February, 2002 Article Submission Journal Archives ABOUT FSO Carolyn Hersman, Editor Financial Services Online (FSO) is the first and largest financial services publisher and portal on the Internet. Our publications include Financial E-News, FSO Journal and Messages From The Financial Masters (available at no cost on our portal located at www.fsonline.com. Daily free inspirational publications include Daily Inspiration Chicken Soup Reader's Digest Bits and Pieces Proverbs Plus Messages Quotes Daily Reflections Family Minute All Pro Dad Encouraging Word The Inspiration Store Daily Education Heloise's Hints This Day in History Site of the Day Recipe File The Education Store About NAIFA Founded in 1890 as the National Association of Life Underwriters, NAIFA is comprised of 900 state and local associations and represents the interests of 90,000 life and health insurance agents and financial advisors nationwide. Many of NAIFA's members are NASD-licensed registered representatives or registered investment advisors. Benefits of membership include legislative and regulatory representation, education and training, and networking opportunities. The NAIFA umbrella includes the Division of Financial Advisors and three specialty organizations: the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU), the Association of Health Insurance Advisors (AHIA) and GAMA International.		SELL THE LIGHT by Jim McCarty CLU, RHU, LUTCF, RFC A life insurance policy is really not as complicated as insurance agents and financial advisors often make it out to be. It is simply a ream of paper charged with emotions, packed with imagination and offering an avenue to dream fulfillment. As professional sales people, rainmakers of the life insurance industry, it is crucial that we use our conviction, enthusiasm, creativity and persistence motivating clients to purchase adequate amounts of life insurance so their dreams will always come true! FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL Extraordinary Service for Extraordinary Times by Steve Sanduski, CFP Keep in mind that the key to generating a consistently extraordinary level of client service is to have quality, caring team members and to have a system. The system will make sure no opportunity to delight your clients is squandered. CALL CENTERS Call Us Indispensable by John Cargal When most of us think of call centers, we think of utilities, airlines and direct mail catalog companies. While these industries were the cradle to call center services, call centers now play an integral part across a swath of diverse - and increasingly smaller - businesses. In fact, today, organizations in virtually every sector of the economy depend on effective call center services. MELCHINGER ON MARKETING Nurturing Clients in a Downturn by John H. Melchinger It's a long downturn that makes or breaks many investors...and the relationships with their advisors. While many websites and email services tout client-keeping strategies such as baking homemade pies from your favorite recipes and delivering them to clients, none I've read explain why or when these techniques seem to work. None cuts through the cuteness and hype to explain when and why these techniques do not work. There is a time and place for everything, and now is not the time for frivolity. ADVISOR MARKETING Make It Easy To Do Business With You by Martin R. Baird I hear about increased competition all the time. I read about how the Internet is affecting the "real world." People tell me it's becoming more and more difficult to make a living these days. One thought comes to mind when I hear these things: Make it easier for people to do business with you. ADVISOR TODAY One Minute Motivation: How to Set Goals that Really Work by Richard G. Zalack One of the most important aspects of effective goals, which often gets lost in the planning process, is that they should inspire. Martin Luther King didn't say, "I have a strategic plan." He said, "I have a dream." Everything he did was a step to achieving his dream. THE TRUSTED ADVISOR Staying Positive After the Fall by Bill Bachrach Winston Churchill once said, "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, and an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." Don't misinterpret the following to suggest in any way that we haven't been through some trying times in our past. Yet what I hope to offer you in this article is a sense of how you can be an optimist. FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS Use It or Be Guaranteed to Lose It by Jimmy Hersman In a world where the cost of almost everything is rising, unfortunately insurance premiums are no exception. The groans from companies around the country can be heard when they receive a renewal notice for their insurance policies, only to discover that their insurance premiums have risen yet again. Where does this place the insurance advisor? In a difficult position, scrambling for ideas to help companies reduce their costs while providing employees with benefits that are affordable. MENTAL ATTITUDE DYNAMICS Playing the Game to Win by Charli Lamont Williams, Personal Success Coach You can win the game any time you want. What game? Any game: The Game of Life, The Game of Success, Any game at all. You choose your game. SUCCESSFUL SELLING A Simple Sales Lesson Learned The Hard Way by Bill Brooks Meg Jamison was a top sales performer in her first sales position right out of college. In fact, she won every sales award there was to win in her first 3 years. She was so good that she was constantly being contacted by competitors, headhunters and other sales organizations, outside of her industry for her sales expertise. SEMINARS Why Seminars Are Still The Best Way To Build A Financial Practice by Jeff Franz Although the financial services industry continues to evolve, seminar marketing is still the most effective way to attract new clients. The process allows you to build relationships with attendees based on trust, confidence and value. It also enables you to streamline your marketing process and leverage your time. So what's the catch? It requires the right materials, marketing strategy, and implementation. THE STRESS DOC Getting Beyond The Box by Mark Gorkin, LICSW Successful policies, programs and procedures are often time-tested, if not timeworn, techniques for keeping folks stifled and the status quo exalted. However, unconventional thinking and exploring involves more than discovering the elusive key to some mysterious trap door, or simply breaking down the same. Opening up new doors and windows of opportunity often starts by recognizing self-imposed, shame-based constrictions accompanied by a fear of failure. A second key catalyst for breaking out thinking is learning to ebb and flow creatively with your mood states. And once more free with inner space travel, you can adroitly maneuver from the inside out and transform external energy into problem-solving synergy. Here are the three final strategies for getting beyond the box. CLIENT BUILDING Contacting Clients More Effectively by Edwin P. Morrow, CLU, ChFC, CFP, RFC Like most advisors you probably sent some sort of message to all your clients within three weeks of the attack against the World Trade Center. It would have been very easy to send a short letter. It is only five months since the World Trade Center attack, but America is still not at ease. The market is trembling its way back up, but hundreds of thousands of persons have been furloughed, laid off or prematurely retired. Most clients of most financial advisors are not directly affected. But they are nevertheless disturbed. And you can help them, and at the same time, help yourself. ADDENDUM: This Newsletter is published by Financial Services Online, Inc. and distributed on a complimentary basis to members of NAIFA, subscribers of the Virtual Sales Assistant(TM) and selected other recipients. It is designed to provide financial service professionals an overview of the events and happenings that may affect their business. If you would like additional information on any items or the sources used, please e-mail us at e-news-list-admin@ e-news.fsonline.com LEGAL: Please read these important legal notices concerning this.