By now it's probably too late to make any major impact on2017.

The review of the year's goals and objectives and the must-dosand dealing with unforeseen events are, most likely, over.

Certainly you have already started and possibly even finishedyour plan for next year in terms of growth, profit, expense budget,and important organization and internal issues.

Related: Q4 assessment: Ideal time for insurance agents totake stock

These are critical, and are based primarily on financialprojections.

Beyond thinking about the “same old, same old” tasks to do atyear's end, why not consider 2018 as a great year for a freshstart?

Think through the things that you can do to initiate andimplement fresh ideas for growth, profit andfun in the New Year. Why not resolve to bring some excitement andnew rewards to your business?

Consider new objectives

If you have all your financial projections and metrics in place,put them aside for now. This is the time to stimulate your thinkingand to inspire your staff to consider some new objectives to add toyour business plan for 2018.

• Revisit and re-state your mission statement. Doyou have one? Is it still the same? Should you ask for employeeinput? How about input from trusted advisors?

• Pick two of the most important things from last year'splan that you intended to accomplish but did not. Are theystill important or even relevant?

• Decide on the two most important non-financialobjectives you want to achieve in 2018 and assemble a teamfor each one. (These objectives could be anything from workingconditions, employee benefits, agency hours and incentive plansthat could energize your staff.)

• Do you hold regular monthly sales and marketingmeetings? Do you really want to? Is there someone whofills the role of Sales Manager? Do you manage sales by results andaccountability? Do you invite customers and insurance companypeople as guests?

• Do you conduct employee performanceevaluations, and are they separate from salaryreviews?

• Do you hold at least semi-annual and annual agencymeetings, with lunch provided, to review the agency'sprogress and goals? Are you open to modifying these goals asnecessary? Do you welcome and encourage active participation fromstaff?

• Does your agency help to support one or more localnon-profits, and do you encourage employees to participatewith local organizations?

• Have you scrapped outdated and obsolete marketingactivities of networking (usually salespeople with othersalespeople), cold calling, direct mail, giveaways (calendars,letter-openers, pens, etc.) and instead are committed to socialmedia for PR and communication with customers and prospects?

• Have you identified your 25 most valuablecustomers and at least six of your best Centers ofInfluence and scheduled meetings with each of them?

• Have you thought about your own exit strategyyet — in terms of both money and what you'd like to seeyourself doing after the insurance business? This is really a greatthing to think about — I have thought about every year for the past53 years I've been in the insurance business!

Whether your business is a start-up or established, you mightlike this additional idea: Even small agencies can achieve great results withgood leadership, emphasis on teamwork and maintaining highesprit de corps (morale).

Create teams for three or four sales and marketing campaignsduring the year and combine employees from different areas on eachteam to include one or more CSRs & producers from personal,commercial, life, benefits, administration, etc., to compete oneverything from adding additional lines of business (accountrounding), to increasing limits of insurance via policy reviews, orcross selling (personal from commercial from benefits and viceversa).

Don't keep score by premium or revenue: Measure the number oftotal “wins” — it's the team's activity you are trying togenerate.

At the end of three months, identify the winning team and rewardthem with a day off and a $50 gift card each.

Be creative. Engage everyone, especially younger staff. Andremember what Max Dupree said: “We cannot become what we need tobe, remaining what we are.”

Related: Exit strategy: Keys to successfully leaving yourbusiness

Barry Seigerman is an independent broker/producer. Contacthim at [email protected].