February, 2000 Never is Heard a Discouraging Word by C. Richard Weylman To be successful in today's environment, you must be positive so you can encourage people to see you and buy from you. In our fast-paced world, buying decisions are made less on price and company and more on the helpful encouragement and attitude of the financial advisor.   There's Gold In Them Thar Hills by Jim McCarty CLU, RHU, LUTCF The freedoms offered in the insurance industry today allow us to choose where we wish to concentrate our efforts. The common denominator, whatever the area we choose, is that prospecting is a never-ending journey for the successful sales person. Eliminate Your Barriers to the Most Powerful Client Attraction System by Bill Cates Every broker knows that the most enjoyable and the most effective way to build a book of business is through referrals. Yet most brokers never take full advantage of their incredible gold mine of happy clients.   Why Y2K Wasn't a Disaster by Edwin P. Morrow ChFC, CFP, RFC You can still profit from Y2K - by recognizing why the world failed to come crashing to an end, fueled by thirty-year old computer code. The Financial Professional Selling The 14 Golden Rules to Hiring a Financial Pro by David Bach While I believe that every Smart Woman is capable of managing her finances on her own, if that is her goal, I still strongly suggest that before you start making investments, you consider getting some professional guidance. Everything You Always Wanted From a Wholesaler by Bill Bachrach Just as your clients deserve a Trusted Advisor (and not just a financial products salesperson), you deserve a wholesaler who cares about your success where it counts most - in your business, not in your golf game. Information on the Go by Bill Ringle Today, if you've got important business news you want to share with a lot of people fast, you're more likely to send e-mail than to call. Why? Because time is valuable and sending e-mail has three obvious advantages over phoning. How Important is Trust in Making a Sale? by Bill Brooks Building trust is essential in making a sale. Sustaining trust with customers is critical to building a long-term sales career. How to Use Rapport in the Sales Interview(Part One) by Michael Lovas Most of the important information a planner needs to get from a prospect or client is in the person's head. It's his or her values. Flashpoint Mastering the Art of Economic Abundance by Mark E. Matson Chapter 2: The 7 Immutable Laws of Technology and The FlashPoint Framework. Mastering the Art of Economic Abundance explains the unseen forces that are shaking our society and economy Stress Doc The Liberating and Entangling Webs of Technology, Depression and Prozac by Mark Gorkin In the first of two essays the Stress Doc examines the potentially disruptive if not dangerous effects of a health care system casually prescribing and inadequately supervising the new, "clean" generation of antidepressant medications. Next, the Doc outlines how, with proper diagnosis and biochemical and psychotherapeutic intervention, Prozac, Zoloft et al. may fulfill their promise as "wonder drugs." Personal Growth It's the Millennium! There ís no limit to what you can do! by Jim Cathcart There is a very real possibility that you can do virtually anything. Not alone, not without new information, not without changing in some ways, but certainly within your ultimate grasp. Million Dollar Sales Idea   Here's a simple, six-point guide for getting more prospecting opportunities, seeing more people, and making more sales when everyone seems to be saying no: ARCHIVES Productivity How to achieve those New Year's Goals by Kerry L. Johnson, Ph.D. Fear of failure is the major contributor to poor goal achievement. The logic follows, "If I don't set goals, I don't fail. If I don't fail, I won't have to face a loss of self-confidence." Spend 20 minutes and RAISE Your Sales by 20% by Larry Klein Having coached thousands of producers, I have noticed that 20 minutes a day, spent in the following way, will increase sales productivity by at least 20%. Quick Check List for Effective Communication by Steve Kaye, Ph.D. Your success in every aspect of your life depends upon your ability to communicate effectively. Here is a quick check list of questions to evaluate your communication skills. Enhance Your Personal Organization by David G. Rohlander Your commitment book is your daily road map. The picture that you paint in your daily schedule should include blocks of time, hash marks for transportation and entries from your To Do List. RX For Success Physical Fitness or Treadmill Credits by Elizabeth Gazda-Smith, M.D. The benefits of regular exercise are well known and many individuals participate in an exercise program of some type for the benefit of their health. Regular exercise has been proven to decrease deaths from coronary heart disease as well as mortality from all causes. One way to assess someone's physical fitness is by their performance on a treadmill test (also called an exercise electrocardiogram). Editors Carolyn Hersman Eric Hornbeck