle and $29 by taxi.

Thanks to the surveys from our 2010 conference, we’ve picked some great topics for the 2011 workshop. We’re still developing a firm agenda that we’re confident you’ll enjoy, including opportunities to:
• Dig into a half-day session about how to really use social media to benefit your company and establish a credible online presence
• Hear from independent agents about their communication wish lists from insurance carriers
• Learn about how New Orleans triumphed over catastrophe and what role insurance played as the city bounced back.

This promises to be a most interesting workshop in a very interesting location. For more information, be sure to bookmark the PICA website and we look forward to seeing you in the Big Easy next May!

Thanks,
Patrick

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Workshop Summary - Michael Wilder Adjusts PICA's Social Media Mindset

During our 2010 Workshop, Michael Wilder opened our eyes to the possibilities of how social media and networking could impact a business. Michael is a Learning Technologies Specialist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Past PICA Chairman Kirsten Amspaugh gives her account of Michael's time with us:

Michael Wilder opened his super-informative session by assuring us that he wasn't there to convince us one way or another about whether we should include social media as a part of a communication strategy for our companies. However, by the end of his session, I think most of us felt that in order to move our organizations forward, we needed to think long and hard about using social media effectively.

Michael describes how social media can be used to generate energy about a group or product.

Since many people look at Facebook and Twitter as places to play on the Internet, why should we consider using them as tools to promote something as serious as insurance? Michael made two great points - first, that the idea of marketing has always been to cast our nets as far and wide as we can to catch the most possible fish. Second...social media is FREE! The only investment we are required to make when using it is our time.

So, how could social media help a business? Well, it's as simple as the concept of word of mouth: user reviews of a product can influence the purchases of their friends. Social media sites give companies an opportunity to establish an approachable identity online. Users can view the preferences of people they trust or admire and then rely on friend recommendations instead of only having the "company spiel" as a source of information.

What is attractive about social media? It's immediate, selective and easy to use. It allows people - even amidst the hustle and bustle and noise - to connect with authenticity.

Michael used Zappos as a case study to show us how one company has used social media to promote its products, connect upper management to the public, and create an online identity that is personal, approachable and likeable.

One concern I had as an insurance communicator was, "Do we have an obligation to respond if someone posts a comment to our corporately sponsored social media site?" Michael says that the obligation to respond isn't there, but a marketing opportunity exists when we do. Trends in posts can reveal where we need to improve. "You're saying, 'We're going to be dedicated to improving our service'...that is the only obligation you're creating with your online presence," Michael explained.

An additional thought Michael shared is that some businesses hesitate to have an online presence because they don't want to create a place where negative comments can collect and dwell. "Just because you don't have an account doesn't mean people aren't communicating. Negativity can be revealed anyway," he explained. But when we have a specific place online for communication to happen, we do have more control because we can see the comments and do something about them, whereas without a presence, we may or may not see the comments...and we'll miss the opportunity to improve service.

You can review portions of Michael's presentation to PICA and see the video he shared with us illustrating the prevalence of social media here.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Workshop Summary - Harlan Amborn Shows PICA the Future of Insurance



Here is Assistant Secretary & Treasurer Janet Wright's account of Harlan Amborn's presentation! Harlan is the Deputy Commissioner for the Nevada Department of Insurance.

PICA Keynote Presentation Melds Industry Past and Present to Face the Future

Using lessons of the past to deal with the future was the theme of PICA Workshop Keynoter Harland Amborn’s presentation, “Changes in Insurance -- Past, Present and Future.” He entertained his audience with print ads and TV commercials from the past to illustrate changes to insurance industry exposures through evolving products, services and human issues. Amborn is deputy commissioner of the Nevada Division of Insurance, Las Vegas.


“In a relatively short time – just a few decades -- our world has changed so radically. For instance, consider the changes we’ve experienced in products we use, dangers we face, skyrocketing monetary values of the things we insure, a reeling (and hopefully recovering) economy, and global exposure,” he explained. “These are just a few of the issues we deal with. As insurance people and communications practitioners, understanding the evolution of our world is essential to facing future challenges.”


Examples of future technology that may provide exposure to the insurance industry include:

• Commercial space travel – the first suborbital commercial transportation is predicted to blast off from Orlando, Fla. by 2015.
• Cloning – “Select-A-Child” science opens the possibility of choosing a child who is not compatible with the rest of the family or its siblings.
• Robots – damages may be incurred when a robot is programmed incorrectly for its intended purpose.
o Computerized insurance surveillance (“black box” technology) – Automobiles – measuring everything from mileage and speed to driver habits and/or errors;
o Homes – ability to determine technologically if a dwelling is secured or unsecured, vacant or occupied, regardless of what the policy owner reports.
• Life insurance – embedding “tracking chips” into individuals to know where they are, what they are doing, and when.
• Health insurance – using tracking chip technology to monitor use of medication, lifestyle, and behavior that may endanger health and generate claims.
• “Thinking Caps” – mandated by employers, for instance, so that others can monitor an individual’s thoughts.

“These examples may seem completely absurd, but the technology is already being tested,” Amborn said. “At one time, landing on the moon was absurd, too. The future is happening as we speak, and the insurance industry must be ready to deal with it. As communicators, you need to be aware of the possibilities so you’ll be ready to communicate them for your management and your industry.”

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Thank You!


Thanks to everyone who made our 2010 workshop a HUGE success...Wow!!

Whether you contributed by attending the conference, sharing your ideas, providing feedback or presenting information, THANK YOU.

Your efforts increased our abilities and our skills...this renewed enthusiasm will help us to communicate our ideas more professionally and effectively.

We also thank members who were unable to attend this year. Your continued support - along with the support of your company - keeps PICA going. We hope you're able to attend in 2011!

Stay tuned for updates over the next week. We'll give you a recap of each presentation so you can share this information with your colleagues!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Exciting Times for PICA, Inc.

We're currently working on advertising our PICA workshop for the first time ever! We've always relied on word of mouth and repeat attendees to make the PICA workshops a success, and it's worked just fine. But as we try to bring new faces (with new ideas and enthusiasm attached to them) we're also prepared to try new things. This year, that means advertising.

What are some of your favorite insurance publications, either online or print? Go ahead and list them in the comments section and we'll consider them as we look at the best ways to promote PICA...

Thanks!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Workshop Update

Hello!

Thanks for all the great feedback and e-mails supporting our choice of location for the 2010 PICA workshop!

We have some phenomenal speakers, including Steve Crescenzo of Crescenzo Communications, Michael Wilder of UNLV, Sharon Exharos of Realty Executives and Marko Sackren of Red Rock Media Group, Inc. A fantastic group of speakers to re-energize your communication talents.

So, if you've got colleagues who have never attended one of our workshops, why not get them to come on out and give PICA a try? With topics ranging from social media to going green to publication perfection, there is something at PICA's 2010 workshop for every insurance communicator. Any minute now, the official agenda and registration sheets will be posted on our static site. (I'm too impatient to wait...so excited about this workshop that I had to put something up now!)

Plus, let's face it...it's a bargain. I mean really. You want more knowledge and your company wants to be frugal with all expenses - including education. I challenge you to find a better, more informative, fun, well-rounded conference in a great location for less than our tuition! Not possible!

I'm looking forward to seeing you in Las Vegas. If you haven't asked about working this in to your 2010 budget, now is a great time... If you have asked, register early for more savings!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Day One - The "I" Does Stand for "Insurance"

Here is a recap of our first presentation - April 27, 2009 - as written by PICA, Inc. Vice Chairman, Patrick:

As the insurance industry is hardly immune from the financial difficulties of the rest of the country, PICA workshop members were presented with an overview of what's taking place industry wide from Glen Cryan and Beverly Messer of the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.

As Chief Operating Officer of The National Alliance, Glen took the group through a number of issues that will affect companies and consumers going forward. One huge issue, of course, is the beating that many company portfolios are taking as a result of the drop in the stock market. Since companies use stocks as a way of adding to surplus, these significant drops in the market have resulted in large surplus losses for many carriers. These surplus losses could prove vital in the wake of severe catastrophe losses. Credit issues that affect consumer insurance scores may also catch the eye of legislators in various states and may result in calls for further limitations on the use of this discount tool for consumers.

Glen also noted the PR hit the industry as a whole has taken as a result of the AIG bailout, even though AIG's insurance operations were not the cause of its problems. As a result, "AIG's issues become everyone's issues," he said.

Beverly is the Vice President of Education & Research and, as a former two-time agent of the year, also brought a unique agent perspective to PICA members. As you might expect, she notes that it's important for companies to listen to agents for a number of reasons, including to find out more about consumer concerns.

She also reiterated a point that we, as insurance communicators, need to take back to our offices and repeat to management: The industry needs to do a better job of reporting all the good things the industry does, instead of sitting back and letting the media dictate the story and only report bad things. After all, as Beverly noted, nothing happens without insurance. Or, even better, her direct quote was that "insurance companies are the enablers of people's dreams."

So get back to your management, and let people know about your teen driving programs, or safety enhancements and support of organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and even the work of your SIU teams to save policyholders money through the detection of insurance fraud. Most companies also invest heavily in their communities, supporting good works that make a location a home. Finally, what about all the jobs the industry provides? Many companies have tightened their belts, but still there are a lot of grateful employees working in the insurance industry who are thankful for their paychecks these days.

Thanks again to Glen and Beverly for spending time with us in Austin. It was good information that resulted in a spirited discussion after their presentations, and we're better insurance communicators for having been a part of it.

- Patrick

Thursday, September 18, 2008

PICA Workshop 2009!

Your Advisory Committee has spectacular news - we have conference information for you!

The PICA Workshop for 2009 will be held in Austin, Texas, April 27-29. We're working on finalizing our negotiations with a great hotel that is providing us with excellent rates and amenities, and once we do that, we'll give you the details.

Your next question, of course, is, "How can you possibly top the spectacular speakers and presentations from PICA 2008?" After all these years, you know you can trust us to educate, enlighten, inspire and delight all of our attendees, don't you? We're certain you'll enjoy the upcoming conference at least as much as you enjoyed last year's.

And here you thought we'd been sitting by the pool, relaxing all summer long!

Looking forward to sharing more fantastic news as details develop...in the meantime, remember to spread the word about PICA with your insurance communications colleagues or maybe even with a past attendee you've lost track of.

The bottom line is that with a the best speakers, great location, reasonable pricing and fantastic interaction with some truly innovative insurance communicators, why would anyone want to miss another year?

More to come!