Agent’s Sales Journal December 01, 2008
Front Page Stories
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Longer Life Expectancies Spell Changes for Life Settlements
On Sept. 16, Americans got to live a little longer. On that date, 21st Services, one of the leading providers of life expectancy estimates for the life settlement industry, officially adjusted its mortality tables to reflect more real-world
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How Life, Annuity Riders are Transforming Your Products
There are no guarantees in life -- but in the annuity and life insurance markets, there seem to be an increasing number of them. During times of uncertainty, it is natural for people to seek a sure thing. As many Americans question the security of
Short Takes
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IRS Announces Increased Deductibility Limits for Long Term Care Insurance
IRS Announces Increased Deductibility Limits for Long Term Care Insurance
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LIMRA Survey Shows Consumer Pessimism but No Panic
Despite a sharp increase in pessimism about the U.S. economy, most consumers are sitting tight when it comes to their investments, savings, banking, or insurance arrangements, according to a LIMRA survey. "Even with the overwhelming news coverage
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AIG Receives Expanded Bailout Package
After posting a fourth straight quarterly loss, AIG received an expanded government rescue package in early November valued at more than $150 billion. The U.S. will reduce September's original $85 billion loan to $60 billion, buy $40 billion of
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Disability Insurer Found Guilty of Social Security Fraud
The nation's largest disability insurer was recently found to have committed fraud by requiring some consumers to apply for Social Security benefits even though they were not eligible. Because Unum processed almost 400,000 disability claims in
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SEC to Oversee Certain EIAs
WHAT: The SEC on Dec. 17, 2008 held a meeting on optional annuity contracts in order to determine the securities status of index annuities. The commission voted 4-1 in favor of a modified version of its proposed Rule 151A. According to the approved
Sales Review
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Pssst! How to Stop Being a Secret
Is your financial business hidden from the eyes of prospective clients? As exciting as that may sound, it's not a good thing. Obviously, your business can't flourish without a constant flow of new clients -- so what's damming up the flood of
Perspectives
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Revamping Your Practice in Uncertain Economic Times
Has your business ever been more uncertain than it is today? The U.S. economy is in complete disarray. Consumers and businesses are having a tough time obtaining the credit to live and work as they are used to, and they are meanwhile drowning in
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Federal Insurance Regulation? Thanks, But No Thanks.
In recent years, there has been a growing chorus from those both inside and outside the insurance industry calling for the financial sector to abandon state regulation of our business and substitute it with federal regulation. The changes being
Your Practice
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A Guide to Outsourcing Your Day-to-Day Administrative Tasks
At the core of any insurance agent's business is the ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers throughout the periodic renewal cycles -- a task that requires strong personal relationship-building and networking skills. This
Selling Guides
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Building Business with Email Newsletters
Email offers producers a quick and inexpensive way to develop relationships with prospects and strengthen relationships with clients. But several challenges face email marketers. Following are some of those obstacles, along with tips on how to
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So You've Got a Web Site - Now How Can You Promote It?
You have a wonderful, new Web site. But unless prospective clients can find it, it is just wasted Web space. Following are a few suggestions for making sure your prospects can find your Web site to ensure it's an effective lead generation tool
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8 Questions to Ask Before You Enroll in Online CE
Today's financial services industry is continually changing and increasingly complex. To better serve the needs of consumers, state departments of insurance require active professionals to keep pace with this change through continuing
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3 Tech Tools to Make Your Point of Sale More Successful
Have you ever made a sales presentation to a prospective life or annuity client and felt like something might be missing? There are a number of ways to improve your "interviews per sale" ratio by using point-of-sale tools such as illustrations. Used
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Using Agency Management Systems to Streamline Your Business
Agency management systems have evolved considerably over the past five to 10 years. With the proliferation of new technologies and tools, the impact on an insurance practice can be significant. In the 2006 ACORD User Groups Information Exchange
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Technology and Your Insurance Practice: Common Offerings to Advance Your Business
While technology is transforming the insurance industry in many ways, the basic tenet that most categories of insurance
Marketing
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How to Position Yourself Through Your Marketing Efforts
An insurance professional once told me he considered himself to be in service, not in sales. While he certainly sells insurance
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Diversity: 4 Lessons to Sell By
Three years ago, when I assumed leadership of a financial services agency that serves greater Atlanta, I was determined to create a firm that reflects the communities we serve. Over time, through careful planning, hard work, and commitment, we
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Diversity: Ready or Not, Here It Comes
Diversity is changing the world around you. The question is: Is your insurance practice changing with it? Take a case in point, using my agency's hometown as an example. Houston, TX grew in population by more than 15 percent between 1990 and
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4 Tips for Selling Insurance in Diverse Markets
The numbers tell the story: The face and wealth of America is changing, and those companies and individuals who are responsive and understand how to penetrate these markets will lead into the future. Consider the following as a business case for
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Online Advertising Demystified
Traditional newspapers are dying, and the Internet is to blame. As businesses shift more of their advertising budgets online, traditional print, billboard, and even radio ads are getting a much smaller piece of the marketing pie. According to a
Sales From The Darkside
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Marvin's Memorable Perspective
As an older sales professional, I'd dealt with all the physical troubles that come with age. I'd had hemorrhoids from sitting in my car too much. My eyes could no longer read the fine print on contracts. And my back -- my back was a pain the butt.
Prospecting Corner
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4 Inexpensive and High-Profile Marketing Ideas
It's often said that you're only as good as your list. In other words, the biggest asset that you have as an insurance agent
Objection of the Month
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Objection Of The Month - December 2008
How would you respond to a prospect who says... "I'm so worried that with everything going on in the economy today, my insurer will fail and my policy will go under." "It is normal to think this way. We cannot control today's economy.
