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... x No Thanks Loading.. The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Insurance Agencies 4/30/2013 by Al Diamond , CompleteMarkets Editor This content has not been rated yet. In 1989, Stephen Covey wrote his best seller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. These habits aren't new or revolutionary — they're clarifications and reiterations of rock-solid principles in a format that's easily to understand (if still hard to accomplish) . But if agents follow the seven habits discussed in this article by Al Diamond, they'll assure their long-term personal and business success. That is a pretty strong statement, isn't it? But, if we put up a sign that read "Gold Here! Dig approximately 250 feet to reach it! Free shovels," most people wouldn't take us up on the offer. ... care of routine matters or crises. In the long run, neither is productive. Yes, we need to deal with routine matters. And we can't avoid some crises. But, Covey points out that the most productive use of our time is to accomplish those tasks that are not urgent, but important. Planning, not reacting, is important. Prevention, not repair, is important. Building relationships, not counseling to determine why they aren't working, is important. Of course, some important things are urgent as well. However, many of our customers and employees try to manipulate us with the "squeaky wheel" ploy. If they squeak often enough and loud enough, they figure that we'll have to take care of them. For some people, this is the only way ...

... PR Newsletters Employees Articles Blog Photos Group Connections Reviews IMMS Library Immerse yourself in our stacks. Take some time and browse through our library. We have thousands of articles, checklists, tip sheets, sales letters, and more! Communications Marketing Customer Service Planning Finance/Accounting Risk Management Human Resources Selling Legal and E&O Technology Life/Financial Services Glossaries Management Resources & Links Categories Popular Recent All habit Articles tagged with habit Back 10 Tips To Help You Become A Better Manager 1 Verified Reviews - 5 of 5.0 1 2 3 4 5 CompleteMarkets Editor , Jack Fries 4/30/2013 12:00:00 AM Whether you're running a mega-agency or a boutique, following these proven management guidelines makes sense. Learn what motivates each of your employees Use this information to help manage their performance ... can help you retain them. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) 10-Step Referral Prospecting System This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , bill cates 4/30/2013 12:00:00 AM 10-STEP REFERRAL PROSPECTING SYSTEM: SELLING/PROSPECTING/LEADS by Bill Cates You can create a steady flow of high-qual.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Communication Builds Trust 1 Verified Reviews - 5 of 5.0 1 2 3 4 5 CompleteMarkets Editor , bill cates 4/30/2013 12:00:00 AM COMMUNICATION BUILDS TRUST by Bill Cates Why we all need honest communication in our business and personal lives. In his book Just Be Honest, Steven Gaffney believes that withhold.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Do You Forget To ...

... the time. We withhold our thoughts and feelings from our loved ones, friends, clients, suppliers, and colleagues. And, they (including our clients) withhold information from us all the time. Let's look into this a little further. We need to create a business culture in which our clients feel totally comfortable with telling us "everything." So, I hope you're in the habit of checking in with your clients on a regular basis to make sure that they're completely forthcoming with how they feel about doing business with you. Want a gutsy way to ask this? Say to your clients, "Let's forget about the market for a minute. We believe we have strong strategies in place for moving forward. Looking at our relationship and my level of service, on a ... Employees Articles Blog Photos Group Connections Reviews IMMS Library Immerse yourself in our stacks. Take some time and browse through our library. We have thousands of articles, checklists, tip sheets, sales letters, and more! Communications Marketing Customer Service Planning Finance/Accounting Risk Management Human Resources Selling Legal and E&O Technology Life/Financial Services Glossaries Management Resources & Links Categories Popular Recent All Back Communication Builds Trust 4/30/2013 12:00:00 AM by CompleteMarkets Editor , bill cates 1 Verified Reviews - 5 of 5.0 1 2 3 4 5 Why we all need honest communication in our business and personal lives. In his book Just Be Honest, Steven Gaffney believes that withholding thoughts or feelings from others is a form of lying. If we accept this fact, we must ...

... the participants fails to listen. Remember: a bore is an advisor who talks about himself, but a brilliant conversationalist is an advisor who listens while clients talk about themselves. Research proves that most people don't listen adequately (if at all), for three reasons: a) While the other person is talking, most people plan what they're going to say when it's their turn. It's a habit that will sabotage your success and ultimately embarrass you. If you want to listen better, you need a strategy — something to focus on or do that connects you to the other person. Here's the easiest and most rewarding strategy: write all the keywords (called Criteria') people say when they talk to you. b) Most people are visual. You're probably more stimulated by events ... on Credibility, his intent was to teach insurance and financial professionals how to conduct a Credibility Marketing Campaign. As the book grew beyond 200 pages, Lovas realized that he was writing two books. So, he published the strategy and the direct mail techniques and renamed the book Beyond Wave Marketing. What didn't get published were the specifics of what makes credibility. This series of articles discusses these credibility building concepts. &# 160 If it's true that the success of an insurance or financial business depends on developing loyal clients, how then, can we develop loyal clients when price seems so important? When you use price as the differentiator, you lose every time. Even if you get the account, your resources and energies will be drained because you won't be compensated for them adequately enough. ...

... has created a comprehensive series of 43 Producer Success Lessons. Used singly or in combination, these powerful tools can help your producers build their skills and grow their sales. SILLY BOOKS AND MEETING WOMEN Do you have any silly books' - you know, the ones written by obscure experts' on subjects such as Building an Atomic Bomb with Things You Probably Have Around the Home. I make it a habit to commit the sillier concepts in these books to memory before I give them to my two-year-old, who promptly destroys them. One of my favorite silly books is one that tells men how to meet and get to know any woman, anytime, anywhere. The alleged secret is to find out what she's drinking, then smoothly move into her personal space' and offer her another round. You then ... x No Thanks Loading.. Producer Success Lesson 7 5/26/2015 by Randy Schwantz This content has not been rated yet. Nothing happens until somebody sells something. To make sales happen, IMMS.com Key Sales Consultant Randy Schwantz has created a comprehensive series of 43 Producer Success Lessons. Used singly or in combination, these powerful tools can help your producers build their skills and grow their sales. SILLY BOOKS AND MEETING WOMEN Do you have any silly books' - you know, the ones written by obscure experts' on subjects such as Building an Atomic Bomb with Things You Probably Have Around the Home. I make it a habit to commit the sillier concepts in these books to memory before I give them to my two-year-old, who promptly destroys them. One of my favorite silly books is ...

... up-to-date. In short: Wrong list+ right package = high degree of failure Perfect list+ lousy package = possible chance of success Perfect list+ right package = high degree of success List purchasing is both an art and a science-at least when the criterion is more complicated than within a mile radius of the store. Information is available on every consumer on earth-specifics on age, income, education, purchasing habits, driving habits, and bad habits. Want to know what size coffee cup your head of household drinks from? Wondering what size tires are on his/her car? Everything is available, from the absurd to the sublime. It's important to define the parameters you need early on. Here are the key elements to direct-mail success: the list (it had better be the right prospects ... the phrase direct mail' was used to define a piece that went in the mail to a particular individual on a list. Often there were no set parameters other than geography and the occasional emphasis on branding. Today, an effective direct-marketing campaign relies on detailed database information. With recognition of the cumulative effect of multiple mailings, each mailing is both a marketing piece (effectively branding the bank, building and reinforcing the image) and a response piece. Throughout the campaign and in anticipation of the next, the database is updated based on responses, profiles of product, and other criteria: .. And the envelope please. Package vs. envelope? Letter vs. flyer? Which works best? Packages and multiple pieces tend to produce higher responses than individual approaches. People process information differently ...

... the time. We withhold our thoughts and feelings from our loved ones, friends, clients, suppliers, and colleagues. And, they (including our clients) withhold information from us all the time. Let's look into this a little further. We need to create a business culture in which our clients feel totally comfortable with telling us "everything." So, I hope you're in the habit of checking in with your clients on a regular basis to make sure that they're completely forthcoming with how they feel about doing business with you. Want a gutsy way to ask this? Say to your clients, "Let's forget about the market for a minute. We believe we have strong strategies in place for moving forward. Looking at our relationship and my level of service, on a ... x No Thanks Loading.. Communication Builds Trust 4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , bill cates 1 Verified Reviews - 5 of 5.0 1 2 3 4 5 Why we all need honest communication in our business and personal lives. In his book Just Be Honest, Steven Gaffney believes that withholding thoughts or feelings from others is a form of lying. If we accept this fact, we must admit that all of us lie a good deal of the time. We withhold our thoughts and feelings from our loved ones, friends, clients, suppliers, and colleagues. And, they (including our clients) withhold information from us all the time. Let's look into this a little further. We need to create a business culture in which our clients feel totally comfortable with telling us ...

... establish a position, an agent should take these four basic steps: Determine current position. Whether you're looking at a particular issue in the industry, such as dwelling limits, or your overall position as an agent, the first step is to analyze what you're currently doing. Determine how your current actions position you. Are your actions congruent with your goals and values? Or have you simply developed habits that dictate how you approach an issue? You should also analyze your support staff. Are they projecting your position accurately? Are their actions reflecting the philosophy of the agency? Question its validity. During the past decade, the relationship between insurance company and agent has changed dramatically. Have you adjusted your actions accordingly? Or are you operating the same way as you did 10 years ago? ... can expect from the insurance transaction. It also helps inform clients which responsibilities, if any, remain on their shoulders. Let's look at an industry example to clarify the importance of positioning and expectations. Whenever Paula writes Property coverage, she becomes involved in setting the insurance amount. Recently, she reevaluated her involvement and was troubled by several questions: How should she determine the insurance amount on a building? Are the replacement cost surveys provided by the companies accurate? What's the best way to present the figures to the client? Who bears the primary responsibility for having the dwelling adequately insured? Agents take differing positions on these issues. Fast Phil writes Property coverage on the house without ever seeing it, fudging on the estimator, and feeling no obligation to discuss the insurance amount with the insured ...

... up-to-date. In short: Wrong list+ right package = high degree of failure Perfect list+ lousy package = possible chance of success Perfect list+ right package = high degree of success List purchasing is both an art and a science-at least when the criterion is more complicated than within a mile radius of the store. Information is available on every consumer on earth-specifics on age, income, education, purchasing habits, driving habits, and bad habits. Want to know what size coffee cup your head of household drinks from? Wondering what size tires are on his/her car? Everything is available, from the absurd to the sublime. It's important to define the parameters you need early on. Here are the key elements to direct-mail success: the list (it had better be the right prospects ... the phrase direct mail' was used to define a piece that went in the mail to a particular individual on a list. Often there were no set parameters other than geography and the occasional emphasis on branding. Today, an effective direct-marketing campaign relies on detailed database information. With recognition of the cumulative effect of multiple mailings, each mailing is both a marketing piece (effectively branding the bank, building and reinforcing the image) and a response piece. Throughout the campaign and in anticipation of the next, the database is updated based on responses, profiles of product, and other criteria: .. And the envelope please. Package vs. envelope? Letter vs. flyer? Which works best? Packages and multiple pieces tend to produce higher responses than individual approaches. People process information differently ...

... how well you are doing every 30 days or so. Be conscious of the good and bad telephone techniques of others. Remember, the only way to find answers is to look for them. Telephone Self-Evaluation Do you answer the telephone with a smile? Is the information you give over the telephone clear and understandable? Do you take down telephone messages completely and accurately? Do you use good speech habits over the telephone? Do you treat every call as an important call? Do you speak slowly and allow the caller to ask questions? Do you apologize for errors and delays? Do you make the caller feel glad that they called? Do you screen calls in a non-intimidating way? Do you strive for professionalism through the use of effective telephone techniques? Do you screen calls tactfully? Do ... is most convenient for you. A great number of your customers probably have an answering machine or voice mail. If you are uncomfortable with the machines, think of them in this way: Realize that once you call, the burden of communicating is on the other guy. Use small steps to increase your comfort level. Leave a short message, then your name, then a longer message, and build on your successes. Ask people how you did or if your message was clear. If you're curious, record your voice on a cassette tape recorder and see how you sound. There is always room for improvement. Overall, answering devices are becoming more prevalent. See them as a challenge and realize that the first time is the hardest. Push yourself and build on your successes. Message ...