Description: A basic principle of marketing suggests that using the preferred medium a consumer knows and trusts will have a direct impact on the way they make purchases and how one could—and should—sell to and interact with them.

Description: The following information details a presentation that was given at the New Orleans Life and Annuity Spring Meetings on current trends in distribution channels. From News Direct, September 2005, Issue 51.

Description: This article discusses the benefits of online insurance sales and how it is another form of direct marketing.

Description: This article discusses Promotional Cards, how they have become an integral part of so many direct mail marketing programs, and how new technology offers new options for these cards.

Description: This article is a short summary of an essay on using microeconomics and Embedded Value concepts in evaluating direct marketing programs.

Description: This article discusses agent-driven direct mail marketing, the economics of this approach, and how to obtain agent buy-in.

Description: The Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA) recently named the winners of its annual Marketing Methods Competition at the 2005 PIMA MarkeTTech Symposium. Winners represent the best of the best in insurance direct marketing.

Description: Welcome to our first full year as the Marketing and Distribution (MaD) Section. As the incoming chair, I’d like to thank the section council for their ideas and energy as we expanded the scope of the section and positioned the section as the key thought leaders regarding the distribution and delivery of insurance products. From News Direct, January 2006, Issue No. 52.

Description: The 5th Annual Product Development Actuary Symposium welcomed more than 200 participants to the Westin O’Hare in Rosemont, Illinois June 29-30 for an intensive day-and-a-half seminar. The program was once again co-sponsored by the Product Development Section, Reinsurance Section, Actuary of the Future Section and the Marketing and Distribution (formerly Nontraditional Marketing) Section. From News Direct, September 2005, Issue No. 51.

Description: This article looks at the question, Should the direct mail marketer sell products until the point at which the cost of the NEXT sale exceeds the marketing allowance for the product or until the point at which the AVERAGE cost of all sales exceeds the marketing allowance for the product?