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The Council Of Insurance Agents & Brokers Unveils Sales Innovation Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 2, 2011 – The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today a Sales Innovation program to provide members with comprehensive sales communication guidance, best practices, education, toolkits and templates to help them with every phase of the sales cycle. The program takes a fresh look at a wide range of sales communication situations to help producers to attract and close more of the right kinds of new business. Tom Batchelder, sales coach, sales communications expert, and author of Barking up a Dead Horse: Avoiding the Wasted Time and Effort in Business-to-Business Sales, will direct this new members-only program.

“Tom excels at helping clients effectively manage their sales processes to quickly increase profit margins,” said Council President Ken A. Crerar. “With a focus on a consultative sales approach, Tom’s professional coaching expertise will help our member firms build successful, growth-oriented, and sustainable sales organizations. We are fortunate to have someone of Tom’s caliber come on board to develop this dynamic program.”

As part of the Sales Innovation program, Batchelder will write a monthly column for Leader’s Edge magazine, an online ‘Ask Tom’ column, and will be a regular contributor to The Management Series newsletter. Batchelder will provide real-time advice and consulting on an ongoing basis, will conduct educational sessions at The Council’s annual Employee Benefits Leadership Forum (May 31-June 3, 2011) and Insurance Leadership Forum (Oct. 1-5, 2011), and will be a featured speaker at The Council’s Leadership in a Sales Organization conference (June 8-10, 2011.)

Batchelder has more than 20 years of experience in sales and sales coaching, management, organizational development, team building and corporate training. He earned a B.A. in communications from Indiana University.

About Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers

The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers is the premier association for the top national, regional and international commercial brokerage firms and agencies in the United States and around the world. Member firms have offices in more than 3,000 locations across 100 countries. Council members place more than $200 billion in commercial property/casualty and employee benefits premium worldwide. More than 16 percent of the membership is comprised of firms headquartered outside the United States. Founded in 1913, The Council is based in Washington, D.C. Visit www.ciab.com for more information.