Up Front
If you thought 2007 was a rough year for the industry in the mainstream media, I wouldn't be counting on a reprieve in 2008.
All indications point toward even further increased scrutiny on the tactics unscrupulous advisors use to sell annuities...
That's Life
�But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.�
� Benjamin Franklin
Sunny skies and smooth sailing are not always the forecast in life. Instead, more often than not we find ourselves in turbulent waters...
Coach's Corner
The most powerful tool a salesperson can have is a third-party endorsement. Proof: verification. This is your book of evidence. In a trial, people are convicted or found not guilty based on the quality of evidence either against them or for them....
Profitable Practice
The following is based on one of Norm Trainor's clients, Ed. All of the names and telling details have been changed.
As a former teacher, Ed takes great pride in teaching his clients the truths of successful investing. Yet, as his coach, I found...
LTCI Insider
Q. I know asking questions to encourage prospects to share personal experiences is an important part of the first LTCI sales appointment. Can you provide some questions that will get the client talking?
A. The structure of the conversation during...
Annuity Advisor
Owners of annuities typically incur costs if they surrender an annuity prematurely. The penalty for getting out of an annuity can be as high as 25 percent, although a review of annuityspecs.com shows that the first year penalty is 10 percent or less...
Marketing Playbook
Isaac Asimov, the great science fiction writer and political philosopher, reasoned that �all things being equal, we root for our own sex, our own culture, and our own locality.�
He was certainly referring to competitive events such as...
Know More
If you're a "Star Wars" or "Spider-Man" fan, you already have a glimpse of how Hollywood views the future. But let's forget George Lucas and comic books -- let''s look at your future in serving senior clients. There's something...
Practice Management
Estate planning consists in part of deciding how property should be distributed at death. Succession planning focuses on decisions about the form of ownership and the organization and operation of the business, including the eventual transfer of the...
Ethics in Action
Welcome to the Internet autobahn, where information zooms from carriers, to advisors, to FMOs, to regulators, to the media, to clients and back again — in seconds. It's a world that has rendered the following excuse obsolete: "No one told...
The Motivated Seller
Are you aware that your body language reveals your deepest feelings and hidden thoughts to total strangers?
Top producers recognize the importance of nonverbal communication in the selling process and have learned to �listen with their eyes.�...
Compliance Watch
Last August, I testified at a public discussion regarding possible additions to the California Code of Insurance Regulations, dealing with annuities sales to seniors -changes that are being prompted by new powers awarded to the state's Insurance...
The Close
I recently went through a mental exercise that exemplified the power of referrals and networking. I had met with a prospective client for the first time and after the meeting my office manager innocently asked me how these fine folks came to meet...