Sales & Marketing

We are in one of the toughest businesses out there, right? Nothing comes easy to an insurance agent anymore, right?  We are all getting too old for the games people play, right? So, we all learn lots of catchphrases and rhetorical sayings. We all believe that if we keep mastering the English language, or whatever language you sell in, everything …

Trashing the branding process has reached star status as critics dismiss it as passé in a digital environment. Who wants the “behind the times” label? However, it’s interesting that those throwing the rocks at branding come prepared with replacement methods that they want to sell us. Because branding is how people experience a company and its products, don’t fall for …

As consumers, we have so much choice in the marketplace, and marketing efforts don’t always effectively convince us to buy. The one type of “marketing” that holds the most sway over any decision we make is the enthusiastic referral of someone we know. The same is true for financial advisors. Prospective clients have a lot of choice, but a referral …

In my last article, I talked about the importance of creating an online presence. Specifically, the focus was on personal websites, which today have become even more important than a business card. Think about it. Potential customers utilize the internet every day whether it’s for social interaction, shouting their thoughts to the world, or researching goods and services. They come …

Even though I speak to groups of financial professionals ranging from 20 people to 5,000 strong, I’m a pretty shy person when it comes to networking events. Over the years, I have learned to get pretty good at these types of business-building events. In this article, I’d like to tell you what I’ve learned, so you can turn networking events …

As a personal producer, my record sales week was during a holiday season a few years ago. I sold 26 life insurance policies in five days during the week of Christmas. Still, most “experts” consider Christmastime to be a “sales slump.” I believe in quality sales, not quick sales. My persistency rate (13th month premium paid by customer) is between …

Starting out as a financial advisor promises a steep learning curve as you try to learn about how to provide valuable advice while ramping up your business with relentless prospecting at the same time. Fortunately, you don’t have to start out “cold,” and you can avoid many of the mistakes made by financial advisors who have gone before you. If …

Thinking about starting your own business? Beware! Below are 10 signs that you just may not be cut out to be an entrepreneur. 10. You can’t stand the heat. Before you jump into self-employment, make sure you’re very comfortable being uncomfortable. Every day, you’ll need to try something new for the first time. You have to be ready to put …

Hi there! I am a customer searching for life insurance protection. May I share with you what I am looking for from an insurance agent, and why you may or may not win my business? First of all, always remember that everybody is having a tough time. From our first “hello”, I want you to exude upbeat, confident cheer laced …

I have read many articles on our industry, but I rarely come across ones that keep the art of referrals simple. These articles, blogs, and stories all talk about CPAs, attorneys, and all the relationships we need to maintain with these sorts of folks. But none of the articles ever talk about family and friend referrals—referrals from people that we’re …