PIA National Announces Excellence in Social Media Award

WASHINGTON, June 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA National) has announced a new award designed to recognize professional insurance agencies for excellence in the use of social media in a business setting.

The 2010 PIA National Excellence in Social Media Award will be bestowed on a deserving PIA member insurance agency that makes use of social media tools to achieve the business goals of the agency.

"A new digital world has developed where people are always talking, interacting and doing business," said PIA National Executive Vice President & CEO Leonard C. Brevik. "It's a world where professional insurance agents can market their products and achieve greater success through the use of social media tools. Many PIA agencies are already at the cutting edge, using these tools to build their businesses and serve their customers."

"Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, MySpace," Brevik said. "Social media is all about community, all about connecting. Main Street insurance agents are part of their communities and are using these new social media tools to connect to their neighbors in new ways."

In addition to the new award, PIA National has undertaken initiatives designed to provide agents with the tools they need to understand internet and social media marketing, including:  

• Working with The PIA Partnership, PIA National has developed this new online tool specifically designed for agencies: Reaching Gen Y And Making The Internet Work For You www.pianet.com/ThePartnership/ReachingGenY.
• A new annual PIA publication, the PIA National Agency Marketing Guide, will debut in June 2010 with a special focus on social media. Topics include: What is social media? How are other businesses using social media successfully – and unsuccessfully? What are the legal considerations in social media use? And, how can independent insurance agents best leverage this new medium to meet their goals?
• PIA members across the country can now keep up on the latest news from PIA National on Twitter.

The inaugural 2010 PIA National Excellence in Social Media Award will be presented October 2, 2010 during a luncheon ceremony held in conjunction with the association's fall meetings in Traverse City, Michigan. During that ceremony, three other awards will be presented: the 2010 PIA National Company Award of Excellence, Company Representative of the Year and Managing General Agency of the Year awards.

Individual PIA members wishing to submit nominations can download nomination forms at www.pianet.com/awards.

Founded in 1931, PIA is a national trade association that represents member insurance agents and their employees who sell and service all kinds of insurance, but specialize in coverage of automobiles, homes and businesses. PIA members are Local Agents Serving Main Street America ^SM. PIA's web address is www.pianet.com.

This press release online at: http://www.pianet.org/NewsCenter/PressReleases/05-25-10.htm

SOURCE National Association of Professional Insurance Agents