Welcome to SMART Services - The IT Experts

Day 1 – April 29, 2010
On April 29th, agency principals and management learned about the latest technology and trends, including agency management system updates, productivity enhancing tools (Roboform, Microsoft Groove, etc.), sales management with MySalesResults, and more.  Additionally, Jeff Gaines, renowned speaker and organizational behavior consultant, captivated the audience as he spoke about performance management and highlighted common management errors while offering better alternatives for managing employees.

One of the more popular sessions on the day was “Ask the Geeks,” where attendees were able to ask Jerry Fetty, CEO, and Bryant Caudill, Service Leader, their technology and automation questions.  This session was extended based on feedback from previous years.

 

Throughout the day, many attendees took advantage of our Twitter station, where new accounts could be set up and users could tweet their hearts out about the day’s events using hashtag #TYA2010.  All users who tweeted using the hashtag were eligible for the “Best Tweet” prize, an Amazon Kindle.  John Chevalier of NuStar Insurance took home the honors with his tweet.

 

The grand prize winner of the day was Gary Marker of C&M Insurance Agency, who went home with a new iPad.  Other great prizes including digital cameras, gift cards, USB drives, books, DVD’s and much more were given away as the first day of TYA 2010 came to a close.

 

An evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and good times ensued at the open house reception at SMART I.T. Services’ headquarters.

Day 2 – April 30, 2010

 

April 30^th was a in-depth learning opportunity for attendees, including more technical knowledge of various technologies and subjects.  The smaller group and more casual atmosphere provided for a relaxed day of learning with more crowd interaction and discussion.

 

Jerry Fetty kicked off the day with “How to Attract New Clients Using Online Advertising with Google and Bing.” He spoke at length about how to leverage Google’s Webmaster tool for keyword search, analytics, and for monitoring your AdWords accounts to make sure you’re getting the best ROI.  Additionally, he explored advertising on Facebook, stating it was worth taking a closer look at due to the fine-level of targeting that it offers.

 

Bryant Caudill presented “Secrets to a Fast and Secure Network” and dove into how you can fine-tune your agency’s network to improve security and performance.

 

After a short intermission, Wayne Joubert from the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA) joined Jerry to assist with two social media sessions. Both gentlemen spoke about the impact social media is having on agencies, useful tools, strategy, real-world examples, and more.

 

Finally, Jerry demonstrated the new Apple iPad, reviewing its features and providing his analysis of the tool.

 

Ashley Whitney of Harbor/Brenn Insurance Agency was recognized as the winner of “Best Tweet” for the day and, in typical TYA fashion, more awesome prizes were given away to attendees as TYA 2010 came to a close.

Opening Video:

What You Missed at TYA 2010:

TYA 2010 Slide Show:



Larry Linne of Sitkins International to Speak at Take Your Agency to the Next Level 2011!
SMART I.T. Services is pleased to announce that Larry Linne, author of Make the Noise Go Away, will be speaking at Take Your Agency to the Next Level 2011 on May 12, 2011.  Mark your calendar!  Larry Linne is an outstanding speaker, thought leader, and motivator, and is sure to be a hit at next year's event.

Stay up-to-date with the latest TYA 2011 information by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter.


For more information about any of the products or services you heard about, please visit the links below:

MySalesResults

SMART BDR

SMARTmail Defense

SMARTweb Defense

Training

Communications/Telephony Solutions

Automation Audit