Most of you have heard that Creative Marketing International Corporation changed ownership on October 1. The last 9 months of extricating us from insurance company ownership have been invigorating and exhausting, but will result in the rebirth of Creative. Will Moneymaker and I are the new owners of Creative.
When I was invited to join Creative 17 years ago, it was the first day of Carrier ownership of the company. We have been partly or wholly owned ever since. It’s poetic that the first person to start in the 17-year Carrier-ownership era is the person to lead Creative back to independence. I am humbled at this opportunity. Throughout that time we have endeavored to be one of the best choices for independent agents to connect with insurance carriers in annuity and life insurance distribution. We have developed an outstanding reputation, in no small way by trying to treat every agent and carrier in our sales and product development /actuarial consulting exactly the same, owned or unowned. The testimony of how successful that was is the thousands of agents who have made us one of the top sales IMOs in the industry and the great insurance companies who covet our partnership. Most other owned IMOs in the industry push their company owners’ products primarily, as evidenced by the 50%-90+% share of their sales for their owners.
The important things about Creative that most of you know won’t change.
Creative Equips our agents with personal sales consultants, business reviews, education and learning events, innovative sales ideas and tools, incentives like convention, deferred compensation and marketing dollars programs.
Creative leads with Integrity. We believe in doing things the right way. No cutting corners. You can trust our promises, we do everything to deliver on them, and we don’t over-promise. We give back to the industry in time and talent via trade associations, lobbying and sharing our resources with our carrier partners.
Our People are our most important assets. Our employees, up through my partner Will Moneymaker, are some of the finest people I’ve ever worked with. We put live voices on the phone always. Our agents love coming to our offices. We have fun and put money and resources into services others cannot: actuaries, lawyers, compliance professionals, advanced marketing experts, underwriters. People create and sell services here, just like you do as agents. We understand it’s all about people.
Innovation has helped Creative lead the industry. We created the first in house actuarial department for the FIA industry when I came aboard, the first quality FIA agent education program, designed the first FIAs with many strategies, developed the innovative Dynamic Marketing Portal for direct agent use (ask our consultants), and have the best incentive trips in the industry. We have several exciting new programs coming for you in 2014.
Independence is one thing that does change. We are on your side now. I empathize with the financial service business you run. We strongly support your independence. I find it unfortunate that some of our competitors have determined they don’t want the smaller (less than $3 million) advisor. Some want to “own” the independent agent by depriving them of basic amenities and awards unless they “own” all of that agent’s contracts. That’s not how we built our business, nor will we in the future.
Who is Creative? Creative is the future of marketing and sales services to independent producers. Creative won its battle for independence. This is Day 1 of Independence. Please join us in celebrating Creative Marketing Day One.
Mike
I only really know Creative via Tyson Lang.
He is the Best!