Occupational illnesses suffered by telemarketers have risen from 18% of all illnesses in 1981 to 62% in 1992. You may have heard complaints of stiff or sore necks, backs, hands, wrists, arms, elbows, and shoulders. Or you may have seen an increase in Workers Compensation claims from insureds who have their own telemarketing or call centers.

If you are an entrepreneur, then you know that from the day you started your company you exposed yourself to certain risks.

The old marketplace selection process is futile. There simply aren’t enough carriers to go around, it’s not in the client’s best interests, and it doesn’t allow a firm to differentiate itself. To make matters worse, the average hit ratio is a whopping 15%! Rob Ekern recommends (and explains) the Brokerage Selection Process for developing and retaining revenue.

The prediction is that business intelligence (BI), currently regarded as a specialist technology utilized primarily by experts who work in big companies and organizations, will soon become a valuable mass-market tool.

The difference between closing a sale and losing it rests with the presentation. Whether you’re selling a product or an idea, the ability to present effectively is the difference between acceptance and rejection.

Yet, most Americans would rather die than give a speech. Whatever the facts, the idea of standing in front of an audience ranks far below going to the dentist for most people.

The following section is a varied and important one to a profitable independent agency. In it, you will learn the basis of the Sales Center concept and how Sales Centers have brought increased profitability, retention, and total-account sales into many agencies.

Many agencies establish a Sales Center with their existing personnel, or hire an additional administrative or customer service person to take over additional duties. Others find that the increased efficiency of a Sales Center allows them to expand their marketing efforts, and they hire an in-house or outside telemarketing staff to keep leads coming in to producers.

When you come right down to it, failure is a word we use to describe anything short of absolute success. Like perfection, success is unforgiving, when measured systemically. You either succeed or you don’t. For many people, there is nothing between success and failure. It’s an either/or, all-or-nothing outcome. Get an interesting and inspiring perspective on the concept of failure in this document by Mitch Axelrod.

You've made the decision to form a captive premium finance company. You've also chosen to run your operation either by outsourcing to a third-party vendor or using software to run the operation in house. Chances are that your lending arrangement and state licensing are also in place. You're now ready to get started and you want to book your first loan. Before you open your doors for business, take a moment to consider some important factors in this new frontier of insurance premium financing.

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.

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."