RSVP for Emerging Leaders Holiday Party Here!

The IIAW Emerging Leaders annual fundraiser is back and this year we are supporting three humane societies across Wisconsin; Dane County Humane Society, Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin and Fox Valley Humane Association.

Last year, we surpassed our initial fundraising goal of $500, donating an incredible total of $5,725 to the American Family Children's Hospital! This year, our fundraising goal is $1,500, and we are accepting both monetary and physical donations to the chosen humane societies.

How to Donate:

Venmo: Evan-Leitch
Credit Card: Go to IIAW's Fundraising Page
Check: Mail a Check Made Out To IIAW, 725 John Nolen Dr. Madison, WI 53704

Physical Item Donations: Each humane society has its own list of physical donations they are accepting such as certain pet foods, cleaning supplies, pet toys, treats and more. These physical donations can be dropped off at the IIAW office (Contact Evan, evan@iiaw.com to let us know you're dropping items off) or you can bring them to the Emerging Leaders Holiday Party from 1:00pm to 5:30 p.m. on December 15th at the IIAW office. RSVP for the Holiday party at bit.ly/2022ELHolidayParty. 

List of donations:

Dane County Humane Society: Wish List Items 

- Towels, wash cloths, and hand towels
- Flat sheets and pillowcases
- Rugs smaller than 4' x 6'
- Opened or unopened bags of pet food
- Dog and cat toys
- Soft/Moist, small training treats (no hard biscuits)
- Compressed rawhide or rawhide rolls
- Canned dog food
- Kongs
- Leashes, collars, and harnesses

Other items include: soft/moist small training treats for dogs (no hard biscuits), squeeze cheese, creamy peanut butter, compressed rawhide or rawhide rolls, canned dog food, canned cat or kitten food, clumping litter (unscented), Royan Canin Baby Cat food (dry and can), Cuddle discs, Paper towels, Kleenex, Dish sponges & scrub brushes, Timothy hay, Bleach, Ziploc baggies (all sizes), Quality white copy paper, bright colored copy paper, Post-It Notes, manila folders, liquid laundry detergent and dry erase markers.

Fox Valley Humane Association: Wish List Items

- Iams or Purina One Dog Food; Wet and Dry
- Iams or Purina One Cat Food; Wet and Dry
- Iams or Purina One Healthy Kitten Dry Food
- Canned Kitten Food
- Canned Pate Cat Food
- Soft Dog & Cat Treats
- Spray Cheese
- Greenies Dog Pill Pockets
- Non-Clumping Clay Litter
- Pellet Litter
- New Small and Medium Cat Litter Boxes
- Paper Towel & Toilet Paper
- Liquid Laundry Soap
- Bleach
- Water Softener Salt
- 33 Gallon Trash Bags & Tall Kitchen Garbage Bags
- Hand Soap
- Dawn Dish Soap
- Q-Tips
- Lint Rollers
- Copy Paper
- Postage Stamps
- Large Dog Collars
- Gift Cards: Gas, Fleet Farm, Festival, Wal-Mart, or any local pet store

Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin: Wish List Items

- Pate style kitten wet food
- Kitten dry food
- Small litter boxes
- Kitten milk replacing (KMR)
- Enclosed playpens for kittens
- Large/XL kennels
- Snuggle safe heating discs
- Miracle bottle nipples
- Kitchen scales
- Receiving blankets
- Tote bags
- Towels
- Blankets
- Sheets
- Newspaper
- Easy Walk harnesses
- Nylabones (large)
- Soft and moist treats
- Canned food
- Pate style wet food
- Small fleece blankets
- Catnip bubbles
- Postage stamps
- Scotch tape
- Whiteout
- Sticky notes
- Black permanent markets
- Black dry erase markers
- Scissors
- Copy paper
- Highlighters
- 32 oz. spray bottles with nozzles
- Paper towels
- Tissues
- Toilet paper
- Angled brooms and dust pans
- Toilet bowl cleaner and brushes

Happy Wednesday! In this week's Big I Buzz, we are sharing 7 findings from the 2022 Agency Universe Study and a great reminder for your clients during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. 

7 Findings From the 2022 Agency Universe Study

Independent Agent Magazine has released 7 findings from the 2022 Agency Universe Study. Here are those key findings: 

1. The number of independent agencies has increased. 

2. Business conditions continue to be generally favorable. 

3. Technology has become a crucial part of operations and customer service. 

4. Principal aging remains stable. 

5. Finding qualified staff and marketing continue to be key agency challenges.

6. Emerging purchase channels' impact on personal lines remains a concern. 

7. Inclusion gains some ground. 

Read more details about each of these takeaways at iamagazine.com

Celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month

According to Coalition's 2022 Cyber Claims report, the average cost of a cyber claim for a small business owner during the first half of 2022 was $139,000, 58 times higher than the first half of 2022. Now is the perfect time to remind your customers about the importance of cybersecurity and cyber liability coverage. Trusted Choice has created a variety of creative marketing campaigns to help both businesses and individuals understand the importance of cyber safety and how insurance can help protect them. Access the marketing campaigns here. 

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter, Big I Buzz. If you aren’t subscribed, click here to add your email to our emailing list. Additionally, we send out monthly newsletters with content curated just for you and your role. Make sure you're on the list to receive our communications by heading to bit.ly/industrynewsforyou to stay in the loop!

Happy Wednesday! In this week's Big I Buzz, we are sharing how to sign up to be a member of an IIAW Task Force or Council and 4 studies you need to read for Cybersecurity Awareness Month. 

Get Involved With IIAW's Task Forces & Councils

The IIAW recently announced the opportunity for our members to join our Task Forces & Councils. These Task Forces & Councils act as a sounding board for planning and IIAW education, events and other member benefits. You can join one (or multiple) of the following Task Forces & Councils: Personal Lines Task Force, Commercial Lines Task Force, Employee Benefits Task Force, Industry Relations & Operations Council, Government Affairs Council and Emerging Leaders. Joining a Task Force or Council is easy! Complete the short form here (on the bottom of this page) and you'll be on the contact list for that group to receive an invite for the next meeting. 

If you want to learn more about the Task Forces and Councils before signing up, mark your calendar down for Tuesday, October 18th! The IIAW and our Board of Directors is hosting a free kickoff event from 3 to 5 p.m. at Milford Hills in Johnson Creek. Everyone is welcome to join, and you don't have to be a part of the Task Forces & Councils to attend. Learn more here. 

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: 4 Studies you Need to Read

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and it's a great time to make sure you're on top of the latest trends in every market to be a trusted advisor to your clients. IA Magazine has put together four major takeaways from studies to help you protect your clients and your agency: 

1. Cybersecurity recovery time and costs are much higher than businesses realize. If you receive our Commercial Lines monthly e-newsletter, you'll know that often small businesses tend to underestimate the cost of a cyberattack could be for their company. A recent survey from Nationwide Agency Forward about cybersecurity and business owners found that less than 3 in 10 small business owners report having cyber coverage, compared to 71% of the middle market business. Small business owners are significantly less likely to be taking important precautions with their employees. 

2. Cyber threats remain the top overall business concern. The 2022 Travelers Risk Index found that cyber threats were the leading concern, with 59% of survey respondents say that they worry some or a great deal about cyber threats, followed closely by broad economic uncertainty. 

3. Consumers are concerned about cyberattacks but haven't insured their digital fingerprints. The Nationwide Agency Forward survey about cybersecurity and business owners also found that consumer concerns about a cyberattack are on the rise. "As many as 58% admitted that they are concerned about falling victim to a cyberattack, which is an increase of nine points since June 2020. Consumers said increased frequency (61%) and sophistication of attacks (51%) in recent years are causes for concern.

4. Average claim cost rises but ransomware claims and waning. "During the first half of 2022, the average cost of a claim for a small business owner increased to $139,000 which is 58% higher than levels during the first half of 2021, according to the mid-year update to Coalition's 2022 Cyber Claims Report." Read more from iamagazine.com here. 

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter, Big I Buzz. If you aren’t subscribed, click here to add your email to our emailing list. Additionally, we send out monthly newsletters with content curated just for you and your role. Make sure you're on the list to receive our communications by heading to bit.ly/industrynewsforyou to stay in the loop!

Happy Wednesday! In this week's Big I Buzz we are sharing information about a free networking & happy hour event, easy marketing opportunities for the month of October and the change in Wisconsin property values. 

The IIAW's Task Forces & Councils Kickoff Networking & Happy Hour

Join the IIAW Staff and Board of Directors to celebrate our new Task Forces and Councils (previously known as committees). IIAW agency and company partners are welcome to come and network, meet our team and learn more about the opportunity to serve on our task forces and councils and help to drive the work we do in the coming year and beyond. If you're already on a task force or council, this is a great way to meet your IIAW staff liaison and other members of your group. If you haven't signed up yet, no worries, it's a great way to come and learn more in the comfort of the beautiful Milford Hills Hunt Club. All are welcome, so reserve your spot and we'll see you there!

Register Now

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Trusted Choice has ready-to-use social media content to help you promote Cybersecurity Awareness Month on your social platforms. Use and share graphics that highlight common password vulnerabilities and prompt business owners to consider their own cybersecurity risks and coverage needs. Visit the Trusted Choice Content to Share library and click on cyber insurance to get started. You can share graphics and articles directly to your social channels including suggested post copy with just a few clicks! 

Wisconsin Property Values See Record Growth in 2022

According to WPR and The Wisconsin Policy Forum, property values in Wisconsin rose 13.8%, overwhelmingly surpassing the previous record increase of 9.6% in 2006. Along with property values, statewide gross property tax also increase. However, this year's property tax levies increased by 1.6%, the smallest annual increase since 2014. Read more here.

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter, Big I Buzz. If you aren’t subscribed, click here to add your email to our emailing list. Additionally, we send out monthly newsletters with content curated just for you and your role. Make sure you're on the list to receive our communications by heading to bit.ly/industrynewsforyou to stay in the loop!

Tomorrow Kicks off the Official Start of Fall

It's a great time to remind your clients to prepare for the new season. Trusted Choice has an extensive collection of graphics that you can share on your social media pages and in your email newsletters such as: Tips on Saving Energy for the Fall, Fireplace Safety Tips, Fall Garage Maintenance, Transitioning Your Home to Fall, Storing Summer Belongings, Autumn Cleanup Tips and more. As a reminder, you do need to log into your member account to access these social graphics, which are only available to IIAW members. Access the graphics here. 

When a Recession Hits, Insurers Shouldn't Stop Marketing

Continuing to market during a downturn sends a powerful message, and it can bring great results. PropertyCasualty360 lists these four reasons to maintain your insurance marketing budget (even during a downturn): 

"1. You have less competition - It's been documented that companies tend to drop their marketing and ad spend when in an economic downturn. That means your message won't have to stand out among quite as many competitors! If you're one of the few in your niche who's marketing, you'll stand out far more than in a normal marketing period.

2. You send the message that you’re stable While your competitors reduce their marketing activities, you continue as if your budget for marketing hasn’t reduced – and that sends a powerful message. It gives the impression that your company doesn’t need to reduce its marketing budget, because you’re that stable and successful. That naturally draws others to want to work with you.

3. You prevent the feast-or-famine cycle Running your own business can often feel like going from feast to famine – you’re either far too busy to market, or business has dropped off and you can’t afford to. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By thoughtfully allocating resources towards marketing (including before and during a downturn) you can prevent the worst effects of an economic slowdown from impacting your business. You can keep your business coming in, even when others are struggling.

4. It’s a great time to rebrand or introduce new products Because the background noise is turned down during a recession and fewer companies are competing for your audience’s attention, it can be a great time to rebrand your company or introduce new insurance products. You’ll get a larger audience share for your new initiative, which can make it even more impactful than it would be during a normal period." Read the full article here. 

New Hire Training Needs

Your IIAW membership gives you access to the MyAgencyCampus employee training platform. MyAgencyCampus is an easy-to-access learning tool with training bundles tailored by job role and experience.The course offerings are interactive, fully narrated, include knowledge checkpoints and end with a final assessment. They can be accessed as many times as needed throughout your four month subscription. Visit myagencycampus.com for your new hire training needs and enter code NewHire at checkout for 20% off!

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter, Big I Buzz. If you aren’t subscribed, click here to add your email to our emailing list. Additionally, we send out monthly newsletters with content curated just for you and your role. Make sure you're on the list to receive our communications by heading to bit.ly/industrynewsforyou to stay in the loop!