Day Two - Web Sites - The Good, The Bad...and How to Do it Better

Here is a summary of our session with Dr. Homero Gil de Zuniga, professor in the Department of Journalism at the University of Texas, as described by chairperson, Kirsten:

I'll admit it - I don't do a lot of things on the Web for my company. I'm a modern girl in many respects, but I love paper! Blackberry? No. Franklin planner? YES! Fortunately, my traditional company allows me to continue my love of paper through our printed marketing materials and publications, but if I'm honest with myself, even we are putting more and more of these items online.

So how do we paper-lovers adapt - and adapt effectively - to the Online World in such a way that our companies' Web sites are useful and useable? Enter Dr. Homero Gil de Zuniga...

Homero's conversational, animated and often humorous approach to explaining the good and bad of Web design kept our attention for the duration of his presentation.

From the very basic concepts of user habits and study to the B-word (not that word...I mean BLOGGING! ), Homero taught us about what makes a good, user-friendly Web site.

We started by examining user trends with the Poynter Institute studies. We found that we could also study our own habits here. Then we learned about icons, images and connotation. And how the use of these can enhance a Web page if placed properly.

And then we learned about C.R.A.P. No, really, we did! But the good kind: contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity. These concepts can make or break a Web site. Homero even took us to the World's Worst Web site. (And yes, after a few minutes there, we were happy to leave!)

Finally, we tackled the concept of blogging...more on a how-to level than principles, though. We all know that many companies are using this interactive approach to learn more about what their customers and employees think or need.

Homero got a great response from just about everyone who attended...looking around the room during the presentation, everyone was into it, and that is a sign of a great speaker. We appreciate Homero's time with us! Now, we're prepared to get a little introspective and check out our companies' sites to see if they are good, bad or in need of improvement!

- Kirsten

Day One - The Power of Branding - What's PICA's Brand?

Here is a summary and application of the branding session with John Males, as told by vice chairman, Patrick:

I think this post might be a great way to get some interaction going with members while also serving as a recap of "The Power of Branding" presentation from John Males of Fathom Corporate Training. We were fortunate that John also brought along his lovely wife, Elena, who provided additional insight to the presentation.

I was personally interested in what John had to say to see how it related to the rebranding process my company, Grange Insurance, recently went through. It was also a nice "take back" to the office, knowing that we had independent confirmation that we did a good job.

We began by looking at some well-known brands and thinking about what they represented. The underlying idea, though, was to also think about the brand of each of our own companies and try to see how they stood up. And if I've heard it once in the past six months I've heard it a thousand times, and that's the idea that "a brand is not just a logo." John also joined in that refrain, adding it's also not just colors, tag lines, fonts or templates.

A strong brand communicates very well both internally with associates or members, and externally with customers. In essence, a brand is a reflection of who you are and what you stand for.

This is where I'd like to see some input from you in the comments section: What is the PICA brand? Who do you think we are, and what do we stand for as insurance communicators? Do we need to better develop our brand and, if so, would that be an exercise that we could undertake at our next workshop in Honolulu? (Just seeing if you were paying attention - we won't be going to Hawaii anytime soon.)

If you attended the workshop, could you take a few minutes to review John's presentation and see how it applies to PICA? Or, in lieu of that, anyone should be able to answer the questions above. Whether or not you can convince your company to go through a branding exercise, I think we can all benefit by doing it ourselves with an organization that we care about. What makes PICA special? How are those who aren't members missing out? How can we attract new members to the organizatioin?

That's what I want to know, along with your thoughts about doing a PICA branding exercise next year. I look forward to some good feedback!

-Patrick

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

We're Back!

Hello, PICA People!

The Austin Workshop was a HUGE success and over the next week, we'll post about what we learned and did while in Austin.

For those of you who attended, it will be a trip down Memory Lane and a nice way to recap your professional development as you share your knowledge with your managers and co-workers.

For those of you who couldn't join us, the posts will be a great way to brush up on what you've missed!

So stay tuned, and thank you for your continued interest, support and dedication.

--Kirsten

Deep in the Heart of Texas...

Well, this is it...beginning tomorrow, many of our PICA friends and members will begin traveling to Austin, Texas.

Besides the fantastic speakers, time to learn and network and enjoy the exciting location, the greatest part of getting together year after year is seeing all of you. And, of course, welcoming new attendees...we have four this year!

Thank you for joining us in Texas, and if you're one of our group who couldn't make it this year, don't worry! We'll be sure to update the PICA blog to let you know what we're up to, and we'll keep our fingers crossed that we'll see you next year!

Here's to Austin!

It's Not Too Late!

If you've been kicking yourself, crying, "How could I have missed out on such an awesome opportunity?! The PICA 2009 Workshop is only five weeks away!" stop beating yourself up! You've got plenty of time to register.

Our hotel rate of just $139 per night is secure until April 5, so you still have time to reserve your room. And you can register for the actual conference right now, too!

A few simple clicks and you can start looking forward to April in Austin and a career boosting learning opportunity that will make your entire year more successful.

We hope to see you next month!

PICA Recap - The Details You Need to Join Us in Austin!

Hello, PICA People!

Instead of hunting through a dozen blog entries for workshop information, you'll find everything you need right here, in this entry. Just click the links in this entry and you'll have all the information you need to be PICA ready!

We're just about ten weeks away from our fantastic workshop in Austin, Texas. We're really looking forward to a great group of speakers, to taking in all that Austin has to offer, and to seeing all of you!

Have you registered yet? Made your hotel reservation? Now is the time! If you're still trying to get approval to join us, remember that:

• PICA costs less than most workshops, and packs a lot of speakers into a short period of time
• Our small group means individualized attention and more interaction with speakers
• Increasing your professional skills increases your value

Do you have questions about the workshop, program content, membership or anything PICA related? Contact kirsten_amspaugh@cinfin.com or pica.jan@att.net

Hope to see you in Austin!

Your Advisory Committee

The Agenda You've Been Waiting For...

Hello, PICA People!

While many parts of the country are still looking at piles of snow, we can send our thoughts to Austin, which should be nice and sunny during our April Workshop.

In case you'd like an official agenda to help you as you create your proposal so that you may attend, here is our schedule.

More to follow!

Professional Insurance Communicators of America Annual Workshop
April 26-29, 2009
Hilton Garden Inn
500 North IH 35
Austin, TX 78701

Sunday, April 26
6:00 p.m. Informal & Optional Happy Hour. Meet to catch up and enjoy some refreshments. Often, attendees group up to go out to dinner and explore the area after our happy hour...join in and get acquainted!

Monday, April 27
7:15—8:15 a.m. Breakfast
8:30—9:30 a.m. Industry Update with Glen Cryan, COO, and Beverly Messer, VP, the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.
9:45 a.m.—12:15 p.m. Branding with John Males, Fathom Corporate Training

12:15—1:30 p.m. Catered Lunch
2:00—4:00 p.m. Group Excursion: Duck Tour— explore Austin courtesy of PICA, Inc.

Tuesday, April 28
7:15—8:15 a.m. Breakfast
8:30—10:30 a.m. Writing for the Web & Design Trends with Dr. Homero Gil de Zuniga of the University of Texas.
10:45 a.m.—12:15 p.m. Photography Tips with Rick Patrick of Rick Patrick Photography.
12:15—1:45 p.m. Lunch. Venture out on your own in downtown Austin.
2:00—4:00 p.m. Event Planning & Marketing with Stacey Rodrigues of C3 Presents.

Wednesday, April 29
8:30—11:00 a.m. Open Forum & Departures. Topics include future leadership and suggestions for next year’s workshop.

Tune Up Your Skills in Austin!

Happy New Year, PICA People! A very BIG thank you to Patrick Faherty for designing this fantastic logo for our 2009 workshop! Watch for it to appear on our static site and other materials very soon...

PICA 2009 - You're In Good Company!

Happy Holidays, PICA People!

As promised, we've got more details about the fantastic speakers we'll have with us in Austin for the 2009 PICA Workshop, April 26-29.

I'm really excited about each and every speaker who will join us this year. There is major talent in Austin, and I'm not just talking about the musicians! Our stellar speaker list looks a little something like this -

• Our branding portion of the workshop will be presented by John Males, President of Fathom Corporate Training. John has more than 20 years of experience in management, sales, negotiations and branding. I was most impressed with the intelligent questions he asked about our group - he is an expert in understanding audiences! Visit JMBranding to see more of John's work.
• Get current industry information straight from the source - The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research. We're so fortunate to have Glen Cryan, Chief Operating Officer and Beverly Messer, CIC, CRM, CISR and Vice President joining us to talk about current topics and trends in the insurance industry. Beverly and Glen have a wide range of insurance knowledge spanning their combined 58 years of experience.
• You'll write better for the Web after spending some time with Dr. Homero Gil de Zuniga, Assistant Professor for the School of Journalism at the University of Texas. In addition to Homero's impressive educational acheivements, his interest in the Internet and mass communications makes him an ideal candidate to work with us on improving our skills!
• If your corporate photography skills could use a little oomph, you'll benefit from a session with Rick Patrick, of Rick Patrick Photography. Rick has a wealth of experience in a variety of areas and will give us some tips and tools to make the photos we take at corporate events a little more professional. (How professional? Check out the photos on Rick's site...if I could take photos a tenth that good, I'd change careers!)
• To help us with event planning and marketing special events, we've got a speaker joining us from C3 Presents, the company who puts together Austin City Limits in addition to many other Austin and national events. I'll have more information about this speaker after the New Year.

We'll have more details soon, but I hope this preview gets you excited about our workshop! As you can see, only the best speakers grace the PICA Workshops. Click here for registration informaton. We hope to see you there!

Happy Holidays!