April 2014
Strategies for Success Newsletter April 2014 Issue 100
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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2014 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.
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In this April 2014 issue:
Thoughts from others
Josmo’s Café
Thoughts from the road
Stay energized
Emily Live
This is the 100th issue of the Strategies for Success newsletter! On occasion I’ll be rerunning some of the most popular pieces from the past eight years and when I do, it will be noted.
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Did you miss my recent webinar Clients are Forever – 5 Carats to Dazzle and Retain Buyers? Read a concise and accurate summary this IA magazine article. Perfect material for your next staff meeting!
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1. Thoughts from others
Having clients whom I love and learn from has been the greatest joy of my career. Nathan Einstein, Chairman of Rosenfeld Einstein, A Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company, is one of those clients. Nathan has logged 56 highly successful years in the insurance business. When Nathan talks, I listen! After an inspiring and heartfelt personal visit with Nathan in his office in February, Nathan e-mailed me more thoughts – thoughts worth sharing.
“Always remember to convey the following message – selling insurance is the easy part of our profession; taking care of your client is the hard part! Many in our profession do not know what this means, but find out the hard way. They lose the right to represent the client. Keeping a client is a lot easier than obtaining new one!
“Perhaps the most favorite of all of my daily activities is to convey the following message (to our staff) – when the phone stops ringing is when you have the problem. As long as clients need you and you favorably respond, opportunities are unbelievable in our insurance profession.”
Thank you, Nathan, for continuing to encourage and enlighten others!
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Highly successful agents believe it is a privilege to represent their clients. EH
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2. Josmo’s Café
In this never-ending winter, homemade soup has become a staple in our home. It had been years since I made French Onion Soup and decided it was time to give it a go. I merged and modified a few recipes and came up with Heavenly Homemade Onion Soup. Enjoy!
Josmo’s Cafe is celebrating its 10th anniversary! Learn the history and try the famous Josmo’s Cosmo cocktail posted on the Josmo’s Café webpage. If you’re having trouble finding Ocean Spray white cranberry juice at your local store, which is what makes this cosmopolitan so yummy, we get our supply from My Brands.
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3. Thoughts from the road
Message on a Bottle
I woke up this morning thinking about Angela Brown. Angela, in her mid-twenties when I knew her 10 years ago, was a woman ahead of her time and beyond her years. We attended Toastmasters together every Monday morning for five years. Because of the speeches given and the regularity of the meetings, members get to know each other very well. What I remember most about Angela are not her speeches, but her water bottle.
At each meeting, Angela’s water bottle had a different message taped to it. Kindness. Determination. Believe. Imagine. Respect. Wisdom. Finally one day, Angela’s speech topic was her water bottle. “What are you ingesting in your mind and body?” she challenged us. “Is it stuff that is positive and nurturing? Or is it negative and destructive? The choices we make in our thoughts, actions, behavior, food and water directly affect our lives. Are you making choices to live the life you want?” She told us her water bottle signs were daily reminders of her personal values. Her positive thoughts were absorbed by both her mind and body.
Angela’s speech was a decade before the making of the 2004 documentary “What the Bleep Do We Know?” The compelling movie brought insight to the general public about Quantum Physics – the theory that our thoughts manifest what we see and experience. One powerful scene in the movie illustrates Dr. Masaru Emoto’s 1999 study that shows contrasting signs on containers of water. The molecules in the containers react differently depending on the message. The “chi of love” molecules are peaceful while the “I will kill you” molecules are discolored, combative and aggressive. Watch a three-minute movie clip if you want to view this theory yourself.
For me, the truth of this concept is evident in words as well. Try this. Repeat these words aloud to yourself several times. Hate, Kill, Grudge, Can’t, Impossible. Take a deep breath. Now say these contrasting words to yourself several times. Love, Smile, Forgive, Beauty, Laugh.
Do you sense a difference? Pay attention to your thoughts, words, and body connection and decide for yourself.
Originally published October 2008
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Learning Materials to Turn Service into Sales
In-house continuous learning initiatives develop superior employees and more satisfied clients – key factors that increase bottom-line profits. Make 2014 a banner year with a structured, service-selling, skill-building program.
My book and CD audio program Great Service Sells contains 21 five-minute chapters – perfect material for a year’s worth of staff meetings. Agents will acquire a dynamic service-oriented mindset and learn tips and techniques to retain business, round out accounts, increase new sales, and earn referrals. A complete chapter list, group learning instructions, and client feedback is on the Great Service Sells info page.
The cost is affordable – The package of 2 Audio CDs & 1 Book is $69.00. Additional books are sold in sets of 5 for $50.00.
In celebration of Selling Strategies’ 20th anniversary, we’re offering a 20% discount on all books and audios. Apply coupon code HAPPY at checkout to receive your savings.
All orders include a complimentary copy of the 2013 Energizer Minute Collection with the bonus track – 27 Tips to Be a Great Co-worker.
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4. Stay Energized!
April Energizer Minute – Bitter or Better? Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!
Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.
Receive your complimentary copy of the priceless 2013 Energizer Minute Collection plus 27 Tips to Be a Great Co-worker with all learning material orders.
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Attention Agency Owners…
Have you ever had these thoughts? Are ready to do something about it?
I’m working too hard for so little return.
Do I have the right people in the right positions?
There are opportunities out there, but I just don’t know where to start.
What can we do to strengthen carrier and wholesaler relationships?
I’m sure our organizational structure and processes could be more efficient.
If you’re seeking a trusted advisor to help your agency reach its full potential, read more about our Agency Development Consulting Services.
To discuss how we can help, please contact me for a complimentary 30-minute conversation. Call 888-309-8802 or emily@sellingstrategies.com.
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5. Emily Live
Let me know if you want to connect when I’m in your area!
Louisiana Surplus Lines Association Annual Meeting –Developing Top Performers: How to Engage, Mentor, and Mobilize Employees – Biloxi, MS – April 2-3, 2014
Agency Management CIC – Denver, CO – May 7, 2014
Professional Insurance Agents of Indiana Annual Conference – Indianapolis, IN – Strengthening Agent-Company Relationships and Deliver Service that Sells and Protects – May 8, 2014
Private Client – Great Service Sells – Appleton, WI – May 20-21, 2014
Private Client – Phoenix, AZ – June 2-4, 2014
International Association of Insurance Professionals Annual Convention – San Diego, CA – Great Service Sells – June 6, 2014
NAPSLO Annual Convention – Atlanta, GA – September 15-17, 2014
NAMIC Annual Convention – National Resort, Oxon Hill, MD – September 21-23, 2014
Agency Management CIC – Louisville, KY – October 15-17, 2014
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Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.
© 2014 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.