NU Online News Service, MAY 1, 11:09 a.m.EDT

WASHINGTON—Independent agents seeking new property and casualtymarkets are leaving money on the table if they don't aim to attractAmerica's growing minority populations, says the head of an agent'sdiversity task force.

With this in mind, the Independent Insurance Agents &Brokers of America is working to release a series of webinarsfocused on understanding how to market to the nation's “saladbowl.”

Saying it's a “tough nut to crack,” Juan Padron, the IIABA'sDiversity Task Force chairman and partner in SafeGuard InsuranceAgency, explains that the association has joined forces with KellyMcDonald of McDonald Marketing and author of the best-selling book,“How to Market to People Not Like You.”

McDonald spoke during the IIABA's Legislative Conference andConvention on Friday during the association's Diversity Task ForceLuncheon here.

Padron, in an interview at the conference, says the membershipfeels it is “not making enough inroads into finding the solutions”for agents to sell to a diversified marketplace. The IIABA haspartnered with McDonald to that end, feeling there is a need tohave someone “who does this day-in and day-out to work with.”

With McDonald's help, the association plans to create aseven-step process on how agents should be reaching out to new anddiverse markets.

“Agents are not thinking about this in their day-to-day life,”says Padron. “And agents need to realize that they are leaving alot of money on the table.”

He says the webinar will lay out for agents and stateassociations the tools they need to use “to take on thismarketplace.”

Currently, plans call for four to six webinars on the subjectthat will first be tested in New York and Washington State. Anexact timetable has not been established, he says.

For her part, McDonald tells agents that “you can't serve yourlocal community well unless you know your customer,” adding thatwith the changes in demographics over the years, the customers intheir market “do not look like they did 10 years ago.”

She says America is no longer a melting pot where a homogeneousgroup of Europeans blended into the fabric of country. Today,America is “a salad bowl” of very diverse races andethnicities.

She says according to the U.S. Census, for the first time inthis nation's history one in three Americans is not considered ofwhite nationality, and four states—Texas, California, Hawaii, NewMexico—and Washington, D.C. are “majority minority.”

That trend will continue, she notes, saying that these areagents' future customers and co-workers.

The attitudes toward race are also changing for the youngergeneration that is accepting differences and expects to see adiverse workforce where they work.

She cautions agents that while they need to adjust and hirepeople who are multi-lingual and diversify their workplace, theyshould not hire just anyone.

“Do not hire the wrong person for your needs,” advises McDonald.“Be selective and hold onto the talent you need.

“Understand the community,” she continues. “It is complexmarketing, and you'll have to adapt.”