CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS CREATE GOODWILL A study commissioned by Good Housekeeping magazine concluded that the 'Decade of Glitz and Greed' has given way to the 'Decade of Decency.' Key points ...

Use this “one-two” technique to wedge your way into taking accounts from your competitors.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPORT CARDS by Dave Kahle Although almost every agency claims to give better service than their competition nobody seems to be able to define 'better service.' And since ...

DOES YOUR PREPARATION EXCEED YOUR PRESENTATION? by Preston Diamond Do you compare your presentations to a startup funding request for venture capital? How much money did you ask fo...

DON'T FAIL TO ADDRESS CUSTOMERS' WANTS AND NEEDS Your customers and prospects do not care about you and what you want or need. Does that sound harsh? It may, but it's also true! Your ...

If more salespeople were as good at making sales as they are at losing them, they could write their own ticket just about anywhere. Unfortunately, just the opposite holds true.
It happens so frequently that it almost seems as if someone out there is training salespeople to fail. For example, the woman calling launches into her sales spiel. “Our station is a perfect fit for your client. When can we set up a time to get together so I can show you what we can do?”

EXCESS-INTEREST WHOLE LIFE: MODULE V-A THE COVERAGE Excess-Interest Whole Life insurance is one of those products that few people know about-or know well. It's k...

PERSONAL PRESENTATION

One of the things that can irritate an already upset person is your personal presentation. If they feel that your grooming and dress are unprofessional or inappropriate, they're more likely to hassle you. Some areas of personal presentation, if not seen to, might have a negative influence on an upset person. Check to make sure that your:

Hair is clean, brushed or combed, and well kept.
Clothing is pressed, neat, clean, and in good repair.
Breath is fresh.
Hands and fingernails are clean, with no chipped polish.
Face is shaved, or mustache/beard is neatly trimmed.
Makeup is applied neatly, moderately, and appropriately.
Stockings are run-free.

I don't actually want to fail. However, the fact is that we learn near to nothing when everything is going...

Dear Dave:

Our agency has hired a full-time Life producer to handle Personal Lines only. We believe we have enough accounts to justify that move. She tested well for personality and potential, but she is fairly new in the Life business. She is closing about one out of four presentations, which sounds fine for a relative beginner, since the closing average for all agents is about one out of three. But since she deals with many Mortgage policies and writes reducing Term policies at fairly low premiums, the bottom-line dollars are low. We need to create more cash flow. What can you suggest?