Concerned about current market conditions? You wouldn't be normal if you weren't. But you can keep right on doing business, regardless of conditions, if you avoid the one mistake so many people make in tough times.

In a soft market, everyone in the insurance industry is looking for anything that will help them make their numbers. Carriers want to sign up more agents, agents want to hold on to their renewals and get other agents' renewals, MGA's want to service their agents and keep all their business.

Bigger numbers are important, but don't let them blind you to what's absolutely vital - keeping what you already have.

We not only have a soft market today; we have a shaky global economy with extreme market volatility and tight credit. There are not as many new businesses being created, most existing businesses aren't expanding and some companies are disappearing.

When the pool of insureds decreases and everybody in the industry wants to grow, someone is going to lose. That shouldn't be you. The people that lose are those agents, carriers and MGAs who don't pay attention to their clients. It's that simple.

In a soft market, do everything you can to provide outstanding service to your clients and keep their business. We will help you do that now and going forward. Our Middle Market brokers and staff form a lean, mean, premium-writing machine that is here for you. We are simply not going anywhere.

We always encourage you to contact us. Now, we also will be contacting you when we think it's important. Sometimes we will have information we believe you need immediately, sometimes we will give you a heads-up about an opportunity or potential problem over the horizon.

Markets go up and down in cycles, but successful agents keep doing business, regardless. Our job is to help you succeed at all times, in all conditions. I am excited to be here, and I am excited about getting to know you better soon.

Please call me at 1-800-275-3193, or email me anytime at MHardin@combinedgroup.com. How may I help you today?