BREAKING THE SUCCESS BARRIER by Kenneth Davis An invisible barrier is holding you back. It's the reason why many of us aren't achieving the goals we set for ourselves. It has been constructed bric...

BUILD CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE AND LOYALTY FOR THE LONG TERM by Mary Beth Bolen Historically, it's been fairly easy to write and renew coverage on an account for one to three years, after which th...

BUILD SAFETY AWARENESS Most business owners or managers spend their days (and probably nights, too) working on and thinking about ways to reduce risk in your workplace. Unfortunately, all of it...

Why Is the Referral Process the Most Powerful Way to Sell?

Without question, selling through referrals is the most powerful way to build your practice; not to mention the most enjoyable. Producers who really love prospecting for business through cold calls are rare birds. My guess is that you're not one of them. In this age of voice mail, increased competition, and everyone being super busy, cold calling has become less effective.

Bob Kerrigan, one of the most successful agents alive, says, "The way of the world is to meet people through other people. And the referral is the warm way we get into their lives."

BUILDING TEAMS: A NINE-STEP APPROACH by Don Phin Follow these nine steps from Don Phin and youll build powerful teams. Im often asked to facilitate what we will refer...

BURNED OUT? YOU'RE NOT ALONE by Emily Huling I didn't have to read The Truth About Burnout, by Christina Maslach and Michael P. Leiter, to learn that burnout has reached epidemic propor...

BUSINESS COMBINATIONS: SURVIVING/THRIVING WITH A MERGER by Carol Hammes These guidelines will help you meet the challenges of merging your agency. Most industr...

CALCULATING lsquo;BONUS OVERTIME WAGES by Don Phin Many employers are freezing wages, telling employees that any additional pay will come in the form of a bonus if the...

Many readers have been asking me for scripts that cover the first phone call to a new referral prospect. Obviously, this first call will vary greatly for a number of reasons: The nature of your business, the circumstances of the referral, and whether or not your client introduced you in some way — just to name a few.

CAN YOU DO BUSINESS AT A FAMILY EVENT? by Bill Cates You can - but be very careful! If your friends perceive you as trying to do business at a wedding, it could hurt your chanc...