Aartrijk Brand Camp 2012, hosted by Peter van Aartrijk and Tony Wessling, was a day-and-a-half immersion into the world of branding. American Agent & Broker's editor in chief, Laura Mazzuca Toops, attended and took these 7 lessons from it:

1. A real brand comes from the inside out and requires healthy communication.
2. Providing service is a given. Don't think it differentiates your company.
3. Agencies must use mobile technology, cloud computing and social media to both promote their brand and communicate with customers.
4. Successful agencies allow employees to use the technology they want to use and turn them loose as a part of the branding process.
5. Focus on developing your own personal brand.
6. Get a YouTube account and update it frequently. In 2010, 30 percent of internet traffic was viewing video.
7. Make your agency multi-cultural and -generational to appeal to more people.

Read more on Aartrijk Brand Camp at propertycasualty360.com.