Individual life premium grew 4 percent in the second quarter, resulting in a 6 percent increase for the first half of 2013, according to LIMRA’s Individual Life Insurance Sales Survey.

How many times have you had a terrific production month followed by a terrible production month? Why do many advisors find themselves in an ebb and flow pattern with their business? Most advisors go through an emotional cycle that is triggered when they realize that their business is not as successful as they want it or need it to be. This awareness can create anxiety, which initially switches on a "fight or flight" mode.

During Life Insurance Awareness Month this September, many insurance companies are reminding consumers of all the possibilities that permanent life insurance offers and that life insurance should be the first and center part of a sound financial plan. The latest to do so is The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Companies, which is encouraging all Americans to learn about the dynamic and multi-purpose ways that permanent life insurance can be used.

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, the public-relations and marketing campaign spearheaded by the LIFE Foundation to encourage all Americans to take stock of their life insurance needs and buy the insurance they need for themselves and their families.

Generation X is all grown up—and its members are behaving just like their parents.

They may have been known as the MTV Generation or sometimes "the slackers" when they first started entering the workforce more than 25 years ago, but members of Generation X (consumers born between 1965 and 1976) are now as affluent, stable and saddled with responsibility as their parents were at the same age.

A recent joint LIMRA/CANNEX study has found that a majority of the companies offering income annuities have added features designed to address consumer concerns and attract new sales.

When it comes to marketing yourself and your practice, honesty never fails.

New marketing concepts are constantly emerging. We’ve seen the rise of "green" marketing—appealing to people’s environmental concerns through sustainable practices. Then there's mobile marketing—finding new ways to get the attention of potential customers clutching hand-held devices.

The LIFE Foundation has announced the winners of its 18th annual realLIFEstories Client Recognition Program. This program honors licensed insurance professionals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to client service, and through their insurance advice and assistance, have helped families in times of great financial need.

Each September, the LIFE Foundation coordinates Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM). It’s an industry-wide educational campaign aimed at encouraging all Americans to take stock of their life insurance needs. The resources in  LIFE’s Producer e-Kit will provide you with everything you need to put together an effective LIAM 2013 marketing campaign.

Saybrus Partners, Inc. recently announced that D. Steve Shirley, CLU, CHFC, has joined the company as managing director, National Account.