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Michael Goldberg ​ Certified Speaking Professional, Author and “Boxer” Speaker, Author, “Boxer”, and Knock Out Networker Michael Goldberg has helped thousands of advisors, brokers, agents, reps, and sales managers generate hundreds of thousands of dollars to their bottom line. Described by clients as a “spark plug”, Michael is a master at invigorating and engaging audiences. His “knock-out” style is “in your face” and high energy. He delivers content that is “hard and actionable” and can be applied immediately. His program Knock Out Networking™ has been sponsored by mutual fund and annuity companies while being licensed at the enterprise level availing firms nationwide to improve their production and quality of recruiting. Michael speaks at conferences and associations, runs sales meetings, and delivers “results driven” programs on networking, referral marketing, and recruiting. Clients include John Hancock Investments, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Northwestern Mutual, Genworth, Western & Southern Life, MetLife, Thrivent Financial, Colonial Life, and Chubb & Son. Michael’s writes regular columns for the Huffington Post, Life Health Pro, Producers Web, Producers E-Source, The Elite Advisor, and Horsesmouth and has been quoted in the Harvard Business Review. Michael has spoken at numerous industry conferences including MDRT, LAMP, NAIFA, NAHU, and is a 2X TEDx speaker. Educational background includes a Masters Degree in Training and Organization Development from Lesley University and a Bachelors Degree from CUNY Brooklyn in Hospitality Management. Michael Goldberg is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), an earned designation awarded by the National Speakers Association and the International Federation for Professional Speakers to recognize demonstrated commitment to the speaking profession through proven speaking experience. Michael is currently an award winning adjunct professor at Rutgers University and frequently volunteers as a speaker at organizations focused on career search. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Most people have at least one person in their past who inspired them to greatness they’d never imagined. A grade-school music teacher who saw a savant when teaching Beginner Recorder. A coach who spotted a potential future pro in the kid who showed up early and stayed late for every practice. A college professor who pulled the gifted math student aside to challenge her chess skills. What all these scenarios have in common is an influential leader who inspired someone to do more than they’d ever dreamed they could. A successful sales manager is that kind of leader. So let me ask you this: Are you a successful sales manager, or do you aspire to be? With this white paper, I want to inspire you to be the best sales manager possible. I want to challenge you to become the kind of leader who inspires a sales force to great success. First, let’s define the role of the sales manager. There are differing opinions on this topic. I’m often asked if a sales manager can also be a sales rep. While there are many examples of sales managers successfully carrying out the dual role of sales rep, for purposes of this paper, we are going to focus on dedicated sales managers with no direct sales responsibilities. A Forbes article a few years back went so far as to say that successful sales reps often make lousy sales managers. I concur. This is because I believe the No. 1 role of a successful sales manager is to focus on the sales team, not on the customer. Successful Sales Managers Are Strong Leaders If you have thought your most successful sales rep might make a good sales manager — or that your stellar sales record qualifies you for management — think again. The greatest numbers-driven, customer-centric, goal-busting sales rep isn’t necessarily a good leader. And when it comes to sales management, good leadership is a non-negotiable requirement. Some people have a natural gift for leadership. Others can learn it. Like every other skill, leadership requires practice. Being a great manager doesn’t make you a great leader. Leadership is a skill unto itself. It must be studied and practiced. The internet offers all kinds of opinions on the characteristics and habits of good leaders. When I’m working with sales managers (or aspiring sales managers), I look for the following 10 characteristics: Vision — Successful sales managers are always looking ahead and around. They’re paying attention to the organization and the competition, thinking about constantly growing and improving, and fully open to healthy change. Strategy — They have analytical interests and abilities. They know how to use data to find flaws and how to fan the flames of success. They seek out problems early and focus on solutions. Humility — They are never haughty, always open to constructive criticism, and readily accessible and honest. Honor — They act with integrity, dignity and honor. Their reputation is above repute. They tell the truth while being kind and respectful. Focus — They are not easily distracted by the latest and greatest trend or the shiny new idea floating around. They plan patiently and execute with discipline. Boldness — They are brave and willing to take action, even if that action may make them unpopular. Attractiveness — I’m not talking about being good-looking, though that is never a negative. I’m talking about the kind of person other people admire and seek to be like. Their dress, posture, gait, communication style, reputation and relationships represent the ideal, and in doing so, motivates others to improve themselves. Accessibility — They are clear in their message and open to dialogue. Their team can access them by appointment or “open door” and know they will be heard. Clients know how to reach them, and know they can if a relationship with a sales professional goes sideways. Company leaders also know they can access them when needed. Organization — They prepare agendas before every meeting. They set goals and create a plan to achieve them. Their desk, car, clothes and life are tidy. Positive attitude — Successful sales managers have positive attitudes. They practice good habits, including self-care, and they approach even the worst problems with a positive outlook. They inspire others to be positive as well. Successful Sales Managers Nurture Their Teams What is the responsibility of a sales manager? Is it to drive numbers? Ensure customer satisfaction or retention? Hire and fire a sales team? Report to the home office? Yes, a sales manager is responsible for all those things, but there’s another, less easily defined, responsibility of a sales manager: to nurture—to further the development of, or foster, others. While it’s critical to hire wisely, fire when needed, keep an eye on customer relations and achieve or exceed revenue goals, it’s equally critical to nurture the sales force. You can nurture the growth of your team members by recognizing when they are bored, leading them to grow professionally, working with them to set and achieve goals, and asking for their input on decisions, when appropriate . Nurturing others involves many responsibilities: Communication — Clearly communicating with your team means conveying your message clearly, ensuring understanding and listening to feedback. The proverbial open-door policy is a hallmark of any strong manager. This is not to say that a sales manager’s office should be a safe haven for complainers and trouble-makers. It shouldn’t. But it should be a place where members of the team can speak with you, ask questions, seek guidance, get your help in solving problems and receive mentoring that brings out their best selves. Team building — Hiring and firing strategically is an important role of a sales manager. I’m not sure who first said, “Hire slowly and fire quickly,” but that person was right. Poor performers — or worse, those with poor attitudes — are a cancer to an organization. For one, their lackluster performance requires more of the manager’s attention. For another, their weak numbers can have a negative impact on the overall sales force, dragging everyone’s numbers down. Most damaging of all are the underachievers who make excuses for their performance or actively engage in a negative whisper campaign among colleagues. A successful sales manager invests the time in strategic networking to attract, engage, interview, research and negotiate with top sales professionals. If you haven’t seen my blog on using LinkedIn for recruiting. Other social networks, both online and in-person, are outstanding resources as well. Effective recruiting of top performers means the sales manager needs to be known everywhere those top performers are active, whether that’s around town, throughout the country or all over the world. Managing the business — Sales management isn’t about numbers alone, though that’s an important component. It’s about managing the entire business. That includes forecasting and measuring results; setting goals; establishing quotas; defining territories; communicating with organizational leaders and customers; coaching employees; designing and overseeing training, technique, messages and public relations; and of course, the functions discussed earlier. When you consider the time and attention all that requires, it becomes increasingly clear why trying to wear the dual hats of sales manager and sales rep doesn’t make much sense. Would you think of raising a child without interacting with her? Could you maintain a strong marriage without listening to your spouse or spending quality time together? Could you keep a long-lasting friendship without listening to your friend in good times and bad? Of course not. Successful sales managers actively nurture their sales teams. They spend time with the team, both collectively and individually. They care what’s going on in their sales reps’ lives and customer relationships. They are sensitive to the dreams, desires, likes and dislikes of their sales force. Let me try to make this point with two real-world examples. Sales Manager Amy loves golf. She golfed in college and was captain of her team. She belongs to a popular country club and has created a strong social network there. She speaks about golf and leadership at local businesses, clubs and schools. Many of the professionals on her sales team love to golf. All but Tyler. Tyler does not know how to golf and doesn’t particularly enjoy it. Tyler is a high-octane kind of athlete. He climbs rocks, kayaks in rapids and takes a HIIT class every morning before work. His sales performance is good, he meets and exceeds goals, and his customers like him. There’s just one problem: Amy is accessible when she’s in the office, but she spends a lot of time on the golf course. If Tyler wants one-on-one time with Amy, he knows he can have it with her over 18 holes but probably not over lunch, and certainly not on the rocks or in the rapids. The rest of the team doesn’t mind that Amy is consumed by golf. After all, they like golf. But Tyler considers Amy’s approach to be untenable and insensitive. For that reason, Tyler probably won’t stick around long if Amy remains his sales manager. Her lack of nurturing or consideration for his interests (and disinterest in golf) is probably going to cost her a top-performing sales rep. Only time will tell, but my money says Tyler will be looking for a new sales job soon. David is another sales manager with a looming problem on his hands: he does not like to be interrupted. That is understandable under many circumstances, but in his case, it’s a bit extreme. He works with his door closed, holds meetings with everyone standing up (to discourage lingering and idle chatter, he says) and to ensure that there are no unplanned interruptions to his day. David gets a lot of work done and impresses higher-ups with detailed reports, always submitted early. He keeps a busy schedule of community networking and has amassed an impressive social media following. What David doesn’t know is how this makes his sales team feel. They feel alienated, unheard and undervalued. So while David might be plowing through reports without interruption, more than a few people on his sales team are looking online for a more nurturing place to work. Successful Sales Managers Inspire the Best from the Sales Team The fact is, the most successful sales managers are those who bring out the best in their sales teams — the best production, the best morale, the best reputation in the community and the best overall retention. If you’re a sales manager, one way to know how you’re doing is to measure yourself in those areas. If you’re falling short of projections, finding yourself in conflict with more than one sales associate (or finding conflict among sales associates in general), having trouble attracting top talent to your team or losing new hires, you might need to take a hard look at where you can improve. Remember, your key performance indicators (KPIs) are about your team’s performance and your management performance. KPIs can vary from one organization to another. For example, if you’re managing a global sales operation, your KPIs will be different from those of a strictly local sales organization. In general, I recommend taking a good, hard and honest look at your performance in these five core areas: Activity — This includes prospecting, appointments, presentations, promotions, time to close and new closes. You know the types of activity you need from your sales force to get the numbers you want. How well your team is doing in these areas tells you how well you’re managing your team. Team morale — How’s everyone getting along? Are those on your team friendly to one another, generally upbeat and supportive? Or are they bringing petty problems to you, complaining about a colleague or undermining one another’s client relationships? Employee attrition — This can be directly tied to morale, but it can also be tied to your hiring decisions. If you’re experiencing too much employee churn, you need to find out why. It can be the result of a flawed hiring process. Client attrition — Every sales manager knows how expensive it is to acquire a new client. Losing a client is even more expensive. Are your sales professionals attracting your ideal clients or swinging for the low-hanging fruit? A lost client is bad for business. Too many lost clients can indicate poor sales management. Growth — Are most or all of your sales professionals growing their business, quarter over quarter and year over year? Are they improving their ratios? Are they taking the time to continue their education and training, such as pursuing industry designations? Are they participating in team and organizational events, growing their social media following, and attending and perhaps leading social and business networking events? If your people aren’t growing, you need to find out what you can do differently to help them grow. Successful Sales Managers Resist the Urge to Micromanage Because sales managers’ compensation is tied to how many sales their teams make, they are highly motivated to ensure that their salespeople produce at high levels. That’s great, but it often leads to a scenario where they micromanage the sales team, hanging over their shoulders and constantly asking for updates. This is especially common with former top-producing salespeople. They want to feel like they’re in control of every situation, especially when it comes to their own salaries. But most salespeople are self-motivated and don’t respond well to this type of oversight. Their performance will probably suffer if they are micromanaged. This can lead to a vicious cycle where the sales manager becomes more and more frantic as the team fails to meet quotas. Sales management is a balancing act between providing guidance and direction without taking personal involvement to extremes. People tend to work best when they are provided with their marching orders but then are left to execute their jobs on their own. Achieving Next-Level Sales Management Success Not everyone is cut out for sales management, just as not everyone is cut out for sales. And being a stellar sales rep certainly doesn’t guarantee you’ll be a successful sales manager. Successful sales managers are strong leaders. They’re inspirational, they’re focused on their team and they’re focused on the business. If you’re a sales manager or looking to make the leap to sales management, your secret to achieving sales management success comes down to you. Can you lead your team to becoming its best, individually and collectively? Are you committed to ongoing education and training, open-door communication, leaderly oversight, faithful mentoring, maintaining a pristine reputation and diligently tracking metrics? If your answers to those questions are yes, then you just might have what it takes to achieve next-level sales management success. Helping sales managers and sales teams achieve next-level success is what we do best at Hoopis Performance Network. If you think we can help you step into a sales management role or step up your sales management results, give us a call or contact us here to schedule a free consultation. We’ll do everything we can to help you reach next-level sales management success. Leading Your Team to Success: Secrets to Next-Level Sales Management

Jon Gordon ​ Speaker, Consultant and Bestselling Author Jon Gordon is a speaker, consultant, and author of the international bestseller The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work and Team with Positive Energy, The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work, and Training Camp: What the Best do Better than Everyone Else. Jon’s latest book, The Shark and The Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During Waves of Change, is now available. The message in Jon’s books and speaking presentations is such that NFL coaches such as Jack Del Rio, Mike Smith, the PGA Tour and the FBI have called on Jon to inspire and benefit their teams. Jon and his books have been featured on CNN, NBC’s Today Show and in Forbes, Fast Company, O Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Clients such as The Atlanta Falcons, Campbell Soup, Northwestern Mutual, Publix Super Markets and JP Morgan Chase also call on Jon to bring out the best in their leaders and teams. Jon is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a masters in teaching from Emory University. When he’s not speaking to businesses or schools, you can find him playing lacrosse or basketball with his wife and two “high energy” children. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List With the constant growth in the power of tablets and phones, there has been a constant shift in the preference from traditional websites to gadget applications. Apps: Convenience on Steroids According to research, mobile users spend some 86 percent of the time on their smartphones or tablets, accessing their mobile apps. The apps are not only used as a source of daily information; they also form a platform for the interaction between companies and their field force and consumers. Some 68 percent of users employ apps this way. Companies use apps both inside and outside their organizations. Venturing into mobile app development depends on the company and industry. In many cases, mobile websites alone will not match the opportunities that mobile apps offer by increasing their outreach to their staff, field force, customers and the public at large. For financial services companies, a mobile website is not enough. Use of mobile websites alone will minimize a company’s optimal engagement levels, which in turn can reduce its productivity. To provide such services and products effectively, and stay ahead of the competition, you need an enterprise mobile app. Websites are losing more and more ground to mobile apps. Consumers have grown accustomed — or perhaps addicted — to using their devices for shopping and other activities. The constant pop-up ads that appear on websites are pushing customers to download mobile applications. On the company and firm side, professionals increasingly consider technological gadgets as extensions of their offices. They offer customers constant communication and access, inside or outside the office, at any time of the day or night. Consider it convenience on steroids. How Mobile Apps Improve Productivity One of the most significant benefits of apps vs. websites is improved productivity. The only way an organization can increase its profitability is by increasing productivity, reducing costs and minimizing waste. These outcomes are possible only when there is efficient communication within the organization so that everyone is focused on achieving specific goals. Here are some ways that apps can make that happen. Enhanced communication — Mobile apps make communication with financial professionals easier, quicker and smoother. Also, training and access to organizational resources are faster and more efficient than ever. According to one study, productivity in organizations that use mobile apps will increase by 20 to 40 percent. Apps also enable the organization to record, produce and use its data easily. Increased employee productivity — According to Fliplet, a study of more than 200 American federal workers in 2013 found that, when given access to mobile tools and portals, each employee will gain an extra 364 hours of productive time per year. Not only that, but they also report feeling more efficient and engaged. And, according to a study by Accenture, the overwhelming majority of executives agreed that mobile apps had made a significant impact on their businesses. In fact, 82 percent said that mobile apps are an integral part of their organizations, and 81 percent believe mobile apps will be the key to unlocking vital data from across their businesses. More efficient dissemination of information — Enterprise applications create a link between the company and the external world. Information such as changes in business operations is sent to individual customers and professional financial apps through push alerts. This faster, more efficient dissemination of the information and services a company offers outdoes what traditional websites can offer. Financial services customers like to keep in constant touch with their company to monitor their finances and weigh developments that might affect them. Customers need an easily accessible record to review their financial status so they can make decisions. And financial professionals will enjoy the opportunity to review their pending case requirements, case status, product updates, interest rates and compliance. They will also enjoy quick and easy access to notices and bulletins. Access to information, even when offline — With mobile apps, everyone can access their information both online and offline. With traditional websites, information can be used only when the desktop or laptop is accessing an Internet connection. But with apps, data and updates are locally stored within the app on the device until the device is reconnected to the Internet for further updates. People save a lot of time by using mobile apps because they can carry out their tasks from any location, even when they are offline. Increased revenue — Finally, mobile apps increase opportunities for a company to gain more revenue — sourced from services that are app-enabled and tailored to the company. For example, financial services companies are allowing mobile money transfer through their apps. This technique can yield an increase in organizational revenue because you can charge for such a money transfer. Most service industries are now implementing the use of mobile apps. Their time has come. And it’s time for all financial services companies and firms to get on board as well. After all, profitability and ultimate success largely depend on the constant and effective interaction with our field force and customers alike. And right now, with regard to interaction, mobile apps are about as good as it gets. Hoopis Performance Network Can Develop Your Customized Educational App Today, how financial professionals can access their training and educational resources is just as important as the material itself. HPN can provide your firm’s customized, branded virtual training via both website and mobile application delivery, providing your team with 24/7 access via any computer, smartphone, or tablet. Repetition is the mother of all learning, and now with HPN’s customized mobile app, it’s easy for everyone to get the answers they seek with only a few clicks from their fingertips. How Mobile Apps Improve Productivity

Gina Pellegrini ​ Owner of Pellegrini Team Consulting Gina Pellegrini is the owner of Pellegrini Team Consulting. A born entrepreneur, Gina helps others do what she has done so successfully — create a niche by providing superior service and value to clients. Consulting with clients across the country, she draws from her own experience as a business owner and a former assistant for a top-producing insurance agent in Chicago. Gina helps business owners become more effective leaders and helps employees become more involved in decisions and goal setting. Gina works with clients to improve office systems, workflow, productivity, communication, and teamwork. She also offers team-building seminars, teleconference training, and hiring consultations. Gina is a nationally known speaker, featured at The Million Dollar Round Table and other conferences. She is the author of The Power of Two, a book on effective agent-assistant teams, and The Personnel Package, a CD and resource guide explaining the how-to’s of hiring staff. Gina’s latest publication is The Appointment Scheduler, a book to help marketing assistants schedule appointments on a consistent basis. Gina has been affiliated with The Strategic Coach Program for over fifteen years and is an Associate Coach. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Storytelling is a powerful tool that can help you close more sales, increase your revenues, and even recruit new agents or advisors. No matter what you are selling, whether it is insurance, investments, or your business, personal stories activate different areas of the brain that facts and figures don’t touch. People tend to make decisions based on their emotions, not their minds. If you are worried that you may not have any stories of your own to tell, you can use other stories from friends, family, and colleagues. Next time you speak with a prospect or client, or dig into recruitment efforts, incorporate a story into your discussion. Let’s take a closer look at the power of storytelling. Consider these examples: Example #1 Life insurance is designed to protect your family and other people who may depend on you for financial support. Life insurance will pay a death benefit to the beneficiary of the life insurance policy, such as your husband or wife or your children. Life insurance can now even help you to build wealth by using it as an investment vehicle. Let’s talk about whether or not it’s time for you to start looking at your life insurance options. Life insurance can be beneficial even if you have no dependents. Who is going to pay for your funeral expenses or pay your bills off if you happen to die earlier than expected? A new study shows that while 84 percent of Americans say that most people need life insurance, only 68 percent say they personally recognize their need for it and only 59 percent own it. The reason why so many people don’t like to think about life insurance is because they don’t want to think about their own mortality. Keep in mind that the younger and healthier you are, the less expensive it is. Example #2 I married Jason in 1994 when I was 22 years old. I had no idea that I’d be a widow by 26, or that I’d have a 9-month-old baby to take care of on my own. As soon as we became pregnant, Jason started talking about life insurance, but I was hesitant to commit. I was only 24 at the time, but Jason was adamant. The topic of life insurance was just plain scary. I was pregnant with our first child, and the last thing I wanted to think about was one of us dying. Jason passed away on a Tuesday in November, right before the holidays. The weekend before, we’d taken our 9-month-old to the beach for the first time. That Monday evening, our neighbors came over for dinner. Jason went to bed early because he had to work early. He was already asleep when I joined him later. The next morning, he left for work without me seeing him. Whether he kissed me goodbye while I slept, I’ll never know. My story is a reminder that once you have a family (no matter your age) life insurance is absolutely essential. I didn’t want to think about it at the time, but lucky for me, my husband had. The second example tugs on heartstrings that the first one can’t even touch, no matter how compelling the facts are. Here are some reasons why storytelling can more effectively persuade, convince, and sell for you: The Effectiveness Storytelling Is Scientifically Proven A data-filled presentation, like example #1, engages only two areas of a listener’s brain: The language comprehension (Wernicke’s Area) The language processing and comprehension (Broca’s Area) Stories, on the other hand, can trigger up to seven areas of the brain, making the listener actually experience the story as if it was happening to them. In addition to the ones listed above, stories can also activate the: Motor cortex Sensory cortex and cerebellum Olfactory cortex Auditory cortex Visual cortex These are the areas of the brain responsible for movement, touch, colors and shapes, scents, and sounds. Taking time to tell an exceptionally descriptive story can activate all of these areas of the brain, resulting in a truly impactful and motivating presentation. Stories Invoke Logic and Emotion Have you heard the phrase, “Facts tell; stories sell?” Here’s why. When you present facts and data to prospects, clients, and potential recruits, you appeal to their sense of logic. While logic is important, study after study proves that consumers make decisions based on their emotions. When you tell a story, you connect with your listener on an emotional level. Buying insurance and making investment decisions are a little different than splurging on a new outfit or jet skis. These are logical decisions and typically large purchases, so logical thinking is important to some degree. Facts can establish credibility and add professionalism to your pitch but activating emotions through storytelling will create a connection that will not only make your listener more engaged but may also build trust and rapport needed for a longterm business relationship. A mixture of facts and storytelling can transform your presentation into a powerful one. Storytelling Promotes Active Imagination When you tell a story, your listener imagines the story as if they were there. This can benefit you because without even asking, your listener will put themselves in the shoes of the people in that particular situation. They will subconsciously ask themselves how would they feel and what would they do. The story about the widow can make a husband or wife ask themselves, “What would we do if one of us passed away suddenly? Who would pay the bills or put our kids through college?” These questions will create an emotional and logical appeal to why the cheapest possible insurance policy might not be the right decision for their family. Storytelling Is Interactive One common struggle for new insurance agents and investment advisors is the tendency to talk “at a client,” instead of “with a client.” Storytelling gives you the opportunity to interact with your clients or potential recruits in a meaningful way. As you make them part of a discussion through stories and questions that engage them, you are truly interacting with them. When you elicit emotional responses to a story, your conversation becomes more organic and connected. Your clients might only give simple responses of shock, awe, and inspiration, but, a simple response is enough to demonstrate they are hanging on your every word and interacting with you. People Don’t Like Being Sold When people feel like they are being “sold to,” they tend to be more skeptical and less trusting. No one likes to be told what to do, especially in an aggressive or demeaning way. Aggressive selling can cause people to shut down and stop listening to your pitch. A strong salesperson will use other techniques that allow the listener to feel like they are in control of their decisions. Stories give you the opportunity to lead prospects, clients, and potential recruits to “obvious conclusions” through strong examples and clear and concise education. As a salesperson connects to the values that are most important to the listener, the listener will feel confident in doing business with you. Storytelling is an effective tool for this. Powerful Stories Promote Inspired Action Strong stories with vivid imagery will allow your listeners to imagine themselves in a similar situation and they will be inspired to take action. By taking the time to incorporate storytelling into your sales process, your ability to close the deal will become much easier. When your listeners feel inspired to act, they become more likely to act, whether in buying a policy, making an investment, or accepting an offer of employment. Our Brains are Wired for Storytelling A story, if broken down into the simplest form is a connection of cause and effect, which is how our brains work. We think in narratives all day long, whether we are thinking about buying groceries, a situation at work, or the future of our kids. We make up short stories in our heads for virtually every action and conversation, whether we see it or not. Whenever we hear a story, we want to relate it to one of our existing experiences. When we search for connecting experiences, we find connecting emotions such as pain, joy, or disgust to name a few. This is why we tend to understand concepts better when they have a metaphor attached. We automatically connect metaphors to things that happen to us. Everything in our brain looks for the cause and effect relationship in something we’ve previously experienced. When to Tell a Story Storytelling can be used in many ways. Effective salespeople will have a story ready for every stage of a sale – clarifying the product, overcoming objections, or answering questions. Some have found it effective in encouraging someone to sign up for auto-draft, longterm care, cancer plans, or even signing paperwork before leaving the office. While you may not feel that you have any stories to tell, ask around and you will find many stories. Here are some examples to get you started. Creating a Powerful Story An effective story will be relatable, present a conflict, provide a resolution, and include results. This can also be outlined as having a hero, a challenge, the change process, and a result. Let’s look at the steps in finding and developing your story into a powerful one. Step #1: Start collecting stories. This can be done in the Notes app on your cell phone or somewhere else that is convenient and easily accessible. Whenever you experience, hear, or think of a good story, write it down. Step #2: Categorize your stories. What is the “lesson” for each story? Create categories and keep them organized for easy retrieval. Step #3: Develop the best stories. Try to remember as many details as possible surrounding your story. If you can’t remember, make them up. You should be able to see, hear, and feel every aspect of the story. Step #4: Practice telling your stories. Practice makes perfect. Pay close attention to the most effective speed, pitch, and word choices. Delivering a Powerful Story Once you have a stockpile of stories, you need to deliver them effectively. Always: Get personal and connect with you audience Avoid clichés and complex language Be relatable Be descriptive In an examination of the most successful TED presenters, Nayomi Chibana shares these seven tips for delivering powerful stories: Immerse your audience in the story. A well told story is something that will stick in your audience’s mind for years to come. Choose your words intentionally, making sure that every word and image you present creates a clear mental picture of your story. Also, it clearly followed a golden rule of presentation-giving which is to use visuals that will supplement your story rather than repeat what has already been said. Another way to immerse the audience in your story is to provide sensory details that will allow them to actually see, hear, feel, and smell the different stimuli in your story world. Tell a personal story. Few things are as captivating as a personal story, especially those of triumph over extreme adversity. In his insightful book The Seven Basic Plots, author Christopher Booker finds that there are seven basic story plots that have universal appeal. These include the story of the hero defeating a monster, the rags to – riches tale, rebirth, the quest for a treasure, and the voyage of a hero who comes back a changed person, comedy, and tragedy. These plots are clearly seen in some of the most popular and moving presentations ever given. Create suspense. Those who love to watch movies or read books know that a good story always has to have a conflict and a plot. These two elements are what make a good presentation into a roller coaster ride that keeps an audience at the edge of their seats, asking themselves, “What will happen next?” There are several devices that can increase the level of suspense of your story. One way is to tell a story chronologically and build up to a climactic conclusion. Another way is to plop the audience right in the middle of action and then go backwards in time to reveal how all of this occurred. Bring characters to life. Characters are at the heart of any story. Their fortunes and misfortunes are what make people want to laugh, cry or rejoice. The most successful stories, I found, were those that created three-dimensional characters who were easy to identify and, at the same time, had an uncommon characteristic. In order to do this, you must provide enough detail to bring the character to life in the minds of those in the audience. Show. Don’t tell. Instead of telling your audience about a certain event in a story, try showing them by transporting them to a scene. Whenever you deliver a story, try scene-by-scene construction of events and use dialogue instead of narration. Build up to S.T.A.R. moment. Similar to a climax, a S.T.A.R. moment is a “Something They’ll Always Remember” event that is so dramatic that your audience will be talking about it weeks later. According to presentation expert Nancy Duarte in her book Resonate, this can come in the form of a dramatization, provocative images, or shocking statistics. End with a positive takeaway. After analyzing 200 of the best TED talks, presentation expert Akash Karia found that the most effective presentations not only had a conflict and a climax, but also a positive resolution. On the path to triumph, most characters in these stories received what he calls a “spark,” or a key piece of wisdom or advice that helped them overcome their obstacles and change for the better . If your story isn’t having the effect you were aiming for, cut it short and move on. Use your instincts to observe your listener and take cues to ensure you stay connected to their needs and interests. Another technique is getting your client to tell the story. Imagine you’re selling a disability income plan. Ask the client if they have any friends, peers or family members who have experienced a disability and let them tell the story. Telling a story can be even more persuasive than hearing one. An experienced salesman gets their client to do the talking. Conclusion Storytelling is a highly effective tool that anyone can use to elicit an emotional response in our listeners. It can illustrate best practices or persuade a hesitant buyer to make an important decision. Most of all, storytelling is a way to connect with your clients and create trust and rapport between you and others. The Power of Storytelling

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List You just made a sale to a new client — congratulations! This is not the end of the sales process; it’s only the beginning. LIMRA research shows that the average buyer of life insurance will buy seven times during his or her lifetime. Also, they’ll buy other products and services, not only on them but on their spouse, children, parents, inlaws, business partners, etc. It’s all based on the relationship, since opportunities are found based on the relationship that you have. Not all consumers are the same. To optimize your marketing and sales efforts, it’s important to know how consumers vary according to your relationships with them. We have identified four key levels of a consumer. By understanding these levels, you can move your relationships with clients to ever-higher standards and build your book of business the best way possible: through valuable referrals. Here is an overview of the four levels of a consumer. Level One: Buyer Level one is a buyer. By definition, a buyer is an individual who has simply purchased a product from you. Unfortunately, this is the only level that many representatives ever get to. Just as sad is the fact that even though some agents or representatives survive for years in our industry, their income and their business do not grow proportionately with time. This reality relates to a LIMRA study that revealed what financial services consumers complain about the most: advisors’ failure to stay in touch or build long-term relationships. Level Two: Customer Level two is a customer. A customer is a consumer who sees you and your business as a source to handle a particular need or desire. Today, millions of people are Apple customers. When they think of a phone, tablet or computer, they automatically think of Apple. When the consumers you have sold think of insurance or investments, do they automatically think of you? To get consumers from level one to level two, you have to get them to think of you when they think about insurance and/or investments. The only way to do that is by following the three C’s of Marketing: Constant Client Contact. LIMRA research says a financial professional should have 24 contacts with each consumer every year. It takes 12 contacts to establish a brand or name with a new prospect. These contact points include connecting via social media; offering website resources; sending out birthday cards and/or holiday cards; publishing or emailing newsletters; conducting quarterly, semi-annual and annual reviews; and making phone calls. The key is to get in front of the consumer as often as you can. The phone is a marketing tool and should be used only for setting or confirming appointments. Never use it to address concerns or to answer questions early on in your career. Use any reason to get in front of your prospect or consumer while you are still in the relationship-building phase. Now, this rule does change over the years as you develop a bigger, more established client base. But in the early years, your goal is to establish as many buyers as you can and then move them up to the customer level as quickly as possible. Level Three: Client The third level is a client. A client is someone who seeks advice. We are clients of our doctors, our attorneys and our accountants. These professionals do not sell products; they sell advice. As your consumers begin to seek your advice on insurance, they will naturally begin to seek your advice on other products and services you offer as well, such as investments. They will seek you out to get your counsel and advice as they move to this third level. They see you as a resource for them, their families and their businesses. Now, this progression to level three didn’t just happen; it resulted from all your marketing activities — the 24 touches each year and the third “B” of marketing: Being Viewed as a Resource. Once they understand your value proposition, your business model and your commitment to serve and support them, you will be a resource they can count on. Level Four: Advocate Finally, the fourth level is an advocate. An advocate is someone who will promote you and your services to the community at large without your asking them to do so. Anyone can be an advocate for anything. It is the world’s best form of advertising and marketing. We have all been an advocate for a restaurant due to the quality and consistency of its food and service. When your customers and clients develop into advocates for you, it means that they believe in you. They have given your business unsolicited referrals and recommendations and have typically received positive feedback on those referrals. Nothing can help build a successful practice more than having a number of advocates promoting your services. Building relationships takes time, even with people you may already know. Follow the process, and use your firm’s marketing resources. It will turn your potential as a professional into a successful reality. In summary, your goal is to transform buyers into consumers, then clients and ultimately into advocates: Buyer > Customer > Client > Advocate Tips for Transforming Buyers into Advocates According to a 2013 Harvard Business Review article, many salespeople offer incentives to existing customers for referrals, but this is not recommended. It’s a “slippery slope” that can appear as if you are buying referrals. The best way to achieve this progression is to earn referrals by providing extraordinary customer service. Here are some tips for doing that. Deliver what you promise. Promptly fix anything that might not be right. Underpromise and overdeliver. Leave no doubt in people’s minds that you are consistently true to your word. Know your customers’ problems. Everyone is different. Find out what each of your buyer’s, customer’s and client’s needs, concerns, fears, wishes and hopes are. Communicate with them with these important facts in mind. Let them do a lot of the talking. Listen closely, and repeat what they said to you. Offer solutions and encouragement. Check in regularly. Again, maintain Constant Client Contact to see if your buyers, customers or clients need anything, have concerns or don’t understand something you have discussed. Always keep learning more about them and their situations. Educate them, and be the resource that they can depend on. Make sure they are happy with every aspect of your relationship. Give the relationship time to deepen. The closest relationships are those that develop over time, with clients seeing that you come through for them again and again, without fail, over a long period of time. Don’t rush the process. Thank them. It is important to express your sincere appreciation when an advocate gives you the ultimate compliment by referring others to you. Thank your advocate, and let him or her know that the referral contacted you. When you receive referrals from your loyal advocates, you have a high likelihood of doing business with them than with cold leads because they have already heard positive things about you from people they know and whose opinions they value. As a result, it will take less time to build rapport and trust with those new clients. Use Hoopis Performance Network Videos in Your Advisor Training This is just one of hundreds of topics covered in our training videos. Consider using our videos in your company, agency or firm to educate your agents and advisors on practical topics, 24/7. HPN brings you winning training for sales associates and staff, while HPN brings you winning training for sales leaders. They can access training and information on their smartphones and tablets when they have spare time, learn at their own pace and customize their curriculum based on what interests them the most. Four Levels of a Consumer

Matt Anderson ​ Founder of Fearless Referrals Matt Anderson, of the Referral Authority, has grown his business almost exclusively by referrals and now speaks and coaches not only across the US, but in Canada, the UK and the Middle East. He specializes in training and coaching insurance and financial service professionals how to get more and better referrals. Referral coaching clients come from independent agents and companies including Country Financial, New York Life, State Farm, and AXA. Matt has spoken at Million Dollar Round Table, the NAIFA national conference and at the Institute of Financial Planners annual conference in the UK plus the UK MDRT Day. Matt has been published in NAIFA’s Advisor Today, National Underwriter, Investment Executive and Horsesmouth.com in the US and Professional Adviser and The Professional in the UK and Ireland. He has recorded several referral and networking training videos for Hoopis Performance Network and New York Life. He is the author of Fearless Referrals, which Brian Tracy, author of The Psychology of Sales, says “teaches you the “Golden Rules” for developing a continuous chain of high quality referrals for any product in any business.” Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Tiffany Markarian ​ Owner Advantus Marketing, Marketing Strategist Tiffany Markarian and her firm, Advantus Marketing, are devoted to helping financial professionals advance their marketing and business momentum. She delivers 24 years of field marketing and business development expertise having personally coached hundreds of wealth advisors, broker / dealers, brokerage agencies and insurance firms in driving productivity, practice equity and overall growth. What her clients say Tiffany does for them is create a much needed level of change and accountability. The real benefit to you in working with Tiffany is the clarity and direction you gain in your business, your relationships with clients and a more powerful presence in your local marketplace. Tiffany speaks at numerous industry conferences throughout the year and has been a past speaker for GAMA, NAILBA, the Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts, LifeMark Partners, Inc., Guardian Life Insurance, NAIFA, Vanderbilt Securities, Inc., the Society of Underwriting Brokers and numerous regional firms and broker / dealers. She has been featured in Life & Health Advisor, NAILBA Perspectives, and the GAMA International Journal for her results in helping firms and advisors increase the equity value of their practice and strengthening and retaining client relationships. She is known for helping advisors and firms capture and retain opportunities amidst heightened competition and economic volatility. Her clientele is national in scope and crosses all aspects of the wealth advisory industry, including: financial advisors, BGAs, independent RIAs, broker / dealers, and insurance firms. She draws from her deep field experience as a Director of Marketing for Allmerica Financial, Senior Consultant at MetLife / New England Financial, and Director of Marketing for John Hancock / Signator Investors, Inc. She served as the Director of Business Development for a Massachusetts wealth advisory firm for seven years prior to forming Advantus Marketing. Tiffany and the Advantus Marketing team look forward to helping you advance your marketing and business momentum. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Let’s admit it — the financial services business can be tough. It requires selling products to individuals who really need them but who often are in denial about this fact. That’s why there are two parts to learning how to become a successful professional in the financial services industry: Acquire the education and knowledge to build a successful and ongoing practice while having the confidence to engage prospects and clients in healthy and honest discussions. Develop the sales skills needed to take clients through the process of discovery to recognize their needs and wants and then to take action. Although we might consider some individuals to be natural-born salespeople, the reality is that most of these skills are learned. So how do you learn those skills? Primarily through repetition and failure. Repetition is the mother of all learning; however, learning the necessary skills to be a successful financial services professional can be a very long and challenging process. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a shortcut to gaining those skills? There is! Many have found mentoring to be that shortcut. What a Mentor Is The word “mentor” comes from a Greek character named Mentor. When Odysseus left Ithaca to participate in the siege and capture of Troy, according to Homer’s Odyssey, he entrusted the care of his wife, Penelope, and his infant son, Telemachus, to his great friend, Mentor. In time, Mentor became the advisor and wise teacher of Telemachus as he set off to find his father. A mentor is defined as an influential senior and trusted counselor or teacher, a person who will help guide someone on his or her path toward achieving goals. Mentoring gives us a brain to pick, an ear to listen and, when needed, a push in the right direction. It’s all about transferring the necessary knowledge, skills and expertise that are essential for any organization or practice. Mentoring can be an effective approach to create, organize, capture and distribute knowledge and demonstrate acquired skills. It supports both short- and long-term growth opportunities for both new associates and veterans. Mentoring Shortens the Learning Curve One of the key benefits of mentoring is that it reduces the time required to obtain and successfully execute the required practice-building skills much faster than the old tried-and-failed methods. Mentoring facilitates rapid learning because knowledge transfer is achieved by providing direct access to a range of experts and peers who can share the required skills in an actual working environment. Because 80 percent of this type of learning (knowledge transfer) is informal, mentoring empowers skill acquisition in ways that most training programs can’t. It shortens the learning curve, enhances productivity and helps everyone align their efforts with a successful business strategy. In addition to streamlining the transfer of marketing and selling knowledge, mentoring can fuel succession planning to ensure that clients will continue to be taken care of and that promises are kept once an advisor retires. Supplement Mentoring with Other Training Most mentors will help develop the skill sets necessary for their mentees to become successful. But even the most knowledgeable and skilled mentor doesn’t know everything. Therefore, it is important to supplement the mentoring relationship with additional educational resources and training to ensure that the mentee becomes fully developed in all aspects of his or her role. Early on, a robust and engaging curriculum will need to be provided. In time, pursuing professional designations should be considered. There are many types of financial services practices, from those that focus on protection products such as life insurance, disability and long-term care to those that use the multiline platform to service consumers and help them protect their property to those that serve primarily the investment marketplace. Mentoring can benefit those in all types of agencies, firms and companies. But mentoring is not about the product you offer; rather, it’s a strategy for improving the level of service, sales ability and skill in understanding clients and their situations. Mentoring Tips Based on Best Practices Here are some mentoring best practices: Mentees: Choose your mentor carefully. If having a mentor seems like a good strategic move, then pick someone with a practice you aspire to have. The mentor should be someone you can trust and feel comfortable sharing your beliefs and shortcomings with. Mentors: Be prepared before agreeing to mentor someone. Understand the level of commitment and what would be expected of you. Make sure you have the time, energy, and patience to start a mentoring relationship. Try it out on a trial basis. Many mentorships can be long term, but you could always try the arrangement out on a trial basis. This way, if either the mentor or mentee is uncomfortable or does not see the pairing as a good fit, bad feelings are less likely to exist if the relationship doesn’t continue. Specify both parties’ objectives. In any relationship, an up-front mutual understanding of what will be expected of both parties is very important. Don’t just verbalize these mutual agreements; put them in writing, and have a third party review them for additional input. And be specific. Clarity is essential before starting a mentorship. Clarify specific areas the mentorship will cover, including these details: 1) What both the mentee and mentor want out of the relationship. 2) A general structure for the meetings and conversations. 3) How the mentor and mentee will handle takeaway tasks/next steps/ action items. 4) How often the parties will communicate; the ideal times and days for these communications; and how and where this communication will be accomplished, such as in person, by phone or via video conferencing. 5) A confidentiality agreement. 6) Agreement about how to handle any splits in compensation and production credit. 7) How and when this mutual agreement can be modified or even be canceled Listen and learn. In successful mentorships, both parties will enjoy the benefit of learning, and they will listen to one another. Mentors must be willing to let the mentees speak freely and state whatever is on their minds, whether it is a question or a concern. There must be an open two-way dialogue. Mentors who only talk at their mentees will offer very little value. Be willing to share. The bottom line in a mentoring relationship is about sharing. If either party is not willing to share, then the true benefits of mentoring will be lost. By sharing their career experiences — both the good and the bad, as well as their techniques — mentors will help their mentees gain critical experience and avoid some of the pitfalls that many face. Mentees must be just as open and honest in return. Consider a mentoring relationship with someone outside your company or firm. Not all mentor– mentee relationships are formed with individuals who work for the same agency, firm or company. Sometimes it’s beneficial to see the perspective of someone who works in a different organization. But working with someone inside the same organization can offer additional benefits such as job security and the potential to become a partner or a successor one day. Work to derive mutual benefit. The relationship must offer both parties benefits. Ideally, the two will learn to work smarter and not necessarily harder. As the relationship progresses, it must become more efficient and more flexible. Mentees must understand that they have the primary responsibility for their career success — it is not the mentor’s responsibility. However, the more engaging a mentor is or can become, the easier the transfer of knowledge will be for both. Mentors and mentees: Be open to new ideas. Mentees can gain so much more than just knowledge and habits. A good mentor can have a huge impact on a mentee’s life path. But openness is not just something the mentor needs to have. Reverse mentoring is the process through which the mentee teaches the “old dog” new tricks. For example, a newer advisor could teach a veteran advisor how to navigate social media or how to use and benefit from new software programs and apps. Mentors who are open to listening and evolving their practices can learn valuable strategies from their younger colleagues. If you have not been engaged in using the mentoring concept, maybe the time has come to do so. We all seek increased productivity and the ability to break into new markets more efficiently and in less time. Mentoring may be the answer. Use Hoopis Performance network Videos in Your Advisor Training Consider using our virtual training videos in your company, agency or firm on mentoring relationship series for both financial professionals and the leadership teams. HPN brings you winning training for sales associates, and sales leaders. They can access training and information on their smartphones and tablets when they have spare time, learn at their own pace and customize their curriculum based on what interests them the most. Mentoring Opportunities and Benefits