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Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List When an agency or firm needs a new sales manager, top management’s logical first choice is often the star sales producer. Most top performers are excited about the promotion, and they don’t want to let their bosses down, so they take the job. They think it would-be career suicide to turn it down. That’s why many top salespeople end up taking a sales management role, even though they never really wanted to be a manager. They want to please others around them, and they want to help the company, but many are not prepared for the challenges and changes that lay ahead of them. Being Good in One Job Doesn’t Guarantee Success in Another Remember the classic “Peter Principle”? It was an observation that in any kind of hierarchy, people tend to rise to their “level of incompetence.” In other words, as people are promoted, they become progressively less effective because good performance in one job does not guarantee similar performance in another. Sales producers are conditioned to excel on their own, and they know what works for them as individuals. Teaching others how to have similar success is an entirely different skill. That’s why, once promoted to sales management, great salespeople often struggle to succeed in the new role. Tiger Woods isn’t known as a great golf coach, and you don’t see LeBron James conducting shoot-arounds. Their gift is in their own performance, and great coaches know that. Why Salespeople Often Fail at Management When we promote top sales producers into management, we lose their extraordinary sales production. And if they aren’t happy in the management role, we run the risk of losing their talent altogether if they leave the firm or agency. Without management training, new managers typically struggle to excel in the unfamiliar role. They might not enjoy leading others to succeed, and they might become impatient with producers who lack the talent they have. To compound this problem, their associates want strong leadership but might not be getting it, so they often leave the agency or firm, too. You can see why promoting your top producer into management without the proper preparation can be a costly mistake. Two Potential Solutions Here are your primary options. Choose the one that’s right for your organization: Conduct an external talent search for a sales manager with a successful track record of management success. Promote a top sales producer only if he or she has expressed a genuine interest in management and only after providing the person with management training. Before you do that, establish a process for evaluating sales management candidates, the same way you evaluate potential agents or advisors. Hold them to the same standards you would hold external candidates. This will help you avoid moving a producer into management just because you like him or her. Consider Hoopis Performance Network for Management Training One effective resource for training new or existing managers is HPN, an innovative virtual platform designed for financial leaders who are building a region, an agency or firm, a sales unit or a sales team. You can get access to hundreds of high-impact sessions for all levels of experience, divided into five distinct elements of success. These sessions are short and easily digestible, averaging less than 10 minutes. Your managers can access the video training anytime, anywhere, on their computers, smartphones or tablets. Think Twice Before Promoting Your Star Producer into Management

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Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Having a strong organizational culture enables you to hire, conduct business and attract clients in a consistent way that aligns with your overall values. With the fast pace of technological change today, a training culture can give you a competitive advantage when it comes to recruiting and retaining the best talent. Imagine that a quality candidate is considering your organization and another one, but you offer continuous training as a benefit. That will normally make the candidate’s choice simple and obvious. Investing in training for everyone in your organization shows them that you value their professional development and advancement potential. According to Arie de Geus, head of Shell Oil Company’s Strategic Planning Group and a visiting professor at London Business School, a learning culture is not only a strong source of sustainable competitive advantage; it is a critical corporate asset. He says, “Learning is the only source of sustainable competitive advantage.” Instead of investing in training once in a while — when someone requests it or when compliance requires it — make training a key element of your company’s or firm’s makeup. So how do you build training into your culture in such a significant way that it defines your organization? Here are some tips to get started. Survey everyone in your organization to find out what types of training they want to take. What skills do they want to improve, and what type of training do they prefer — online courses, webinars, on-site classes or off-site classes? Offer training to everyone. Instead of focusing only on advisors, for example, offer training to managers and support staff as well. Hire a training manager. Or assign the job of assessing, scheduling and evaluating training to one of your existing team members. This will show the people in your organization that you are committed to making training an integral part of your culture. Establish a mentoring program. Have your senior advisors mentor newer advisors and offer jointwork arrangements. Consider participating in the MDRT/GAMA International Mentoring Program. Create a coaching program. Coach everyone. Many managers make the mistake of focusing their coaching efforts on the rookies or poor performers. Offer coaching to your top performers. They will value the extra guidance on top-level issues, and it’s important to keep them happy. Leverage the expertise of your own people. Build a company e-learning program that enables your more experienced team members to share their expertise with newer employees. Let them be the subject-matter experts who provide some of the training, and reward them for doing so. Offer training in both “hard” and “soft” skills. Some of your team members need training in skillbased areas, while others probably need training in “soft” skills like negotiation, resolving conflicts and being more customer-focused. Attach specific goals to the training. Ask every team member what he or she hopes to gain from the training and how it can also benefit the organization. After the training, have your managers find out to what extent the training lived up to those expectations. This will help you evaluate the ROI. Communicate and celebrate training outcomes. If a training program was at least partially responsible for a team member being promoted, let everyone in the organization know about it. This is an effective way to reinforce the connection between the training you offer and the advancement of those who take the training. Measure the effectiveness of your training program. Consider using a feedback app, which can contain different sets of several questions for different situations. You can repeat the questions at various intervals to create a trend analysis. Use a SharePoint-based intranet to help employees track the progress they make in implementing improvements. Building a training culture requires an ongoing commitment and strategy. Unfortunately, too many agencies, firms and companies have a set-it-and-forget- it formula, which does not move the needle in the proper direction. The rewards of establishing a training culture will help turn each of your top goals and objectives into reality, in increased productivity, expanded markets, recruitment and ultimately retention. An Effective Training Platform for Managers and Advisors An effective resource for training financial advisors is Hoopis Performance Network, which features online, on-demand, total video-based training built on four Disciplines of Success with access to more than 400 sessions. The coursework can be either self-study or facilitator-led, and it complements any firm, agency or company training programs and marketing selling systems. Your advisors can access the video training anytime, anywhere, on their computers, smartphones, or tablets. It’s a cost-effective, time-efficient way to increase productivity, thus retention. An effective resource for training new or experienced sales leaders is HPN, an innovative virtual platform designed for financial leaders who are building a region, an agency or firm, a sales unit, or a sales team. You can get access to hundreds of high-impact sessions for all levels of experience, divided into five distinct elements of success. These sessions are short and easily digestible, averaging less than 10 minutes. Your managers can access the video training anytime, anywhere, on their computers, smartphones, or tablets. 10 Tips for Building a Training Culture

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Advances in computer technology have been dizzying — from fixed desktop websites to responsive design desktop sites, mobile web sites and now apps (applications). In 2017, according to training and development firm Vantage Path, sales of tablets will be greater than those of computers and laptops combined, a worrisome trend for the traditional web, set in motion, ironically, by the successful inclusion of the Internet on mobiles. The traditional web is constantly losing ground to apps. It gets worse — the surge in the use of apps has resulted in a showdown of many mobile websites. Even many web companies are confessing their preference for mobile app users over web users. Still, some organizations, including many insurance and financial services companies, continue to view the use of mobile websites and applications as merely a supplement to traditional web-based e-commerce. Big mistake! The companies that embrace a complete shift to mobile devices and apps gain a competitive advantage because they can satisfy their customers’ needs and desires anywhere, any time, on any mobile device. Also, they can act more quickly on the information they learn from their customers as they make financial decisions. Use of IT is efficient only when it is distributed adequately to those who need the technology at the right moments. Apps further enhance such accessibility at a time when more and more of the world’s population has access to smartphones. Shifting to Mobile Has a Big Impact on B2C Communication Early in the short history of mobile devices, the thought was that people would use them only for going to social websites — and maybe for checking email and conducting online searches. That was then. Now consumers also use applications to shop, scoping out companies to educate themselves before buying any products or using services. This includes products and services offered by the insurance and financial services industry. Customers use mobile apps to learn all about a given company or firm, including such information as how products work, educating themselves on their potential need and seeking educational opportunities. To do this effectively, consumers must check up on a company regularly and constantly keep in touch. Likewise, today’s financial professionals seek information, resources and training on a 24/7 basis, with only a few clicks of their fingertips. For financial professionals who are both mobile and constantly on the go, these requirements are as basic as the old rate book (remember them?) of only a few decades ago. Adoption of mobile technology and the use of business-to-consumer (B2C) apps are led chiefly by company executives and firm field leadership. They’ve done this to validate the need for the digitization of organizational assets, to show that mobile app content can serve everyone’s needs on a 24/7 basis and to demonstrate that apps eliminate the restrictions that regular business hours place on an organization’s operations. With apps, customers and their financial professionals can complete transactions at any time of the day and from any location. The apps also provide a digital copy of the transaction, which those in the firm can access at any time. This improves company record keeping and eliminates the cumbersome, space-wasting process of keeping physical company transaction records. Benefits of Apps Here are just some of the powerful benefits apps provide. Increased user engagement — All mobile apps operate in what can be called their own interface environment. Mobile users tend to be immersed in the personal experience of using these apps. A company icon — the shortcut to the app — is constantly featured on the home screen of the user’s device, making the app not only readily accessible but also strongly integrated with the owner’s mobile device behavior. Apps are task focused, so as users continue to visit an enterprise app, associating the company with the success of the task, the company’s products get increasingly promoted. The brand’s values and nature are only strengthened in terms of users’ perception. In addition, there is ever-improving interaction, often daily, between the consumer or the financial professional and the company. Enhanced customer care — Whether the day-to-day focus is on management, sales, marketing, advertising or social media, mobile devices can help you gain a competitive advantage in both financial advising and customer relations. In the financial services sector, in particular, consumers mostly judge a company through the customer care they receive. Poor customer care leads to a reduction in the number of customers and eventually to a total decline in profitability. Apps are like supplements to an organization’s customer care. Improved customer service — The information provided within apps and their ability to enhance business-to-consumer (B2C) communication, at the convenience of the customer, automatically improves customer service. Training and education — Apps can be powerful platforms for training financial professionals and staff members. According to a 2015 LIMRA study, it is much more effective for companies to recruit quality candidates and give them the training and support they need than to hire large numbers of people, hoping some will succeed. Prior LIMRA research shows that reduced spending in areas such as training and management support may increase companies’ long-term expenses. Companies that recruit many candidates, accepting the fact that only a few will survive, risk creating a poor work environment among those they hire, which may lead potentially successful candidates to choose other firms. Strong security — This is a feature that most websites still lack. Apps can integrate with an electronic device’s existing security system. This improves the level of security a company can provide for its information, as well as for its field force and customers. The mobile device’s management software enables information on the app to be deployed or retracted, and apps provide a platform for information that is more secure than what can be found on the mobile websites. Potential workforce reduction — The use of mobile apps can change an organization’s structure and redefine required skill sets for financial professionals and other employees. And, because most processes and transactions will be automated, apps will greatly reduce the size of the workforce needed. Fewer workers will be required. Those who remain will provide tech support to ensure that the applications and related devices are maintained adequately so that no one will encounter errors. Increased productivity — Because mobile apps enable organizations to minimize waste, complete tasks efficiently and reduce costs, they lead to increased productivity. It’s important to stay on top of this technology with fast, flexible and effective organizational structure within your organization’s apps. The development of an app is never a done deal; it should constantly be adapted to ever-changing needs, desires and preferences of customers and financial professionals. It’s the only way a company can maintain a competitive advantage. Within their apps, companies should also attempt an ever-increasing level of product differentiation. Companies that don’t embrace applications are losing out. They may perceive the move to apps as too costly. As with any new technology, there are indeed costs to app development and maintenance. But the longterm benefits of using apps can greatly outweigh the costs incurred to develop and implement them. 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. We know from LIMRA that 24/7 access is of key importance, not only for millennials but for women and veteran associates alike. Benefits of Mobile Apps vs. Websites

Course Catalog Go Back to Main Catalog Page Self-Awareness & Self-Disciplines of a Leader Setting Expectations to Drive Behavior Accountability Coaching Best Practices How to Conduct a Coaching Conversation Understanding Mentoring - Basic Development - Coaching Cross-Selling: Factfinding and Protection Products Helping Your Advisors with Goal Setting Why Advisors Typically Fail Development - Training Considering a Career in Leadership Emerging Leaders: Keys to Effective Leadership Time Management Concepts and Techniques Leader Philosophy Cultivating Potential Recruits Over Time Diversity Recruiting Ideal Candidate Profile and Centers of Influence Recruiting Finding - General Understanding Sourcing for Potential Recruits Recruiting - Finding Best Practices for Onboarding New Advisors Creating High Performance Expectations Joint Field Work Best Practices Recruiting - Momentum Building Selecting Top Performers Recruiting - Selection EDGE: The Leader's Journey EDGE: Developing Leaders EDGE: Emerging Leaders EDGE: Excelling Leaders EDGE: Growing Leaders EDGE: Tools and Resources Menu Close Try It Free for 14 Days Get full access to the platform—risk-free. No credit card. No commitment. Just results. Start building your advisor bench today. Start Your FREE Trial

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List For its 2016 “Great Place to Work” rankings, Fortune magazine chose seven insurance and financial service providers. An announcement noted, “These companies develop managers and policies that build employee trust through active listening and creative problem solving, and they foster a workplace culture where individual success and performance trumps overall productivity benchmarks.” In financial services, it can be difficult to “value collaboration and integrity over bean counting,” which is one of the factors the Fortune selection committee uses to recognize companies with winning cultures. Your culture is defined by what you believe in and how you treat people. Your culture makes a difference in how eager your team members are to go to work every day and how good they feel while they’re there. Experts say culture is important in minimizing employee turnover, increasing retention, improving employee engagement and attracting talent. Once your firm builds a reputation for being a great place to work, it helps you attract high-quality candidates because your reputation starts to precede you in the marketplace. Ultimately, that will make you or break you. Here are some specific ideas for building a dynamic company culture that will help you attract and retain the high-quality associates who are necessary to build a high-performance firm or company. Build your culture around your company’s or firm’s values. Many of today’s top candidates want to believe they are working for a cause; this is particularly the case of millennials. They want to believe they are building better communities by teaching sound financial principles. Many highperformance firms have core values that promote what they value most. Design these values to attract the kind of people you want in your organization. Filter out candidates who don’t fit your culture. Occasionally, you may have candidates who say your core values are not for them. Although we read a lot about the importance of inclusion, and we never want to do things to make people feel uncomfortable, sometimes this is a sign that a person would be happier somewhere else. Part of being a high performer is to know who you are and to be authentic. Even the best firms are not a fit for everyone, but they want to attract like-minded individuals. Before posting your values, as well as your philosophy or mission, we suggest you get them approved by your home office. Support causes that are important to the people in your company or firm. Some firms take nominations from their associates and staff and get behind two or three worthwhile causes that galvanize the team. Updating the list on an annual basis gives you an opportunity to support different causes and involve more people who have various passions. Some great examples of how firms can support those causes are to have teams that participate in walks, bike rides, bowling tournaments and golfing for charity. You can enhance the camaraderie by having the participants wear team T-shirts or hats featuring your logo. This shows that your firm or company supports the cause. You can increase the visibility and fun for participants by posting photos from the event on your social media sites and website and also in your newsletter. Some firms allocate a day annually for team members to represent the firm by volunteering at a company-approved charitable event, or an event hosted by their favorite charity, without being required to take vacation time. Have “casual day” one day per month. Allow team members to wear casual clothing, even jeans, to work if they donate to the firm-approved charity. Although some people think this seems unprofessional and worry what visitors might think, you can post a sign in the reception area that says, “Please pardon our casual attire today. Some of our staff members have chosen to donate in support of (list the charity) to have this privilege.” An article in the Harvard Business Review stated that it is important to create a fun environment, but great corporate culture is more about a common sense of purpose and belief that “we are in this together.” Have fun at work. According to Fast Company, prioritizing fun in the workplace is essential to a company’s success. It boosts morale; lifts spirits; and creates a friendlier, happier and healthier environment for everyone. And some studies show that high-performance teams have fun while they are at work. Having fun often starts with the leaders not taking themselves too seriously. Everyone loves it when the boss has a good sense of humor and can take a fun jab or be self-deprecating. When the company celebrates, the leaders should not be working in their offices; that sends the message that their tasks are more important to them than enjoying the company of their team members. The leaders should be first to join in the karaoke or even to sing at a holiday party. They should wear the silly hats and participate in the activities. If the group is dancing, everyone will be more likely to join in when the leaders lead by example. If the leaders act as if they are above the rest, they send a message that their real goal is to check ‘have a fun event’ off their task list. Take opportunities to celebrate as often as possible. This is an excellent way to build morale. Some prominent examples are to recognize major holidays and birthdays. Larger firms may host monthly parties for everyone celebrating a birthday or company anniversary in a month. Still other companies may have an employee of the month who gets special recognition at a staff meeting, plus a gift card or a meal with the boss as thanks. Yet other firms will celebrate any month in which they hit or exceed a sales goal or top their performance from the same month the previous year. Say “thank you” in person, and often. As the leader, you can never say “thank you” enough, and people never tire of being acknowledged or shown they are valued and appreciated. Associates and staff alike live for encouragement and to be recognized when they do a great job. When they do well, shout it from the mountaintop! Make sure everyone knows when a team member gets a compliment. Here are some ways to share the news of your team members’ successes: 1) If you receive an email acknowledging that a team associate did particularly well, send a copy to everyone in the company when you reply to the sender. 2) Have a board where people post notes or emails commending the team. 3) Read notes of praise in a staff meeting or firm meetings. This builds up team members in front of their peers and lets everyone know this type of great performance is a great way to get noticed and stand out. On the other hand, if you get a call or email about below-average performance, always handle them privately, so the team member will not be embarrassed publicly. One embarrassing incident that is publicized can cancel out many incidences of encouragement—it can even cause someone to quit. Take time to show people you care. Stopping by someone’s desk to see how they are doing is a good investment of your day. If you know someone has a sick family member or loved one, ask how they are doing. As the leader, “You reap what you sow.” Leaders who say thanks and take the time to encourage people often are surprised to find out how much it meant to others, and they tend to receive notes or calls telling them how they impacted people’s lives and made a difference. There is a time in most people’s lives when this form of affirmation and encouragement may mean as much as, or even more than, the money they make. As we like to say, leadership is about influence, and taking the time to influence others positively can pay eternal dividends. Always be there in your team members’ times of need. Some firms are full of people who take the time to check on them when they are sick. Caring leaders take the time to attend weddings and funerals that are important to their key team members. As busy as people are today, few gestures will show your associates you care more about them than being there with them at critical times in their lives. While making the time may seem burdensome at times, the savings on lower turnover, higher retention and deeper relationships will be a great return on your time invested. Communicate the company’s or firm’s vision to all members of your team. Some high-performance teams have an annual staff meeting off-site that features team-building activities and fun. This is especially important when a firm has multiple locations because it gives people who are in different offices a chance to get to know each other. It lets them all feel part of something larger than just their location. It is also wise to have an annual update to the strategic plan, business plan or marketing plan the leader shares with the team annually. It is important to write the vision and make it plain. Then the team can run with it after they read it. Building a company culture takes time, effort and consistency. But you can create a great culture in small ways. Do what you can each day, week and month to have happier, healthier, more engaged and loyal team members, and you will never regret any of the effort spent. When your team members are motivated and happy, your clients and potential recruits will notice, which will lead to success for the overall organization. Consider Hoopis Performance Network for Training To help build your culture, consider using our virtual training videos in your company, agency or firm. HPN brings you winning training for sales associates, and 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. How to Build a Great Culture

Course Catalog Go Back to Main Catalog Page Close the Deal: Unleashing the Power of Persuasion Conquering the Fear: Building Referral Confidence Critical Questions, Critical Connections: The Art of Factfinding Prospecting Mastery: The Referral Riches Blueprint The Basics of Networking & Business Development Elevate Your Skills & Mindset Activity Management PRO Closing PRO Factfinding PRO Life Insurance PRO Networking PRO Prospecting PRO Sales Psychology PRO Social Media PRO Social Selling PRO Telephoning PRO HPN Pro Series Perspectives: Closing Perspectives: Factfinding Perspectives: Leadership - Coaching & Accountability Perspectives: Leadership - Diversity & Inclusion Perspectives: Leadership - Recruiting & Selection Perspectives: Leadership - Training & Development Perspectives: Marketing Perspectives: Motivation Perspectives: Practice Management Perspectives: Product Knowledge Perspectives: Prospecting Perspectives: Sales Psychology Perspectives: Telephoning Perspectives: The Power of Diversity in Our Industry Log in now to view this course Role Play Demonstrations for Advisors Intern Learning Path: New Advisor Learning Path: Career-Changer Learning Path: Future Leader Advisor Learning Path: High-Performance Advisor Learning Path: Intern Advisor Learning Path: Investment-Focused Advisor Learning Path: Life Insurance-Focused Advisor Learning Path: New Advisor Learning Path: Reigniting Advisor Learning Path: Relationship-Focused Advisor Learning Path: Tech-Forward Advisor Tailored Learning Paths Learning Paths (beta) Sales Skills Marketing Product Knowledge Practice Management Motivation Classroom Training Coaching Resources Menu Close Try It Free for 14 Days Get full access to the platform—risk-free. No credit card. No commitment. Just results. Start building your advisor bench today. Start Your FREE Trial

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

Retirement Expert, Economist and Bestselling Author Tom Hegna Retirement Expert, Economist and Bestselling Author Tom Hegna is the author of 3 books, Paychecks and Playchecks: Retirement Solutions for Life, Retirement Income Masters: Secrets of the Pros and most recently authored Don’t Worry, Retire Happy! Seven Steps to Retirement Security which is based on his popular public television show. Originally from Glenwood, Minnesota, he attended North Dakota State University on an Army ROTC scholarship and graduated with honors. He was commissioned in the U.S. Army and spent 6 years on Active Duty and another 16 1⁄2 years in the US Army and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2006. Tom has been a popular industry speaker for many years and is THE retirement income expert. As a former Fortune 100 senior executive, Tom has dedicated his entire career to helping retirees obtain a happily ever after retirement. He has been featured on FoxBusiness, American College Wealth Channel Magazine, Round the Table, Advisor Today and GAMA Magazine. Tom currently lives in Arizona with his wife and children. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Keynote Speaker and Strategic Business Consultant Richard Weylman Keynote Speaker and Strategic Business Consultant As chairman of an international consulting firm and best selling author, Richard has established a worldwide reputation for helping clients create opportunities for profitable growth. Most importantly, he communicates how to make the organizational & professional changes needed to effectively elevate business performance. Richard Weylman is the author of three books, two of which are international best-sellers, including his latest the CEO Reads best-seller, The Power of Why: Breaking Out in a Competitive Marketplace, available in 5 languages. He has delivered over 2,500 keynote speeches on four continents to audiences of 20 to 40,000. Forbes Media calls Richard’s content & presentations “brilliant.” The Council of Peers Award of Excellence (CPAE) Induction into the Professional Speakers Hall Of Fame Direct Selling Association Partnership Award for measurable impact on member companies Nominee for the Horatio Alger Award Richard was orphaned at the age of six, and spent his childhood living in 19 different foster homes and attending 11 different schools. However, he has always framed that life experience as great training; “no problem meeting and connecting with new people!” He believes in philanthropy and provides ongoing support for many organizations. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker