Agents Marketers

Home Contents Insurance Quote - Part V

2011-02-11T08:28:00.001-08:00

Every single insurance policy has some vision in the future; just like that home contents insurance is a specific kind of policy. It has an own features of protection from financial damages of home contents. This home contents insurance quote is very much useful in recovering your home belongings from any kind of damages like as storm, fire, stolen and other.

If your beautiful home and the contents are insured than it is very useful in recovering all the domestic belongings, or you will get benefited by the compensation by replacing the product. You may not be much aware about this kind of policy. You can choose these policies as per your requirement.

Insurance covers protection against the damages

There are various home contents insurance quote available but many people do not know about the details like as how they compensate, and which kind of damages need to be get the compensation, etc. However, contents insurance cover up to protection against harm of the home contents, which may be caused due to any reason. Unfortunately, reason can be a fire, vandalism. Flood, etc. Your home contents insurance is consisted of all the items of home like as your beautiful LCD television, furniture, computer, Fridge, Washing machine.

Many people do not know about the information details, and it plays an essential role while taking any home contents insurance quote. So we are here to provide you some basic knowledge for your contents insurance. There are several policies but most of the policies offer you standard coverage, but they have also an additional coverage on accidental damage. In this policy you have to pay some additional premiums. Through this small additional premium you will get benefited in recovering your precious ornaments and other costly subjects.

Every insurer has their different calculation. Some insurer offers you an insurance policy of replacement in which they provide you new products for old one with inflation protection. Some will offer you limited coverage based on post code. It is more important to get insured full value of replacement of home contents.

UK insurance companies are offering various discounts on the policy, it depends which policy you are taking. You have to pay the policy premiums for a period of time. It can be for short and long time premiums.

An individual is not necessary to take home contents insurance quote with their mortgage lender. Sometimes it needs to secure a deal. Many lenders charge you some about of money for giving the money. Sometimes lenders will be charge to pay the fee if any kind of insurance is taken out from elsewhere.

You can fix your premiums according to your budget. It can just take few months more than the normal time of premiums. This small investment gives you an assurance of cover up from the damages. So invest your money and get an advantage from this.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samuel_Hoban

Recruit Insurance Agents Using Email Marketing

2011-02-11T08:26:00.001-08:00

Recruiting insurance agents can be time consuming and expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Most carriers and FMOs tend to focus more on traditional marketing like participating in conferences, sponsoring trade shows, direct mail and magazine advertising.

While there is nothing wrong with this approach, there is a more effective way of attracting qualified insurance producers: Email Marketing.

Recruiting agents with email marketing is:

* Cheap: Generally you can deliver your marketing message to 500,000 agents for under $4,000. Compared to a direct mail piece, this saves you $10's of thousands of dollars.
* Fast: Campaigns can be launched in days vs the months of preparation in setting up a conference, trade show or seminar.
* Trackable: Recruiting agents through email marketing allows you to know right away how effective your campaign is. You'll be able to see how many agents visited your website. You'll also be able to track online agent inquiries with a Contact Us form.

You may also consider coupling your email campaign with a "landing page". This is a one-page website that details your offering to the agent with a form the agent can fill out to be contacted. This is helpful because it allows you to provide more information than there is space for in an email, as well as capture the contact information of interested agents.

There are many companies out there offering email recruiting solutions for the insurance industry. Make sure to do your homework. Ask for references. If they have happy customers working with them now, odds are you will be happy working with them too.

Make sure they are CAN-SPAM compliant, have been in business for at least 5 years, can provide references, and have a professional website. Doing your homework beforehand will save you time and money.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Kensicki

B2B Insurance Agent Sales and Marketing Best Practices - Overcoming Prospect Objections

2011-02-11T08:25:00.001-08:00

B2B insurance sales can be a difficult endeavor even with a relatively eager agency prospect. There is a budget approval process including a CFO review, buy in from key team members, the coordination of schedules, legal review and finally getting pen to paper. These are just some of the many challenges inherent in any B2B sale. Add to those obstacles, a prospect that is a good candidate for your insurance solution, but has objections to your value proposition or a relationship on a high level with a competitor on the "C level" executive and we've just touched upon some of the key obstacles in a B2B insurance sales cycle. How can you overcome these objections and get an agreement? Here are a few tips that will help you get past the objections and create an easier path to the sale:

* Anticipate the most common objections and have prepared responses ready.
* Create a list of additional points to leverage - your elevator pitch may only be 30 seconds long, but there are many nuances to your value proposition that you should have in your back pocket.
* Have examples of successes with clients which are similar to your prospect, and be ready to share these verbally and in writing (client case studies).
* Name drop whenever relevant - but if you're going to do this make sure you're on solid ground.
* Understand competing insurance agency solutions and pitches, and determine how and why your solution is superior. Your superior solution might just be the service you bring to the table.
* Find a methodology to create a unique value proposition, differentiating yourself and your agency from your competitors. Often, the best way to do this is articulated in the next bullet.
* Sell by telling stories. Stories are more interesting and the information conveyed is much stickier. You may not remember the details of the last meeting you attended - but I bet you remember all of the salient details about the "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", and that story dates back to Aesop.

Following these few tips, B2B insurance agents, or for that matter, almost any B2B sales professional can improve their conversion ratio and create an improved sales cycle. B2B selling is both an art and a science, it's a numbers game and is thus quantitative, but it is also a definitively qualitative process requiring constant review and self assessment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Lauducci

Working With Insurance Brokers

2011-02-11T08:24:00.001-08:00

There are many insurance brokers out there, all claiming to offer you the best services for the lowest prices. What exactly do brokers do? Well firstly you need to understand that there are two ways in which the term insurance brokers can be used. Firstly, an insurance broker can be a physical person who works for an insurance company. They will deal directly with the client, developing a personal relationship that enables the client to have a go-to person for all their requests and needs. The broker helps the client to build up their policy portfolio. In another usage of the term, an insurance broker is just a name for the actual insurance company who handles the insurance policies. This means that you will talk to a call centre operator each time you phone and not a middle man. Either way, an insurance broker will help you with your insurance needs and will assist you in choosing the right policy.

It is important that you develop a good relationship with your broker, whether it is an actual person, or the insurance company itself. First of all, you need to ensure that the information you are providing your insurance company with is accurate. This means taking the time to gather all the necessary information before you approach the insurance company. The information needed will usually be your personal information such as your identity number, your address, your work address and also some other documents which relate to the policy you are taking out. If you are taking out a car insurance policy you will need all your car papers and information. If you are taking out a life insurance policy, you will need to have all your medical information and family medical history information on hand. If you are taking out home contents insurance, you will need to have a thorough list of all the goods you are wishing to insure. The more information you have on hand, the quicker the process will take. Above all else, you need to ensure that all the information is true and correct.

A broker will need to sit down with you and find out your affordability range and you will also need to discuss the type of policy that you want. This means that you should educate yourself on the different types of policies available, so that you have a rough idea of what you need. A good broker will discuss all your options with you, so that you know what you are getting into before any paperwork gets involved. Speak to your insurance broker candidly about what you can and cannot afford. By doing this you will give them the information they need to be able to work around your budget. When your broker has given you all the information you need, you need to read through everything carefully. If there is anything that you do not understand in your quote or policy papers, this is where you utilise the insurance broker. Sit down with your broker and ask them to explain everything clearly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Coleman

The Different Types Of Brokers And Their Roles

2011-02-11T08:20:00.000-08:00

Brokers fulfill many roles, they serve as facilitators, negotiators and intermediaries. They are however essentially mediators between two parties who come together in the process of buying and selling. The broker takes the position of being in the middle to negotiate the best deal for his clients. Brokers also help their clients with making financial decisions, and help them choose the best investments. Brokers are paid on commission basis, and a get paid a percentage of the transaction of the sale once it is complete.

You will find brokers across many sectors of the financial and commodities industries. You will find insurance brokers, mortgage brokers, stock brokers, real estate and real-estate brokers, just to name a few. And in each sector they take the roll as intermediary between buyer and seller.

Insurance brokers: Insurance brokers act as the intermediary between the insurer and the insured. An insurance broker helps his/her client to choose the best insurance policy for their needs and also helps process all the documentation. An insurance broker is different from an insurance agent in that the agent represents an insurance company and only sells insurance products from that particular company. An insurance broker on the other hand is the representative of the insured only, and usually works with several insurance companies to look for the best deal for their client.

Real estate brokers: When it comes to real-estate, a broker acts as an intermediary in the buying selling or leasing of the property. When their client is a buyer they can help the client to buy a property at the best price. And when their client is a seller they can help them sell at the highest price too. They also advice and guide both parties through the buying or selling process.

Stock brokers: Stock brokers buy and sell stock and other securities in a corporation on behalf of either an individual person or a company. It is their job to connect buyers and sellers. They have the duty and obligation to behave fairly, and act in the clients' best interest of both parties. Brokers also act as advisories for investors, helping them with investment decisions and financial management.

High-end brokers and cheaper brokers: When it comes to making investment decisions, brokers can either advice you on your different investment options as well as do all the research for you having all your personal financial details in hand, or they can advice you and have you do your own research.

High-end brokers: When it comes to doing the research and the planning of your finances, the high-end broker will do it for you. They usually have a team of researchers working for them, as they study the market and how it is fairing. Brokers study the market and have to predict when it will be best to buy and sell, depending on the indicators.

Online brokers: Online brokers can be found by going to brokerage web sites. On the websites they have a list of investment information for you to access, such as investment databases, graphs and charts and investment tips. They basically offer you the information and you have to take it from there.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Coleman

The Truth About Leads

2010-02-08T05:59:00.004-08:00

Many insurance brokers and agents feel that if they can't close most every single lead they buy, they're wasting their time and money. After all, leads can be very expensive and time consuming.

This could not be farther from the truth.

While leads do not necessarily translate immediately into more profit, they are one of the best business building tools available.

How is this possible?

Use the few leads you do close to build your client base. On average, every lead you close will result in 2-4 referrals per year if you work them properly.

The following are some ideas on how to properly work with leads.

* Ask for referrals from every prospect you speak with, including the ones you never sell anything to. Referrals are the best prospects one can ask for. But if you don't aks for them, chances are, you won't get any.
* Sell a package deal to improve credibility and retention. The average persistancy of a health insurance policy in which the client only purchased one insurance product is about 8 months. By comparison, if the client purchased 2 or more products as part of a package deal, the average persistancy goes up to about 2 years.
* Try offering service over price. Do not be fooled. If they've been online, they already know the price. This helps tremendously to separate yourself from the crowd. This is incredibly important because the prospect will almost certainly hear from multiple agents.
* And finally, create a professional email campaign, sending a minimum of 1 email per month to every single lead you purchase, whether or not they buy.

There is one other point to consider. There is rarely such thing as an exclusive lead.

How so?

Even if your lead source only sells their leads once, your the prospect has probably filled out their information with other sources.

Also, not all leads are created equal.

Look for leads that were generated from people actually searching for your products and services! Leads produced through SPAM, surveys and flashy pop-ups promising a free trip to the Bahamas or an ipod cost less, but overall prove to have poor conversion rates and retention.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dorin_Adika

Compare Insurance Agents - How to Compare and Find Best Insurance Agents

2010-02-08T05:59:00.003-08:00

Agents all over the world have acquired a bad name for being untrustworthy and reckless. However, there are still a few good ones left and the challenge is in how to compare insurance agents. Note than an agent is an invaluable resource when one is looking for insurance, be it for the car or for health. This is because they are well versed, and they have a large corpus of knowledge that can prove very useful. They also have a specialization in the industry and as such have all the time to shop around for the best packaged on your behalf.

Many of the mistakes that have made agents untrustworthy include issuing illegal investment sales, affinity fraud, which means that the agent uses the money entrusted to him to pay his personal bills, and selling fake promissory notes. Hence these are issues that you need to be well aware of as you compare insurance agents.

The reason why you need an agent is because they have a large base of customers and therefore, precisely know what customers normally look for. As such, as the insurance company, you will be able to attract more and more customers through affiliation with the agent. On the other hand, and as an insured person, the agent will be able to connect you with the best and most reliable firms that he has worked with or is working with. Having an agent gives you some form of security because of the connections he has and this is one thing that should be in your mind when you compare insurance agents.

It is also said that many agents are honest in their financial dealings. This means that sometimes when mistakes happen, agents are not always squarely to blame for the fault. Sometimes they suffer losses as well, just like the customers. Research shows that some of the agents who were involved in the fake promissory notes scams lost their money and jobs as well. Hence, do not be too judgmental when you compare different insurance agents.

It is important to compare insurance quotes before getting signed up with an insurance policy. When you compare insurance quotes you can rest assured you are saving both time and money because you are guaranteed to get the lowest insurance quote.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Couch

Why Use an Agent Or Broker When Purchasing Health Insurance Plans?

2010-02-08T05:59:00.001-08:00

Have you ever needed the help of a professional for a service in which you have little or no experience? Tasks such as a home or auto repair seem complicated to those who are not experienced in those professions. Shopping for personal health insurance plans can be complicated as well. Consider these reasons for using a professional broker or agent.

Professional service with no fees - Insurance agents and brokers are paid by commissions from insurance companies.

The cost of those commissions is already built into the price of the policy, therefore, you will pay no more than if you had gone directly to the insurance company without the services of an agent. An experienced agent can help you determine which type of coverage will work best for you or your family. The agent can also assist with helping to select a deductible amount, co-pay amounts and whether or not to purchase optional benefits such as maternity or dental insurance. Once a decision regarding the coverage is made, the agent can be a valuable resource in helping complete the application and with the underwriting process. Using the services of a professional comes at no additional cost to the customer.

Service after the sale - Insurance brokers are motivated to provide good service after the sale. Questions may come up regarding your coverage or changes may need to be made to your plan. Having a broker handle those little details for you is a valuable resource. Examples of some simple service issues include answering questions about your policy, adding a dependent to the plan, making changes such as address and telephone number or ordering you a new identification card.

What type of broker should you look for? Here are some important features to consider when searching for a broker:

Experience - The value of experience cannot be purchased. Brokers that have many years of experience will be able to guide you in the proper direction and help you avoid problems. Experienced agents have seen nearly every situation that may come up and can guide the customer so that potential problems will be avoided.

Independent - Look for a broker that represents many competitive companies from which to shop for your coverage. Captive brokers can only use a single insurance company and should be avoided. An independent agent is working for the customer rather than the insurance company.

Professional - While looks can sometimes be deceiving, it is important to locate a broker that runs a professional business. This usually means having an office location in which to do business along with sufficient staff to service their customers.

Reputation-There is nothing wrong with asking for references when looking for an insurance agent. You need to know the reputation that the agent has within the community and the level of satisfaction that customers have with the agent in question.

Local - There is nothing more frustrating than to need service from a large company and having nothing more than a customer service phone number to work with. All of us have experienced the phone maze of recordings and out-sourcing of services departments. Having the services of a local broker that can personally be of help is very valuable. There are times when it's important to sit across the desk and look the person in the eye with whom you are conducting business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_W._Brooks

Get the Best Insurance Policy

2010-02-08T05:58:00.000-08:00

In today's fast paced world, where everyone is in a hurry to make more and more money, life is full of risks. Starting from rash driving to contaminated food products, you constantly face different types of risks. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to get some kind of security cover for you. One way to secure your life is by getting a life insurance policy. Today, almost each one of us has at least one life insurance policy, which is provided to us by an insurance agent we know. However, have you ever thought whether the agent provided you a policy with the best insurance quotes? Not sure, are you? This is because you believe whatever the agent says and do not do your bit of checking. However, you can change all that now. With the Internet offering you the world at your doorstep, you can check different life insurance policies online and also make a comparison of life insurance quotes from different companies.

An insurance quote is the approximate value of the insurance policy provided by the insurance company. Today, insurance quotes have become a pretty strong marketing weapon for insurance companies. Insurance companies can attract a lot of prospective clients to avail their insurance policies by advertising the best quotes. However, you need to understand that an insurance quote is simply an estimate and may vary when the actual policy is drafted. This is because the actual policy depends on various factors. For example, the factors that govern the actual life insurance policy are the present physical condition of the customer and his/her previous medical history. Also, for car insurance, the actual policy considers factors such as the model of the car, its present market value, and the depreciation. Still, insurance quotes are more or less on the target and are extremely helpful in selecting the best insurance policy.

While looking for insurance from various companies over the Internet, you need to understand that there are some Web sites that offer you this comparison for free while others do it for a fee. If you need a preliminary comparison, it is suggested that you go for Web sites that offer you the comparison of insurance quotes for free. However, you need to fill a short online form on these Web sites that includes entering your personal information in order to get the quote. These are a great way to get an overview of any insurance policy. They can help provide an understanding of the insurance policy even before it is drafted. Therefore, insurance allow you to select the best insurance policy without having to go to an insurance agent. This helps you save a lot of your precious time and money.

Insurance has become really important in today's world, be it life insurance, car insurance, or health insurance. Therefore, it is extremely important that you choose an insurance policy that offers you the best rates and quotes. This can be achieved if you have a good understanding of the insurance quotes offered by different insurance companies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harinadh_Roy

Insurance Continuing Education Online

2010-02-08T05:56:00.000-08:00

Insurance continuing education is a customary insurance training course which helps insurance brokers, agents, underwriters and sales force to upgrade their knowledge base about different insurance products and enhance their sales pitch to generate more sales. It is a formal training as well as certificate course which you can subscribe for online. There is no nationwide accreditation given to insurance agents as the laws and rules governing insurance policies vary from state to state for the entire gamut of insurance products. Insurance continuing education usually establish credit review requirements for a period of time usually after two or three years after which insurance professionals need to undergo a training course to polish their skills as well as learn about the latest regulations and policies governing insurance sector. This course can be done online as there are many companies and third party organizations that provide online insurance continuing education along with certification at cost effective prices. This proves very advantageous to insurance professionals who work full time as this would help save their valuable time and money which they can invest on meeting new clients and generating more sales. Alternatively insurance professionals may have to go to regular insurance training schools and spend good number of hours in learning concepts sacrificing their work time. The online insurance continuing program provides courses on all kinds of insurance policies namely, health , property, casualty, ethics, long term care as well as several other insurance products. All online insurance CE courses are devised on the basis of credit hours required as per the State's Department of Insurance.

The online insurance CE courses offered today are transparent in the fee structures and course materials offered and there are absolutely no hidden surcharges involved. You pay only the quoted price and also get your online certification based on the online test that you write. Many insurance companies, brokerage houses, multinational companies, insurance agencies as well as individual insurance agents undergo insurance CE services to ensure better quality of sales through effective sales pitch training and knowledge enhancement. Life Insurance is a delicate subject to deal with and has many policies, terms and conditions regulating it with laws that are volatile and subject to change from state to state and time to time. Hence, selling this insurance product requires able and skilled professionals who can do justice to this product and drive sales effectively employing good sales and marketing techniques. The insurance staff should also be in a position to answer any questions related to life insurance, health, commodities, property and almost anything with utmost confidence and clarity to close a sale. Moreover even if you are a part time insurance agent or underwriter, you can grab some exciting career opportunities with this education program. Therefore it is of paramount importance for insurance professionals to undergo insurance continuing education online to equip themselves with the latest skills and thereby boost insurance sales in their sales which would eventually yield more revenue or commissions for them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edward_J_Hulse

Compare Insurance Agents - How to Compare and Find the Best Insurance Agents

2009-12-14T02:25:00.004-08:00

Insurance agents present problem to would be buyers of insurance covers in many ways. The insurance agent is well informed about the product the customer requires and can easily convince the client into making a purchase without making an attempt to compare insurance agents. Simply using a word of mouth, an insurance salesman makes a living; so do not underestimate when you come across them. They are salespeople after all and convincing people is what they do.

So why would one let themselves fall into such a gaping trap? Logic would instead advise that we exercise due to caution in dealing with such people. Furthermore, the money you intend to spend on any product, they will sell you is yours, and you should not end up swindled out of it because of being naïve. We must compare insurance agents if we intend to make good deals when buying insurance products from the agents of the companies.

A comparison of the products as well would be a useful tip in buying an appropriate product, and so you may want to compare insurance agents and find the agents with several competitive products in contrast to the one selling only a single product. The only sure way to protect yourself and your interests when buying an insurance product is to compare insurance agents.

After all, let us not forget that you are green as far their products are concerned and without comparison you cannot tell whether an offer is attractive as it is made to sound or not. You are like a fish out of water and cannot be expected to fare well under such circumstances. Such an approach to the purchase of almost any commodity is unwise and should be avoided at all costs. It will probably cost you more when you do not compare insurance agents because you will end up paying more for less service contrary to paying less for more service. You only guarantee that you have made the right decision will arrive through comparison.

It is important to compare insurance quotes before getting signed up with an insurance policy. When you compare insurance quotes you can rest assured you are saving both time and money because you are guaranteed to get the lowest insurance quote.

Given the current recession it is important to make sure to prioritize your money and compare insurance quotes online. A good place to state would be an online website that actually allows you to compare insurance quotes online for free.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Frazier

Marketing For Life Insurance Recruits - The Best Kept Marketing Strategy

2009-12-14T02:25:00.003-08:00

Targeting The Right Crowd

Have you ever felt the fear of rejection when trying to get individuals to join your down line?
Have you ever felt like every penny you have is slowly squeezed from you on useless advertising?
Has it ever seemed like there's a secret out there that is being kept from you to boost your recruitment cycles?

Well, it should be no surprise -- there has!

You probably have not felt comfortable going on to your computer and marketing online. I don't blame you because there is nobody to train you on how to do just that. The internet has millions of people looking for career opportunities and even better, specific opportunities. Learning how to harness the power of online marketing will get those opportunity seekers to come knocking on your door. The best part about this type of online marketing is that you do not have to have tons of money nor do you have to be a computer guru. Having a lot of money is really not necessary, especially when the majority of this particular type of online marketing can be done for FREE. This type of internet marketing truly goes on the old saying its better to be taught how to fish, than to be given a fish.

Lets take a look at Warren Buffett. Even though his family had money, he figured out very early how to make his own. When he was only 6 years old, he bought six-packs of Coca-Cola from the grocery store for 25 cents, and then resold each of the bottles for a nickel, making a five cent profit. By the time he finished high school, he'd already made 5,000 dollars delivering newspapers. He didn't even want to go to college -- he thought it was a waste of time. But his father pushed him and so he did. Then, when he seriously got down to investing, he quickly became one of the most famous investors in the world. In six short years Buffett built up his capital from $9,800 to $140,000. Over the next five years, he multiplied the money more than 5 times over. And he was still just getting going. Within 10 years he was worth almost $7 million. By the late '70s, Buffett's personal wealth was almost $140 million. By 1989, Buffett was worth more than $3.8 billion dollars. And in the next 10 years he would multiply that several times over.

Other famous people were not rich when they started their venture either. John D. Rockefeller was not rich when he started. And neither was Sam Walton, Andrew Carnegie or Bill Gates. There are plenty other rags-to-riches stories you've never even heard about. So if you heard that saying that you need a lot of money to make a lot of money, its actually the opposite.

But there aren't many ways to do it, unless you happen to start a very successful business, and most businesses fail in the first couple of years. You may have even found that out the hard way. One way I know of that's very easy, takes very little money, and is the most tangible to market for prospects for your down line is Attraction Marketing . It's a secret very few have discovered in the MLM business. There are only certain kinds of opportunities that will present themselves to you, and give you effective, tangible results. Check it out for yourself by visiting my blog for more information on it.

Now, I'm not worried about you disagreeing with attraction marketing. You see, four out of five people who try attraction marketing find its unique perspective too important to be without. Not to mention that I'm sure you'll see that the advice can be essential to your overall recruiting success and business success.

Seek Beyond The Daily Grind

When you joined the organization that you were in I am sure you were all hyped up and had great dreams of success. It was a little bit different from reality now wasn't it? The reason why it did not work out was probably because you were told to talk to your family and friends, which by the way are the people that think they know you better than you know yourself.

First, try this little mental experiment. Put your doubts aside and ask yourself "what if "...

Now, I have already mentioned that it is inexpensive, and that you do not have to be a computer guru to learn attraction marketing. So how about some more "what if" statements that come to mind?

What if:

* it sets me apart from everyone else, and the norm.

* it allows me to find people that are seeking for opportunities I can offer.

* it is what I have been looking for but never found.

* it is going to take time.

* it is going to require for you to step outside of your comfort zone.

The great thing about this system is that it does take time. I am not here to give you some type of a quick-fix solution. I am here to be real. Learning anything new will take time, but the results that you will attain are astonishing. It will definitely require for you to step outside of your comfort zone and catch up with the times. Everything is on the internet these days. Did you know that 2/3rds of people on this earth prefer to go on the internet than to watch television? Think of all of those times that you had a question and went to on Google to search for the answer. Find a way to reach prospects that are searching for the questions that you have the answers to by applying Attraction Marketing to your business!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Muris_Mulalic

Insurance Continuing Education Rules and Regulations

2009-12-14T02:25:00.001-08:00

There are some states in which insurance laws are quite easy to understand and there are some states in which it'll take a bit of time. Actually that depends on the kind of insurance products the state needs, and California has some products you will not see anywhere else in the country! For instance, there is Life & Fire casualty, which is a whole different genre of insurance, and we won't find it in many American states. What are common to most of the other states are Life & health, and Property & casualty courses. Why we are mentioning these differences here is because these form the basics for insurance continuing education California.

Since insurance is one of those fields which mandates compulsory training and re-certification periodically, continuing education is quite a big industry. In the recent years, the preferred mode of insurance continuing education California has been online. A large percentage of agents in the state choose to do their courses and take their exams online, as it is extremely convenient and also very economical when compared to the fees at a local insurance school. In California, the number of required courses also is higher than the ones in most of the other states in America.

While some states have just one required courses, most have 2-3 topics that are required. However, California has five topics which need to be taken during each re-certification period, and that again is different from other states. Here, a new licensee in insurance would need to complete 25 hours of insurance continuing education every year for the first four years, and then 30 hours every two years. Then there are the specialties. For example, agents who sell long term care insurance policies are required to attend 8 hours of a special long term care module once every two years, and the rest of the training hours can be of any topic the agent chooses.

Like we mentioned in the first sentence of this article, there are some complex laws here, right? But in the long run, this continuing education will pay rich dividends to each agent, as their knowledge on the field is much higher compared to many other states' agents. Since training is so crucial here, online California insurance continuing education is growing in popularity each year. The money saved per year here will amount to much in the long run. To give you an illustration, online courses just cost about $ 1 per hour, payable after passing the exam! Find out how much it would cost at your local academy.

I recommend doing your insurance continuing education online. It is fast, easy, and affordable these days. It is also more convenient than going to a classroom and spending your weekends learning about CE. Do it on your own time and your own pace from the comfort of your home. California insurance continuing education is very important, because you do not want to lose your license or receive any fines from the state.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edward_J_Hulse

Insurance Continuing Education - Rules and Regulations

2009-12-14T02:24:00.000-08:00

The rules that govern continuing education in different states are quite different, and there are a lot of changes in the way CE is treated in various states. For instance, a state like Maine might require just one compulsory course - Insurance Ethics, while a state like California might require five different topics to be covered, failing which the license would not be renewed.

In Illinois State, there are two required courses: Flood Insurance Training, and Long Term Care Insurance Partnership Plan.

Apart from them, there are various kinds of insurance courses which can be chosen as per the advisor's interest. These optional courses can be broadly classified into life & health courses, and property and casualty courses. Since most insurance advisors anyway specialize in one of these kinds of insurance modules, it makes absolute sense to divide them into two categories and name them as optional. However, the compulsory subjects above are common for all kinds of insurance advisors.

Earlier, advisors had to head down to their nearest authorized insurance training institute and relearn the concepts in order to keep their certifications active and their licenses valid. However, with the advent of the internet, it is now possible to get Illinois Insurance Continuing Education certificates right from your home. The number of hours for each course has already been prescribed, and the material has been put online by the best authorized certification portals. All certifications from those sites are valid according to state laws as they are sourced from a reputed training and certification company.

The best part about Insurance continuing education Illinois is that it is quite economical when compared to the fees charged by an institute. While an advisor might spend a couple of hundred dollars on re-certification every couple of years, online, it might just cost him a few dollars! Think about the kind of savings which happen in the long run! For instance, one of the internet's leading insurance continuing education sites charges about $ 1 per hour; and for a compulsory course like Flood Insurance training, the cost would be just $ 3 (as the course is a 3 hour one). What's more; the course can be read free of cost and the exam can be taken free of cost. Only when the advisor passes the examination will he have to pay the fees of $ 3 so that the certificate can be issued! Beat that if you can - anywhere in Illinois!

Illinois insurance continuing education is also very important to gain knowledge of new laws, rules, and regulations for the agent. Stay current so you can suggest the best products and services for your clients. If you stop learning, they will find a knowledgeable agent that hasn't. We suggest doing your insurance continuing education in Illinois online. Because of how fast, easy, and affordable it is, most agents use this source to gain all of their required insurance CE hours every two years. Complete your CE hours online today from your couch!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edward_J_Hulse

Insurance Leads - Finding the Best Ones

2009-11-04T03:04:00.003-08:00

Is it possible for insurance agents to get insurance leads that are winners? Today's internet business community has made it easy. Agents can actually buy reliable leads from companies that provide insurance leads generation services. Though this runs into extra dollars it is nevertheless a tried and tested method of expanding the client base of insurance buyers for an agent. It also saves a lot of time which can be utilized in convincing prospective insurance buyers and coaxing them to buy. So as an agent you would do well to look into getting leads from such companies and work them to win deals.

The first task for an insurance agent is to find insurance leads that yield results that is fetch them insurance buys. It is quite a tough task that involves effort in analyzing and deciding on a lead delivery service that suits your needs. But once you have found the right source for insurance your future business is pretty much secure. You could talk to your co agents and find out about their lead delivery companies. You could also get their feedback about the same. You could of course get mixed feedback about the same service with some agents claiming them to be winning insurance while others consider it a waste of good money. Some agents may not be forthcoming at all about a good service as they would treat you as nothing but competition.

To see for yourself if the leads generation service is good enough for you there are a few basic things you could verify. First thing is to see if the leads are in tune with your geography and your insurance line. The next thing is for you to find out how the leads are being generated - those that are generated from organic searches are usually found to be reliable. Those from affiliate programs and paid searches also are generally good but better taken with a pinch of salt. Next you should check if enough details are provided about the leads so that you can easily follow them up. Usually the company web site provides samples of lead content which you can verify else you may explicitly ask to see samples.

Bogus leads are part and parcel of any lead delivery company's output. Several companies discount such leads and you should look out for their services. Cost discounts for bulk buying of insurance leads is also available from some services. You will also need to ensure that you get enough volume of insurance leads to make them effective. Lower number of leads is okay too as long as they are high quality. Getting your insurance leads at the right place and time is critical in making it a winning lead. You could opt to get them with immediate effect in to your mailbox or text message box or the platform on which you host your quotes. Finally always consider lead price in the light of lead quality. After all paying a higher price for better business makes sense.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Palm_Ahein

Is Your Insurance Agent Finding You the Highest Rate Possible?

2009-11-04T03:04:00.001-08:00

Sounds ridiculous, right? Well, maybe not. In the online age, we now have access to millions of websites that tell us we can get the lowest insurance rate possible. In fact, you may already think you have the lowest rate possible for your car insurance. But are you sure? And how do you really know? Just because your agent told you so doesn't make it true.

Did your agent show you a quote from all the insurers he or she represents? The odds are they didn't. My experience in the industry tells me you probably didn't ask to see the comparison quotes, and instead told the agent you wanted the lowest rate with the best coverage, which is clearly subjective. Even if you did look at the quotes, did you understand everything you were looking at, or did you just look at the price. If the price was higher, was the difference explained to you?

Unfortunately, insurance is just like any other business in the world. There are people you can trust and people you cannot. Trouble is, with our lack of understanding, it's hard to tell the difference. It shouldn't shock you when I say there are insurance agents out there who look for the highest price they can find for your policy. Why? It's simple math, their commission, or how they get paid, is a percentage of the policy premium. It only makes sense to some agents to earn as much money as possible from selling you insurance.

Let's look at an example of how this may play out with an agent who quotes your policy with two different insurers who pay a 15% commission with the same exact coverage and liability limits offered by both:

Insurer A:

Offered rate: $1,400.00

Agent commission: ($1,400 x 15%) = $210.00

Insurer B:

Offered rate: $1,250.00

Agent commission: ($1,250 x 15%) = $187.50

The agent may sell you a policy from insurer A (with the same car insurance liability limits) to collect an additional $22.50, at an additional cost of $150.00 to you. You may doubt that an agent would bother selling a more expensive policy for a mere $22.50, but when you consider the volume of every policy sold, you could be looking at a difference of several thousand dollars a year in additional income for the agency.

The very fact that we find this sort of practice hard to believe is the main reason it takes place so often. The best way to guarantee you get the lowest rate available for your insurance policy is to ask to see all the quotes and demand your agent walk you through each policy to explain anything you don't understand. The savings are often in the small details.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Plank

Allstate Insurance and Brilliant Marketing Tactic

2009-11-04T03:03:00.000-08:00

It is often amazing how well insurance carriers do with their branding and marketing. After all, Geico has their own gecko, and we've all seen those cool Caveman ads; and we all know we're in "good hands with Allstate," or at least were told that, and "like a good neighbor, States Farm is there." It never ceases to amaze me how creative and brilliant some of these marketing programs have been.

If you read Advertising Age Magazine, they are constantly giving awards to marketers, and public relations companies for their wonderful work in the insurance industry. Of course, there is a new ad with Allstate now, Allstate insurance tells new potential clients, that if they decide to switch insurance companies that they will break the news to your old insurance company or agent so you don't have too.

Just imagine your new insurance agent, calling your old insurance agent and saying "Ha ha ha, we just took your client, and we're gonna take more." Because basically that's what they're telling the customer they will do for them. Worse, imagine being the old insurance agent in getting a call?

Apparently, Allstate studied their new customers, and considered some of the reasons people are afraid to switch, and after doing this research they decided that many people were afraid to close out their older insurance agent's account, because they didn't want to hurt their feelings, or confront them.

In fact, if you call your old insurance agent and you tell them you are thinking of switching, they'll tell you to come to their office to go over your policies to see if they can reduce the cost for you. And sometimes they will end up up-selling you more insurance services. Exactly why you didn't want go to visit them in the first place.

In any case this was a brilliant marketing strategy by Allstate. Indeed, it was so good, that I highly expect other industries to copy this strategy. I expect banks, stockbrokers, and even financial planners to try the same strategy and tactic in their ads. We shall see. Please consider this.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes that if you have diabetes you have information, that you need to know; diabetic diet

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

Are You in it to Sell Insurance Or Build a Business?

2009-11-04T03:01:00.000-08:00

Some people get into the insurance industry to buy themselves a job. When unemployment is rising and you face extreme competition for every job you apply for... the idea of securing a job for yourself seems like a good option. Others don't want a sales job they want a business.

The agents who want a sales job are sales representatives for the insurance companies they sign on with. If you choose the sales representative route you should:

* Buy yourself a good headset because you'll need it to make a lot of cold calls
* Buy a high quality pair of comfortable shoes because you're going to need to pound the pavement
* Toughen up your thin skin and guard your glass jaw because you're going to get a lot of resistance and rejection.

This is one tough sales job. You can expect a lot of hard work with few rewards for your efforts.

If you are expecting the insurance company to provide you with the marketing plans and tools you need to succeed you will be greatly disappointed. If the tools provided by the insurance industry worked well you wouldn't expect to see 85% of the new agents fail within their first 18 months but they do.

By the time most sales representatives figure out the things they are told will work won't it's usually too late.

However; you may be different. You may have the determination, persistence, and tenacity to beat the odds.

Others enter the insurance industry because they don't want a j-o-b. They want a business that provides for them today and all their future days. They want the financial security and personal freedom business ownership can bring.

To make that dream a reality you will need to successfully address and head-off the push back:

1. I already have an agent.
2. I'm not interested.
3. I don't need this expense right now.

To overcome and remove the push back you will need to:

1. Communicate what's unique or special about how you help people get what they want
2. Give your prospects a reason to be interested in what you can help them get
3. Help prospects see what you sell as the investment required to get the solution, outcome, or result they are already looking for.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Clausen

Insurance Agent Websites - The Two Things Your Agent Site Must Do to Get the Sale

2009-10-05T07:08:00.003-07:00

As an insurance agent you know the value of relationships. But your website might be the closest your customers ever get to you. Does your website further your relationships? Does it reflect your professionalism and knowledge? Or, does it encourage your prospect to think of your site only as a place to "get a quote"?

Done properly, your agent website should communicate two straightforward ideas to your prospects:

1. Why are you the right insurance agent to meet their unique needs? Do you have the experience, knowledge, professionalism, and ethics to meet their needs? Do you understand them?
2. Do you work with the right carriers to meet their unique needs? Do the carriers you work with offer the right product, with the right rating, at the right price? Can you zero in to the product that is right for your prospect?

That's it!

If a prospect comes to your website and answers 'YES' to these two questions, you have an extremely good chance of closing the sale.

So why are insurance agent websites so complicated? Because, while there are only two things they have to get right, there are lots of ways they can mess them up. We've gathered the ten most common mistakes we see insurance agents make with their websites:

1. Confusing a "Quote Engine" with a "Website"

Putting a logo on a quote engine will not help your prospects trust you. In fact, it often does the opposite. By pushing your prospect to "get a quote" too fast, you're showing them that you are just interested in the sale, not meeting their needs.

2. Burying YOUR information and YOUR contact information

Make yourself present on your site. Put your picture on the home page, add your bio, and most importantly, make sure your contact information is easily found on every page of your site.

3. Failing to keep your site up-to-date

Just as old carpet and peeling wallpaper in your office gives the wrong message to your prospects; stale content tells your visitors that you aren't minding the store. Update your site often, keep the images seasonal and timely, and let your visitors know that you're an active participant in their online experience.

4. Skipping the basics

Even if they don't ask, your prospects don't know as much about insurance as you might think. Take the time to educate them, explain their options, and help them make the right decision.

5. Ignoring your prospect's perspective

The images you put on your site tell your client a lot about how well you understand them. Make sure your site reflects them - pick photos of people similar to your prospects doing activities that your prospects are likely to enjoy.

6. Forgetting to spread the word

Don't just turn your site on - launch it. Send an email to all of your clients, contacts, and business partners letting them know about your site. It's a great way to remind them of you, and they'll save the email for the next time they need you. Put your website on your business card, letter head, mailings, and email signature.

7. Isolating your site from the rest of the web

The web is meant to be connected, so don't isolate your site. Create a page where you feature links to partners you work with, local resources, or even other helpful sites you've found. Send an email to all of those sites telling them what you've done and ask them to link back to you in return.

8. Blogging

While blogs are easy to set up, they are very difficult to maintain. Unless you're a pent-up writer bursting at the seams with things to say, you'd be wise to skip the blog. At best, it's going to take time away from selling, and at worst it's going to make your site look neglected.

9. Cliché images

We've all seen the pictures of the men in suits shaking hands, the corporate head quarters, and the infamous globe on home pages. These cliché images don't communicate anything to your visitor. Select images that show personality and reflect the people that you sell to.

10. Not having a website at all

A website is no longer an option. Your prospects are online. If you aren't, they are going to go somewhere else. It's as simple as that.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aaron_Kassover

Health Insurance Lead Generation - Savior to Insurance Agents

2009-10-05T07:08:00.001-07:00

How does an agent cope with the health insurance market when the competition becomes fiercer by the minute? The answer to this question is very simple; health insurance leads generation. With the traditional way of finding prospect customers, the agents will have to promote their policies door-to-door, or via phone calls to randomly selected customers. However, spending this much of time on finding potential customers will not guarantee any return because most of the consumers will not appreciate this approach. So, a better solution has come; health insurance leads generation, a system to provide services to agents or agencies out there with a list of customers. This list is not a random one like the traditional list, but a list of customers who are really interested.

As the awareness of health goes more visible, it is undeniable that many people are looking for a suitable health insurance for their health coverage. Be it for them individually or to cover the entire family. When this occurs, consumers will go online and do some research for more information before they are committed with any insurance policy. This system actually provides an online form for customers to fill out their basic information and their desired policies. At the end of the day, the system will send an email to the agents with the complete information of the potential clients so that the agents could do follow-up for sales. By using this service, the insurance agents will spend less time in finding prospect customers and at the same time they can concentrate on selling their policies to those who are really interested.

By submitting themselves with health insurance leads generation, agents could be guaranteed to have a steady flow of customers without the need to rely on cold calls for customers. Instead, they will now have a constant source of potential clients in order to have a strong and steady business. With this, the agents will have to be alert at all times to make sure that they do the follow up as soon as possible to avoid the potential clients from getting cold feet. The best of all, now the agents will be able to know what the customers are looking for (from the information received) and sell them their desired policies at attractive prices!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francis_Murphy

Why is it Important to Launch an Online Insurance Agency?

2009-10-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

Remember the days when you used to call a travel agent to book that annual family vacation, your business trips or just a quick get-away? Your favorite travel agent knew you, your preferences and would even call you with that occasional "great deal."

Where is that travel agent today? Well, the traditional travel agent is an almost extinct species. Between 1996 and 2006, travel agents saw commissions from air travel, their historical "cash cow", all but disappear; going from 61% of their revenue to 7% of their revenue . Why? The Internet and do-it-yourself websites such as Travelocity.com and many other similar sites. Travel agents that didn't adapt went out of business. By the way, that agent that called you with the special offer or got you the seat in the exit row is still in business.

Today, with the increasing number of online insurance quoting and information sites, insurance agents are about to fight the same battle for survival that travel agents faced - and lost - 10 years ago. Fortunately, insurance agents still have time to reach out to their customers and buyers to avoid the same plight that awaited the travel agent. However, between regulatory changes, government mandates and, most important, buyers that want to handle more of their interactions online, insurance agents have a relatively small window to proactively establish their online presence.

We know customers of all ages are online - buying, researching, banking and networking. We also know that the 'silver tsunami' - the massive wave of boomers retiring within the next ten years - is becoming more comfortable conducting more of their activities online. If insurance agents don't adapt quickly, they will lose a major opportunity - communicating with customers and prospects online. Why is this so important? Because trending research shows that buyers are going online to validate with whom they're doing business. As a result, if an insurance agent doesn't have a high-quality website, there is a good chance they will also lose the customer.

One of the best solutions for independent insurance agents, small agencies and insurance brokers is a website-building platform that allows you to build, launch, and customize a professional website in minutes. The advantage of such a platform is that the agent doesn't have to have any technical expertise and can begin to direct customers and prospects to his or her website right away.

Agents that don't have a solid Internet strategy in place today are at risk of losing their customers in the near future. Simply putting your logo on a quoting engine is not enough. Having a high quality website is a critical piece of the toolkit that agents need to succeed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dvora_Ivankowski

How to Use Cost Per Acquisition Marketing to Fill Up Your Pipe Line

2009-09-10T23:49:00.001-07:00

All over the internet there are ads asking for people to submit their personal information in order to get a free quote for insurance. This method is used in the property and casualty, Life, and health insurance industries. What may surprise you is that the companies that place these ads only pay for the forms that are filled out. The companies whose branding is displayed in these ads do not pay for their position on the site or even clicks. The advertiser only pays for forms that are completed.

This form of marketing is call cost per acquisition marketing. In most cases it is referenced as C.P.A marketing. Do not get C.P.A marketing confused with certified public accountant marketing.

I am going to give you an introduction into how c.p.a networks work and how to use them to generate an endless supply of quality leads.

First off c.p.a networks are marketing companies that have a large network of websites. There are three parties involved in c.p.a marketing. First there is the publisher these are the people who own the websites that the c.p.a offers appear on. Second there is the middle man that is the owner of the c.p.a network who pays the publisher for each form that is filled out. And last but certainly not least is you the advertiser. Unlike P.P.C marketing were you pay for each time someone clicks our your ad with c.p.a marketing you only pay for leads that have been filled out. Now that I am on the subject of pay per click marketing. On the average it takes 250 clicks to get one solid leads. Now if you are paying a dollar a click that means you are out 250 dollars before you generate one lead. The pay per click method is just to expensive to implement in the insurance business. This is why large companies use c.p.a marketing. It is a lot less expensive then pay per click marketing and a lot more effective. All lead companies buy leads from c.p.a networks as well.

The first step in setting up your own marketing campaign is to find a c.p.a network that specializes in generating insurance leads. A simple search on any of the search engines will provide you a list of c.p.a networks. The second step is negotiate a rate that you are willing to pay for each exclusive lead. I have contracts with several c.p.a networks and I get paid from 10 to 50 for each lead I generate. A simple lead with name phone e-mail and amount insurance normally sells from five to ten dollars. The c.p.a network uses software to make sure the phone number and address match up. Unfortunately there are people who fill out fake information. A full application sells for a hundred dollars. All the information on lead must be verified prior to payment.

The second step is to create a creative. If you have ever seen the dancing woman or any other moving pictures asking you to lower your insurance this is a creative. Ask the c.p.a network which creative has the best conversion. This is not an exact science but some creatives generate more leads than others.

The third step is to launch the campaign and monitor your results. When you sign up for an account with one of these companies you will be assigned an account manager. It is in the account managers best interest that your campaigns generate quality leads. So make use of your account manager. If your leads are converting you are going to keep doing business with the c.p.a network. So it is in every bodies interest that the leads are good. Unlike some lead companies that can sell bad information, and find another person to buy the bad information. C.p.a networks want you to stick around.

This was a cliff notes version of how these networks work and how you can use them. These networks are most effective with low cost insurance like term life or car insurance. That said they can fill your day with writing business instead of chasing it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Dowdy

37 Killer Insurance Sales Generating Lead-In Selling Phrases For Closing More Sales Instantly

2009-09-10T23:48:00.001-07:00

Killer insurance selling phrases persuade the emotions within your lead prospect into emotionally wanting your product. This results into converting leads and closing more sales instantly. 37 key lead-in selling phrases using killer sales words to attract and lure insurance buyers are provided here. Instantly closing more sales is ammunition to stop competition in their tracks.

Researching key insurance selling phrases shows that sales people do not grasp how significant emotions and impulses are in the sales process. After obtaining a quality lead prospect, you must first find your prospective customer's key emotion. Then you pound it home with killer sales words and phrases that nail down the urge in the prospective insurance customer to buy now. This combination separates true sales people from mere order takers. The biggest gamble you take is not trying to generate more sales.

Feel free to start injecting killer sales generating phrases to make a blockbuster sales presentation. Experience how adding certain phrases break down the barriers. In fact, the blueprint for success is to stop normal insurance selling and use insurance sales generating phrases like a ten-ton magnet. Start pulling customers in with a supercharged desire to buy from you.

Experienced insurance career people have the knack of adjusting sales messages. By keying in on lead-in phrases, a prospect keeps leaning closer and closer to the actual sale. All the while, the prospect is kept off guard by phrases and statements the average insurance sales person would not even consider. The skilled sales pro already knows how the prospect will react and respond. With this skill utilized, the insurance sales person is avoiding almost every objection from arising.

Start with frequently using and sharpening up effective word phrases and statements that captivate insurance buyers. As a result, closing more sales instantly becomes routine.

1. I was not going to mention this, but
2. My competition will be mad about this, but I am going to tell you this unique benefit
3. I am going to show you a basic plan and a deluxe one. When I am done, you decide which one suits you best. Does that sound fair?
4. How am I doing so far?
5. Not every ___ policy is created equal; this one exceeds what most of my customers expect
6. Maybe you can not afford it
7. As the best in the industry, you can own the finest ______ coverage. You do want the most complete coverage, don't you?
8. With this plan you need to be knowledgeable to benefit
9. All the obstacles are eliminated
10. There is no substitute for _____.
11. Instant extra cash in your pocket is of course a benefit you will receive.
12. This is somewhat embarrassing, but I too thought ______ until
13. Some people just cannot understand
14. It seems you are the type of person who ____
15. Have you been a victim of ______ like so many of my customers have?
16. I am hoping that you fall into this category. Am I right?
17. This protection combines the most outstanding features.
18. Is it okay if I explain this simply and clearly, as I always want my customers to understand what they are receiving?
19. You will find more to like than ever before.
20. I will not pull punches, but I will be honest to expose both the benefits and limitations of your coverage. Is this the way you want me to proceed?
21. Is it all right, if I start by separating fact from fiction about ____ insurance?
22. This is the best deal in town and it still fits your budget.
23. Only __ out of __ people fit our requirements
24. The low cost alternative
25. Lock in your offer now, do you want to make quarterly payments or save on paying annually?
26. Every member of the family will be delighted
27. My professional expertise is in working with people on ____ insurance, and then letting them decide what is best. Does that sound okay to you?
28. This is not just another ______
29. A lifetime of satisfaction
30. Invest in yourself and your future
31. You will feel confident if you need to make a claim.
32. No compromising on quality
33. This is not a misprint
34. A completely new perspective
35. Most of my customers seem to prefer _____. Let me show you, and see if you agree, okay?
36. You will feel as good as you look
37. ____ is about to be turned upside down

Do want to rise up your present sales status to that of a true professional? Provoking expected reactions from your lead prospects ends with more sales presentations closed. Therefore, what you say must not resemble messages other salespeople use. Change prospects from being on the alert to being receptive and wanting to hear more. Testing and adapting some of the selling phrases listed above might be all that it takes for closing more sales.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Final Expense TeleSales - Business is Booming

2009-09-10T23:47:00.000-07:00

There is one thing you can say about Selling Final Expense Insurance to Seniors and that is it's recession proof. Whether it's a good economy or a bad economy, selling Final Expense Insurance is the way to go.

Not only are burial insuranc sales recession proof it also is one form of Insurance the Government and regulator don't mess with and most likely won't in the near future. If you have ever sold health insurance with it's yearly rate hikes or Med Advantage, you know exactly what we mean. And then there is Long Term Care... No thank you!

The real trick though with selling Final Expense Insurance is finding that right Insurance Selling System. Most agents don't make $100k per year and that is sad since there is so much opportunity to make that and so much more if you find that right system.

Most agents don't focus on one thing or they do and then can't keep there book of business because rates keep going up and they have to start over every year or the Government changes regulations and all those agents run to the next hottest thing.

Ah, then there is Final Expense Insurance. Such a simple product with little or nothing to learn. You can master it in about a week. There are no moving parts and it is so easy for clients to understand. There is no complicated language about what is covered and what is not. No complicated illustrations or contracts to decipher. There is no question as far as need since we all die. And it won't put any client in the poor house.

How simple is this - Client dies..... Beneficiary gets some money!

Selling Final Expense in and of itself isn't necessarily profitable. It really boils down to how you do it and what platform you use in selling it. The old way is out and not very profitable anymore.

What's the old way? Running appointments in the field, knocking on doors, spending $25-35 for the good leads..... you get the point.

The way to be successful today Selling Final Expense Insurance and the way to cut your personal expenses to practically ZERO and cut lead costs by more than 75% is with final expense telesales.

Final Expense TeleSales has all the advantages of making money without all the expenses and limitation running appointments in the field has. The real trick though is finding the right platform and group to work with. Not many people have all the pieces in place to make Final Expense Telesales Profitable. It's a tricky business if every piece of the puzzle is not in place. This is where doing your due diligence and research is so crucial to your success in this business.

Selling final expense is the future of selling insurance for those agents that want a simple non complicated product that is recession proof. Not only is it easy to learn and sell but the Market is exploding with new customers every day as the population gets older.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Rohrer

Equity-Indexed Annuity Sales - Seniors Retirement Savings Stability Burned, Any Steak Left?

2009-08-23T06:48:00.004-07:00

Seniors Retirement Savings placed into an equity-indexed annuity was burned. Do financial representatives have enough steak and credibility left to alter an equity-indexed annuity into safer senior retirement savings? With stability absent, should a senior's shaky annuity foundation still be indexed on an equity basis or changed?

Equity-indexed annuity sales seemed like the perfect solution to insurance companies trying to gain ground on total assets maintained in relation to their competitors. Financial representatives are be paid highly rewarding commissions, while the insurers maintain a good profitability margin. Consumers, especially the wealthy and elderly were easy to convince hold fast their retirement savings could increase. Past performance history showed saving stability and better returns than other investment opportunities. Seniors took the bait, financial reps reeled in the cash, and insurance companies profited from the catch. However seniors were never explained the crushing economic effects of surrendering all or part of their EIA policy.

An EIA, equity-indexed annuity, is similar to a hybrid mixture of mixing together features from fixed annuities and variable annuities. A guaranteed interest rate is paid out by fixed annuities. This is a similar concept to bank certificates of deposits, which many seniors had their retirement savings stability banked on. However, fixed annuities could provide higher rates and add on attractive riders than plain CD's could not. Variable annuities use sub-accounts; similar to choosing mutual fund portfolios to invest in, where you invest in the stocks of many companies.

The advantage of the equity-indexed annuities is taking the best features of fixed and variable, and allowing you to accumulate retirement savings or receive a monthly income from the accumulated values. So not only is the participant receiving a minimum interest rate, but share in the stock market, which tends to gain in value. Now it became possible to without the associated risks, earn stock market returns. Until recently, some insurance companies proclaimed it almost sold itself.

The financial representative could earn up to 10% in commissions for finding someone to invest. Selling one of these annuities with a face amount of just $50,000 could result in $5,000 commissions. Before the economic downturn, over 120 billion dollars were invested in indexed annuities, many sold to seniors who are usually not the most suitable purchasers if they are seeking retirement savings stability. Combining the tremendous stock market plunge, with initial fees, and high surrender charges EIA, equity-indexed annuity products have badly burned the wealth and the seniors.

WHAT SHOULD THE FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVE DO? If you talk to a senior that current has an EIA, ask them personally about their feelings. Would getting out of the EIA, despite the surrender charges imposed be a true solution? The potential client has true feelings about stability, and being asked again to take risks is not right. If the equity-indexed annuity was sold to them by an inexperienced insurance/financial representative, that person is probably already out of the business. A lifetime income annuity also recognized as an immediate annuity could be solution. A guaranteed income sure beats one based on an EIA chance. This chance taken, is sending too many semi-wealthy individuals struggling to now adjust to a middle-income lifestyle.

For the future of annuity salespeople who have experience, honesty, and trust building qualities this economic disaster should be viewed as a great opportunity for gaining clients and a strong reputation. For agent trainees of improperly titled financial pretenders both are losing clients they never should have pursued. These imposters are getting a permanent kick out the door. This is just treatment for them and the insurance company that hired them for taking advantage of so many seniors and transferring the wealth of many people's assets and retirement savings into a devastating nightmare.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing, brokerage, sales, and recruiting information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Insurance Headlines Use Strategy Words For Compelling Results - Double Response Rates

2009-08-23T06:48:00.003-07:00

Compelling Responses using strategy words placed in insurance headlines overwhelm readers. Eyeballs pop and emotion rips with strategy word phrases pumping adrenaline into insurance headlines. Enough dynamite is released, compelling results that double response rates. The cheapest and fastest strategy is using intriguing headlines to conquer your key insurance marketing battleground.

Grabbing undivided attention with new client audiences causes driving the message home, and rocking the client's world enough is the only compelling way to ensure response rates that can double. The strategy words using laser precision are planted into the insurance headline of the message. This authentically trumps conventional tricks and grunt work by instantly driving a fork in the road for the prospect to either use a thinly veiled excuse to block the mouth of the pathway or continue reading your perfectly balanced message. Since the insurance headline is your marketing bonanza, magnify effectiveness and send your competitors back on the chain gang.

Using strategy words produces compelling words, as that exactly why you have read this article so far. You will be provided with a whole list of these emotionally challenging word phrases to not only use in the insurance headline but to integrate in perfect balance throughout your response pounding message. Strategy words using in the above paragraph to compel encouragement to keep reading include laser precision, authentically trumps, thinly veiled excuse, perfectly balanced, marketing bonanza, magnify effectiveness, back on the chain gang, grunt work, fork in the road, and undivided attention. Use word phrases like these 10 are mightier than the sword to double the rate of attention and response received.

So much mail is pitched for the same reasons and chilly cold calls are frozen connections. The main reason for data processing was not utilized, making certain delivery was attempted on eager qualified prospects. The can be overcome by exploring the world of target marketing where only prime prospects are aimed at. The second reason is that you might have had a live client fall asleep with you initial introduction. After that, nothing could resurrect the person enough except to pitch your message or slam down the phone. Your message must start with an explosive motivational message and continue the fireworks until you make sure your communication rates a response to being interested in talking more about insurance products.

So far, you have received only 10 compelling word phrases to double your responses rates with superior motivation driving insurance headlines. Here are another 10 to zoom your quest to be the best. These phrases are move heaven and earth, 101 ways to benefit - these 3 most, a free gift for replying, accomplish the impossible, a gold mine of information, adrenaline rush, act now for this bonus, all applicants approved, affordable alternative, and allstar lineup of products.

Why stop now? Here are another invaluable dozen to see results soar. These insurance headline phrases are: alleviate the pain, all aces, always a knockout, action-packed, an explosion is coming, announcing the newest edition, around the clock services, ask yourself this question, alternative strategies, amazing discovery, attractive investments, and at last it has arrived.

Hint: It takes me almost as long to write a headline and the first few lines of message communication as the remainder of the action resulting piece. Obtaining double response rates or higher makes it all worthwhile.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Professional Financial Investment Advisor - Why Didn't You Sell Me a Fixed Annuity Income?

2009-08-23T06:48:00.001-07:00

A professional financial investment advisor sounds like a great title. Yet few "professional financial advisors" seek the right people to sell a fixed annuity income investment. To sell a fixed annuity income plan to an already qualified prospect is easy.

You did not ask me. Your guideline statistics ruled me out as being a fixed annuity income plan Your assumptions got you into trouble as you had no competition where spreadsheets and company comparison analysis was needed. You would not have had to fight off any objections to making a decision. You cannot have a sales opportunity when you do not know how to spot one. After all this, can you still call yourself a qualified professional financial investment advisor?

Your first wrong assumption When you decided or were directed by your sales manager to sell financially related products, you were told the style of people not to waste your time on. Almost all true advisors to investors, along with agency crowned financial representatives are headquartered in the more prosperous suburbs of large metropolitan areas. This way the rep is in close proximity to where their key clients work and live.

WRONG Pounding out freezer burned cold calls and mailers could provide a steady stream of willing investors with sizable assets. However, representative after representative is virtually knocking down their doors. Did ever think that the more unique businesses owners can choose to operate out of any location in the United States. To get away from the concrete jungle, their business is easily located in a smaller town, and still easily accessible. As their business location avoids rush hour traffic, likewise the home is also in a less populated zip code. You want to go by the teachings of your predecessors so you avoid prospects in more remote as they do not appear to fit the mode.

Your second wrong assumption As an advisor selling financial investments you want to work exclusively with executives, and business owners of a certain asset level. A list broker gets instructions by you to target zip codes where the average income is over $100,000, the house worth more than $500,000 and personal liquid assets a similar amount. Zip codes can be very deceiving for giving pinpointed fixed income information. Averages can be misleading, as a $50,000 income and a $200,000 income average out to be $100,000. There could be a large number of manufactured home communities with residents averaging $25,000 income hiding higher earning individuals. You might be wrong that using zip code selection is a good fixed annuity income strategy.

Your third wrong assumption You receive purchase a guide or lists showing the highest income workers in an area. Attorneys, physicians, and physical store owners would be among the top prospects listed. It is natural to assume that not anyone not on your occupational list or wealthy senior over 65 is worth pursuing. The non-workers as they must be bums, stuck in the middle class, or sliders on other people's income. What about people that are social security disabled or who inherited money? You completely ignore that possibilities exist.

I failed all your assumptions - I do not live or work in a large affluent metropolitan suburb. My zip code contains a few manufactured homes, many hometown USA houses, along with an abundance of beautiful lakefront small lake homes. Since I am on Social Security Disability, my income puts me in a lower bracket.

How you could have wisely spotted me My homestead is on 55 acres in a zip code of lots averaging a half to full acre. From the county office, you could have located me on a plat mat by acreage. Likewise, the tax rolls would show the excessive homestead taxes that I paid. You could have spotted dividends earned on mutual funds, when I formerly had twice as much value in them. From an internet search, you would have discovered that I own more than one piece of property. You could have checked for Corvette owners and found that I own a few.

These are all simple clues, which a flood of professional financial investment advisors could not figure out. Before the economic downturn, if even one had figured this out, he or she would have made a worthwhile fixed annuity income sale. Here is another underground method to finding overlooked leads. Look at the newspaper obituaries posted where services take place at upscale funeral facilities. This is digging, not grave digging. Right there are a listed supply of names and cities of people who may come into inheritances, or be soon changing their lifestyles.

Remember that to make money in insurance or as a financial investment advisor, adapt to conducting business in a different manner than everyone else.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Creative Insurance Marketing Websites - Permanent 100% Guaranteed Traffic Ranking Increases

2009-08-18T23:27:00.003-07:00

The price for designing creative insurance marketing websites without a guaranteed traffic clause starts at $1,000 and increases quickly. Without 100% permanent traffic boosting content these websites are useless. Find content ranking and trafficking techniques that permanently increase visitors.

Your current website, if you have one, is probably a mansion in the slums. It is like a store paying rent in a supermall with only an occasional customer. There is no doubt that contracting and paying someone $1,000 to $2,500 to build a 5 page website will have a beautiful outside appearance. Your website contractor will probably add some bells like listing your website name on 250 search engines and directories. However, this does even promise getting listed on Yahoo, or telling you it could be a month before Google recognizes your site. So while this added $199 benefit sounds great for traffic increases, little true website activity is noticed.

Next you are brainwashed on the idea that pay per click advertising, like those small Google ads seen everywhere will increase visitors. If you set an advertising budget of $100 monthly, that is another $1,200 in expenses. While your insurance marketing website will get more traffic, what quality will it be? IF you are an expert in pay per click ads, you will probably get enough results to pay ad costs and possibly make some profit. Remember that the ad clicker could just love clicking, be a youngster, a competitor, or a curiosity tire kicker. For each click, good or bad, you pay, until your monthly ad budget is exhausted.

Do not be surprised to receive consistent invitations at today only prices to get your internet site ranked in the top 10 for a single internet search term. The reduced price usually runs $100 to $200 each. If you chose "Ohio internet marketing organization", "Dayton Ohio insurance specialists," "ABC term life insurance products," "John Smith life insurance rate quotes," and "Midwest universal life marketers," the cash outlay would be $500.00 minimum. Also there is no 100% guarantee you will be permanently in the top ten 100 days from now. I warn you of lots of tricky and appealing advertising methods attracting you to start profiting from your dead website.

CREATIVE INSURANCE MARKETING WEBSITES DONE RIGHT Realize immediately that search engines like Google could care less how much website mansions with revolving doors look like or cost. You cannot find a much blander site that that of Google's own domain. That is actually the preferred route of many top ranking sites, plain and simple with no flash.

The Internet world is built on the concept that people are searching for content. Tons of content that can satisfy their need is the mainstream bloodline. Do not expect a person who somehow clicks on your domain to stay on it more than 15 seconds if they fail to find the information they are looking for. Insurance marketing websites done right, share a common feature. That feature is creative meaningful subject matter.

GUARANTEED TRAFFIC CONCERNED WITH YOUR SUBJECT MATTER Look through the eyes of the person looking at your insurance marketing material. Television uses the concept of brand marketing, which might work for tangible goods like automobiles or food. With insurance, you are not selling something tangible, so do not expect that mentioning a brand name will do anything for you. Too often, I will see a statement like, "Disability income coverage is provided by XYZ Insurance, an A+ rated insurance company."

So what! There are well over 600 active life and health insurance companies out there. The true prospects that you want contacting you must have information first. Consider your information a closely knitted topic. The medium for writing this topical info is an article, not selling your firm or the company represented. Instead, it brings out details that prospects probably did not know. Topics could include what the function of disability income is, what disability income options are offered, how much disability insurance you figure someone should own, the statistics of needing disability income, and in depth information about the insurance company offering it. Wow, there are five meaty subject matter contents that each increase your readers sought after facts. This enhances highly the chance to make a decision about doing business with you.

100% PERMANENT PERSONAL DOMAIN SITE IMPROVEMENT You realize the internet will only care about your site if it contains the insurance details that the person searching can find. Now there are a number of options on the best way to handle article topic information. You could personally write a series of articles to cover enough topic information and plant them on your creative insurance marketing website. A better approach is to do this and then also post the topics on a well known ezine or article site. This adds the additional benefits of having your topics posted on a large site where thousands of readers constantly visit to gain info on various subjects like yours. Moreover, after reading they have a direct link to visit your website to find out more.

GUARANTEED TRAFFIC RANKING INCREASES ON GOOGLE IF ... a professional writes your article. For a professional freelance article writer to super enhance your results they must have two skills. Like most writers, they must have the creative ability to motivate you reader while fulfilling the reader's quest for the desired information. This should follow strict article writing guidelines so your 400 to 700 word topic gets approved by the ezine or news posting directory site within at least 5 to 7 business days after it is submitted. Unlike most writers, they do not write flowery headlines and article introductions. These pros have the advantage of SEO, search engine optimization skills that take years of researching and testing to obtain. They have the ability to provide guaranteed traffic increases by increasing your search recognition on Google, Yahoo, and MSN.

Added benefits. This duo-talent is rare. When all is done you will not get a prize for writing excellence. However you will get what you need ... a flow of traffic that could very well continue for years.

The multi-talented person will provide writing with multiple key internet search terms that have both the main goals. This means inserting terms that are researched as being popular enough for internet insurance searchers to frequently use, plus where this same term is positioned high above your competition. Let's say a person is searching the internet for a disability insurance product with certain features like return of premium, and you wrote a topic article on this. Entering the phrase "disability income return of premium", they might find you at the top of thousand of listings, thereby prompting a click.

More paybacks. You will have much more than just a couple keyword phrases in the top ten, or thirty listings. I know some of my personal articles have up to 12 different top traffic ranking phrases for just one published topic. Once the article appears, you will be getting FREE quality traffic for years. If you have a series of articles, you could soon appear as the internet recognized expert on this topic. The hired writing professional will then give you credit as being the actual article writer. Other directory info sites and insurance sites of authority will copy your article also giving credit to you and a link to your site. You know the value of just obtaining one client, now multiply it. Here you will make many contacts, and be reimbursed many times over on your investment for traffic increases.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing, brokerage, sales, and recruiting information.

Come and get your FREE "Think and Grow Rich" Ebook by Napoleon Hill instantly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

10 Insurance LinkedIn Groups - 100,000 Clients Waiting For Your Business Communication Skills

2009-08-18T23:26:00.000-07:00

Imagine 100,000 clients waiting to hear your insurance business communication skills. Just becoming a member of 10 LinkedIn Groups provides plentiful clients waiting to make business connections.

If you were to buy a list of 100,000 various possible prospects and suspects, at $70/thousand it ends up costing $70,000. Moreover, this particular list includes a very complete business and personal file of every member with their qualifications, goals, and hobbies. Also included is the name of the company they own or are employed by. You should be thrilled to find out that the price of joining LinkedIn groups and the basic membership is free. You are even strongly encouraged to communicate with people of your choosing that have qualifications you feel are important. I would not go so far to say you have 100,000 leads, but 100,000 seeds.

This is excellent base ground for helping your career grow. If you are already failing, Goodbye. To enter a long career journey your path should intermingle with the business communication networking site of LinkedIn. I am going to give you some quick guidelines to use your insurance skills appropriately.

Here is a membership example of finding prospects that eventually could lead to prosperous insurance sales. After joining and being approved by 10 groups, you can have over 100,000 prospects and suspects free. Check the biographies of other members that share belonging to a certain group with you. Determine wisely ones you want to use your communication skills to contact. Many are very willing to connect because you share common business, educational, religious, or recreational interests with them. Once a two-way connection is established, you plant the roots to eventually sprout possible clients.

Imagining 100,000 clients waiting is not a dream. Here is proof of ten example groups to back it up.

1. Startup Specialists-worldwide-26,000 members "Invitation for people who believe they are startup specialists and love the challenges of startups." Many business startups today become the business leaders of tomorrow. See this as one of the top groups that encourage you to share your profile with other members. Can you see many of these people needing insurance shortly or in the not to distant future?

2. Google Group-all countries-16,000 approved. "This group is for people who use Google as their primary search engine! We know its YOU!" Glancing at the members listed, I was amazed at how many are either business owners or a key department head. Quite a number are self-employed.

3. OpenNetworker.com-worldwide-14,000 participants "As an OpenNetworker.com group participant you'll be able to interact with 14,000 fellow open networkers (people who are open to new opportunities and new connections). If you are serious about social business networking, here is your chance to prove it.

4. University of Michigan Alumni-everywhere-13,000 alumni "To connect all University of Michigan Alumni." If you are a college graduate, almost every US College has an alumni group on LinkedIn. You can even break down attendees by the years enrolled. Few college alumni have less than 1,000 registered.

5. Real Estate Finance & Investment Society-11,000 associates "For those interested in commercial or residential real estate... distressed mortgages, mortgage brokerage, lending/banking, etc." Looks like now is the perfect time to hook up and start placing in some perennial bulbs.

6. Marketing Executives Group-international-10,000 executives "This is a worldwide group for marketing executives who want to collaborate and network to share cases, experience, and connect." You are an insurance marketing executive, are you not? Then you qualify to make high-level connections. It seems like an opportunity to find executives willing to send referrals to you.

7. Christian Professionals-10,000 common believers "Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and want to reflect this in your professional environment as well-A warm welcome to this group!" If you share this religious belief, you automatically have clients waiting with a bond of trust. The members contain thousands who are power sources in their community.

8. Retail Execs-7,000 Business Contacts "It's all about finding and being found. Retail Execs, the primary community for retailer and retail entrepreneurs. Its aim is to facilitate professional networking, learning, and sharing." If you mention in your biography that you work with retail executives, you will probably be accepted. Do not except immediate insurance sales. View large sales developing as a result of participating.

9. Hunters and Anglers-600 addicted members "This is a group meant for those of use who enjoy hunting, fishing, and the great outdoors... tell us about your greatest experiences" Do not only join the largest groups, or those that are strictly business. In checking some biographies of members I found another bond besides a hobby, and that was hard work ethics. Have fun, commenting about your hobby can land a big catch.

10. Classic Car Owners and Enthusiasts-450 classic buffs "This group joins enthusiasts all over the world of classic cars, young timers, old timers, Share your favorite driving tool with us." Learn and Earn. It you have a car passion; there are many of these social networking groups. An agent selling specialty car insurance through a carrier like Hagerty could make a number of classic sales.

Treat this 100,000 clients waiting article with care. Once you join LinkedIn, do not forget to invite members like me to connect. Reaching 100 connections will take a bit, but that certainly is just the beginning of using your business communication skills in this prime environment.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing, brokerage, sales, and recruiting information.

Come and get your FREE "Think and Grow Rich" Ebook by Napoleon Hill instantly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Lucrative Joint Venture Consulting - Partner With Your Insurance Agent

2009-05-23T06:56:00.003-07:00

We all get marketed to by our local friendly and often helpful Insurance Agent; most people just shrug the agent away. With comments like, I already have Insurance, don't need any, I'm busy etc. But as Joint venture Consultants we should be doing the exact opposite. You should run up to them grab hold of them and give them a hug, and here's why.

What many people do not know is exactly how an Insurance agent works, what they do in their day to day functions. You will not know what they do unless you have a friend or had a job as an Insurance agent its pretty much a unknown.

So here is some inside information you can use to grow your Consulting Practice. One, Insurance Agents continually come into contact with new prospects and is always build their list. Insurance firms also sponsor up to a half dozen or more meetings every year, where they invite their prospects and companies, and organizations to listen to their pitches. As you might have guessed, that can be, well pretty dry, at times. So what's that mean to a Joint Venture Consultant or Coach?

A lot really, first go to your Insurance agent and offer to speak at their event and share in any business, that result from your speech. Now what's in it for the Insurance agent? Their seminar enrollment is likely to grow because it's not the same old dry Insurance stuff. They can bracket your speech; they can speak before you and after you as well. Those are the best times to speak anyways; people tend to drift in a one hour speech. But people don't usually drift in the beginning or the end. The Insurance agent's goal is to get their message out to the audience.

Than you come out share your message about how they can build their Business, improve their life or accomplish their goals. The audience will appreciate someone new, the agent will have a new and interesting event where he gets to network with his prospects and you tap into a new list of prospects.

It's a win-win-win for everyone, and the biggest reason for you to grab your Insurance Agent and never let go.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Godines

Part II of - Attention Insurance Agents - Are You Acting As an Unregistered Investment Adviser?

2009-05-23T06:56:00.001-07:00

As discussed in the first part of this article, insurance only agents that sell equity indexed annuities may be unknowingly acting as an unregistered investment adviser and opening themselves up to regulatory scrutiny. There are three elements to the definition of an investment adviser; the first factor was discussed in Part One of this Article. In this article the final two elements of the definition will be discussed.

This second part of the "investment adviser" definition asks whether the person giving investment advice is in the "business" of providing investment advice. As with the first element, the SEC paints a broad brush with its interpretation of this "business." The SEC will look at several factors when analyzing the second part of the definition with the first being the frequency of the advice given. The insurance only agent should be concerned when there is a pattern of replacing securities with equity index annuities. The more often this happens the more likely they will meet this part of the element.

According to SEC Release No. 1092, they will consider this element met when one or more of three conditions are present. These include: 1) holding oneself out as an investment adviser; 2) receipt of separate or additional compensation clearly associated with the advice; or 3) specific investment advice is provided other than in rare isolated instances. Once again the insurance only agent who sells equity-indexed annuities may fall into anyone of these three. For example, many agents offer "Free Portfolio Analysis" as part of marketing their services. If this is part of an advertising campaign mailed to the public, the insurance only agent may be considered holding oneself out as an investment adviser. After all, they will be advising clients about the investments held in their portfolios.

In addition to these advertising offers, insurance only agent frequently move client's out of securities into annuities. By doing so, there may be a presumption that the insurance only agent offered advice on the securities the client previously held. If the agent has continually done this with multiple clients, a pattern of "regularity" could easily be found. It would behoove an insurance only agent to review his past recommendations to see if a pattern has been created inadvertent or not.

The final element concerns whether the advice given is "for compensation." In other words, as a result of giving the advice will the person giving it receive compensation? Once again the SEC has broadly interpreted this element. According to SEC guidance, the compensation does not have to be large; It does not have to come directly from the client; and it can come from a third party. There only has to be receipt of an economic benefit. With the large commissions equity-indexed annuities pay, it is clear that the SEC would consider that the advice has been given for compensation.

All insurance only agents that sell equity indexed annuities should take a close look at their sales practices to ensure they are not acting as an unregistered investment adviser. They may be putting their careers at risk!

These articles are not an exhaustive analysis of the definition of investment adviser. Each individual's situation may vary and a closer review should be taken if there are concerns.

David R. Millar is President of Integrity Compliance Consulting, Inc.

For more compliance and operations tips and assistance visit http://www.easy-ria.com and sign up for a FREE monthly e-zine, Compliance-Talk, designed to improve quality and efficiency of registered investment adviser's back office.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_R._Millar

100 Top National Insurance Companies Serving Employee Group Benefit Brokers

2009-05-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

Although this data is not 100% accurate, it is probably the most precise info available. Employee group benefit brokers need to know where to find the plans to fit their client needs. It is a well established fact that employers cannot handle the entire burden of providing a grocery list of benefits that their workers would like to have. As a result brokers are working with both the employee and his workforce. The worker is being given options of having additional coverages available with the convenience of premiums taken right from their paycheck. This is a win-win-win situation for the employer, the worker, and the agent.

Here you will find the top national insurance companies in this market, along with others marketing in most states. For brokers selling products with only one insurance company, it seems impractical and virtually impossible. I carry around a Swiss army knife, which although useful, often is incapable of performing the job correctly. Therefore, in my experience, I have found most agents selling plans more than occasionally, represent more than one insurance company. Like the Swiss army knife, no one insurance company can serve all situations. According to my records, the average broker involved in frequent sales represents 3 national insurance companies for this employee market.

For your convenience, there are two lists prepared alphabetically. The first are the carriers licensed to sell their employee benefit plans in all 50 states. The second listing is of states selling in a minimum of at least 40 states. All should have websites to receive fast additional information. With 100 top national insurance companies listed, maybe it is time to check out a couple more.

TOP NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANIES & Carriers Licensed in all 50 states

1. ACI Specialty Benefits

2. Advantica Eyecare

3. AFLAC

4. AIG Employee Benefit Solutions

5. Allstate Workplace Division

6. American Sentinel Insurance Company

7. Ameritas Group

8. Assurant Employee Benefits

9. Avesis

10. BCS Insurance Company

11. Beta Health Association, Inc.

12. Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company

13. CIGNA

14. Combined Insurance Worksite Solutions

15. CCG- Cost Containment Group

16. Davis Vision

17. Delta Dental

18. Dentali Dental and Vision

19. Dental Select

20. EyeMed Vision Care

21. EZ Meds USA

22. GPM Life

23. Great American Insurance of NY

24. Great American Supplemental Benefits Group of TX

25. Guardian Life Insurance Company

26. Hartford Life

27. HM Insurance Group

28. Humana

29. Independent Health

30. ING Employee Benefits

31. Liberty Mutual Group Benefits

32. Lincoln Financial Group

33. Madison Life Insurance Company

34. Magnum Dental & Vision

35. Majestic Underwriters

36. MedAmerica Insurance Company

37. Medico Insurance Company

38. MESVision

39. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company

40. Minnesota Life Insurance Company

41. Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company

42. Nationwide Financial

43. Patriot Health, Inc.

44. Petersen International Underwriters

45. PPO USA

46. Principal Financial Group

47. Prudential Company of America

48. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company

49. SecureCare Dental

50. Security Life Insurance Company of America

51. Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of NY

52. Spirit Dental Life and Vision

53. Standard Insurance Company

54. Standard Life Insurance Company of NY

55. Sun Life Financial

56. Super Vision Services

57. Symetra Financial

58. Transamerica Affinity Services in MD

59. Transamerica Worksite Marketing

60. Trustmark Voluntary Benefits Solutions

61. UNIFI Companies Retirement Plans

62. United American Insurance Company

63. United Concordia Companies

64. United Health Programs of America

65. Unum

66. VSP Vision Care

TOP MULTI-STATE INSURANCE COMPANIES Licensed in 40 or more states.

1. American Fidelity Assurance Company, minus NY

2. American Public Life Insurance Company, -NY

3. American United Life Insurance Company, -NY

4. ArmadaCare, -7 states

5. Assurity Life Insurance Company, -NY

6. BasicPlus Insurance Services, -10 states

7. Block Vision, -9 states

8. Brokers National Assurance Company, -6 states

9. Colonial Life, -2 states

10. Colorado Bankers Life Insurance Company, -2 states

11. Companion Life Insurance Company, -4 states

12. Conseco Insurance Companies, - 2 states

13. Continental American Insurance Company, -NY

14. Dominion Dental Services, Inc., -4 states

15. EMC National Life Company, - 2 states

16. First Dearborn Life Insurance Company, -NY

17. HealthPartners, -2 states

18. Illinois Mutual, -4 states

19. John Hancock, -2 states

20. Kansas City Life Group, -2 states

21. Minnesota Life Insurance Company, -2 states

22. Mutual Trust Financial Group, -2 states

23. Ohio National Financial Services, -3 states

24. Oxford Life Insurance Company, - 5 states

25. Penn Treaty Network America, -7 states

26. Renaissance Life and Health Insurance Company, -NY

27. Securian Dental Plans, -6 states

28. Significa Insurance Group, Inc., -5 states

29. Standard Life and Accident Insurance Company, -5 states

30. Starmark, -10 states

31. Texas Life Insurance Company, -NY

32. Transamerica Life Insurance Company, -5 states

33. Trustmark Life Insurance Company, -9 states

34. Western Reserve Life, -NY

Other insurer organizations and insurance companies

These cover most of the United States. They are American Continental Insurance Company, American Specialty Health Insurance Company, Best Life, Catholic Family Life, Columbian Mutual Life, Continental American Insurance, Eastern Life & Health Insurance Company, Equitable Life & Casualty, Guaranty Income Life Insurance Company, Kemper Investors, Pro Financial Services, and William Penn Association.

Shenandoah Life Insurance Company is not listed, as it is undergoing some difficulties. Apologies are in order to any companies catering to this market segment that were missed.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon early this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing and recruiting information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Insurance Success Tips and Tricks - The Greatest Known No Pressure Sales Person

2009-05-09T22:50:00.003-07:00

Wow, what if you, as a sales person could start out with a bag of insurance success tips and tricks? If would be especially rewarding if it come make you a no pressure sales person.A insurance sales person is trained by their company to use so much pressure that both the prospect and sales person are drained. The agent is often dripping with sweat by the end of the presentation. A no pressure presentation is relaxing for sales person and beneficial for the buyer. Here are 6 proven tips to put into use.

THE ONLY INSURANCE SALES PERSON IS A NO PRESSURE SALESMAN

Until you reach that stage you are merely a trainee, hoping to last enough to become a confirmed sales professional. Too many sales are lost because the sales person financially needs this sale and is worried the presentation will end without one. If you are using the presentation your company gave you, you have reason to worry. You will be entering the combat zone where the prospect will fire out an objection, and then you must wait to fire back overcoming the objection.

THE PROSPECT BUYS BECAUSE OF YOU, NOT BECAUSE OF YOUR PRODUCT

You are ready to lose the sale before you begin if you feel you must have the best product at the best price. With a decent prospect, the way you give the presentation determines 80% of the outcome. To become a no pressure sales person you must completely discard your company presentation, which is no more than a pacifier for people that can not sell. This is an insurance success tip, that MUST be followed.

IT IS FALSE THAT CLOSING OCCURS AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION

View a presentation like a steam pressure cooker that you must shut off if you want to get a sale. Leaving closing to the end and you certainly get burned. A super insurance agent starts to ignite closing techniques very early. No Fear. This problem of fear of not getting the sale comes from your natural fear of rejection. To stay in the sales survival game you have to learn to overcome this fear. A problem is already on the way to being solved when you identify the problem. Realize this fear isn't real, it is something you falsely created in your mind. To become a closer, you must destroy fear now. Fear builds tension causing objections to pop up. These in turn lead to losing sales.

THE MIND FRAME OF A GREAT SALES AGENT

You must desire with complete determination that if another salesman can do it, you can do it . A super salesman only becomes super upon finding this nugget of gold.. The nugget is engraved with the wording, "if you want to be the greatest you have to do what every other salesperson is not doing." Starting right now by convincing yourself why change must occur instantly. Before putting it where it will collect dust look at all the poison in your sales book. What does the picture of the home office do to help you?. Useless page after page. Your canned presentation stirs up conflict and controversy within your prospects mind.

HOW TO BECOME THE GREATEST KNOWN NO PRESSURE SALESPERSON

Start realizing your presentation must not cause your client to feel the least bit of discomfort or pressure to buy. You are never going to ask your prospect if they are ready to purchase your product., You will be persuading your prospect to invest in your product. YOU MUST be in FULL control starting when you shake your prospect's hand at the door. YOU must tell them you need to sit at the table, you must tell them to turn off the television set. If the spouse will not join the presentation, refuse to give the presentation. You are defusing all the pressure time bombs and excuses now and forever. Now when the stage is set, its time to become Mr. Nice Guy and spend a fell minutes asking about their hobby collection, which is there favorite piece and why.

START YOUR CUSTOM PRESENTATION

Before you write your new presentation, you should jot down every objection your client could give you, like cost, think it over, just comparing, etc. ALL of these objections must be covered in a third party way or story example Before they come up. How can the prospect throw you a grenade when you already detonated it? Will the world end tomorrow if your prospects do not buy? They don't need your product, so you concentrate on stimulating their emotions to want it so bad, that they won't let you leave until it is theirs. If price should ever be muttered, you stay in control and ask straight out if your prospect can't afford it. If the reply is yes or probably, respond with , "To save us both time, if I could show you a lower price option would you be ready to make room in your finances to take action now?

Remember that even an experienced agent with a personal bag of tricks and tips does not close every sale. However if your presentation went without pressure you must leave telling yourself this. "It's their loss not mine, now its time for an easy sale". There are endless quality prospects.. As you become more skillful, the only pressure will be deciding what features you want your new truck or car to have.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon early this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing and recruiting information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Insurance Sales Questions - The Selling Question to Never Ask

2009-05-09T22:50:00.001-07:00

Insurance sales questions that you never expected, start popping up early in your career. In turn you are trained to ask a selling question that will magically get you sales. Of all insurance selling questions this one is promoted as the ultimate. Find out how often it backfires and why.

When you started your insurance sales career I can predict what happened. On either the first, or second appointment you were thrown an objection. The top insurance sales question for addressing this objection was preached to you. You were told how asking this question would turn the objection into a sure sale.

What you were not told is that is was developed by someone that probably never sold insurance (or had a few sales marbles missing). Certainly, this idiot person should have been tarred, feathered, and exiled for life instead of being praised. The logic is so prone to ruin a sale, that this going down in my notes as the alltime worst sales question to ask any prospective client.

In fact, if you currently use this sales one of two things will happen. Either you will not survive, or your income will be below that of an average salesperson. Instead of sales salvation the prospect's response is often the kiss of death.

I am sure you have it deeply rooted in your mind. Your sales manager tells you this is what he and all successful salespeople use. You quickly become brainwashed into becoming a believer. Well, I had a profitable sales career, and never once used it. I quickly learned that anything the home office or sales manager praised, I should throw out. In turn, to be better than ordinary you have to say and do things better.

Here is the most praised (by morons) sales objection handler in modern history. You are told to ask this kindg of insurance sales questions near the beginning of your presentation. "If I could show you a way, where I could solve your objection, would you be ready to purchase my insurance product today?" What a dynamite sales line!

So explosive, it is ready to blow sky high your sales presentation manual. Stupidly, or unknowingly, you tried to sell before the prospect was ready. Your prospect was not yet ready for the purchasing process. Just think of the many things racing through your clients head.

These include the following silent thought reactions you could easily be getting.

1. "The salesperson is going to give me a 10 minute song and dance. At the end he is going to expect me to pull out my checkbook. No way. I think this guy might be a con."

2. "This guy is a real greenhorn. I just got that same line at the car dealership, and the furniture store"

3. "His speech is so canned, I am going to have to put a lid on it"

4. "I should say this: If there was a way I could give you $20.00 right now, would you take it and leave immediately?"

5. "What if I simply reply with this: Absolutely Not. Lets see what kind of trick this salesperson been taught to answer this."

A sales professional response, say for the prospect statement "the price seems high", would go more like this. "I completely agree with you. A quality product that provides you with all these benefits is unusual. I have had people go without this ____ product. Then suddenly things change, and they wish they had got this right away. Everyone dreads that their fears will turn into reality. Instead they could eliminate them immediately. I don't know, but maybe you can't afford this."

I never directly answered his objection. As an alternative, I presented a number of prime reasons he should not have even asked that question. You remember playing "hot potato" as a kid. You simply throw the objection right back, but not until you add a few hot sparks. Who likes to be TOLD that they can't afford something? Who sees a salesperson getting ready to WITHDRAW THE OFFER? Your prospect suddenly realizes you are a rare breed of pesky insurance sales person.

Your statements suddenly challenge the prospect, driving him into wanting your product. He respects your truth, and now has confidence in you. He can tell you are a survivor and will be around if he has any questions. Your prospect's sales objection question just turned him into a prospect convinced enough to make you a sale.

Tricks and canned lines lead to few sales. Why be a 30% closer when you can close 75% to 80%? Just display honesty, trust, tight firmness, and wide flexibility. You should know it is rare for a sales manager to earn $100,000 yearly. Would you like to earn $100,000? You can if you learn from real sales professionals how you can adapt and revise your sales presentation. The Sales Professionals income level easily outperforms most sales managers. They know how to stop a sales objection from ever coming up. If a sales objection ever slips in, it is very likely they will skillfully turn it around into an opportunity to sell.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon early this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing and recruiting information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Life Insurance Agent - Leads Or Career Death

2009-05-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

Life insurance agent leads are essential for making sales. However a life insurance agent career can be squeezed into non-existence without insurance agent leads. Find out how the company agency controls the insurance agent career longevity.

What is the life insurance agent career agency attempting to do to lure you into their trap. Besides the alluring false ad in the paper, what are you initially told? Their response reflects a no worry approach. They are going to provide plenty of leads, plus ways (like referrals) to keep the leads flowing in. This a a myth in virtually all cases. Clouds of death of a new agent's career is looming overhead constantly. The demise occurs customarily within 18 months after the agent is licensed and trained.

Go into any life insurance agent career sales office with more than 30 agents. Observe that almost any seats occupied are by a newer agent. This projects rather strange and spooky feelings. (Almost like a funeral parlor). Are not insurance agents supposed to be out on appointments with potential clients writing new business applications? Numerous agents are conducting idle chatter with their associates. The strong hearted ones with rent or mortgage payments upcoming become intensively tense each passing day. The bright big bubble is bursting.

The truth sinks in if you are a new agent. The agency or company is not going to provide you with enough leads to see clients and make sales. Your sales manager has chewed you out for not getting referrals from the last sale or not talking to enough acquaintances about insurance. You are told to get your homemade list of potential clients or the phone directory and start calling for appointments. Should you be unsuccessful at setting up enough appointments, chastisement comes from the sales manger for you not being able to overcome objections.

The strange part of all this is that you never observe the sales manager practicing what he preaches. The General Agency Manager supplies the sales managers with all phone and mail in leads that come in. Effectively determining selling abilities and hiring agents that can not sell is a major reason for agent failure. The remaining agents that can sell, eliminate themselves because of a shortage of leads for sales appointments. This is directly correlated to a lack of smart agency system for producing enough prospect leads.

Back when I was a new agent I can remember spending 80% of my time prospecting. The little remaining time was spend learning product knowledge and on a limited quantity of sales appointments. At my final career stages of selling, 10% was spent on prospecting, and the remainder on sales presentations.. Early in my career I realized it wasn't me, but the company that was holding me back. Fortunately I found an agency where a fair number of fair quality leads were supplied. It was a simple formula of fair number of leads + decent quality = more sales presentations = more sales income.

After 3 years of excessively hard work and average performance, the choices were to increase sales or second mortgage the house. No insurance company manager ever explained (or knew!) how a sales lead program worked. An insurance agent with marvelous production sank reality into my thick skull. Thereby, igniting the fuse to my skyrocketing sales production by injecting quality leads.

If you want to make money in insurance you have to spend money out of your pocket. Plus time lost on prospecting is time lost on selling. When both factors are converted to realism, a sales career entirely changes. Prospecting is done in mass mailing a carefully prepared lead getting message. This is proceeded by purchasing the highest quality list to reach the preferred clientele. Unfortunately your wallet pays the expenses. You have to help yourself to survive and prosper.

If you have now yet already dug yourself too deep in the ditch, there is hope. In a very short time period, you will discover your lead cost is outweighed by increased sales, higher closing ratio, and enlarged premiums on policies you write.

The career insurance company is going to do virtually nothing to truly save you! Your ship will not suddenly come in! Make yourself the captain now.

Start your personal, out of pocket, lead program right now. Grab a lead life raft tailored to your personal perfection, and you will ever sink out of sight.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon early this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing and recruiting information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

3 Keys to Selling More Insurance Doing What You're Doing Now

2009-04-04T02:59:00.001-07:00

Rather than chasing after the next latest and greatest way to sell insurance how about if you simply perfect what you're already doing? It's tempting to continually chase after the quick fix to fast bucks yet it's not very productive.

If you want to sell more insurance you simply have to get more productive than you are now. That means doing the right things in the right way at the right time with the right people for the right reasons. It also means you need to improve what you're doing now.

One of the biggest reasons most producers don't sell more insurance is they have diarrhea of the mouth. You think you have to talk people in to buying when that's the last thing you need to do. In fact, the more you talk the less you're likely to sell.

Think about what it's like to be in the buyer's chair. They can't get a word in edge-wise. They wonder if you'll ever come up for air. They can't possibly absorb what you're saying so they simply tune you out and think about the quickest way to get rid of YOU.

Obviously that spells disaster for you. However, the more desperate you get to sell something the worse you get about talking too much. It's a vicious cycle.

Here are 3 keys to selling more insurance:

1. Speak in short paragraphs
2. Speak in short sentences
3. Use short words

Yes, it really is that simple to immediately increase your sales effectiveness. Now let's talk a little bit about why these 3 keys enhance your sales effectiveness.

While you're very familiar with what you're talking about and the industry language the other person isn't. As soon as you use language they aren't familiar with you lose them. And the longer you continue speaking beyond this initial point of confusion the faster you lose them and the quicker they lose all interest in you and what you have to offer.

If you want to sell more you have to get the potential client to talk more and tell you more. As you speak in short sentences, whether asking a question or making a statement, focus on how the other person reacts. Then adapt the conversation moving forward to fit their reaction, interest, and level of engagement.

You may take great pride in your larger than average vocabulary; however, if your future client doesn't understand what you're saying you increase the risk of selling nothing. Rather than establishing rapport and increasing their level of trust in you the opposite happens. They increasingly distrust you.

You can take the exact things you say now and use these 3 keys and immediately increase your sales. Don't forget to focus on the potential client and adjust to fit their needs not yours. You're a few short words from more sales.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Clausen

Who's Who - Company Insurance Brokerage & Independent Insurance Brokerage Listings

2009-04-04T02:58:00.002-07:00

Agents can choose to place business with either a company insurance brokerage office or an independent insurance brokerage firm. Here are insurance brokerage listings for many of the various tiles used within the business. Find out the difference among insurance brokerage titles, and how to distinguish who's who.

Health and life agents can earn over 90 insurance designations. Fortunately, the numbers of titles for firms obtaining brokerage business are fewer.A listing is provided of many different title names used, and any actual differences that separate one's firm title from another. The potential producers that might write insurance cases for you should also know these differences.

Before this, it is critical because of some many misconceptions to define the terms broker and brokerage as they refer to life and health insurance. You would be surprised at how few of the general public understands what your firm title or function means. Likewise, hundreds of thousands of agents do not understand these terms. The mix up occurs primary with stock brokers and stock brokerage firms. That is what the majority of the public thinks of when hearing these terms.

Insurance brokerage firms of all different titles, obtain a written annuity, life, or health insurance case from a broker. All their producers should be called brokers and their cases called brokerage business. When an agent writes a case outside their primary career company, they are called a broker and their business is brokerage. There are many agents that are "agent brokers". They have a primary insurance company as an agent and submit business to a brokerage firm as a broker. There are also independent life and health insurance agents that should rightfully be called independent brokers, with the before mentioned group better referred to as semi-independent agents.

Writing brokerage business is a true form of independence of the agent's part. Rarely will this occur to any extent until the agent has surpassed a full three years of insurance dependence on career orientated companies. The three main reasons an agent writes insurance brokerage are independence, client needs, and higher commissions.

COMPANY INSURANCE BROKERAGE

What truly baffles insurance agents is the fact that some of the insurance companies training new insurance career agents often operate and highly promote through large advertisements their brokerage operations. They preach to the agents that they should only do business with the career company you are licensed with. Moreover, agents are firmly reminded they have all the products they need, and the company is supporting them 100%. Meanwhile the company insurance brokerage operation is trying to pilfer away as much business as possible from the career agents of fellow insurance companies. Less confusing of course, are the expanding number of insurance companies that only accept brokerage business and have no agency force of their own.

Starting with one insurance company brokerage operations, you have many different variations and titles among the people that distribute the products. A main difference would be those that are directly employed by the insurance company as a salaried or salaried plus bonus individual. Others have an independent contractor style contract, with fringe benefits like health insurance missing. They are paid through a combination of commissions and overrides along with possible production bonuses.

Director of marketing, national director of recruiting, director of product development and sales, Northwest marketing director, divisional director of disability sales, are just a taste of titles usually reserved for higher up home office employees. Many of these have never sold or brokered an insurance policy! Among them are fortune telling number crunchers with little reality of what it takes to be a successful brokerage manager. In turn, rarely do they do the actual recruiting of agents. The sad part is that they frequently set the company recruiting, marketing, and budgeting policies that others must follow.

The common one company insurance brokerage devoted titles include General Agent, Brokerage General Agent, Regional General Agent, State Manager, Managing General Agent, District Manager, Director of Brokerage, Wholesaler, and Regional Manager. If an insurance company is brokering three main products, they for example, may be LTC Brokerage Manager, Annuity Brokerage Manager, and Advanced Life Brokerage Manager. The inter combinations of titles are virtually countless. A high percentage of these one insurance company brokerage operations maintain the name of the company in their firm name.

Here is one conflict of interest. As some insurance companies want to sell as many insurance brokerage cases, as possible they often contract with independent marketing organizations and national brokerage firms. There is frequently true competition among them, going after agents and brokers to acquire insurance brokerage. It should be mentioned what the danger factor is. When you rely on just one insurance company what happens when your prime product is suddenly dropped, your territory is cut, your position is eliminated, or when another insurer buys out the company?

INDEPENDENT INSURANCE BROKERAGE LISTINGS

Non-existent just 25 years ago, independent insurance brokerage firms have erupted on the market scene. Here are some reasons why. First brokers like to find a company that can give them the best product for their client, or the highest commission when they make a sale. With some independent insurance marketing firms representing over 50 companies, they can sometimes do both. Some national firms are so powerful that they can dictate that an insurance policy develop a product only they can distribute. Insurance companies know that they can keep adding new policy features or constantly introduce a rehashed, but now called new policy. Insurance marketers love promoting a familiar product that has new features, a new name, or new commission structure. As insurance marketers like to make money, unfairly some of those where the highest override exists, are the products most heavily promoted . A 35% override sure beats 20% on a similar product in the mind of numerous marketers.

Titles that independent insurance brokerage marketers have on their contract include product distributor, national wholesaler, and exclusive product marketer, along with all independent contractor titles mentioned under one-company marketers. They often distinguish themselves by keeping their personal name out of the firm's official name. Others insert the word independent or national to separate them. Usually they promote a variety of company insignia trademarks or names in their advertising materials.

It is essential to describe briefly independent insurance marketing organizations. Over 250 independent insurance brokerage firms are associated with to at least one of the top 20 independent insurance marketing organizations. While 250 out of 15,000 to 20,000 separate brokerage titled operations does not seem significant, it really is. The smaller firms combine contracting and some advertising to form the larger independent insurance brokerage marketing organization. The organization thereby is able to obtain a higher compensation level contract with more insurance brokerage companies. Although sometimes members only operate in one state, others cross-territories, even on a national basis. The longevity of profitability for these firms is amazing, especially when compared with brokerage firms overall. The dues and advertising cost sharing is well offset by the extra training tips, bonding, shared marketing tricks, and higher overrides they could receive on their own.

Who's Who in major league, big-time insurance brokerage is constantly changing. Some are 3-generation family owned firms, and others mightily spring up and disappear just about as quickly. One of the key factors never mentioned above is of great magnitude. That factor is service. What can you do to make sure your broker stays your broker? Regardless of what title you or your firm has, all is irrelevant if the broker writes one case and moves on elsewhere.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon early this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing and recruiting information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Creating Higher Insurance Production With Adaptive Sales Ability

2009-04-04T02:58:00.001-07:00

Insurance representatives earning a good income possess sales ability skills, and personal ability skills. The professional earning a substantial income has also mastered adaptive selling skills. You could constantly question yourself why you missed getting a sale. Alternatively, see how vital being adaptive is to consistently producing sales. As a sales person your goal is always creating higher insurance production.

Starting out as a career insurance trainee you are instructed to memorize word for word a sales presentation that the company has used for generations. This also includes a jumbo pictorial presentation binder. Now you go through what should be called a show and tell presentation. Prospects are not overly fond of your "one size fits all" show book or your presentation that does not flow like you would naturally talk. They are uncomfortable and your highest level of perspiration activates by starting the presentation..

To end up with presentations that results in a sale you need three skills that you cannot rely on your career office to teach you. In fact, the high majority of your fellow sale people end their career without realizing their importance.

Sales Skills These are the tricks and tips of the trade. Some are discovered only by trial and error. Several you become skilled at through constant repetition. Various others are mastered by trying new techniques other insurance professionals have developed. Once you obtain a sales skill, it allows you to learn another and another. Sales skills are a career long building process.

Personal Skills These are up to you to learn on your own. Confidence, motivation, and inspiration are three of the major ones. Many self-improvement books can significantly improve your personal skills, with little time or money invested. Remember that your clients can see right through you, without conquering these personal skills few sales are made.

Adaptive Skills There are two different types of adaptive skills to you need to triumph over. Each of your clients is unique, and what they want from you differs widely. You must adapt yourself to every prospective client you are proposing selling insurance to. The second adaptive skill is adapting your presentation to capture your prospect's interest. Then you take control so that instead of selling the prospect is buying from you.

Adapting You Personally Let me give this example from personal experience. On my first appointment with a senior couple on looked and felt very uncomfortable. I wore a vested business suit, lugged a suitcase-sized briefcase with tons of product information, plus my crammed presentation book. I entered a house with the temperature blazing at 85%. I was completely over dressed and over packed. In addition, I felt a little easy each time the elderly spit tobacco juice into his handy tin can. Quickly I got into a set presentation and soon after left without a sale.

Either you need to adapt your attire up a notch or more casual depending on whom your clients are. They want to do business with someone they feel closer to their level. Also, you need to adapt your pre-presentation manner. The relationship scene before the presentation must be where you want it. That means that the prospects not only like you, but also feel you are trustworthy. For a senior, you focus on finding about their favorite collection or hobby. Have them show you their favorite piece and talk about it. Even take a phone picture of them showing off their prized possession. You can ask any prospect what they are most proud of.. Few will take this as an annoyance, instead is it personal adapting yourself to them, thereby winning them over.

Adapting Your Presentation Developing an adaptive sales ability is not that hard once you understand the reasoning for it. The first presentation you memorized was suppose to serve all purposes but instead served none. There are two major areas of importance, where you must adapt your presentation to match the situation.

Emotional Need Adapting Every person has six major unique emotions. However, they are only likely to buy if your presentation provides them with the benefits they need to cover the emotion they are concerned about. Too many insurance sales people just keep on talking and talking about every possible benefit their insurance could provide. The prospect get bores and starts to throw out objections just to keep the salesperson from rambling on. The two most common emotions you face in insurance selling are fear and greed.

Right at the start, you MUST find out how your prospect is hurting. Is there a fear or worry that if they die or get sick they will not be able to pay their debt obligations? Alternatively, is it a greed feeling to accumulate wealth and security by seeing their nest egg grow. Never think there is a close correlation between the two. Your prospect certainly does not. Upon finding the problem, you adapt your full presentation. The client only needs three or four good reasons how your insurance product can solve the problem.

Next, you must adapt your presentation to the product you are selling. Choose two or three products, instead of a whole product line. Learn enough about them until you feel and sound like an expert. Concentrate your prospecting to finding people want to find out more about these products only. Strip down your presentation material to a simple yellow pad and folder for each product. Leave the overnight suitcase in your car where it can be used as a storage bin. Now develop a separate presentation of your own just using the materials you are taking in to a prospect's home. You will see how easy this is, and how much more relaxed you and your prospects will feel.

Considering emotions and insurance products, you might have six adaptable on the spot presentations. Many parts will be interchangeable. There are key phrases and selling methods you consistently use. An added advantage is that your presentation time is now 1/2 what it use to be, creating much higher insurance production.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon this spring. It is loaded with great insurance marketing and recruiting information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Department of Insurance Lists Destroy Marketers

2009-03-15T23:50:00.002-07:00

Suddenly and rather unexpectedly, you receive a document file three times as large as you ever thought it would be. Moreover, the cost was cheap and the source was official. That source being the State Department of Insurance. Sensational. At least it sure seems that way. It appears you have just discovered this jumbo directory, that you and most insurance marketers think will solve many recruiting problems. An Insurance Department Agent List is designed merely to provide state data. It is not designed to be your income source for mailing and telephone calling agents.

For the thousands of insurance marketers that use department lists, here are my hands on, experienced opinion. Especially of those marketers who rely on these lists to do more than half their recruiting. My opinion relates to over 70 percent of your fellow insurance marketers. This marketer/recruiter is stupid, ignorant, uninformed, ill-trained, cheap, selfish, ego-centric, unrealistic, impractical, immature, out of touch, naïve, penny pinching, green, untalented, unrealistic, unskilled, incompetent, amateurish, inept, unqualified, incapable, and in need of help but unwilling to look for it. Thousands of marketers have failed in the last year for this same reason.

You will NEVER become successful in insurance marketing by using state department of insurance lists as source that is going to provide your income. Your recruiting source is your investment in yourself. Certainly, it is not logical to think that going the cheapest route is the best route. I doubt if you own the cheapest car made, buy the cheapest suits, suits, ties, and shoes, and buy all our presentation supplies at yard sales. For the cost of investing in one new suit, you could have invested that same amount in your prospecting source. See the difference your career could have held.

Does it matter when you receive certain Insurance Department lists that they are 30% to 35% undeliverable when you first obtain them. Apparently not, to the insurance marketer that obtained them. He saved money by not using a more refined list from an insurance broker, or a custom designed recruiting list from an insurance list compiler. He found a treasure trove, full of fool's gold. Who can you can complain to when you are investing so little in obtaining the list. Certainly a marketer cannot perceive negativity if the state produced it. Who could be more accurate. Beware the list broker or compiler who has a list 10% to 15% undeliverable, their entire list is junk. 500 annuity specialists have been mailed, and 60 returned as not reaching the intended destination .They refuse to mail the other 3,000 producers, considering the list to be junk

You can never make money off deliverability. It is possible to have a 4,000 name list that is 98% deliverable and never receive a single reply. On the other hand, you could mail a targeted list of 4,000 agents and receive 500 undeliverables and 42 interested responses. Do not go any further until you can honestly say and believe which is better. An established list broker or compiler has a refund policy for excessive bad addresses, while the DOI does Mailing and phone calling never have guarantees. If you are afraid to expose yourself to risk, never become an insurance marketer. A phone directory can change up to 25% in a 12-month period, with an agent list, that amount of change can easily exceed 33%.

Consider these factors to stop wasting time and money. The agent names are often not separated by experience. The masses of insurance reps with under two years of experience, are intermingled with the pros. Further polluting this list by up to a third, are the super captive, Allstate, S.F., Nationwide, Farm Bureau, Geico, AAA, Liberty Mutual, and similar agents. Where is that big red warning label? There should be one stating:, "CAUTION, over 90% of the agents with fewer than four years experience will no longer be licensed and appearing on upcoming list updates." Are you building your operation to last 4 years or less and then fade away. If you do not heed this advice, you are.

Here is the mother load dream list of dreaming insurance recruiters. Out of the deep blue it appears. You discover a jumbo Department of Insurance list with agent names and almost all with phone numbers. You easily forget the information already mentioned, instead grabbing a phone and your dialing fingers. Portions of the list are passed along to your sub-marketers so they can feast in this bonanza before the competition attacks. Big meetings take place, carefully crafted is what is considered to be a masterpiece plan. Over 90% of the agents have phone numbers, and these are numbers from the official insurance department. It takes at least 50 phone call attempts, until smartness squeezes through your fat brain. All the phone numbers listed are those that the agents entered on the form when first becoming licensed.

HERE IS A FLASHING NEON BILLBOARD so you sink in another point. Almost all the desirable agents have over 4 years experience, and have obtained new phone numbers in the mean time.

Let us be fair and compare. One list is the state insurance department list of agents, which it never promoted for or claimed was ideal for getting agents to market your products. The other list does claim to be ideal and contains mainly names of agents already selling a product similar to what you are brokering. The state list contains 20,000 licensed life and health agents. The compiled list has been refined to just 5,000 agents. The state charges you only $200.00 for their list, while the list compilers cost of slightly over $400.00 is twice the amount, and you get a measly 1/4 the number of agents.

Is this $200.00 an internet rip-off? Be fair and do not jump to a conclusion. Depending on a variety of factors, it costs $400.00 to $500.00 per thousand to print your mail piece and used standard mail postage. You have a maximum of $5,000 to spend. Using the state DOI list, three thousand names were not on the compiled and 2,000 were. Realistically 45 leads were obtained, and 18 were of quality. On the compiled lists, the replies added up to 40 leads, of these 35 were top-notch. Now you can answer, which recruiting campaign had the superior results?

What trap is your mind caught in? Is it of thinking DOI lists are great? Alternatively, do you think that phone dialing is fantastic, ever though your fingers have phone letters/numbers tattooed in them? Take out a permanent magic marker. On you left hand write the word target. On the right hand, write the word marketing. Staring you in the face are two words that when practiced can make you an insurance marketing recruiter legend.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Internet Annuity Sales Leads

2009-03-15T23:50:00.001-07:00

The definition of a lead is very simple; an invitation to a relationship. They are nothing more than that. Many agents think a lead is going to be a sale and when it isn't then thee unhappiness sets in. So how do we set up guidelines so the leads we invest our hard earned money into make financial sense?

The first rule of working leads is the "Law of Large Numbers" this means it takes a constant flow of leads over a fixed period of time to determine their true value to your business. If you use a few leads for your evaluation then you are going to fail and it is a classic mistake.

I personally like internet leads much more than I do direct mail or other direct response leads. The reason is simple, they are delivered to my computer instantly. The person requesting the information expects to receive it quickly and promptly and the internet should be able to provide that service.

There are many different types of annuity sales leads.

There are two "secrets" in working internet leads:

1. Call as soon as possible! If you delay making the call the lead will get stale. The internet provides instant response and making tat instant response is essential to successful lead marketing.

2. Exclusivity. Make certain you only deal with a lead generation company that provides leads to only you. In the past companies have sold and resold leads numerous times.

Internet leads allow you to outsource your marketing to a lead provider. This allows more time to focus on getting in front of people who will listen to your story about these wonderful insurance products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Broich

Improve Client Retention in 3 Simple Steps For Insurance Agents

2009-03-15T23:49:00.000-07:00

Insurance agents and brokers are suffering an increase of policy cancellations. In this current economy, policy holders are debating if there is anything to protect. Homes are being foreclosed on and certainly the policies that went along with the home are being canceled as well. Insurance agents have to compete with lower rates, premiums, and of course a diversified policy holder.

The question then is, "How can an Independent Insurance Agency increase production without having to increase marketing?" The answer is a simple marketing mix to improve client relationships. Actually connecting with a client shows a higher ability to retain, cross sell, and get referrals from policy holders regardless of the economy. This can be accomplished in a strategy of 3 simple marketing approaches.

1. Create an email marketing strategy, one that connects with policy holders. I have found that agents who have done "email marketing" are not successful, because they do not connect with policy holders. Sending an email with the obvious attempt to cross sell does more to offend and risk cancellations. Commit to sending emails to reconnect and inform, not cross sell. A simple, "Thanks for being such a loyal customer. A lot of people have questions nowadays, if you do give me a call and let's get together soon." Sending something like this every month shows value to the customer and keeps you in close with them.

2. Have a solid follow up system. New policy holders may not know what to do with the policy when it arrives, so have a follow strategy that helps them understand they bought a policy to protect them and they need to protect it. Set it up automatically in an email format to be sent for you in 5-7 days. It should read something like, "By now you should have received your policy in the mail. Please read the first page and write the phone numbers everywhere you can so you can get them if you need (God Forbid.)" I have found the "referral sources" are the ones who read their policy information and start referring in the first 3 -4 weeks of having received it.

3. Get clear on the direct mail. Also automated, have a card or postcard set up in a system to send out a birthday wish or anniversary. Quick and easy, simply input the information into your system to have the notification sent to a printer who will print, sign, stamp, and send the card for you. People are looking for more than just bills in the mail. They are looking for encouragement, send them a note of encouragement.

Employ these 3 strategies and watch your personal economy in the insurance business or any business grow in 2009.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tyson_C_Russell

What Are Motor Insurance Brokers?

2009-01-30T02:44:00.000-08:00

What do motor insurance brokers do? They take on the role of an intermediary between the client looking for motor insurance and the insurance company that provides it. From the client's point of view, it can be an especially useful and rewarding relationship since the broker's experience and knowledge of the motor insurance market ensures not only that the most appropriate type of insurance is found, but that it also represents the best value for money.

One of the most reassuring features of the insurance broker's role is that it is an entirely independent one. The independent insurance broker is not tied to a particular insurer or even a selected panel of insurers, but can genuinely - and independently - recommend to his or her clients. Because they are not agents tied in to any vested interest, such brokers can establish precisely the insurance needs of a particular client and trawl through a huge range of potential providers to find the perfect match - both in terms of the insurance cover provided and the price.

But finding the most appropriate insurer is just the beginning of the broker's job. There is an ongoing relationship between client and broker that enables the latter to:

- Anticipate future insurance needs, such as scheduling renewals of the policy;

- Offering specialist advice if the insurance needs are more complex - whether the complexities arise because of the driver's personal circumstances or because of the particular type of vehicle involved;

- Advising on ways of mitigating some of the risks involved in motor insurance - for example, by installing security devices to protect the car from theft or by advising on the most appropriate level of excess for the client to take on, and so reduce the amount paid in insurance premiums;

- Amending the current insurance policy - if you change your car or want a further vehicle added to the existing insurance, for example;

- Providing advice in the event of an accident, or other loss or damage to the car, that gives rise for the need to make a claim under the policy;

- Collecting the premiums due on the insurance policy.

In other words, there is a whole lot more to the insurance broker's role than simply selling the customer the motor insurance policy in the first place. With so many different providers of motor insurance, a broker can play an indispensable role in ensuring that his or her clients buy an essential product not only at a competitive price, but also in the comfort and knowledge that the insurance will perform exactly as intended if and when the time comes to make a claim.

The time for making a claim is often the moment when a particular insurance policy is really put to the test - when you can truly measure the value of what your premiums have been paying towards. Far better, then, to have had the motor insurance broker's input from the very outset, rather than discovering an unpleasant surprise when the cover you thought you had actually fails to live up to its promise.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_H_Thomson

Insurance Beyond Protection - Needs Vs Wants

2009-01-30T02:41:00.000-08:00

"I am financially independent. Do my parents need insurance?" A customer may pose this question to his agent.

I believe everybody needs insurance for a reason. One of the primary reasons for parents to get insurance is to ensure their children can still have three square meals on the dining table even though the breadwinners are no longer around.

For cases where the children are adults, parents may still need insurance especially health insurance, disability insurance or long-term care to pay off medical or hospital bills.

People from countries such as United Kingdom may need insurance for final expenses. Due to the growing population in the United Kingdom, the burial land is becoming scarce. Funeral is increasingly becoming a costly affair. In fact, many people purchase life insurance funeral policies so that they themselves can plan to have their funeral carried out to their own wishes.

While retirement seems to be remote to younger people, retirement is something that must happen if we live long enough. People may be concerned with their retirement. When we retire, our income also retires. We may depend on only our pension or savings to pay for food and household bills.

Many a time, the pension or savings we have may not be sufficient to combat inflation. Some folks may even outlive the money they have saved for retirement. There are insurance plans or annuities out there to supplement retirement income. Given choice, people choose to retire with dignity and not on charity.

It is not necessary for us to associate insurance with uncomfortable or unpleasant subjects all the time. There are occasions we can look at the function of insurance beyond protection. People need insurance for protection. However if the protection needs are fulfilled or no longer significant, it is time to move from the "needs" to the "wants" of the customers.

We can relate the "wants" of the customers with happy or meaningful events.

There are insurance plans designed in such a manner that the policyholders can look forward to receiving an amount of cash annually or every alternate year when they retire. The policyholders can use such cash payments any way they wish. If the amounts are substantial, they can use the money for vacation.

Such insurance plans are meant to fulfill the dreams of many people. People don't need an exciting retirement life but they want an exciting and eventful retirement life. In this instance, insurance is no longer serving the needs but the wants of the customers.

For parents whose children are financially independent, they can get themselves insurance to create a fund for a noble reason or to promote a good cause. With appropriate arrangement, the policy proceeds can be assigned or donated to charitable organizations under their name.

Again, people don't need to donate to charitable organizations. If they want to make donations to charitable organizations using policy proceeds, insurance policy can be an instrument to achieve this purpose. To some people, this could be a more meaningful way to help the needful. Imagine we can still help the orphans and homeless folks when we are no longer around. Some people may find this a pretty cool way to earn themselves one more day in paradise!

We don't need to leave anything behind for our grandchildren to remember us by. If want to, there are many ways to do so. Insurance may be a good option.

With necessary arrangement made, insurance can help a person transcend time and space to express his love and care to his grandchildren. Some love lasts a lifetime. Some love lasts forever. It is up to us to choose how long we want our love to endure.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Xoseph_Chu

Hanging Up on Insurance Agent Phone Calls

2009-01-23T03:23:00.002-08:00

At one point, way back when, insurance telemarketing for leads was as effective as insurance direct mail. However, that was over ten years Are you still trying to make a living by thinking what worked then worked then must still work now.

So many misleading articles promote how easy it is for an agent to get on the phone, handle those objections, and make a profitable appointment. Did these article writers find these reports buried at the bottom of a vault a decade ago. WAKE UP! Are you selling insurance to make a decent living or to keep riding a dying horse? 20% of people have unlisted telephone numbers, another 55% are on the do not call list. If this is not bad enough, almost all of them have cell phones.

Did you ever think they feel your phone call is much more intruding than a piece of direct mail they can pitch out at their convenience? Are they taking a nap? Just out of the hospital? Having a quick romantic interlude? Devouring a delicious hot meal? On the other hand, are they just waiting to give hell to the next person that interrupts them? You must think they are just sitting around for a phone call that can make their day. Think again, because if you do not, you will pay dearly.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about insurance agent phone calls. But don't be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

You must have something better to do with your time. An insurance professional does not work at a wage ranging from minimum wage to $12.00 an hour. That is exactly what you are doing when you are making soliciting phone calls. Have you registered with the Federal Trade Commission before making even one single call? If not you are already a violator. Have you checked with both the State and National Do Not Call Lists about whom you are calling? Did you make sure you are not calling a cell phone number? Can you afford to pay the FTC a huge fine they are more than willing to collect on?

If you are the typical insurance agent, you earn about $40,000 a year. What would just one $11,000 fine do to your career? Chances are it would end it permanently. Quit acting like insurance telemarketing is the only way, or the most effective way, or even the cheapest way to obtain new clients. You are wrong on all three points.

Career life insurance agencies are the key suspect for implanting telemarketing for leads in your head. Why? It is so simple you can answer it yourself. How much does it cost the career life insurance agency to have you make hundreds and hundreds of phone calls? Now answer this. Do you know of a career life insurance agency that provides you with true leads? True leads are responses from people interested in looking at an insurance product you are comfortable at selling. With true leads, you should have a minimum 65% closing rate.

Career life insurance agencies are too cheap to provide a bounty of leads to keep you selling instead of insurance telemarketing for leads. Did you know that instead of an $11,000 fine, that amount of money invested in a quality lead acquisition program would have done miracles? Appointments from true leads would have given you substantial new sales and clients. Moreover, it should have jumped your yearly income up at least 25%.

Go ahead and let your career die with your dying horse. Just remember, there are quite a few experienced insurance agents riding high by changing their habits to meet the constantly changing insurance market.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of jotting down a note will help you remember what's important to you about making insurance phone calls.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of insurance telemarketing. Share your new understanding about insurance telemarketing with others.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Are You a Need Or Greed Annuity Broker

2009-01-23T03:23:00.001-08:00

It all often starts with the trade financial and insurance publications. Check out who is trying to attract the attention of the annuity brokers. The insurance publications rarely show annuity advertisements that deal with the benefits the prospect/client will receive. You would think that would be the insurance companies' main concern. WRONG. The insurance companies' goal is to make plenty of money. To achieve this goal they need the insurance annuity agent or broker to sell their products.In turn the use the emotion that attracts the most attention.

There is extreme competition for contracting higher producing annuity agents. My current analysis shows this: Direct mail solicitation for selling annuities is more than twice as high as any other product. In looking at financial and insurance publications, it appears advertising competition becomes around five times as great.

The annuity ads in these insurance publications only focus on two of the major six emotions. They are Greed and Need. The Greed advertisements to an insurance annuity agent focus on commissions and frequently the all expense paid trips or excursions. The Need advertisements are directed toward gaps or policy feature innovations that "none of their competitors" supposedly comes close to having.

THE MOST COMMON EMOTION Based on quantity of total annuity producers, the GREED emotion of an insurance annuity agent comes through the strongest. An annuity purchaser, who does not shop around, buys what the agent or broker offers. Therefore, the product shown is most often the one paying the seller the highest commissions. Here is why. The agent may have one annuity paying 4% commission and another paying out 6%. If the annuity policy sold is for $50,000, the commission would be $1,000 higher when 6% commission is paid. These agents make up 60% of all annuity writers, and have an average of 5.7 years experience. The majority of the Greed Emotion brokers tend to place their annuity business with one annuity insurer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Insurance Agency Websites Are a Growing Marketing Opportunity

2009-01-23T03:22:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago, less than fifty percent of the population used the Internet. Five years ago, users of the Internet consisted primarily of business professionals. Today, retirees are the largest growing demographic of Internet users. Seven out of every ten people you meet in America uses a computer at least once a week. Considering this continual growth, agencies across the nation have begun to embrace the marketing potential the Internet has to offer.

To take advantage of these growing marketing opportunities upon the Internet, agencies must first develop an effective and visually appealing website. Your website must be more than just a business card on the web; it needs to be a functional tool that benefits both potential and current customers. To create a successful web presence your website should include the following:

Agency Information

Include information about your agency such as company origins, community reputations, testimonials and noted success.

Agency Offerings

What does your agency offer? Why do your product offerings standout from your competitors? Your website should convey your complete product offering such as each line of business and any additional services that would benefit your target customer.

Customer Service

A website is open for business, even when you are not. Provide your customers the ability to request quotes or policy change requests anytime, day, or night. Include a mailing list feature that allows your customers to receive your agency's newsletter.

Contact Information

If for any reason your new website cannot fulfill your customers needs you want to make it easy for them to contact you. Your website should include all forms of communication methods including local and toll-free phone numbers, fax numbers, driving directions, and e-mail.

Useful Experience

Build a useful consumer resource that will repeatedly draw customers back to your website. Incorporate helpful tools such as an insurance terms glossary, a frequently asked questions page, company links, document libraries, and a newsroom.

Once your website is up and running you must begin to market it as more than "just a website". Notify your customers that your website is a resource available to them twenty-four hours a day. Advertise the functionality of your website, not just the fact that you have one. To effectively market your website you should follow the

Printed Materials

Include your website address on all printed materials such as business cards, letterhead, and brochures. Include a brief statement promoting the fact your website is open 24/7.

Example: For policy service any time, day, or night, visit us on the web at...

Voicemail

State your website clearly in your outgoing voicemail - Inform customers and prospects calling your office outside of business hours that information about your agency as well as customer service options are available twenty-four hours a day via your website.

Yellow Pages Advertising

Maximize your yellow page presence by including your agency website along with phone numbers. By including your website address your yellow page ad opens your business up to possible business, even outside the hours you normally answer your phones.

Advertise for a Good Cause

Make a donation of school supplies to your local schools and have them imprinted with your agency web address.

Storefront Advertising

Prospects may drive by your office every day and may see the name of your agency and a phone number, why not your website as well? Many prospects are more likely to remember a website name than a phone number.

Search Engine Tricks

Include important links on your website. Search engines look for websites that link to other sites. Be sure to include links to the companies you write with, organizations you are involved with, links with information about your community, and insurance industry related news. Make reciprocal agreements with organizations to incorporate your web address on their website as well.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Burelsmith

How to Generate Your Own Hot Internet Insurance Leads

2009-01-08T21:12:00.001-08:00

Are you tired of throwing money at supposedly hot internet leads that aren't? What if you could generate your own real leads through the internet? Think it's impossible? Well, it's not.

Yes, you can generate your own internet leads for highly qualified prospects. All you need is a simple one page web site to do it. Before you get started there is a common misunderstanding you'll want to avoid.

Most people think their website is a marketing tool. Wrong. Your website is a sales tool.

In your case your web page is selling your web visitor on the idea of giving you their name and email address in exchange for something they want. This first sale is important for two reasons. First, by giving you their email address they're giving you permission to market to them over time until they're ready to buy. Second, this is the first step helping you to filter your prospects for the people ready to buy now.

You can put up a one page web site for almost no cost. It's so easy to do anyone can do it. There really isn't anything keeping you from having a one page website and generating your own leads.

As you build your web page there are three questions you must answer for any visitor you send to this web page. The first thing you must do is confirm the visitor is in the right place. Your marketing communication sent them to this page.

They took the time to visit the page because they're interested in your marketing communication. Once they get there the easiest way you can confirm for the visitor that they're in the right place is to use the same language you used in your marketing communication to get them there. Eliminating this confusion means more of your visitors will get to the next question in their minds.

Now that they know they're in the right place they next want to know what they can do on this page. When you give the visitor options and have links that take the visitor away from this page you're increasing the likelihood that visitor will leave your web page without doing what you want them to do. Keep it simple by giving the visitor one and only one option on this page.

Finally, your visitor is going to ask themselves if what they can get is of greater value than the cost of sharing their information with you. That means you have to give your visitor information you know they want.

And there you have it. As easy as one-two-three you're generating your own highly qualified hot internet leads increasing your sales.

Discover the "7 Steps to Turning Your Business into a Top Producer" Selling more Insurance

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Clausen

Why 15% of Life Agents Produce 47.6% of the Life Insurance Market Share

2009-01-08T21:11:00.001-08:00

GROUP ONE The largest group of agents possessing a life insurance license. They are represented by 900,000 salespeople strong. These are split into 2 sub categories. The first are the newer agents all licensed 4 years or less. The second categories contains all levels of experience. These are the overly captive agents sell a multiple group of products. They are the familiar Allstate, Nationwide, S.F., Nationwide, Geico and similar agents.

GROUP TWO The smallest group of life licensed agents Their total base would amount to around 120,000. The largest portion would be wirehouse stockbrokers. Following this are the home office sales departments plus the financial institutions.

GROUP THREE Nearly 480,000 professional agents and brokers compose this last group Although they write a tremendous amount of annuities and health policies, here we are only concerned with life insurance market share. Size wise this group amounts to slightly less than 1/3 of the total licensed life agents Formally they are better know as the semi-independent agents and independent brokers.

HOW MARKET SHARE IS CHANGING Despite all the new products and rapid advancement into financial planning one group's market share is declining. This is happening yearly even though the agent base is annually increasing. The gigantic group of agents in Group One now accounts for under 24% of all life sales. The Group Two agents remain rather consistent with their 8% share. Commanding the lions share of 68% is the third group Each year among them there is an increase in percentage of sales. Its rather amazing how 32% of the total agents can write 68% of the business.

UNDER THE NUMBERS MICROSCOPE Working out the figures mathematically I was curious to find out more relational meaning. How many agents would have to be recruited from the Group One agents just to equal the average performance of just one Group Three experienced pro? The figures of 1.875 times 2.833 gave me the answer. The answer was 5.3 agents That means that hiring 5 from the first group was the equivalent of one agent from the last group Group 2 agents were not considered as they are not recruitable.

FURTHER NUMBER CRUNCHING Let's look closer at the semi-independent agents and the independent brokers. A subset of this group can be sectioned out. I call this group the "responders". This means they respond more often to contracting opportunities for life insurance products, and have more experience under their belt. This subset makes up 40% of the total in group three. Doing some number crunching, it shows this 40% of producers, wrote 70% of group three life cases. Using these figures illustrates that one out of 7 agents write 47.6% of the total life insurance market share available. Further calculations show that one average producer from this elite group is worth 8.48 salespeople from the group one agents.

CAN YOU BENEFIT FROM THIS ARTICLE? If you are an insurance marketer to insurance agents or a company recruiter of licensed agents you sure can. It is very simple. It costs exactly the same for postage and printing no matter which agent you mail. Spend the necessary money to get a list of the very premier "responder" agents You want the agents that dominate the life insurance market share.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

What Do I Do First to Sell Insurance?

2008-12-16T03:43:00.001-08:00

If you're a new producer you're all hyped up about how you're going to earn over $100,000 this year. You know almost nothing about what you're selling. And, you don't have a clue who you're going to sell it to beyond your list of 100.

If you do what the insurance industry tells you to do industry statistics indicate you're doomed. The average new producer might sell $20,000 in year one and about half-way through year two they realize they're up a creek without a paddle. So if you want to earn that $100,000 you have visions of, realize now you aren't likely to do it doing what you're told to do.

Your district sales manager doesn't have a clue how to actually help you produce results other than to tell you to do stupid things like make more cold calls. You'd be shocked to learn how much insurance some of the top producers are actually selling, and not in a positive way. And beyond helping you get your license you're on your own.

I know this is probably like a slap in the face for some of you, and some of you may think I don't know what I'm talking about. I shouldn't know what I'm talking about either because I've never sold or even attempted to sell insurance in my life. Unfortunately, I've learned these harsh facts through my clients. And LIMRA provides the solid data that validates that these are the facts.

Actually this is all good news for you because you don't have to make the mistakes that will cause you to fail out of the business in less than two years like at least 85% of the new agents entering the business. You can use your resources wisely, and develop a solid business from the start rather than trying to make a failing business survive. There's a very simple reason the current industry practices don't work.

You and the insurance company you work with have different objectives. In a sense the insurance company is no different than a manufacturer the main concern for both is selling more widgets. The insurance industries widgets are policies, but all they care about is selling more policies and collecting more premiums.

Their focus is product, product, product. The big problem is your clients don't care about products. They care about problems, results, and outcomes. And they don't want to buy products.

So the industry trains you to go out and talk product speak following the pitch they force you to memorize, and you fall flat on your face. Why? This is supposed to be a killer pitch that people absolutely can't resist.

You and your prospect are talking completely different languages and, not only don't they care what you're saying, they don't want to care. You can't win. You're doomed before you ever start.

You have the exact same problem the poor dude trying to sell Amway has. The Amway company is all about selling boxes of soap. The Amway dude bought into the idea of having their own business. And the customer thinks they can buy soap anywhere anytime, and they aren't interested in buying soap especially expensive soap sold door to door.

I hope you see the direct analogy because even though you may think what you're doing is so much more valuable than selling soap it isn't to the people you're trying to sell to. They can buy insurance anywhere anytime. They don't need to buy it from you. They've never once woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat wondering how they're going to make it until morning when they can go out and buy insurance.

So here's the first thing you should do. Make it your number one priority. Pick one and only one very specific group of people you're going to sell to. Don't shrug that off because it's the key to your success.

Don't make this choice lightly either. Consider how many people there are like that in your market. Only choose groups where you have opportunities to connect with them. Otherwise you won't exist in their world.

The next most important thing for you to do is find out the three most important things they already want, and are actively looking for a solution to.

Knowing the intricate details of policies isn't important it won't make you any money and you can't do anything with that knowledge until you have someone to sell to, and a clear reason why they need you. Then and only then are policies and policy details important.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Clausen

Why You Should Be Selling More Insurance Now Than Ever?

2008-12-16T03:42:00.000-08:00

Why should you be selling more insurance now in spite of all the bum news outside your control? You should be selling more now exactly because of all those things that are outside of your control, and outside of your prospect's and client's control. People are people.

Even during the great depression people still fell in love and got married, had children, had medical needs, and died. When you can help people do these things well, when you can make those things easier you have opportunities. You have better opportunities now because of the very things that everyone is talking about.

The first step to selling more insurance is talking about what you can do for people not talking to them in terms of insurance products. Rather you must be talking about the outcomes people want in terms of the things your prospects are already talking about. You want to focus on an existing desire you don't want to try and create a desire where one doesn't already exist.

Use high gas prices and concern for the environment to your advantage. Make it easier for prospects and clients to do business with you without either of you having to drive to do it. How can you change the way you do business to better serve your clients?

Taxes are something everyone worries about. Nearly everyone feels their tax burden is greater than it should be. Is there a way for you to provide a tax reduction along with the outcome your prospects want?

Young adults will still attend college. The elderly who can't take care of their daily activities for living will still go to nursing homes. What can you do to minimize these costs? What can you do to protect assets?

There are still people with large amounts of liquid assets. Do you have high-yielding alternatives? Do those alternatives decrease taxes? Do those alternatives provide for a stable retirement income?

You know what happens when people get scared? They have a strong desire to regain control of their future. One of the ways they seek to regain this control is through education.

That opens the door for you to provide that education. When you become the source of knowledge rather than a sales person you put yourself in a position to sell more insurance with less effort than you've probably ever experienced.

Some of the people in your market are facing home foreclosures. Can you reduce the financial damage?

No man is an island. Who can you partner with to form a complete solution to the problems facing your prospects?

People are mad about high gas prices, their mad about rising taxes, and their mad about inadequate medical coverage. Get mad with them, and show them how to strike back. Show them how to be the victor not the victim.

When you know how to put yourself in your prospect's shoes and speak to them about what they want to hear you'll sell more insurance. They'll even reach out and contact you because you now have something they want. They'll never want an insurance product, but they'll always want to get what they want. Find out how you can make this happen for you by checking out the book below.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Clausen

7 Recruiting Problems For Insurance Brokerage Directors

2008-11-07T04:16:00.000-08:00

1. These figures look high in the favor of recruiting independent and semi-independent brokers. Calculations are that it should be easy to have 100 agents. However when you relate that to the agents that you really want. the figures change. You know have 450,000 true brokers representing an average of 3 insurance companies. So a recruiter has realistic chances to have 135 broker contract if they were average,

Few insurance brokerage directors targeting brokers are average, but instead a very diverse group. Its also true that the statistics reveal only 1/3 or brokerage directors or marketing directors, have over 135 agents.

2. This reasoning is hard to understand, yet true. A steady flow of agent recruiting is the lifeline for many insurance companies. Despite this logic too many of the company employed recruiters have never sold a life insurance policy. This sounds like inviting over an expert care mechanic to remove your computer virus. Top recruiters are very well versed that being experienced in selling insurance products. .makes it easier to relate to signing up a prospective broker.

3. The recruiter believes the best of recruiting prospects are insurance agents with 1 to 4 years experience. This style of recruiter has no sense of longevity, either in the agent lasting with the company or his own career longevity. 90% of the inexperience health and life agents will be insurance career finished before reaching 4 years. Mail these non-brokers and get a stack of leads. They respond to everyone, yet do nothing..

If you have an exceptional career opportunity offer to present, concentrate on brokers with 4 thru 12 years experience. Many agents and brokers make company changes and add products during this time period.

4. Having a career makeover within the same company. Some large insurance companies each year make the transition from operating as career agencies only. The company opens a new division devoting to procuring the sales of insurance brokers. This recruiter may be a solid company man, but the independent word of brokerages is a whole new realm. You are pushing the broker to be independent, yet you yourself are not, and probably never will be.

5. Recruiters on a Set Salary. Similar to the above situation, the recruiter is an employee of the company, and paid a monthly salary. Pay increase stimulations are some of the sweetest carrots for insurance recruiters. Without an incentive, the recruiter will probably slack off.

6. Noticeably Works Out of the House. Many insurance recruiters have an auxiliary office at how or house their whole operation in a portion of the house. If this helps free up more money for a recruiting campaign, it is a fine concept. HOWEVER, the barking dogs, cat calls, and barfing babies are not pleasant background music.

7. Is anyone there alive? This type of agent marketers always has the telephone answering machine on, In additional you phone call is responded back to with an email. The broker must then take the time to respond back to the previous email. Finally the agent contacts the recruiter successfully on a static cell phone connection. That makes a broker wonder if the recruiter eats, sleeps, and works out of his car.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Reasons Marketing Sales Directors Fail Due to Lack of Action and Mail Blasting

2008-11-07T04:14:00.000-08:00

1. It is far too easy to find a multi-level contract where you can earn overrides on brokers you recruit to sell insurance products. Some extremely well established insurance marketing organizations provide almost all brokers to start out with a MGA, Managing General Agent contract. The Managing General Agent wins with higher personal commissions, his producers win with decent policy payments, and of course the insurance marketing organization signs up more independent agents and receives higher sales volume.

This creates a recruiting problem for the other sales agent recruiters. They now have a new generation of casual brokers with higher level contracts, often trying to break into the insurance marketing ranks.

2. The insurance marketer has not given an exclusive territory with the soles right to market the insurance company's product or entre product line. As the insurer frequently leaves their home office in the mix for contracting a mess is created. The newest issue of a major insurance publisher may contain 3 different firms t successful full-time marketers. As a result of poor training or knowledge, with the next 3 years a total of 47% of today's insurance marketers with be with us 3 years from know.

4. Nor stay up to date with news affecting recruiting. Currently a big misconception exists that telemarketing only applies to Consumers lists. Marketers are anxious to get telephone numbers to start calling agents, semi-independent agents plus independent brokers. None of these categories are expect from the FTC rulings. There call on of 3 styles of agents with a do-not-call listing and you many be looking at the help wanted ads, along with a fine up to $11,000. CAUTION All cell phone numbers are protected, so do not call them.

5. Insurance agent recruiters are suppose to be effective at contracting good agents. There is not said that they must slave away at the phone, trying to reach their ideal agent. If you are going to call lots of agents, hire an outside marketing firm, or a person you can train for about $10.00 per hour. Ask yourself how much is worth? Hopefully it is worth more than $10.000 per hour.

6. They do not understand the advantages and faults of emailing insurance brokers. First there is not a phone book like directory of independent insurance agents. Most agents have a total of 3 different ones, and during the course of 12 months will drop one, and add an additional ones. Agents do no feeling like that are just a number, one out of 1,500,000 to be more exact. When agent email blasting is done, many have some form of email blocker stopping your message,. Other statistics show that 2/3 of emails are never read.

The advantage of emailing insurance agents. These should be agents so already have under contract, or leads of prospective agents you are following up on. ALWAYS get their email address. Some agents hesitate up to 7 months before deciding to contract. Sending a series of monthly emails may easily pay off.

ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND ALL THE REASONS AGENTS RECRUITERS FAIL, IT BECOMES EASIER TO STAY OUT OF THE DANGER ZONE.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

How to Generate Insurance Leads Fast With a Practically Free Insurance Website

2008-11-04T01:01:00.000-08:00

As someone who's been around the block 10 times with websites, I can tell you unequivocally the BEST solution for totally professional, VERY CHEAP, and totally user friendly (able to be edited by you, online without having to know anything about code) is Wordpress.

You can use Wordpress as a blogging software, or you can use it as your website templates, and it's totally free and very Search Engine friendly.

After wasting thousands on websites in the past I finally got smart and here's what I did and here's what you should do as well.

3 Steps To Fast, Easy and User Friendly Insurance Websites

1. Go to rentacoder.com, put up a bid for a web designer from the Philippines to install a wordpress blog on your site.

Bid for less than $50 bucks.

You can open up the search for more countries, but I've had nothing but good results working with Philipino dudes. Working with clowns from other countries has been a nightmare. ( Avoid India at all costs).

2. Then search google for "wordpress templates" and you can find some awesome, free and professional templates for your use.

3. Choose your coder and template, and there, you've got a site up in no time flat.

This is the BEST website solution that exists on the market today, especially for guys like us who aren't web geeks.

Remember to create an opt in box on your landing page so you are sure to capture your prospects information when they land.

A website should be used for one thing and one thing only: That is to capture contact information from your visitors. That is obviously what we want, a lead to sell our insurance to.

So how do you do it?

The simplest way is to offer something of value to them. A CD is still a great tool to use as a lead generator. Offer an audio cd on "How to Avoid Wasting Money on Your Insurance." if they input their information in on your site, and BINGO, you've got a new lead.

You can use aweber.com to follow up via email, they are cheap, only 20 bucks a month for email autoresponders, and they do a great job.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Ryan

Granny's Moonshine - Insurance Marketing Generates Tons of Insurance Leads to Crush Your Competition

2008-11-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

My wife's grandma lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Her mom grew up using an outhouse, and without any heat in the home.

Ma Betty (grandma) used to make moonshine and the family would use it for virtually any ailment they had.

Well, I've got some insurance moonshine for you that will cure your lead problems. I don't know how you are currently generating insurance leads, but most agents "say" the get customers through referrals or by painfully picking up the phone and cold calling. Hopefully you've realized now that there IS a better way to generate business than through cold calling.

As an agent, I spent years hammering the phones trying to "beg" people to meet with me or let me give them a quote and, of course, I always told them I could save them money, or get them a low price. If you have ever been in that position, it is horrible. My good friend, Big Commission, who is also an insurance agent once told me if you are positioned incorrectly in the customer's eyes, you are no better than the door-to-door salesman...just above pond scum in most of your clients eyes.

The secret is through direct response marketing. Direct marketing for insurance is no different than any other direct marketing except you have to be careful of whatever state regs you have.

The outline for Effective Direct Marketing is this:

1. Attention

2. Interest

3. Desire

4. Action

5. Irresistible Offer

Part of the Direct Marketing formula is creating a good offer.

The big challenge in insurance is that most states have rules about rebating, so you can't really offer a cool premium, ipod, or giveaway. Instead just offer more information. Offer a report titled "7 secrets you must know before buying your next auto insurance policy". This creates an element of expertise for you as the advisor, plus gives you the opportunity to be different than other agents.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Ryan

Insurance Advertising - Discover How Independent Insurance Agents Generate Leads

2008-10-22T06:14:00.001-07:00

Each day, more and more Insurance Agents are leaving the captive corporate world to venture into the realm of independent insurance agent. Rather than being locked into selling one major insurance carrier's branded product line, they opt to offer a larger variety of policies, services and costs; coinciding with the demand of consumers wanting to have choices and options at competitive prices.

As we are well aware, this is no longer a "seller's market", but an "informed buyer's". People, in general, are armed with more information than ever before. So, how do you, the independent insurance agent, stand out from the other 100's of agents in your city? What marketing avenues are available to you so that you capture the prospective buyer's attention and convert them into a prospect and ultimately a long-term client? And which ones work?

Regardless of your target audience, whether you have niched your focus to be product specific, or if you are targeting a certain population segment; you need to investigate the various forms of advertising available to you, the costs of such programs and the pros and cons.

Below is a breakdown of the most commonly used forms of advertising for the independent insurance agency, and the pros and cons of each.

Television Advertising

As the average American spends more time in front of the television, it should be no surprise that this is one of the most sought after forms of marketing available.

Pros:

# Ability to reach a larger and more diverse segment of the insurance seeking population
# You can specify time of day and network, reaching your intended audience easier
# Since most consumers are engaged by a combination of movement, color, what they see and what they hear, this gives most businesses a platform to achieve full sensory contact
# Gives a business instant credibility and prestige

Cons:

# Cost for the commercial air time and/or multiple runs
# Cost for hiring a marketing agency to lay-out and film your insurance commercial
# Consumer expectation - no longer are we impressed with someone reading off a teleprompt, they want to be entertained
# Competition for the consumer's attention
# Popularity of digital recorders has increased, giving consumers the ability to fast-forward through commercials when watching their favorite shows

Many experts would agree that if you have the extra capital in your marketing budget to incorporate television into your advertising that you should. However, it is important that you research different advertising firms to help you explore your options with regards to creating your on-air advertisement, the best way to target your audience and keep within your planned budget.

Newspaper advertising and local weekly shoppers

With regards to print advertisements, some independent agents turn to local newspapers and weekly shoppers to advertise their agencies. Since many households either subscribe to at least one newspaper, or pick them up at their local newsstands, it is a fast and simple way to gain recognition by consumers.

Pros:

# Ability to reach more than one target audience by placing various advertisements in the different sections of a newspaper
# You have the choice of large or small circulation papers to advertise your insurance agency
# Consumers who turn to the newspapers and weekly shoppers are looking for advertisers who offer deals or bargains
# Multiple advertisement ad sizes to correspond with various budgets

Cons:

# Newspapers and weekly shoppers are usually read once and discarded
# Smaller advertisements have a more difficult time standing out when placed next to a larger ad
# Quality of the print may distort images and photos in a way that can hurt your marketing rather than help
# Ads, regardless of size, have to compete for the reader's attention

Like television advertising, it would be prudent to consult with a professional marketing firm, preferably one that specializes in insurance marketing, to help you design an advertisement that best captures your targeted audience's attention. The smaller the ad space the less detailed and complicated the ad should be.

Also keep in mind the days the most sought after papers and weekly shoppers are printed. The rates for a large advertisement over the weekend will be greater than the same sized ad featured all week long.

Billboards and Signs

While most forms of outdoor advertising are contained within billboards and large signage, some independent agencies have broadened the term to include park benches, posters and seat rails at public transit stops. This form of marketing has become a popular, less costly way, when compared with television and print advertising, to reach a larger audience in major metropolitan areas.

Pros:

# Potential clients cannot simply discard or "turn off" outdoor advertising
# Name recognition is higher with those consumers who walk or drive the same route each day
# Billboards and signs vary in price due to size and location making it is easier to find one in your budget

Cons:

# More often than not, outdoor advertisements do not fully engage a consumer's attention for more than a few seconds
# Advertisements have to be simple and interesting enough for the consumer to remember
# Outdoor advertisements are usually contracted for a longer period of time than most independent agencies had anticipated securing them for
# Posters and bench signs at public transit stops work well in major metropolitan areas where lower, middle and upper class alike share the same transportation systems, however, not as effective in areas where public transportation is not as common

If you feel various forms of outdoor advertising would be a compliment to your business and marketing plan, consider placement wisely. Consult many firms for input and advice on the best way to stretch your marketing dollar and how they can help you create eye-catching and simple designs for your sign.

Phone Book Directories

Since exposure to the advertisements in phone book directories is voluntary, meaning consumers actually turn to the phone book for its ads, this form of marketing for independent insurance agencies has become an industry standard.

Pros:

# Certain targeted audiences utilize the phone book regularly to find businesses in their area
# Many phone books also have an online directory giving agencies a more broad exposure
# You can tailor your exposure to cover a large metropolitan area, or just the city you work in
# Traditionally, consumers will keep a phone book versus discarding it like a newspaper

Cons:

# Cost - as more consumers turn to the internet, the cost for print ads in the phone book has increased to cover profit loss
# Marketing ineffectiveness - with so many insurance agencies buying ads, it becomes more difficult to capture the consumer's attention, and once again, stand out from the 100's of other agents in your market
# There are so many phone books in which to advertise, which one do you choose to feature your agency

As with any form of advertising, be sure to read all the features and benefits that come with your paid advertisement. Does it include a featured ad online, or is that separate? What is the target area or audience of the phone book you are looking at? Is the cost monthly, quarterly or annual? Is there an automatic renewal clause or will you have the option of not renewing your contract? Where will your advertisement be placed in comparison to the other featured ads? Will someone employed by the phone book assist you with an eye catching advertisement, or do you have to hire a marketing agency to do that for you, and what is the cost?

Internet Advertising

Roughly 90% of all the households across the United States have access to the internet either at home, at work or at school; making advertising on the internet the fastest growing marketing medium for independent insurance agents. That household percentage goes even higher for those families with a combined income of $100k or more. However, internet advertising gaining its strength only in the last decade or so, there is still a lot an independent agent would need to research, as with any form of advertising, before making a financial commitment.

Pros:

# Cost- you can spend much or as little as your budget allows
# Levels the playing field - the internet gives the independent agent a chance to compete with the large insurance carriers with regards to search engine placement
# Whether a web site, a PDF brochure, an affiliated network or a video; any and all forms of advertising can be featured and found on the internet
# Advertisement exposure is voluntary. Only the websites relevant to a consumer's online search will pull up for them to look at. Someone searching for insurance agents in their area are more often than not, looking for an agent to speak with

Cons:

# People expect to be educated or informed by an agent's personal website - having out-dated information or poor graphics can actually hurt your credibility
# The ever changing internet - each of the major search engines change what they search for on websites constantly with regards to how well they rank. Staying on top of these changes can be very time consuming or expensive if you pay a firm to do this for you.
# Fear of identity theft - consumers are becoming skeptical of entering their personal contact information online for fear they will have their personal information stolen or sold to telemarketing companies and be subject to unwanted emails or phone calls

There are so many options and services available to the independent insurance agent to effectively market themselves and attract more leads. The form of advertising you choose will depend largely on the audience you intend to target, the area in which you do business, and ultimately your budget. Be sure to ask questions. Know what you are getting and what you are not with whatever forms of marketing you decide to use.

After securing her position as a Top Seller in the Insurance and Financial Industry over the course of many years; Christee Fontanez shifted her focus several years ago to internet marketing and advertising. She combined both professions and now works to assist English and Spanish speaking consumers find an Insurance Agent or Advisor to help them secure their family's financial freedom regardless of language preference.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christee_Fontanez

Pre-Approach Letters Keeping You From Selling Insurance?

2008-10-22T06:13:00.000-07:00

Are you using pre-approach letters in an effort to secure appointments? How well are those letters working for you? If your results are less than you'd like this article will help you make some adjustments to those letters and improve your insurance sales results.

Realize when you take the time and spend the money to actually mail a pre-approach letter that letter has to produce results greater than the costs associated with the mailing. If it doesn't then continuing to do what doesn't work isn't going to produce different results. No big surprise there yet it amazes me how people will continue to send a letter they already know doesn't work and expect a miracle.

There is an incremental process that has to happen to have a pre-approach letter work for you. The first step in the process is getting your letter opened. Don't use one of your fancy letter head envelopes when mailing these letters.

If you want your letter to get opened it absolutely has to look like a personal correspondence. The easiest and cheapest way to do that is to use a plain envelope hand addressed and sent using a live stamp. A live stamp is just a postage stamp like you buy at the post office versus any kind of bulk meter postage.

Your reader is standing over the waste basket sorting their mail and deciding what gets put aside to look at, and what gets immediately thrown away. They open yours because they're curious as to who is sending them a letter. You've succeeded in the first step.

When they pull your letter out of the envelope it must still look like a personal message, so again don't use your fancy letter head paper because when you do you immediately trigger their defenses. As they begin to read your letter your first sentence must clearly communicate the value to them in reading your message. They must immediately get that you get what's going on with them.

The reader will not perceive value in an offer from you for a free review or a personal appointment. They're thinking so what. You're a complete stranger they don't know anything about you and they certainly don't see any reason to give you an appointment. That's the wrong offer.

The right offer will provide them with something that does have perceived value for them. Offer them something they do want and tell them the exact actions to get the offer. Then allow them to reach out to you first.

Some will reach out immediately others won't. You need a system to properly follow-up with each person. Your objective when you call the people who reached out to you is to determine if this person is a good potential client for you. Only extend an offer for an appointment to the people highly qualified to work with you who realize there may be a reason to meet with you and learn more.

Look at your current pre-approach letter and match it up against the recommendations in this article. Improve and refine your letter. Then make sure you carefully select who you'll send those letters to.

When you learn how to develop your own highly proprietary list versus throwing money away on lists that will never produce like a well developed list you'll enjoy great results from your letters. You won't throw away precious marketing dollars sending tons of letters that don't produce when you can selectively send small numbers that consistently produce highly qualified leads. Selling insurance doesn't have to be so hard if you'll just stop doing the things that don't work and learn how to do the things that do.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Clausen

Insurance Leads In Real Time

2008-10-15T03:33:00.000-07:00

For all insurance agents that follow up on leads, it goes without saying that timing is everything.

For example, if you follow up on a lead a week after you are tipped off about it, than chances are the customer is already working with another insurance company.

When people need insurance, regardless of the kind of insurance, they usually need it right away. The same holds true when working with insurance lead companies.

If you are an insurance professional considering working with an insurance lead company, it is imperative that you make absolutely certain that they are offering real time leads.

When I say real time insurance leads I mean leads that are hot off the press and delivered to you immediately. Leads where the customer is actually waiting on your phone call.

The best way to determine if an insurance lead company is selling their leads in real time is to speak with someone in their sales or customer service department. The main question you will want to ask is "where are the leads coming from?"

Here is what you will want to hear. You will want to hear that the leads they provide are coming from lead generation web sites that they own and operate.

This is the best way to determine that the quality of the lead is good and that you will be receiving it fresh and in real time.

Any other way of obtaining insurance leads should raise a red flag. The last thing you need is a lead that has been recycled dozens of times and is dated. This will obviously do you know good. So take the time to research the companies that you are considering.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Conners

Really - The Harder You Chase The Faster They Run From You The Insurance Salesman

2008-10-15T03:32:00.000-07:00

How many people are you following-up with right now? I'll bet you have a lot of people in your CRM that you're contacting every couple months to just "follow-up". Now let's be real honest painfully honest with each other. How many of these people are actually ever going to buy from you?

I'd venture to say very few of them. Most of the people you're following up with think of you as a pain in the neck, and they'd like to get rid of you. They just don't know how to politely make you go away.

Is that the kind of relationship you want with your clients? Do you want them dreading your call avoiding you in public looking for another agent so they can dump you? Of course you don't.

The way you start the relationship between you and your new potential client with your first contact predetermines the outcome of your relationship. First impressions are lasting impressions that taint every interaction you have with a potential client moving forward. It takes a long time and hard work to charge perceptions.

So when you contact someone and you talk about your insurance, and you, and then you push for the appointment you've just doomed yourself to failure before you even had a chance to start. Most people will tell you "no" in no uncertain terms ending the possibility of a relationship now, or any time in the future. Using this pushy selfish approach is a quick way to burn through a lot of really good potential clients, and damage your reputation in the process.

So how are you supposed to get appointments with people if you can't do it by pestering people you shouldn't be pestering in the first place? You do it by first becoming and behaving like a professional. Let me ask you, "how many times has an accountant called you on the phone out of the blue and pressured you to meet for a free tax review?" Let me guess that would be "never".

How does a professional get qualified potential clients looking for them wanting to know more about what they can do for them, so they don't have to chase after people? It starts with understanding and recognizing a problem that exists that a large number of potential clients for you want to do something about. The key words here are problem and want.

For example, you may have potential prospects who want to shelter money from taxes now to use to supplement their retirement later that they don't want locked in an IRA. These prospects have a problem. Plus they want to do something about it because they're thinking ahead, and planning for a future they want to build. Let's call our prospect Bob.

Now if you called Bob on the phone and spoke to him the way you do now, in a self-serving pushy way, Bob would get rid of you and fast. He'd tell you any objection he could come up with just to get you off the phone and more importantly out of his life. Contrast that with a conversation where instead of even mentioning the word "insurance" or any "product" you talked about a problem. Now Bob recognizing that you're talking about the exact problem he has asks you to tell him more about that.

Could we make this situation even better yet? You bet. How about if we get Bob to call you the expert? That's not a problem that's what good marketing is all about.

Using effective marketing you present your problem based message in all your marketing communications. You make those communications in person in places where you know Bob is likely to be, in literature Bob already reads, in places Bob is already listening.

When Bob receives your communication he'll be all ears so to speak because you're talking directly to him. You've gotten Bobs attention. The next step is to get Bob engaged.

That's easy to do you just give Bob something to do. That's right you just tell Bob exactly what to do and how to do it and he will because Bob wants to know more. Now Bob is in essence chasing you rather than you chasing Bob.

Something big just happened here in both your mindset and Bob's. Bob doesn't think you're a pesky insurance sales person he wants to get rid of. Bob thinks you're an expert a professional who possibly has the answers he's looking for. Why, Bob thinks you may just be the trusted advisor he's been looking for.

Because you have qualified people contacting you and wanting to learn more you no longer feel like a desperate loser like you do now. Instead you feel like the trusted advisor the expert you are. This shift in mindset is huge. It leads to the increased sales you want.

All you have to do from this point on is back up this good first impression with a lasting impression that you're a professional by acting like one. That's means no high pressure tactics no coercive language no self-serving closing techniques. All those behaviors are counter-productive. Remember you don't want a one-time purchase you want a life-time client. That means you have to treat your clients with the respect and dignity they deserve from the beginning.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Clausen

Are Your Insurance Leads Recycled Or Rehashed?

2008-10-13T02:09:00.000-07:00

Often the going price for an internet generated life insurance lead is around $15.00. However some vendors might charge $6.00 and others $45.00. The internet lead costing $6.00 generates more interest than the rest, and countless agents leap forward in a raging fire to miss the prize and receive third degree burns. A true qualified lead allows you to present your insurance product to an interested prospect that is medically and financially qualified.

Be careful if you purchase a shared non-exclusive lead. These recycled leads are the lowest cost, and for good reason. If the lead firm says they will sell this same shared $10.00 lead to 6 other agents, double that figure. Perhaps your normal closing rate is 35%. With this style lead you might close 10 percent. Now your lead in reality cost you $35.00 plus extra time and gas. $Over 100.00 total would probably be the total cost to make a sale.

An additional choice you have is the exclusive luxury lead. You are the only agent calling on the internet that will get this lead. That's true in part. Here's a tip that has dawned only on a tiny amount of internet lead buyers, and should save you hundreds. Not being in the business of selling internet leads to agents, this is a freebie tip.

Check closely to see if the internet lead company selling you the exclusive lead is licensed to sell insurance. Examine their web site entirely, looking for the form clients fill out asking for insurance. If you can't find the form, ask the internet firm where on the internet you can see it. If they are reputable they will tell you. Does the client first have the opportunity to buy the policy directly from them. Are they rehashed? Another internet firm that sells insurance direct to consumers over the internet, may have sold them the lead, after the 1st firm could not convince the client to buy. What closing ratio opportunity do you potentially have on the Exclusive lead?

Another tip. Some internet insurance lead producing firms receive 90% or 100% of their leads from shotgun email blasting. Sometimes they purchase a responder list. This is a list of people that have at least once responded to any kind of internet product offering. There are countless people that just love to respond to everything. These names are shuffled into your list. This truly does not make them an exclusive prospect for you.

So which vehicle is going to get you there with the best return on investment? Test and don't commit to a long term commitment. Stay away from any firm offering free leads. Does the post office give you free stamps to test? Every darn internet lead company is out to get your attention. I'd rather answer an internet lead producers ad giving free gas. At least I know that way I received something useful.

Youi want to increase your closing ratio, and lower wasted appointments and gas costs.

You forgot about the baby born long before the internet. Check the internet for Direct Mail insurance leads, where all the leads come back only to you. The initial cash outlay is higher. However if you plan on making a career of selling insurance, you will see that the return on investment is the true measure to evaluate. Your appointment rate is higher, your sales ratio is pumped up, and the average sales amount will make you proud.

Rehashed, recycled, and unsuccessfully sold insurance prospects hold your career from progressing faster. These are not true leads, just true grit.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

Insurance Marketing Tips

2008-10-13T02:07:00.000-07:00

Anything can be marketed effectively, and the basic principles of marketing remain the same, no matter what's being sold: You focus on what the benefit is to the person who's buying the product, you emphasize the points of differentiation between your product and the others in your market segment, and then close with the pitch.

We're going to make an example out of insurance marketing here to illustrate the point. The reason for insurance marketing is because everyone needs insurance, and the market is saturated with a lot of products competing. Writing insurance marketing tips for a saturated market is an example of how you, as an internet entrepreneur, can make money by being a liaison to local businesses in your area.

So, let's look at the big questions from up top - what's the big benefit for taking insurance? It's buying a specific sort of peace of mind. It's providing coverage in case there's a disaster. Let's focus that into marketing insurance: "Wouldn't you like to know that your family will be taken care of, if something happens to you?" is one way to state the benefit. Another one is "It's cheaper to buy insurance for your car than to get into an accident without it. And while you may be a good driver, can you be certain of everyone else?" Both of these are fairly straightforward ways to insurance marketing and its benefits to the end customer.

Now, when I write insurance marketing tips, I'm constantly looking for the edge, the out - the hook. What makes this product work for the reader and prospective buyer?

To answer that question, I start with doing some research on Google, and look for page ranks for specific permutations of insurance buying search terms, like "cheap health insurance" or "cheap life insurance" or "auto insurance Michigan" - anything that will help narrow down the search fields. Then I look at what others are doing on those pages that pull up. It is extremely important to understand what your competitors are doing. It helps you keep track of market trends and makes sure you keep your edge.

Are they competing primarily on price, or are they competing on features? Insurance is a mature product category, so it's difficult to differentiate on new features. Difficult doesn't mean "impossible", though. There are combinations of features on policies that can form a competitive advantage; in the field, these tend to be short lived, because someone else will notice what you're selling and emulate it. Unlike technology where an advance can last for six to eighteen months before you get significant product penetration from competitors, writing a new policy package doesn't take much (indeed, they'll figure it out from your own marketing text...)

So the other differentiators are on price (which is the primary driver in insurance policies) and service (which is where insurance companies trying to maintain margins on policies try to set themselves up as upscale.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Ledoux

Business Insurance Leads, What to Look For

2008-10-07T06:54:00.001-07:00

For agents in the Insurance industry that are considering buying business insurance leads it is very important to research the Insurance lead company before you do business with them.

Here are a few things to consider when buying business insurance leads.

For starters. Where are the leads coming from? You want to make absolutely sure that the Insurance lead provider that you are considering is obtaining their business insurance leads on their own through lead generation web sites that they own and operate and can deliver them to you fresh.

Otherwise, you run the risk of purchasing recycled leads.

Also, look for the lead companies that do not require you to purchase contracts in order to do business with them.

If their leads are of good quality you will no doubt continue to buy so their would be no need for a contract.

If the company you are considering does require a contract you should either move on or continue to gather more information.

Look for low minimum deposits. Anything that is $300 or below would be considered acceptable. For instance, say you make a large deposit and find out that the leads are not any good. Is there any guarantee that you will get your money back?

Lastly, speak with someone in sales or the customer service department. Ask as many questions as you feel is necessary to find your comfort level.

If the company does not have a number for you to call than move on to the next one.

Who are you going to call when you need a refund?

If at any time you are not happy with the customer service you are receiving while doing your research than it is more than likely you will not be happy with the leads. So again, move on.

Remember, you work hard for your money, so make sure it is being spent in a way that will make you more money. Good luck!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Conners

How To Sell Annuities - Learn to Understand Your Prospect

2008-10-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

To sell more annuities and other insurance products you need to always understand the prospect. What do they really want?

Understanding the needs of the client is important to building a relationship. If we are always trying to fit our round peg into the square hole selling becomes almost impossible. Here are some tips about selling to this target market.

This is important, remember it.

People Buy Annuities

You Must Sell Insurance

What the client really wants

· High Interest or Yield on their money

· Tax deferred growth, control over their tax liability

· Guaranteed safety, many are too old to earn this money again

· Right to withdrawal interest, this keeps their principal intact

· Access to funds in an emergency and also if the funds are needed for long term care issues

The client does not want these

· To annuitize, although it is a benefit, the need to keep their funds in a "pile" far over shadows

· To lose any more money in the stock market, safety and security is essential

· Risk and who does? Why risk funds when it isn't necessary.

· To be concerned about tax consequence for children, they may say they are settling these funds aside for their children, but if taxes are due, they really don't care

· To be told they will be in a lower tax bracket. Who does want to be told this? I want to think my tax rate will be higher because it means I will be making more money.

Conducting a fact finder to understand the goals of your prospect is important. Always listen to their answers and never answer for them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Broich

alternative market--treasure chest or Pandora's box for agents

2008-09-30T05:35:00.000-07:00

In the last quarter century, a record number of organizations have chosen to finance risk in a non-traditional way. The result is that over 30% of commercial insurance is in the alternative marketplace. It would seem to some observers that the alphabet houses (Marsh & McLennan, Johnson & Higgins, etc.) have discovered this marketplace to be a "treasure chest." Unfortunately, many independent agents view this same market to be "Pandora's Box" -- if you keep the lid on tight, the problems won't be seen or have to be dealt with.

The purpose of this article is to assist agents in understanding how the alternative market can be a treasure chest which will: increase the retention of customers; bring in new customers; increase revenues and profit; make the agency more dynamic.

One of the most significant challenges to traditional insurance and to independent, local agents came in the mid-'80s. Public entities quite suddenly found themselves having to cancel fireworks and festivals, and close skating rinks and playgrounds they had been using for years because insurers refused to cover the liability exposure. How municipalities reacted to this dilemma is an important piece of the history of the alternative marketplace.

They created municipal association pools--i.e., they told the traditional market, "We want what we need, not what you want to give us." The exodus created by these public entity pools has stunned many agents who wrote public entity business throughout their agency's existence. In some cases, agents were taught at seminars how to sell against the pools; they could talk to their public entity prospects about the pool's lack of track record; its joint and several liability; future assessments; and lack of underwriting.

In spite of this, municipal pools have thrived over the last 10 years. If you look hard, you will find a handful of agents who viewed the challenge posed by insurers' refusal to write liability insurance as an opportunity to assist local groups in creating alternatives. Today, many of those agents continue to provide services to the pools they helped create.

Let's explore what we mean by the alternative marketplace:

* high retention/deductible programs

* retrospectively rated plans

* captives (group, association, renta-captive)

* pools/trusts

* self-insurance groups (WC only)

* producer-owned insurance companies

High retention/deductible plans.

Every insurance program should be structured in a manner which takes into account the organization's ability to self-fund some risks. This should not be viewed as reducing premium/commission income; rather, it is reallocating of funds used to cover risk.

(Note: A number of agents disclose all income derived from a particular client to that client and add service fees to those policies which are priced net of commission, or with commissions inappropriately low based on agent's time required to service.)

The institution or corporation with the highest levels of self-funded risk can best weather the cyclical vagaries of the insurance marketplace.

Retrospectively rated plans. A few agents seek retros--particularly, unusually funded retros--from their market sources to have available as the need arises with a particular client.

Recently, the CFO of a local manufacturer went to his agent looking for some better way to fund workers compensation than through the assigned risk plan. The annual premium was $325,000. The agent indicated that none of his carriers were interested in writing the business on a voluntary basis--thus, the Assigned Risk was the only option. A short time later, this CFO was introduced to an insurance agent at a school fundraiser. He was grousing about the problem and this agent gave him his business card with the usual "call me." The result, provided by a very small insurance agency, was a retrospectively rated plan which, based on historic loss information (trended and developed) would save the manufacturer $30,000 to $90,000 a year. The agent requested the opportunity to quote on the rest of the business, and, the rest is history.

Be prepared. It works for the Boy Scouts, and works even better for insurance agents.

Captives. Generally, a captive is defined as "a closely held insurance company whose insurance business is primarily supplied by and controlled by its owners, and, in which the original insureds are the principal beneficiaries."1

Agents can direct clients toward captives which are in operation today. An example would be a local agent insuring the local rural electric cooperative (REA) That agent might get a quote from Federated, a Wisconsin domiciled captive which insures REAs. The agent might find broader coverage at a lower cost than the traditional market.

Most captives which insure U.S. organizations are domiciled (regulated) in Bermuda or Vermont, although several other on- and off-shore domiciles license captives.

Hot housing market increases ranks of real estate agents

2008-09-30T05:33:00.000-07:00

The booming real estate market has brought with it an unprecedented rise in the number of agents in the county, according to the Westchester County Board of Realtors.

With no precedent, it's impossible to say what will happen to all of these real estate agents when the market cools, said P. Gilbert Mercurio, chief executive officer of the board. "We've never had it go up like this."

The number of licensed Realtors in Westchester County has jumped by more than a third in the past two years, according to the board's figures.

The board gained 900 members over the last year. "We're looking at 100 new members this month," he said. "It's been 80, 100, 110 a month."

As a result, their ranks have swelled to 6,700 members, despite a steady 10 percent to 15 percent turnover rate every year, he said. "We replace them, and more."

The board was founded in 1980 with about 2,000 Realtors, and didn't hit the 3,000 mark until the 1990s, Mercurio said. By 2003, there were nearly 5,000 members.

"It's been a nationwide phenomena," he said. The National Association of Realtors had 900,000 members in 2002 and has 1.2 million today.

The strength of the real estate market is the main factor, he said.

It's difficult to determine if there is an upper limit to the number or Realtors, since so many are part time, he said. "This is not your normal occupation in that there is a lot of part-time activity."

While there have been no local surveys, the national board has found that only about 30 percent of Realtors put in a full 45- to 50-hour week selling real estate.

The fact it can be done part time is part of the appeal, said Michael Graessle, co-owner of Nelson Vrooman Associates in White. Plains. "It's valuable for people who need to control their own schedules.

"I have a son who's actually considering taking the test. He's an airline pilot," he said. "I think he wants to do this because you can do it part time and find out if it's what you want to do."

His firm has 20 full-time and nine part-time agents, he said. They recently added four new agents and have increased their office space by 50 percent.

However, George Stone, co-owner of ,Julia B. Fee Real Estate in Scarsdale, said agents really need to work full time if they want to earn any money, particularly since most customers now do their own price research online. "It's not a part-time business. You have to he fully committed to it," he said.

Mercurio said the part-time aspect does seem to be changing, but slowly. Where in prior years real estate was often a second career, some are starting to look at it as a first career. "We're seeing a generational change. We see a lot of young people who have studied real estate in college. They see opportunity."

Linda Roth, branch manager of the Coldwell Banker Doernberg Real Estate office in Scarsdale, said the new agents coming to her firm have brought there own network of contacts with them and have had no problem finding business. "Everyone brings their own business to the show," she said. "There doesn't appear to be my absorption problems."

She said her office has added 11 Realtors over the past two years and now has a total 88 agents.

The larger candidate pool has enabled the firm to pick the very best candidates, she said. "They're coming in with very good resumes," she said.

"It does add some price competition," Stone said. "The good firms will take the competition well."

Mercurio said lie could not be sure what would happen to these newly minted Realtors when this market cools.

In previous years, the growth in the ranks of real estate agents slowed and even stopped in years when the market was below average, but there has never been a time when their numbers declined, he said.

In part, that is because there is always a pool of people who have gotten real estate licenses but have not taken the extra step of joining the board and becoming Realtors, he said.

However, no previous period of rapid growth has been this strong or lasted this long, making the future unpredictable, he said. "There's too much change."

Graessle said it's likely there would be agents who would reconsider their career choice, but that many would stick with it. "There's always activity, even in a market that changes."

"The ones that are making money will stick with it, and the ones that aren't will go and look for the next hot industry to try," Stone said.

History and Future Trends of China's Defoaming Agent Market

2008-09-28T04:42:00.002-07:00

The Infoshop (http://www.the-infoshop.com/ee/55347) has announced the addition of Asia Market Information & Development Co.'s product Chinese Markets for Defoaming Agents to its online catalog.

This report examines China's macroeconomic trends, investment environment, defoaming agent industry structure and capacity, production and demand, end-use market consumption trends, distribution channels and principal industry participants. Long-term forecasts for major defoaming agent production and demand are included. Key producers are profiled. Top Chinese defoaming agent producers are listed in the producer directory section.

Most primary and secondary research was done in China in order to access up-to-date government regulations, market information and industry data. Data was collected from the Chinese government publications, Chinese language newspapers and magazines, Chinese chemical industry associations, defoaming agent publications, and our in-house databases. Interviews were conducted with Chinese industry experts, university professors, and defoaming agent producers in China.

Historical data include 1995, 2000 and 2005. Long-term development trends are projected to the years 2010 and 2015. Economic models and quantitative methods are applied in this report to project market demand and industry trends. Metric system is used and values are presented in either yuan (RMB, current price) and/or US dollars. Exchange rate for 2005 is based on the annual average rate (8.1 yuan per US dollar). The word "demand" is used interchangeably with "consumption".

High Growth Reported for the World Household Cleaning Agents Markets

2008-09-28T04:42:00.001-07:00

Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the Household industry is available in its catalogue.

World Household Cleaning Agents Markets

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Household Cleaning Agents in Millions of US$. The major product segments analyzed are Surface Cleaners (All Purpose Liquid cleaners, All Purpose Dry Cleaners, Liquid Scouring Cleaners, Dry Scouring Cleaners, & Disinfectants), Specialty Cleaners, (Glass & Window Cleaners, Toilet Bowl Cleaners, Bath Tub & Tile Cleaners, Drain Pipe Cleaners, Dishwashing Cleaners, & Oven Cleaners), and Bleaches (Liquid Bleach, & Dry Bleaches). The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Latin America. Annual forecasts are provided for each region for the period of 2001 through 2015. A ten-year historic analysis is also provided for these markets with annual market analytics. The report profiles 250 companies including many key and niche players worldwide such as Clorox, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Church and Dwight Co., Inc., Henkel KGaA, The Dial Corporation, Kao Corporation, Procter and Gamble Company, Reckitt Benckiser Inc., S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Unilever, and Unilever UK Home and Personal Care. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are mostly extracted from URL research and reported select online sources.

Examine the World Chelating Agents Market

2008-09-28T04:38:00.000-07:00

Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the Chemicals industry industry is available in its catalogue.

World Chelating Agents Market

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Chelating Agents in Metric Tons. The specific end-use segments discussed are Household and Industrial Cleaners, Waste Water Treatment, Paper & Pulp Processing, and Other Applications. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World. Annual forecasts are provided for each region for the period of 2001 through 2015. A ten-year historic analysis is also provided for these markets with annual market analytics. The report profiles 74 companies including many key and niche players worldwide such as Akzo Nobel, BASF Corporation, Dow Chemical Company, Lanxess AG, and Mitsubishi Rayon Company. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are mostly extracted from URL research and reported select online sources.

Florida Adjuster Licensing - How To Become A Florida Insurance Claims Adjuster

2008-09-25T03:22:00.000-07:00

With an extremely high number of hurricanes having made landfall, Florida is historically the busiest state for catastrophic claims adjusting. Florida residents interested in working as a staff or independent claims adjuster must first obtain the Florida adjuster license. Non-residents of Florida considering a career in catastrophic claims, particularly residents of states not requiring an adjuster license, should strongly consider obtaining a non-resident license in the "hurricane state". Follow these 3 steps to obtain and maintain your adjuster license in Florida:

Step 1) Observe the Requirements

To become licensed as a resident staff or independent adjuster in Florida, individuals must:

* Be at least 18 years of age.
* Be a resident of the state of Florida.
* Complete an online application for License and submit appropriate fees.
* Be a U.S. citizen or legal alien who possesses a work authorization for the Immigration and Naturalization Services.
* Be fingerprinted at one of the Department's fingerprint sites.
* If licensed in another state within 3 years, provide a Letter of Clearance.
* Successfully complete 1) an approved adjuster designation course (i.e. Florida Certified Adjuster {CA} Designation) or 2) the Florida Adjuster Examination.

If an individual already holds a general agent license and wishes to add or convert to an adjuster, one must apply online and submit the fee of $55 - no examination is required.

To become licensed as a non-resident staff or independent adjuster in Florida, individuals must:

* Be at least 18 years of age.
* Not be a resident of Florida.
* Complete an online application for License and submit appropriate fees.
* Be a U.S. citizen or legal alien who possesses a work authorization for the Immigration and Naturalization Services.
* Be fingerprinted on cards provided by the Florida Department of Financial Services. Two fingerprint cards are mailed to the applicant.
* For reciprocal licensing, the applicant's home state must have a reciprocal agreement with Florida.
* If the applicant does not meet the reciprocal requirement listed above, he or she must take either 1) an approved adjuster designation course (i.e. Florida Certified Adjuster Designation) or 2) take and pass the Florida Adjuster Examination.

Step 2) Obtain the Florida Claims License

Unless you are eligible for reciprocal licensing, you will need to successfully complete an approved designation course or pass the state exam. The Florida Certified Adjuster Designation Course, for example, satisfies all educational and evaluation requirements for obtaining the Florida adjuster license.

The course is available in online or classroom format. The 4 day classroom course consists of 40 hours in-class time and a series of quizzes administered twice daily. Cumulatively, these quizzes replace a final examination and are designed to be student friendly. Topics of the course range from General & Homeowner's Liability to Automobile Physical Damage Adjusting to Commercial and Homeowner's Property Adjusting. Designation courses such as the Certified Adjuster course enjoy extremely high student pass ratios. Once the course is completed, graduates need only submit their online application (observing the requirements above) and they can expect to be licensed within weeks.

The state exam can also be taken to satisfy the educational requirements. The state exam is notoriously difficult and generally requires considerable preparation before it can be taken with realistic chances of success. Still, it can at times offer a slightly faster, if uncertain, route to licensure.

Step 3) Maintain the License

Florida requires 24 hours of continuing education (CE) that must consist of at 2 hours ethics and 10 hours law. The remaining 12 hours are optional. The reporting period for completing Florida CE is 2 years.

Summary: Becoming a licensed Florida insurance adjuster will become increasingly important for those interested in working catastrophic claims in this time of volatile weather activity. Observing the requirements for licensure will ensure a smooth and expeditious transition into the world of claims. Solid educational opportunities exist that will exempt prospective licensees from taking the state exam.

If You're Selling Insurance You Have to Talk Dirty!

2008-09-25T03:21:00.000-07:00

Why? Because nobody wants to buy insurance.

Have you ever met anyone that said they wanted to buy insurance? Probably not.

Why is this? Because they think they are immortal, or more likely, they have never faced their own mortality. Because of this they can't see the need for life insurance. This is why you have to get down and talk dirty to them - make them face reality.

I learned this many years ago from a veteran Million Dollar Round Table member, who put it like this, "You have to drag up the hearse and make them smell the flowers."

Is selling life insurance, a rational or an emotional transaction? If it were a purely rational transaction a lot of people would volunteer to buy it, however if you don't bring the clients emotions into play, the rational aspect does not get considered.

As an example, try asking a number of businessmen what their most valuable asset is. My experience tells me that and the majority of them will say "It's my business" "My yacht " or "my beautiful house" None of these answers is true. These are the common misconceptions most people have about their assets. The truth is their most valuable asset is their own Life.

Now it is down to you. You are the one who has to talk them through this, they won't do this on their own. You have to point out that their life is the one asset that supports everything else, their business, their income and their families.

Make them see that it is their life, their presence, their skill and their work that created the company, and without that life, the company, all the other assets they own and their family's welfare is at risk. Look any business owner in the eye and ask this question, What would happen to your business today, if you had died last night?

Prompt him with follow-up points like,

Once the bank learns of your death , they will freeze your account, at least until they are sure that the business can continue without your control.

Is there someone ready and able to pick up the pieces without loss to the company?

Will all your long-term clientèle continue to trade with the company if you're not around?

The average businessman is so preoccupied with running his business on a day to day basis they never stop to face the reality.

So it is up to you to face them with their own mortality.

When you do, you will see their pain but as we all know there is no gain without pain.

Want To Get Paid In 7 To 9 Days On Qualified Money Transfers?

2008-09-25T03:20:00.000-07:00

Earning compensation is an important part of selling annuities, it is how we pay our bills and continue on with our journey.

Have you ever written a new annuity only to have it held up for 60-90 days and have to collect signatures, fight with conservation and wear yourself out? Just when you think it is ready to transfer, always something new comes up. Conservation by the broker or another agent gets old fast plus constantly calling the prospect always weakens the sale.

I can get paid in 7 days....Guaranteed. Want to learn how? A small technicality, this only works for IRAs, 401 (k), 403 (b) (tax sheltered annuities) and other qualified funds.

Since an annuity is a long term hold it would stand to reason that an IRA would be the logical place for an annuity so given that concept here it is...

Scenario:

Your client has funds in an IRA, doesn't make any difference where it is, bank, brokerage account, another annuity company.

· Open an IRA account with your annuity company under the name of the prospect and have a policy number issued (they will all do it). This is important later.

· Have your prospect surrender the IRA directly to them. The funds in an IRA can be in their possession for 60 days without any tax issues.

· Wherever you are surrendering the IRA from make sure to get the transfer forms from the custodian and have them prepared for your prospect. Easy to find on the internet or simply call the custodial and have them faxed or emailed to you.

· On the surrender forms mark it as an IRA rollover, no taxes will be withheld.

· Write a letter under your prospects name to the original custodial re-stating this is an IRA rollover and do not with hold taxes. Staple this to the surrender form and make copies.

· Tell your prospect to call immediately when the check arrives so that not a moment's interest will be lost. (they will call instantly)

· Have them deposit the IRA check into their account and write a new check to themselves in care of the new custodial (annuity company). Explain that it is important to create a paper trail for their IRA funds.

· Complete all the paperwork for the new policy and if the funds came from another insurance company, make certain you prepare the replacement form as required by your state department of insurance.

· Tell the client that you will write their new policy number on the check when you get to the office. (you had it issued by your company) On the back of the check have your clients write in the endorsement part, "For deposit only to the benefit of (insert their name), IRA". Write the policy number here also.

· Tell your prospect that you will mail them a copy of their check as soon as you get back to the office (with the numbers on both places). It's very important that you do this.

· You need to keep full copies and your client should also. Make a file for them and deliver it when you deliver the policy.

· You can surrender an existing IRA and reposition your prospect's funds into a new contract using this method in 7 to 9 business days.

This Is Guaranteed To Increase Your Annuity Sales - Give It To Get It

2008-09-18T02:05:00.001-07:00

It couldn't be easier, but first you have to re-program part of your thinking. What I am going to tell is the truth because I have done it myself.

It truly works.

If all you think about is selling annuities your brain slowly closes in on the problem. Soon you will be on the internet at night and don't forget those Saturday morning meetings, etc.

You have to live also and while I have always preached to be focused and to have a narrow view of marketing, sometimes you need to blend that with my secret method....Give It to Get It.

Here it is (don't laugh, it works)

Schedule at least 2 hours and commit to doing something for charity or for another person each week. Pick up trash along the highway. Go to the food bank and volunteer. Mow you elderly neighbor's lawn. Give blood. Wash your wife's car (not at the quick wash.) Volunteer at the local hospital. Deliver food to shut ins. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Just try it and see how your whole attitude about selling annuities will change. Perspective becomes a major focus of your selling efforts.

One rule to follow...Never tell anyone what you are doing! Silence is golden. Keep it a secret but when the opportunity comes to help another agent who may be struggling, then tell them the "Secret."

Laugh if you wish but this one thing has helped me become a better annuity salesperson more than anything else. It is all about reprogramming your thoughts and how you approach the obstacles of life.

Annuity Marketing Systems - Use Medical Declines To Sell More Annuities

2008-09-18T02:04:00.000-07:00

This annuity marketing tip really works and will give you tons of prospects and the marketing work is done for you.

This is a built in sale with people who really want you to see them. Here is what you do...

· Find several LTC salesmen and invite them to a meeting. They will always be interested in new sources of revenue and marketing ideas.

· Offer them $20.00 for each LTC Medical decline they get. Pay them in cash when they give them to you. Another option is to partner with them on future sales, most will want a share of compensation and the LTC salesperson could be a door opener for you with the prospect.

· Call the MD (medical decline) and tell them you are working with their LTC agent (or have the agent call if they are sharing in future compensation) that even though they have been declined there is new information for them. Privacy concerns will need to be addressed and bringing in the LTC agent will help.

· Provide information listing options available to them for alternative LTC options. In many states proceeds from annuities can be exempted from spendown. (always confirm any information you provide)

· Move to a fact finder and see if their situation can be helped with an annuity.

· Prepare the close and make a sale.

We both know it isn't that easy but your new prospect will be about as easy a prospect as you'll ever find. If the agent wants to be more involved, take him with you. If a sale occurs, sharing compensation may be in order.

You can get tons of these prospects just by talking to the LTC folks, they have limited ideas what other options are available to their prospects.

There is no one who is doing this and it is almost unlimited prospecting because of this statistic I found the other day. LTC agents will sell 14 policies a year and half will be declined. Just think of those numbers!

Annuity Marketing Advice - Taxes Can Be Imposed On Certain Immediate Annuities - Look At The Liabili

2008-09-15T05:54:00.001-07:00

This annuity marketing advice might allow you to sell a tax deferred annuity and remove the interest instead of providing your prospect with an immediate annuity.

California has tax laws that require immediate annuity payouts to be taxed. Naturally California would be the one to figure out how to squeeze all the available tax dollars.

What is the tax? 2.35% of the paid benefit. The insurance company providing the income benefit will calculate the tax liability prior to providing the income to the client. The insurance company then pays the Sate directly.

Taxes, taxes and more taxes.

Makes you wonder how many state accountants it took to dream up this idea. They must have had help from the state assembly. (Oh by the way, they also will charge any income taxes that are due the state!)

Several other states tax immediate annuity income benefits.

Maine 2%

Nevada 3%!!!!

South Dakota 1.25% on the first $500,000 and then a reduction

West Virginia 1%

Wyoming 1%.

A method for avoiding the tax would be to buy the annuity in a different state that doesn't tax income benefits. (many companies allow this) Another option is to put your funds on deposit earning interest and remove the interest on a monthly income. Many insurance annuity contracts also allow for 10% of the value of the annuity to be removed without penalty and many will allow you to do this on a monthly income basis.

If you know your states tax rules you will be in a better position to advise your client.

Notice To Insurance Agents - Keep It Simple When Selling Equity Linked Indexed Annuities

2008-09-15T05:53:00.002-07:00

It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink.

Mead is a honey beer (and can be wine) and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.

Many annuity products have a honeymoon period with the client. The honeymoon is the time period from how the insurance agent may have explained an annuity to the harsh reality of performance! Often mistakes and misunderstandings occur when indexed annuities are sold. These products can be complicated and have many moving parts which come into play in different scenarios. Many times the grim facts of performance come to light and the client is unsure what they actually bought and why does the insurance company get to keep the money so long?

Full disclosure makes selling these indexed products so much easier in the long run. Always leave a company provided brochure for the product sold and keep a copy in the clients file for future use. By cutting corners we may be able to sell a couple more annuities than if we disclosed everything but you know what? It is the wrong way to sell.

Equity indexed annuities are not the easiest product to explain, there are just a lot of factors to determine. Be careful and take your time so the honeymoon period lasts as long as the contract.

Start with this. Equity Indexed Annuities are fixed annuities and your funds are NOT invested in the stock market! Your funds are invested in the general bond portfolio of the insurance company and any gain is provided by the use of option futures between the insurance company and Wall Street.

Full disclosure, take your time explaining the product, focus on the underlying guarantees, the benefits that come with the contract and guess what....

Maybe The Honeymoon Will Last!

Business Insurance Leads, What to Look For

2008-09-15T05:53:00.001-07:00

Florida Adjuster Licensing - How To Become A Florida Insurance Claims Adjuster

2008-09-12T05:50:00.003-07:00

How To Sell Annuities - Learn to Understand Your Prospect

2008-09-12T05:50:00.001-07:00

Business Insurance Leads, Building Relationships

2008-09-12T05:49:00.000-07:00

If you are an insurance agent that is looking for insurance leads, more than likely you are looking for policies in the area of auto, home owners, or life insurance. It makes the most sense because this is where the higher commission is.

Due to the fact that most business insurance customers are seeking insurance policies for start up businesses where the premiums are not all that high, the business insurance lead is not highly sought after by insurance professionals.

Also, for these same reasons the customer in need of business insurance has trouble finding someone to fill their business insurance policy for them.

Here is something for Insurance agents to consider when it comes to working with business insurance leads.

If you take the time to help a customer out with their business insurance needs and take the time to build a relationship with them, in no small way will they be overly appreciative of the fact that you took the time to help them.

Remember, you are with them in the beginning and you are a major component for helping them get their fledgling business off the ground. The trust and loyalty they will have in you is second to none.

Because of the relationship and the trust you have built with this customer they will be more than likely, and more than happy to do all of their personal insurance business with you. Which of course leads to life insurance, car insurance, home owners insurance, etc.

Or, at the very least you will have their ear when it comes time to explaining your products and services and the savings that you can offer them.

Also important is finding the right insurance lead company to work with.

Look for the insurance lead companies that sell fresh, real time business insurance leads, and one with which you can start out with a low minimum deposit.

This concept has been tested and has worked for many insurance agents so it may be something you want to consider.

So the next time you find a break in your day or an opening on your calendar, invest in a handful of business insurance leads and see if you can build a relationship with a small business customer.

If I Only Had a List - I Could Increase Sales

2008-09-10T06:24:00.003-07:00

Do you remember the Wizard of Oz? In that childhood classic The Tin Man laments how things would be different if...he only had a heart. The Scarecrow wants a brain, and The Cowardly Lion wants courage. Do you recall what happened when Dorothy and her band of motley buddies peaked behind the curtain in Emerald City and saw the great Wizard of Oz?

Each lovable character came to realize they had the very thing they wanted most within themselves they just couldn't see it. What does this wonderful story have to do with you? There a lot of parallels.

When I was a little girl I kind of liked the Wizard of Oz and I kind of didn't like it because it was so very scary. Remember how the terrible tornado rips Dorothy and Toto from her loving family. Remember those horrific flying monkeys and that venomous Wicked Witch? As a child these things were scary to me because I felt helpless over what would happen next, and I didn't understand a lot of what was happening. I watched it several times as I grew up before I even realized it was all just a bad dream.

As an insurance producer you lament if...I only had leads. You know you can't sell unless you have people to talk to. You're frustrated as to how to get those people to talk to so you do things like buy leads lists, and then you're even more frustrated when you're able to capitalize on no more than a tiny few of those leads. In the process you've burned through a lot of good prospects who will now never work with you because of the bad first impression you've made.

As an insurance producer you have to muster up a lot of courage to do the things you do. You have courage or you would never have entered the industry, and you wouldn't be in the industry now without courage. However, your courage will strengthen and you'll need to use it far less when you focus on the way you secure your leads and how you handle them.

This is where you're brain comes in to play. You are a very intelligent person. Even though you may be acting like the bewildered little girl I was when watching the Wizard of Oz. The best and only way to develop a highly profitable leads list is to build it yourself. Having your own highly proprietary leads list is your most valuable asset.

This is relatively easy to do once you know who you want on your list. From that point you simply develop a way for those people to reach out to you, and then you give them what they want. It really is that easy and it will cost very little to develop a list of people who will buy from you in comparison to a purchased list of worthless leads.

You got into the insurance industry because of your heart. You know what you do is very important to your clients and their future. So why would you or do you ever treat them in a manipulative or coercive way? The way you treat people from the first connection determines the outcome of that connection.

After all, isn't your main objective to discover who really needs you and what they need? This requires you use both your heart and your brain. Your heart is what drives you to learn about your prospect and understand what's happening with them. Your brain takes what they've told you and helps you to help them see a better future.

It doesn't take much courage to behave in way that benefits someone else. It doesn't take much courage to treat others with kindness, respect, and dignity. But when you treat your prospects with kindness, respect and dignity you earn a position of trust and you increase sales because your heart, brain, and courage are working together to serve both you and your prospects in a way that starts your relationship off on the right foot.

So how do you use your brain to build that highly proprietary leads list? First, clearly identify who you want to work with in as much detail as you can possibly come up with. Do your homework and learn more about these prospects than you know now, and make sure you know the top three things they're having problems with or want. Provide useful information to them for free in exchange for their contact information.

Use this information as your driver in all your marketing efforts. As people ask for the information you build your list. Continue to build your list forever. Make sure your using your heart when you make your initial contact so you start right to end right.

This may sound like a lot of work to you especially if you don't specifically know how to do these things. You're smart enough to know in both your brain and your heart you can't buy this as a prepackaged deal and have it work out all that well for you. You can work with someone like a coach who can help you do these things specifically for your business based on what you want to accomplish and then get a payoff from that work forever. What are your heart and your brain telling you to do now? Do you have the courage to take that action? If you did would you save more time and money than your investing now in the things that don't work?

Earn Higher Compensation Using This Approach to Immediate Annuities

2008-09-10T06:24:00.001-07:00

Do you sell immediate annuities? If not,is it because the commissions are so low? I don't sell them for that reason and yet I have a system for making the prospect happy and not taking a reduction in compensation.

Here it is and please keep it a "secret" or the immediate annuity companies will be out of business!

When I meet someone and their primary interest is income I say this:

"Mrs. Jones, I know you need income and my annuity products will provide that for you. The problem is once you create the income stream you can't change it and you will be locked in. Here is something that other people in your situation have done. Many people have delayed the decision to convert their funds to income and at the same time have their funds invested in safety and security."

By explaining to Mrs. Jones the fact she can control future unknowns it spins the use of an annuity to her benefit. It allows her to feel in control and to offer her more options.

1. Find out how much money they have for the immediate annuity

2. Go to any insurance company website and price the immediate annuity based on the amount and her age.

3. Determine the monthly income at the current age and then re-run the calculation at ONE YEAR higher. As an example if she were 70, run it at 70 and at 71.

4. You will have two figures (as an example) let's say the income at age 70 is $1,000 a month and the same deposit at 71 is $1,050.

Now back to Mrs. Jones..."Mrs. Jones, the current income value of your deposit based on your current age is $1,000 a month. Immediate annuity rates are based on your age and each year those factors determining the monthly payment increases. For instance, the same money will provide more income at 71 than at 70 because it is based on age and life expectancy."

"Mrs. Jones, Why not consider putting your funds on deposit and select the interest only option. My annuity company will pay a first year interest rate of 6% (bonus first year) and you remove the earned interest on a monthly basis. The interest each month will be $1,000 a month."

I continue. "Next year when the interest rate changes we will have several options. You can keep your funds on deposit and continue to withdraw the monthly interest, you can convert it all to an immediate annuity or you can continue to withdraw the same fixed amount."

Naturally if you invade principal for the same monthly income as with the bonus interest rate your account will decrease. Here is how I deal with this.

"Mrs. Jones, Even though every year your account declines, the factor that determines a monthly payout for you increases (mortality table) so at any time you can convert your pile of money to an income stream, and you can determine how long that income stream will be, even for the rest of your life."

This simple concept works like a charm because it gives Mrs. Jones control of her future options.

· Monthly income which is desired

· Not locked into a payout, what if her situation changes

· It gives the prospect control over future choices and provides options

Plus the compensation is higher and it becomes a complete Win-Win Situation.

Help Annuity Prospects Perform Due Diligence - Everyone Should Be Informed

2008-09-10T06:23:00.001-07:00

As consumers our prospects should always know who they do business with. It makes no difference if it is you the agent or their favorite stockbroker. We can help our prospects by accessing information free and fully available to anyone by using this system.

"Mrs. Jones, how well do you know your broker? Have you ever conducted due diligence on your broker? It is available to you and it is provided to you by your broker's regulatory agency, the FINRA." FINRA is a self-regulating agency and provides this information as a public service. (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority)

FINRA keeps records about their members and it is available to anyone. Since it is available to anyone then it is also available to me. I am able to acquire this information about my prospect's broker and I often volunteer to obtain it for them.

"Mrs. Jones, would you like me to obtain the FINRA report on your broker? I think it is important to always know who you are doing business with and FINRA makes this information available."

I have obtained hundreds of them and given them to my prospects. It is all about information and being informed. This information is publicly available and it can be used to help build a relationship with your prospect.

Go to www.finra.com and order it online. Go to the investor page and on the right will be the box to look up the broker.

If you are getting the sources for your prospect there is also an 800 number. 1-800 289-9999

This is a free service and one which provides important information for you and your prospect.

Use Time Horizons to Position Prospect's Thinking About Annuities

2008-09-08T04:39:00.002-07:00

Probably the very biggest error that is made with financial planning by people is the mistake regarding "time horizons." By definition a time horizon when speaking of financial uses is the length of time a sum of money is expected to be invested. If our time horizon is next year then options are less and if our time horizons are further, options increase.

It is partially human nature because the older we get the shorter we think. As an example if I were to say to a seventy-five year old female that she should buy a 15 year bond she wouldn't agree, but based on life expectancy tables it is about right.

So in discussing time horizons I use the example of US Treasuries. I point out to the prospect that by looking longer they have more options.

"Mrs. Jones, the very safest place to keep your money is in US Treasuries. But if you don't look longer you will not receive the higher rates. As an example a one year Treasury may only pay 1-2% but a ten year Treasury may pay 4-5%. By looking longer we have so many more options."

The illustration I used above is easily understood. Once a prospect understands their option in relationship to their goals, selling the right product makes great sense.

We provide longer term products and by explaining the safety of our products as we would US Treasuries. Positioning our products in the same category of other safe and secure products allows our prospects a great level of confidence.

Try it; "looking longer" has many more options for our prospect.

Sell Annuity Tax Deferral This Way - Your Prospects Will Understand and They Will Buy

2008-09-08T04:39:00.001-07:00

Selling the power of tax deferral is not a new concept. But how you say it can make the difference between a sale and no sale. I have used the concept of double and triple compounding to explain the benefits to prospects, but I have also expanded it to make understanding it simple. Here is how I explain compound interest.

The Power of Compounding and How to Illustrate the Benefits in an Annuity...

"The Power of Compounding."

*A Traditional Investment Account Has Double Compound Interest

Definition: Interest on the Original Principal and Interest on Accrued Interest.

*A Tax Deferred Investment Account Has Triple Compounding Interest

Definition: Interest on Principal, Interest on Interest and Interest on Tax Savings

Who takes advantage or Tax Deferral? Smart Money People, that's who. This is because tax deferral also provides control when tax liability is selected. Use this term to allow your prospects to better understand the benefits of allowing money to grow in an annuity.

Tax Deferred Is Tax Diminished

Corporate America thrives on tax deferral and anytime taxes can be delayed it is a winner. Anytime you can send a tax liability to the future you will reduce the net out of pocket because the actual tax could be reduced by inflation. By using annuities for the benefit of tax deferral allows the prospect to have more control over the future use of the funds.

Many agents sell "tax deferral" without ever fully understanding how the benefits can be fully utilized. I do so by explaining to my prospect that when the accumulated funds are accessed in the future, they would not be required to refile past tax returns because another huge benefit of tax deferral on annuities is NO RECAPTURE.

When the accumulated interest in an annuity is accessed the tax liability is also accessed. This allows the prospect to have full control over when the tax is paid.

Use the RECAPTURE concept to fully explain this terrific benefit.

Here is the exact language I use.

'Mrs. Jones, by using tax deferral you will be the one in charge of when this tax liability will be incurred. It could be next year or some other future year. In the meantime, your annuity will provide interest credited to your account but the tax liability will be deferred. Here is something you may not have known. When you access your funds in the future, you will not be required to go back and "recapture" the tax liability. The IRS doesn't require you pay any back taxes, just the liability of the tax year in which the funds were touched!"

No recapture! I know what you are thinking, this is sort of silly but it really isn't. One of the great benefits of these products is tax deferral and knowing that the tax liability is totally in their control creates a bountiful selling point.

Will Rogers - The Best Friend You Can Have in the Annuity Marketing Business

2008-09-08T04:38:00.000-07:00

Will Rogers, know the name? If you don't, you better get with it! Our target age market certainly does and they relate to Will Rogers. He died in 1935 and his funeral was at time the largest attended funeral in US History with 125,000 attendees.

Will Rogers is not an icon. He is bigger than that. From 1915 to 1942 (7 years after his death) he was the most popular person in the World! Not just America, but the World.

Things Will Rogers said then are relevant now. Our target market relates to Will Rogers and knowing some of his sayings is very helpful in developing and growing a relationship.

Will Rogers: An American Original is a great read. So is The Best of Will Rogers. These and many others can be found on Amazon and in almost any book store.

Occasionally I will say to a prospect, "Will Rogers is my favorite humorist and he said..."

Here are some good quotes:

· Things will get better - despite our efforts to improve them.

· The trouble with practical jokes is that very often they get elected.

· Mona Lisa is the only beauty who went through history and retained her reputation.

· Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.

· All I know is what I read in the papers.

· Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.

· A fool and his money are soon elected.

· There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.

. Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.

· Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else.

· The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has.

· We don't know what we want, but we are ready to bite somebody to get it.

· We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.

· I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.

· Never let yesterday use up too much of today.

· Everything is funny, as long as it's happening to somebody else.

· Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for.

There are thousands of them and it is in your best interest to learn a few of them. They are solid relationship builders with our senior target market.

Negotiating Fronting Fees On Behalf of Owners Of Captive Insurance Companies

2008-09-05T04:28:00.001-07:00

Whether you are negotiating a fronting fee with an insurance company for the first time, as you have a "start up" captive insurance company, or you are looking to renegotiate a "renewal" captive company fronting fee, you are going to be in for the insurance education of a lifetime.

The cost of "fronting" goes up on the very basis that there is a shortage of insurance companies willing to "front." The insurance market losses companies like Quanta Capital, Alea, etc. and thus reduces the options available. Where are the new fronting insurance companies going to come from? Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma have brought havoc to the property captives, where we see fronting fees rising to 15%. The new Bermuda companies will acquire U.S. insurance company platforms and will be the "fronting" insurers of the future.

Owners of captive insurance companies must realize that "fronting" insurance companies need to be approached on various levels of management, with preferably senior management getting into the decision making process early on in the negotiations.

Underwriting Departments are playing a greater role in captive fronting, with the financial departments looking closely at the credit risk of the parent transaction. For instance, several years ago, construction companies would capitalize captive insurance companies just to insure the self-insurance deductible under their Owner Contractor Insurance programs. Now "fronting" insurance companies are examining the financial statements of these same construction companies to make sure they can sustain the ownership of the captive insurance companies. Interestingly enough, captive owners need to continue to monitor the financial statement of their fronting insurer, and to be on top of any potential rating downgrades by the rating organizations. Insurance company management historically has had a tendency of "failure to disclose" negative results.

Fronting insurance companies are playing a greater role in the selection of the domicile for the captive insurance company. Domestic versus offshore domicile continues to be debated. Even on shore domiciles like New York State, with its 35 captive insurance companies, are trying to expand the captive concept by reducing the threshold, $100 million parent net worth to $25 million parent net worth captives. More advertising needs to be injected into the New York captive initiative.

Most of the experienced, fronting insurance companies, have shown the ability and expertise to "front" captives from Vermont domiciles to Hawaiian domiciles, and from Barbados to Bermuda. The focus has been to continually drive down overhead expenses and those domiciles doing this are attracting all the new captive formations.

Interestingly enough, domestic captive domiciles did not lead in 2005 formations, with Bermuda and the Cayman Islands accounting for 134 captive formations. Vermont with 37 captive formations led the United States.

Fronting insurance company pricing for the risks going into captives are getting a closer look by the actuarial profession. Captive owners have come to recognize they need their own actuarial support when disagreeing with the fronting insurance company's assessments of what is the correct price for the risk. Whether you are a residential contractor in California or a nursery home in Florida, your captive requires adequate pricing executed by the fronting insurer. We are going to see more litigation in the future between captive owners and their front insurance companies, as the disagreements over pricing continue to persist on each renewal.

Captive owners want their front insurance companies to come up with independent prices for each risk, and that concept continues to be a problem with the front company. When it is admitted, and has to use their filed rates. Insurance company market conduct reports are going to expose front carriers that they are violating their rate filings when writing primary insurance products which are reinsured back to the captive insurance company.

The more mature captive insurance company, with over five years of financial history, needs to have a committee of its Board of Directors look closely into the entire costing structure of the fronting fee. This would be a great excuse for members of the captive board to understand this important transactional cost.

What are the detailed components of the fronting fee? How are they monitored by the captive owner? When was the last time a new fronting company was asked to quote on the captive? Once the captive board gets this training, the Boards will not be "rubber stamps" and exercise more judgment at insurance decision making.

More and more mature captives are looking to write their Directors and Officers Liability Insurance into their captive. The front insurance company writes the traditional D and O form, and that risk in then ceded back to the captive, acting as reinsurer. The exclusions in the traditional D and O policy are then covered by a direct procurement policy from the captive, eliminating the need for the front. The pricing for the direct procurement policy should be controlled by the owner of the captive. In some aspects, a captive writing direct insurance policies in the United States should apply for an A.M. Best's rating. If we remember captives are a long time investment and by getting an "A" rating from Best's, the captive becomes a substantial asset.

Reciprocity among captive owners can be another way of eliminating the "fronting" fee. Each owner uses the "A" rated captive for each other's risks, and purchases a sophisticated reinsurance program behind both captive insurance companies. When fronting fees approach double digits, it is necessary for captive owners to seek alternatives to "fronts." Creative solutions need to be implemented, and captive company budgets need to have the financial resources to explore alternatives.

Finding "fronts" for Contractors Pollution Liability Insurance is another area that is getting significant attention. General contractors, residential or commercial, trade contractors, carpentry and plumbing, specialty contractors, foundation and pipeline, and remediation contractors, are all candidates for captives, and in the early years require "fronts." Captives can substantially reduce the insurance costs of traditional pollution coverage for contractors, especially when layering of policy limits is introduced above the captive retention. Customary pricing above the captive retention follows the simplistic approach that the lower liability layers are priced higher than the upper layers, again giving the captive owner a "pricing" discount.

The identification of the "fronting" carriers has not changed dramatically in the last few years:

1. AIG

2. ACE

3. Old Republic

4. Zurich

5. Liberty Mutual

6. Discover Re

7. Chubb

8. Hartford

9. Arch

The negotiating process with each of these carriers has always been a challenge for captive owners. Insurance company "fronts" are a dynamic group, and with people constantly changing positions, requires that you pay significant attention to your fronting carrier to continually provide favorable relationships and eliminate misunderstandings. When was the last time you asked your fronting carrier, how is my program going rather than react to their letter saying they are going to cancel your "fronting" relationship because they are returning from that particular insurance product line.

There have been a number of studies on what the "fronting fee" includes, or should include. The amount of these fees keep changing but the overall concept remains the same. Focus and concentrated efforts are required to keep this "fee" economically effective.

Among the recent "fronting fees" the following is included:

1. State Premium Taxes (not negotiable);

2. Federal Excise Taxes (not negotiable);

3. Government schemes (not negotiable, but try and get how they are arrived at);

4. TRIA charges (usually not negotiable);

5. Aggregate protection (negotiable, look at the concept of purchasing this yourself from outside the structure); and

6. Profit margin for carrier/fronter (negotiable).

If loss ratios are attractively low for your captive insurance company, make every effort to obtain a lower "fronting fee." Insurance carriers are always seeking low loss ratio business even as a "front." If you can, try to influence the decision maker. Many "fronting fees" get renewed as is when they are comparatively high in mature, and it is in the carrier's interest to renew as is because there is little additional costs in doing renewals. It is the "lifeblood" of the insurance company.

On the basis of regulatory and rating agency fear, "fronting" carriers have made a conscious effort to require and substantially increase the collateral requirements they are asking for from captive owners. This is an area of negotiation and as many Agent Owned Captive Insurance Company Owners have found out, too late, over collateralized programs lead to the inability of the agent to fund the letter of credit and therefore the "front" cancels the program.

Captive Owners need to know that over-funded collateral is another way a "front" company can access additional capital for growth. You need to understand the true components of the collateral required:

1. Loss Reserves (Schedule F - loss reserves plus unearned premium reserves and Incurred But Not Reported losses) ... IBNR deserves the most attention since these are estimates, and does the Captive Owner want to pay for an independent actuarial study for the loss payout pattern, and full development.

2. Many "front" companies want funding that would include funding the letter of credit equal to high loss ratios, this is despite the fact they had set the pricing on the "fronted" policy. Owners need to have the expertise to challenge the methodology of the pricing.

In conclusion, "fronting" insurance companies provide "licensed paper," which is asset value; they provide regulatory compliance and finally support services. Remember if fronting fees are greater than 5%, and mostly in the 6-10% range. When going over 10%, it is imperative that you look for another option.

Reinsuring The Agent-Owned Captive Insurance Company

2008-09-05T04:27:00.000-07:00

The insurance agent has been given very little exposure to and education in the world of reinsurance. Most agents only become aware of reinsurance when an insurance company underwriter tells the agent that they cannot write that risk because our insurance company's treaty reinsurance agreements prevent us from writing that type of business.

Since reinsurers over the years have been the traditional risk-taking company, their influence in determining underwriting philosophy for primary insurers has grown significantly. Many reinsurers today, because they are taking a larger amount of exposure on a particular insurance company's individual risk, now dictate the primary pricing, the amount of the deductible, the amount of the credit or debit. Reinsurers now have to know a great deal more about the primary insurance business.

The agent should consider the purchase of a reinsurance program for its agent-owned captive insurance company. Many of the approaches to buying reinsurance are similar to what a traditional insurance company uses. The agent needs to be familiar with the various types of reinsurance:

1. Quota Share Reinsurance

2. Excess of Loss Reinsurance

3. Catastrophic Reinsurance

4. Aggregate Excess of Loss Reinsurance

5. Stop Loss Reinsurance

6. Finite Risk Reinsurance

Although the capital requirements for starting agent-owned captive insurance companies, particularly those in the offshore domiciles, are comparatively small, careful consideration should be paid to the structure of a comprehensive reinsurance program. Gone are the days when aggregate stop loss reinsurance could be easily ascertained to guarantee underwriting profits for the agent-owned captive.

Bearing this in mind, the net retention of the agent-owned captive should be compared to its financial structure and the agent owner's risk taking philosophy. Most agent-owned captive insurance companies operating today have too great a new retention when contrasted with traditional insurance companies, and also taking into consideration their financial structure.

Whether the agent-owned captive purchases only quota share reinsurance or uses a combination of several types of treaty reinsurance agreements, the reinsurance program must be monitored and consistently evaluated. The degree of difficulty increases dramatically when designing a reinsurance program for a newly formed agent-owned captive insurance company.

Reinsuring the Policy-Issuing Company
with Your Agent-Owned Captive

A policy-issuing arrangement in your agency-whether it be a retail agency, wholesale agency, or managing general agency-is when a policy is issued by a licensed property/casualty insurance company, whether admitted or non-admitted. Then it is reinsured up to 100% by the traditional reinsurance company market that would include the agent-owned captive insurance company. This type of arrangement is sometimes referred to as "fronting" and is almost always used when the agent has formed an agent-owned captive.

The policy-issuing company is paid a "fronting fee," and is reinsured 100%. Some property/casualty insurance companies have had as their franchise model offering their "A" rated carrier as a "frontier," thus transferring underwriting risk for financial risk. Fronting companies must consider state premium takes, residual mods, government schemes and assessments, and that is why the agent needs to be trained in negotiating a fronting fee. Experience with this type of fee shows that the pure profit margin on a fronting fee can vary from 3% to 7.5% depending upon the fronting insurer.

For example: An agent-owned captive insurance company operating in the Florida restaurant insurance marketplace reinsures the first $75,000 of underwriting loss behind the policy-issuing company. In addition, the reinsurer also owned by the same financial group that the policy-issuing belongs to, writes the excess of loss reinsurance above $75,000 up to $500,000, at a rate of 17.5% of GNWPI. The excess of $500,000 up to $1,000,000 of limit for the restaurant program has another rate, as a percentage of gross net written premium income. The reinsurer is a direct writing reinsurer, and negotiates its excess of loss treaty reinsurance agreement directly with the policy-issuing insurance company, since they also have other treaty reinsurance agreements in place with each other, none of which has to do with the agent-owned captive insurance company.

To have a successful agent-owned captive insurance company, the agent has to understand the negotiating process when buying reinsurance either in the direct reinsurance market or through the reinsurance intermediary market. The agent will also get a better understanding why the underwriting cycles exist in the property/casualty insurance industry, and be able to take advantage of these underwriting cycles. When policy-issuing insurance companies take very little underwriting risk, and the actual underwriting risk is transferred to the traditional reinsurance market (as well as the agent-owned captive insurance company), the agent will begin to need to negotiate with reinsurers.

Using Quota Share Reinsurance Provided
Only by the Agent-Owned Captive

Here is another example: The Cayman Island agent-owned captive insurance company originally started to write horse mortality insurance, and was capitalized substantially by a bank, using the collateral of the agency. On the basis of this substantial capitalization, the agent-owned captive was able to write 100% of the quota share reinsurance of the policy-issuing insurance company. Policies originally written in the agency were issued in the policy-issuing insurance company, 100% reinsured to the agent-owned captive, who in turn purchased an outgoing going reinsurance program, consisting of a combination of quota share reinsurance and excess of loss reinsurance.

The accumulation of profits in the Cayman Island agent-owned captive insurance company was used to purchase a "shell" property/casualty insurance company which went on to be an "A" rated specialty niche program insurance company after several stock offerings.

Conclusion

The owner of a retail insurance agency (i.e., program administrator) the owner of a wholesale, excess and surplus lines insurance agency, and/or the owner of a managing general agency need to explore the feasibility of implementing an agent-owned captive insurance company. Recapturing investment income and underwriting profits gives the agent-owner significant returns on investment.

Captive Insurance Companies Need Independent Directors

2008-09-05T04:26:00.000-07:00

Owners of captive insurance companies, as they continue to grow in asset value, need to look at expanding their Board of Directors to include the experienced Independent Director, regardless of domicile. The longer the captive insurance company remains in business, the greater the chance the captive will get into serious issues that will require a good deal of insurance industry expertise.

As an insurance practitioner for 40 years, let's go over some of the issues that will come up for the "mature" captive taken from actual experiences.

Reinsurance Recoveries

The initial feasibility study contemplated only one reinsurer and now, due to market conditions, the captive insurance company finds itself with five reinsurers, with different limits of excess of loss protections. One of the reinsurers does not want to pay the excess claim and the captive has to select a reinsurance litigation law firm. This is not exactly within the job description of an insurance risk manager. Where does the captive's risk manager turn for good advice? Does the captive litigate or arbitrate? What is the arbitration process all about, and can captives secure reinsurance recoveries through the arbitration process? Most captive owners have had no experience with this type of event. Failure to collect the reinsurance recovery may result in an insolvent captive insurance company.

Renegotiate the Fronting Fee

How many renewals have you gone through without getting the "front" insurance company to reduce its fronting fee? Who is responsible to devote the financial resources and time to explore new options for a "front" insurance company? Many captive owners never shop their fronting fee on the simple basis that they have no resources available to meet with potentially new "fronts". It will be necessary for the "fronts" to solicit the captives, as they do at all the captive insurance company conferences held both domestically and offshore, especially in a soft underwriting cycle.

Captive owners need to understand the components of a "fronting fee," and more importantly, what parts of the "fronting" fee are negotiable. The "front" company has all the components qualified from state premium taxes to residual market fees, to insurance company overhead.

Restructuring the Reinsurance Program

It is the responsibility of the captive owner to continuously monitor the reinsurance program and search for economic options. The pricing of reinsurance is not controlled by any regulatory body and therefore it is market driven. Many captive owners have never been exposed to the reinsurance negotiating process, nor are they in a position to benchmark reinsurance prices. Risk managers have very little national contact, other than their local chapter meetings. The cost of reinsurance is a big factor as respects the profitability of a captive, and must be negotiated by experienced executives. Independent Directors can help with that process.

Independent Directors

In contrast to the captive insurance company, the publicly held insurance company has used Independent Directors, mostly from the accounting and legal professions. Private equity firms that invest in insurers are looking for Board Directors to represent their interests, especially where they have a significant stock position.

A Tale of Two Insurance Producers - What Does The Winner Know?

2008-09-01T02:38:00.002-07:00

Kim and Pat started in business on the same day aligning themselves with the same provider. They hit it off immediately; however, as much as they liked each other they also realized they're in competition for the same business. They were both eager to start their new businesses and confident in their success.

It's been a little over two years since that first day when Pat and Kim met. Things are very different than they were on that day.

Kim did everything the way the sales manager showed him. He faithfully followed the presentation. He made so many calls it felt like his ear would fall off at times. He never took "no" for an answer and he was always moving for the close.

He knew it would be rough at first like he'd been told. That didn't lessen his enthusiasm or confidence. In fact, he was so confident and so enthusiastic he and his wife went out and bought the RV they'd been dreaming of. Because he thought that little extra pressure was exactly what he needed to really get fired up. Kim could see himself, his wife, and the kids enjoying the wilderness before they even signed the load agreement.

Every client Kim pushed to a close he told himself, "three more." The sales manager said every new client was good for at least three strong referrals. And that meant he was really four clients closer to getting the financially secure business he wanted, or did it?

Looking back Kim feels like he's been a rube. He can't believe he bought into the company kool-aide like that. At this point he's looking for a job. He and his family are in so much debt there's nowhere else and no one else to turn to. He's tapped out and he feels like a complete and utter failure. No dream business for Kim. He's never felt lower in his entire life.

Kim can't help but wonder what Pat's doing and how he's doing it. While Kim has been working 24/7 and still couldn't eke out anything you could call a living Pat seems to have the money rolling in. He's out playing around more than he's working. What the heck is the deal?

Yes, Pat does seem to have it on easy street now. Pat started out doing the exact same things as Kim just like he'd been told to do them. Pat couldn't stand the way he had to treat people to do what the sales manager said he should do. He was hoping once they were clients he could show them he wasn't like that, but he quickly learned the hard way that first impressions are lasting impressions.

It didn't take long before Pat came to the conclusion he either had to find a better way to do this, or get out of the business because he couldn't continue to treat people like this. He knew this was standard industry practice so that meant he had to look outside the industry to discover a workable way. He knew what he had to offer was truly valuable to his clients there had to be a way to help them rather than cramming it down their throats.

Pat looked outside his industry and started working with a coach who could help him grow his business. This meant Pat had to learn how to market himself, how to hold genuine sales conversations that positioned him as an advisor not a pushy salesperson, and how to run his business. It didn't take long before Pat began to experience some big changes.

When Pat did it the "industry" way he felt like a pushy predator constantly on the prowl for fresh game. Now Pat had people coming to him. He never had to push people to make a decision or chase after them. This was such a tremendous relief for Pat he began sleeping a whole lot better at night.

Pat slept even better as the money began to roll in. He felt a little guilty about Kim. It wasn't that he didn't want to help Kim because he did. At first he kept things to himself because when he'd mentioned a couple small things the sales manager had ridiculed him and told him to stick to what he was telling him. He also wanted to prove to himself they worked because he didn't want to feel responsible for anyone else failing if he was wrong. Although he wondered just how responsible he could feel as he saw good people failing out of the business almost daily.

Time is the enemy and unfortunately Kim was among those who had run out of time. It was too late for Pat to do anything for Kim now. As Pat looked around he realized most of the old boys who've made it aren't doing things the way the "industry" says to do them. They're doing a lot of the things Pat now knows to do. However, they don't tell anyone how they're getting their success.

They just keep telling the newbies to keep doing the same old tired techniques that everyone knows doesn't work. Pat feels pretty sad about this, but Pat has a successful business to run so he turns his thoughts to his next appointment. As he does thinks to himself how if he hadn't gotten the help he needed from his coach he'd be in the same position as Kim.

Six Guilty Verdict Counts Placed On Life Insurance Companies

2008-09-01T02:38:00.001-07:00

The case for justice against some insurance company practices has been submitted. But despite the guilty verdicts, the victims, all insurance agents, have never received true justice. Now it is time for exposing the truth.

Oil Companies were found guilty of making billions of dollars in profits off gas consumers. For over one hundred years Life Insurance Companies have made millions off of consumers. However making money off of consumers is the American Dream to getting rich. This article reveals a turn of events on whom is making money off whom.

The guilty verdict is unanimous when Life Insurance Companies train their agents to fail. When an agent fails, every upcoming premium and renewal is forfeited to the Career Life Insurance Agency. Using their unaltered time tested practices, success means an agent leaving, not an agent being promoted. An agent lacking money and survival skills can only last so long until leaving. That's when the Insurance Company easily can make over $200,000 additional on the policies this agent wrote.

THERE ARE SIX COUNTS WHERE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE GUILTY VERDICTS

1. The person(s) that recruits you must follow guidelines. The data is highly revealing. It reveals that fully 50% of applicants can not go out and sell insurance. They are order takers and not insurance seals people

2. The companies gladly hand new agents "leads", so bad in quality that no experienced agent would want them for free.

3. Career agents do not get guaranteed vested renewals until they have been with the company 5 to 10 years, if ever. The company knows 10% or less of the agents will still be there in four years.

4. Often a career agent gets a commission of say 55%, instead of 65%, 75%, or even 90%. Surplus overrides go the career insurance agency to offset expenses. (Plus a little skimming off the top)

5. The career agent receives very little on hands assistance outside the office from the life sales manager. The sales manager spends some time with the other 14 new agents. Additional time is set aside for following up on his own leads, conducting staff sales meetings, and spending time working on recruiting more agents.

6. The average sales manager has consistently at least one agent in the phase of quitting or being forced to quit for lack of production. This same new sales manager must get another replacement agent in the training stages and rolling along.

The departed insurance agents look like a failure, and the accounting of insurance company profits look like a big success. It almost like looking at the faces of a bus load of senior citizens leaving a casino where every machine was rigged.

Insurance profits constantly increase, compliments of former insurance agents.

Many Americans believe America is the land of opportunity. America certainly is, but the insurance industry is not the land of opportunity. Sorry. As long as there are people looking for jobs and the insurance ads imply they are stairways to achieving the American dream, there's no way to pull this plug.

The 3 Primary States Where The Top Insurance Agents Are Located

2008-09-01T02:36:00.000-07:00

THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION percentage wise of favorable factors, not the state size determined our results. 2 large geographic states, Colorado and Arizona are right down near the bottom of the list. Demographic data, relative income, agent base, consumer figures, and demand are a few of the decisive relevance used.

THE TOP INSURANCE AGENT STATES ARE FLORIDA, CALIFORNIA, AND TEXAS.
Florida gets the #1 top insurance agents ranking

Florida is the number one state without any doubt. Here are some reasons. The population of experienced agents to the total citizen population is on the low side. Enhancing this is the constant influx of elderly new residents. Many of these higher middle income and new residents, wind their way down from the Northeastern and Midwestern states, sweetening the potential client base.

In percentage of senior citizens Florida ranks number one. This senior retiree is ideal for investment annuity and financial products. Top insurance agents enforce their savings lasting long enough. Additionally, the large senior citizen base opens up a tremendous and almost unlimited long term care insurance need. With so many seniors, agents specializing in selling senior market products have plenty of prospects to explain benefits to. For other agents, the younger than average work force is rarely unionized and employer paid health plans are rare, making major medical and supplemental products a ready made market.

THE MAIN REASON FLORIDA HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENT OF TOP INSURANCE AGENTS..Veteran insurance agents from Midwestern and northeastern states, with 25 to 30 years of proven experience decide to end their productive selling career. To get away from the cold and blowing snow, the choose Florida as the state with the southern sun, that will provide the fun they so rightfully deserve. But after awhile this former insurance pro starts to get antsy. Shuffleboard, and buffet dinners are a long way from the challenge and thrill a good insurance sale provided.

The agent looks at some choices: supermarket bag boy, shopping store greeter, restaurant bus boy, or independent insurance agent. The choice is easy, he gets licensed again, giving him excitement and independence, while still maintaining a semi-retirement. These top insurance agents have so much product knowledge and selling skills, that their "part time" efforts can exceed those of full time agents. Rock the market with best overall agents in their class.

Ranking extremely close behind Florida are California Insurance Agents
California ranks as the champion when you look at the ratio of total licensed agents to those that independently broker insurance products - it is unsurpassed. Agents are exceptionally open minded to new producers to broker the best plans to their clients. The number of 50 to 300 agent career agent agencies is very low, and because of congested traffic, the amount of personal producing General Agents that are home based exceeds all others. This distinct factor is directed more toward the metro Los Angeles area.

Where's the area of least resistance? Definitely the northern portion of California, zip sectional centers 940-960. These agents are passed over by extensive telemarketing, email, or mailings their southern counterparts do. As these agents are ideally receptive, the downfall is that to retaining a top insurance agent is that product must remain superior, along with maintaining a strong agent relationship.

A unique reason California agents are among the highest moneymakers. Just look at the average cost of owning a home in upscale area of California, and compare it to some upscale cities in southern states. It is often surpasses 6 times as much to buy! This means the top insurance agents in California need to make money and lots of it. Translated to recruiting it provides an unparalleled need to write mighty large premium polices. In addition a steady flow of applications. California is a treasure chest state.

"Good, better, best; never let it rest till your good is better and your better is best." --Anonymous

TEXAS HAS A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF TOP INSURANCE AGENTS

Let's look at the direct negative aspect first. Over 3 out of 10f licensed agents is licensed with a very controlling captive multi-line insurer. Just look in the yellow pages, and you will find agent after agent advertising SF, Farm Bureau, AAA, Nationwide, and similar carriers. This eliminates a lost of agents rarely selling life and health insurance policies.

The power tools evident in Texas are (1) the agent turnover is well below the national average, (2) the number of independent agents and agents that broker outside their primary carrier is well above the national average. Add to this the small amount of unionized employees or those with employer benefits, and you have a golden egg for health and medical plans. Texas oil and cattle ranch farms are a magnet for high level estate and financial planners. In Texas its lead or follow with no in-between. Lead the way by carefully selecting the top insurance agents in Texas.

Your Insurance Sales Manager Has No Reason to Help You

2008-08-30T02:29:00.004-07:00

At the point of becoming an insurance sales manager, his brain is erased of compassion, understanding, and concern. Now it is reprogrammed to focus in on the large amount of money created by overrides off his agents. In addition, he is compensated with a base salary. First objective of his is to build up at least a baker's dozen of new agents.

A life insurance sales manager is presumed to be a commander. Carefully tutoring and guiding his recruits through obstacles, making sure none fall by the wayside. NOT HERE... Your leader needs to impress the General Manager as a qualified company man. A company man instructs new agents to do everything by the company book, no exceptions. These are rules made for new agents, not rules for him. His top priority is himself. With in house agent training, he spend so little of that make or break it time. That is personally field training agents, helping them with presentations, and sometimes rescuing them so a sale is made

First the life manager must recruit relentlessly. A large percentage of people answer to the Sunday newspaper classifieds. The bait to find potential newcomers willing to change occupations is the personalized training and high income stated. It sounds TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. Answer the ad, and a few nonsense questions, and you are told you definitely should schedule an interview. The interviewing process is set up purposely in 2 parts. The introductory section has the insurance sales manager pumping you up until you have visions of sugar plums dancing inside your head. You are told in 3 to 4 days you will receive a phone call if you are one of the applicants possessing critical credentials.

This delay is a ploy by the insurance agency to create an anticipating desire to being called back. Surprise, you are a chosen one. Now it's time to test your personality and sales ability traits. The sales manager tells you this test is especially developed to weed out all but a few talented individuals. After the test, he gives you a seat in the general office for a hour, while he carefully evaluates the results. (Probably sneaking out to down a cheeseburger, and a beer.).

Your heart races with pounding anticipation. You want the path to honor, glory, and high income. Your test is passed by 95% of the people returning without a beanie cap with a propeller on it. Surprise again, you become the newest agent in his field force. Your sales manager really does not know if you can find people to see, give presentations or close a sale. He is merely playing a revolving numbers game. You win some, you lose some, and you hire some.

Maybe you should have never been hired to begin with. Plus, your training will be minimal, your leads sub par, and your presentations too few. Your chances of success are slim to none. Your sales manager is hoping you stay on long enough to sell lots of family members, relatives, friends, and neighbors. Whenever you do see him, he is going to be on your back like a drill sergeant. Criticizing you for not obtaining enough leads, doing enough presentations, and for not selling fat premium cases.

The fault entirely lies on the entire agency management.. With what you assistance you have been provided its sheer fate you are still selling life insurance. In the meantime your manager has hired 6 agents to replace the six agents that have already left. All their policy holders are surrendered to the company to collect premiums and renewals for years to come. Right now your sales manager is in his office behind closed doors interviewing a candidate. This candidate could very well be your replacement.

Telling Your Insurance Sales Manager he is a Brainwashed does no good, it is his company dedication to making promises and delivering none, and ruining many good people's careers. Don't worry though; there is a 9 out of 10 chance he won't be selling life insurance before 4 years are up. Sales managers hired too early will also fall by the wayside. You pay the cost when your manager thinks he is capable of being your boss.

Agents Marketers

Home Contents Insurance Quote - Part V

Recruit Insurance Agents Using Email Marketing

B2B Insurance Agent Sales and Marketing Best Practices - Overcoming Prospect Objections

Working With Insurance Brokers

The Different Types Of Brokers And Their Roles

The Truth About Leads

Compare Insurance Agents - How to Compare and Find Best Insurance Agents

Why Use an Agent Or Broker When Purchasing Health Insurance Plans?

Get the Best Insurance Policy

Insurance Continuing Education Online

Compare Insurance Agents - How to Compare and Find the Best Insurance Agents

Marketing For Life Insurance Recruits - The Best Kept Marketing Strategy

Insurance Continuing Education Rules and Regulations

Insurance Continuing Education - Rules and Regulations

Insurance Leads - Finding the Best Ones

Is Your Insurance Agent Finding You the Highest Rate Possible?

Allstate Insurance and Brilliant Marketing Tactic

Are You in it to Sell Insurance Or Build a Business?

Insurance Agent Websites - The Two Things Your Agent Site Must Do to Get the Sale

Health Insurance Lead Generation - Savior to Insurance Agents

Why is it Important to Launch an Online Insurance Agency?

How to Use Cost Per Acquisition Marketing to Fill Up Your Pipe Line

37 Killer Insurance Sales Generating Lead-In Selling Phrases For Closing More Sales Instantly

Final Expense TeleSales - Business is Booming

Equity-Indexed Annuity Sales - Seniors Retirement Savings Stability Burned, Any Steak Left?

Insurance Headlines Use Strategy Words For Compelling Results - Double Response Rates

Professional Financial Investment Advisor - Why Didn't You Sell Me a Fixed Annuity Income?

Creative Insurance Marketing Websites - Permanent 100% Guaranteed Traffic Ranking Increases

Top Insurance Consumers Sales Question Tip - Consumer Purchase Maker Exposed, 100% Accurate

10 Insurance LinkedIn Groups - 100,000 Clients Waiting For Your Business Communication Skills

Lucrative Joint Venture Consulting - Partner With Your Insurance Agent

Part II of - Attention Insurance Agents - Are You Acting As an Unregistered Investment Adviser?

100 Top National Insurance Companies Serving Employee Group Benefit Brokers

Insurance Success Tips and Tricks - The Greatest Known No Pressure Sales Person

Insurance Sales Questions - The Selling Question to Never Ask

Life Insurance Agent - Leads Or Career Death

3 Keys to Selling More Insurance Doing What You're Doing Now

Who's Who - Company Insurance Brokerage & Independent Insurance Brokerage Listings

Creating Higher Insurance Production With Adaptive Sales Ability

Department of Insurance Lists Destroy Marketers

Internet Annuity Sales Leads

Improve Client Retention in 3 Simple Steps For Insurance Agents

What Are Motor Insurance Brokers?

Insurance Beyond Protection - Needs Vs Wants

Hanging Up on Insurance Agent Phone Calls

Are You a Need Or Greed Annuity Broker

Insurance Agency Websites Are a Growing Marketing Opportunity

How to Generate Your Own Hot Internet Insurance Leads

Why 15% of Life Agents Produce 47.6% of the Life Insurance Market Share

What Do I Do First to Sell Insurance?

Why You Should Be Selling More Insurance Now Than Ever?

7 Recruiting Problems For Insurance Brokerage Directors

Reasons Marketing Sales Directors Fail Due to Lack of Action and Mail Blasting

How to Generate Insurance Leads Fast With a Practically Free Insurance Website

Granny's Moonshine - Insurance Marketing Generates Tons of Insurance Leads to Crush Your Competition

Insurance Advertising - Discover How Independent Insurance Agents Generate Leads

Pre-Approach Letters Keeping You From Selling Insurance?

Insurance Leads In Real Time

Really - The Harder You Chase The Faster They Run From You The Insurance Salesman

Are Your Insurance Leads Recycled Or Rehashed?

Insurance Marketing Tips

Business Insurance Leads, What to Look For

How To Sell Annuities - Learn to Understand Your Prospect

alternative market--treasure chest or Pandora's box for agents

Hot housing market increases ranks of real estate agents

History and Future Trends of China's Defoaming Agent Market

High Growth Reported for the World Household Cleaning Agents Markets

Examine the World Chelating Agents Market

Florida Adjuster Licensing - How To Become A Florida Insurance Claims Adjuster

If You're Selling Insurance You Have to Talk Dirty!

Want To Get Paid In 7 To 9 Days On Qualified Money Transfers?

This Is Guaranteed To Increase Your Annuity Sales - Give It To Get It

Annuity Marketing Systems - Use Medical Declines To Sell More Annuities

Annuity Marketing Advice - Taxes Can Be Imposed On Certain Immediate Annuities - Look At The Liabili

Notice To Insurance Agents - Keep It Simple When Selling Equity Linked Indexed Annuities

Business Insurance Leads, What to Look For

Florida Adjuster Licensing - How To Become A Florida Insurance Claims Adjuster

How To Sell Annuities - Learn to Understand Your Prospect

Business Insurance Leads, Building Relationships