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For more than a decade, Hoopis Performance Network has been providing virtual sales and leadership development learning solutions designed to increase productivity and retention. Why Choose HPN Dave Porter Baystate Financial Services “I am the biggest fan of Hoopis Performance Network. It is spot-on as it relates to training, timeliness of updates, powerful presenters, and true take-away value. You cannot beat it for the price and, more importantly, the quality.” Michelle Hubert Farm Bureau Financial Services “Utilizing Hoopis Performance Network to enhance Agent development has been life-changing for our leadership team and for our Agency!! Partnering with HPN is definitely one of the best investments in my Agency I’ve made – I would highly recommend this resource to any sized Agency!” Ryan Harklau Vice President Agencies & Development "Our partnership with HPN focused on Culture, Excellence, and Leadership Integrity. The results of this program have led to great success for our leadership team. HPN has delivered a program that has become the foundation of our current leadership development as well as our future programs." Bill Pienias Fin Fit Financial “We’ve worked with HPN to develop field-tested systems for training, accountability and leadership development. They have provided valuable perspective and resources that are positively shaping our performance at all levels in our company.” Transforming Leadership in Financial Services Learn More HPN & LIMRA Earn Recognition from Selling Power for 5th Consecutive Year Learn More Digital Learning & Development Solutions for a New World! For more than a decade, Hoopis Performance Network and FSEdNet have been providing virtual sales and leadership development learning solutions designed to increase productivity and retention. Clients in over twenty-five countries throughout the world leverage us to help them keep pace with the ever-evolving challenges of learning and development in the new normal we are all experiencing. Our digital resources are designed to be scalable and customizable depending on your organization’s virtual learning and development needs. Get Your Solution HPN News Blog Leadership Tools Building Your Bench / Agency Leader Training / Recruiting & Selection Learn More Sales Effectiveness Sales Effectiveness Program with Proven Results Learn More Digital Learning Digital Learning & Development Solutions for a New World Learn More Transforming Leadership in Financial Services Learn More HPN & LIMRA Earn Recognition from Selling Power for 5th Consecutive Year Learn More

Leadercast gives you instant Access to a Wide Range of Digital Learning Including: 1,200+ Short Form Videos; Focused Courses; Lunch & Learn Sessions; Meeting Starters. Transforming Leadership in Financial Services Empowering Growth for Field Leaders, Employees, and Advisor Teams Transforming Leadership in Financial Services Empowering Growth for Field Leaders, Employees, and Advisor Teams Instant Access to a Wide Range of Digital Learning Including: 1,200+ Short Form Videos; Focused Courses; Lunch & Learn Sessions; Meeting Starters The Importance of Leadership Development in 2025 Some of the Thought Leaders Featured Seth Godin John Maxwell Andy Stanley Randi Zuckerberg Gayle King Steve Wozniak Patrick Lencioni Emmitt Smith Develop Leadership Power Skills for the Following Key People within Your Organization: Field Leaders: Equip field leaders and their agency teams with tools to foster a high-performance culture. Advisors and Their Teams: Develop cohesive advisor teams and deliver exceptional client experiences. Home Office Employees: Empower your people to unlock higher levels of productivity and engagement. Leadercast Provides the Following Benefits to Your Field Leaders and Their Teams: Equip Field Leaders with Power Skills: Develop skills in strategic visioning, emotional intelligence, start up thinking to drive execution. Enhance Communication and Performance: Enhance communication & collaboration to elevate team dynamics. Foster a High-Performance Culture: Build a cohesive team aligned around the leader’s strategic vision. Attract, Grow and Retain Talent: Demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional development. Why Are Business Leadership Skills Critical to the Success of Advisor Teams? Enhanced Team Communication and Dynamics: Improve collaboration and elevate team dynamics. Foster a High-Performance Culture: Build a cohesive team aligned around the advisor’s strategic vision. Deliver Next-Level Client Experiences: Enable teams to anticipate clients’ needs and communicate effectively. Attract, Grow and Retain Talent: Demonstrate a commitment to personal & professional development. Leadercast Provides the Following Benefits to Your Employees & Organization: Empower Your People to Succeed: Enhance skills in effective communication, time management and emotional intelligence to foster success. Lead Change and Enhance Agility: Strengthen abilities in change management, conflict resolution, and team building to drive execution with speed and precision. Cultivate a Future-Ready Workforce: Build a culture of continuous improvement, creativity, and diversity - ensuring your organization adapts to change. Attract, Grow and Retain Talent: Demonstrate your organization’s commitment to personal and professional development. Schedule Some Time With Us to Learn More Let's Talk

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

Speaker, Prosperity Expert, NY Times Best Selling Author Ellen Rogin CPA, CFP® Speaker, Prosperity Expert, NY Times Best Selling Author Ellen Rogin, CPA, CFP® is a New York Times bestselling author of Picture Your Prosperity: Smart Money Moves to Turn Your Vision into Reality and Amazon bestseller Messages from Money: How to Stress Less, Prosper More, and Reshape Your Relationship with Money. A former top-producing financial advisor and founder of a successful wealth management firm, Ellen brings firsthand experience in building and scaling a profitable practice. She is a TEDx speaker, international presenter, and trusted consultant to the financial services industry. Ellen empowers advisors to elevate their influence, intuition, and income through her innovative Money Talks! programs, helping them create deeper client connections and lasting success. Known for her engaging and transformative presentations, Ellen is passionate about helping conscious advisors in financial services thrive in their careers and beyond. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List To ensure that your child with special needs receives the best possible care in all aspects of his or her life, it’s important to do thorough, advance planning. In this white paper, we cover 3 important types of planning: Medical planning — How can you best obtain and pay for the specialized medical care your child may require? Who will oversee your child’s medical care when you’re no longer here? Financial planning — What steps can you take to guarantee that your child will have a financial safety net? What financial aid is available? How should your assets be arranged to best provide for your child’s future financial needs? Education planning — What steps can you take to make sure that your child receives the best possible education? Legal planning is another critical topic to be knowledgeable about. Please see our white paper titled “Legal Planning for a Child with Special Needs” for details on this topic. Now let’s look at important elements of medical, financial, and education planning. Medical Planning The medical treatment required for children with special needs can be expensive, often beginning at or shortly after birth. Without insurance, the cost of medical care is staggering! As a starting point to figure out what types of benefits are available, consult the Social Security Administration’s 2019 guide titled Benefits for Children with Disabilities. Here are some other important factors to consider: If You Have Private Health Insurance: Make certain you understand what the policy will and will not cover, particularly regarding any specialized services, equipment or therapy. Make sure you obtain prior authorizations, or you could end up paying the bill. If your coverage is provided through a health maintenance organization (HMO) or preferred provider organization (PPO), confirm that the specialists your child needs are part of the network. Understand when you can seek out-of-network care and what the cost will be to you. If a claim is denied, get a written explanation of the reason…you may want to appeal and resubmit the claim. Request that a case manager be assigned to your child. That will enable you to work consistently with someone who is familiar with your child’s situation and needs. If You Do Not Have Private Health Insurance: Check with your county social services or Social Security office to determine what assistance is available. Medicaid is a health-care program for people with low incomes and limited assets. In most states, children who get SSI (Supplemental Security Income) benefits, qualify for Medicaid. In many states, Medicaid comes automatically with SSI eligibility. In other states, you must sign up for it. Also, some children can get Medicaid coverage even if they don’t qualify for SSI. In addition, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) enables states to insure children from working families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low to afford private health insurance. Your state Medicaid agency can provide more information about SCHIP. When Your Disabled Child Turns 18: Medicaid benefits are payable based on the child’s own assets and income, even if he or she is still living at home with you. Health-Care Reform: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (health-care reform) has several provisions that can impact medical/insurance planning for your child with special needs. By no later than September 23, 2010, all young adults under age 27 may be able to continue health-care coverage through a parent’s policy. Here are some other provisions you should be aware of: Effective no later than September 23, 2010, individual and group health insurance plans are prohibited from using pre-existing condition exclusions for children and cannot place lifetime limits on the dollar value of coverage. Also effective in 2010, insurers cannot deny or rescind coverage of insureds who become sick. As of January 1, 2014, insurers are prohibited from placing any annual limits on the dollar value of coverage. As of January 1, 2014, most U.S. citizens and legal residents are required to have minimum essential health insurance coverage. Insurers cannot deny or cancel coverage to anyone with a preexisting condition. Health insurance premium subsidies are available to eligible individuals and families with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (e.g., $25,100 to $100,400 in 2018–19 for a family of four). Individuals with incomes of less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level qualify for Medicaid coverage, unless the state in which they reside opted out of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion. As of January 1, 2019, the penalty assessed to individuals who fail to maintain minimum essential coverage is $0. Financial Planning Financial planning is important for any family, and it’s even more critical for the families who have a child with special needs. Planning well in advance enables you to take advantage of the benefits of compounding interest over time and to ensure that your assets are all in the right place. You don’t want to jeopardize your child’s ability to receive public assistance. Government Benefits: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are payable to adults or children who are blind or disabled. SSI supplements a person’s income up to a certain level, which varies from state to state. In the case of disabled children under age 18, the parents’ income and assets are considered when deciding if the child qualifies for SSI benefits. Beginning at age 18, SSI benefits are determined based on the disabled person’s income and assets. As a result, a child who was not eligible for SSI before age 18 may become eligible at age 18. To qualify for SSI benefits, the disabled person cannot have “countable resources” (assets) in excess of $2,000 or “countable income” in excess of the maximum federal benefit rate. In the case of ABLE Accounts, discussed below, the first $100,000 in an ABLE Account will be disregarded for SSI benefit purposes. Additional financial resources are available through state and community programs. Consult with the appropriate federal, state, county, and/or local agencies for assistance. Other Financial Considerations: A Special Needs Trust The purpose of a special needs trust is to provide financial assets for your child’s future care and well-being, while maintaining his or her eligibility for government benefits, such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, or Medicaid. Please see our white paper titled “Legal Planning for a Child with Special Needs” for detailed information on this topic. The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program is designed to help individuals and families use taxfree savings accounts to help finance their longer-term disability needs, without the loss of federal benefits if savings exceed certain limits. The earnings on contributions to ABLE Accounts will not be taxed, and the funds in these accounts will not be considered for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, Medicaid, and other federal means-tested benefits. However, if an ABLE Account exceeds $100,000, SSI benefits will be suspended but not terminated. To be eligible for an ABLE Account, an individual must become blind or disabled before age 26 and (1) receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or SSI or (2) file a disability certification under rules yet to be written. Anyone, including the disabled individual, may establish an ABLE Account for an eligible beneficiary. An eligible disabled individual, however, will be limited to one ABLE Account, and total aggregate annual contributions to that account may not exceed the annual gift tax exemption ($15,000 in 2019). Because ABLE contributions are treated as gifts by the contributor for tax purposes, if a donor puts the maximum $15,000 in an ABLE Account in 2019, any other gifts to the beneficiary will trigger the requirement to file a gift tax return. No gift tax will be due in 2019, however, unless the donor has already made more than $11.4 million in lifetime taxable gifts. In addition, Section 529 Plan assets may be rolled over to an ABLE account, up to the maximum annual gift tax exemption ($15,000 in 2019). Both accounts must have the same beneficiary or be related to a member of the same family. Contributions to an ABLE Account will be made with after-tax dollars, but earnings on contributions will be tax-free, and distributions from the account for qualified disability expenses will not be considered taxable income to either contributors or the eligible beneficiary. Qualified disability expenses include any expenses made for the benefit of the disabled beneficiary related to education, housing, transportation, employment training and support, assistive technology and personal support services, health, prevention and wellness, financial management and administrative services, legal fees, expenses for oversight and monitoring, and funeral and burial expenses. Distributions used for nonqualified expenses will be subject to income tax on the portion of the distribution attributable to earnings from the account, plus a 10% penalty. Assets in an ABLE Account can be rolled over, without penalty, into another ABLE Account for either the qualified beneficiary or any of the beneficiary’s qualifying family members. At the death of the qualified beneficiary, it may be required that any assets remaining in an ABLE Account be used to reimburse a state Medicaid agency for the cost of benefits and services provided during the disabled beneficiary’s lifetime. As a result, an ABLE Account should not be considered a wealth-accumulation mechanism. Education Planning Undoubtedly, you want your child to receive the best education possible. To assure this outcome requires that you become your child’s advocate and a participant in his or her education plan. The first step is understanding the education laws that apply to children with disabilities. Here is an overview of 3 related laws. 1. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that children with special needs receive the following: A free appropriate public education from ages 3 through 21. Education provided as close to home as possible, with children who do not have disabilities. Additional services, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, or a classroom aide, which are designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living. An assessment to determine their needs. The law guarantees two types of assistance: Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The IEP is a written statement of your child’s abilities and impairments. It is developed by a team that includes you, school district personnel, and educational professionals who have evaluated your child and his or her abilities. The IEP must be reviewed at least annually. Due process. As a parent, you have both rights and responsibilities in relation to your child’s IEP. Due process provides a mechanism to resolve any disagreements regarding a child’s IEP. Under IDEA, for a child to be eligible for special education, he or she must have issues in at least one of the following categories: A serious emotional disturbance A learning differences Intellectual disability Having had a traumatic brain injury Being diagnosed on the spectrum of autism Vision and hearing impairments Physical disabilities Developmental delays (including speech and language difficulties) Other health impairments Before your child approaches age 22, you are advised to have a plan in place to address the issues that are sure to arise as he or she transitions out of the public education system. Depending on the nature of your child’s disability, this plan can include additional educational or vocational services, work, or ongoing rehabilitation and medical services. Planning for these needs requires that you conduct research years before your child reaches age 22. 2. Section 504 Section 504 is a civil rights statute (1973) that requires that schools not discriminate against children with disabilities and provide them with reasonable accommodations. It covers all programs or activities, whether public or private, that receive any federal financial assistance. Reasonable accommodations include untimed tests, sitting in front of the class, modified homework, and the provision of necessary services. Typically, children covered under Section 504 either have less severe disabilities than those covered under IDEA or have disabilities that do not fit within IDEA. Under Section 504, any person who has an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity is considered disabled. Learning and social development are included on the list of major life activities. 3. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) The ADA (1990) requires all schools, other than those operated by religious organizations, to meet the needs of children with these differences or disorders. Under the ADA, children who qualify cannot be denied educational services, programs, or activities, and the law prohibits discrimination against all such students. Many children with special needs are of average or above-average intellect. There are many colleges whose programs might be appropriate for your son or daughter. If he or she can obtain a college degree, it will greatly enhance employability. Further Help and Advice As you know, parenting a child with special needs has its own unique set of joys and challenges. While you are undoubtedly the foremost expert on your child and his or her needs, desires, and future aspirations, it can be a daunting task to undertake special-needs planning on your own. Because of the specialized nature of special-needs planning, it is wise to seek out professionals (attorneys, trust officers, financial advisors, etc.) who have experience in the special-needs planning process. Guidance counselors, special education professionals, and other parents with special needs children can also be great resources to connect with. In addition, there are a variety of organizations that provide assistance to people with disabilities and their families. Here are just a few examples: The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY), an acronym derived from its original name, National Information Center for Handicapped Children and Youth) operated as a national centralized information resource on disabilities and special education for children and youth ages birth through 21 years, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. National Association of Parents with Children in Special Education (www.napcse.org ). This organization offers parents of children in special education information on how to be their child’s best advocate. eParent (www.eparent.com ). This website is written for families of children and young adults with disabilities and special needs. Parents Helping Parents (www.php.com ). The mission of this parental resource center is to help children with special needs reach their full potential. A Final Note The planning process shouldn’t stop as your child gets older. As he or she ages, so do we. There are certain issues we all need to address regarding our final arrangements. It is most helpful to your family members if pre-planning and/or prefunding of your own final wishes are set in place when you feel it is appropriate. We also want you to know about a unique feature of the Social Security System that occurs when a parent of a disabled child or adult applies for retirement benefits. As part of the interview, you will be asked if you have a disabled child. The good news is that a “yes” answer provides that child with an additional income stream of Social Security benefits from your retirement income. The bad news is that it also complicates the situation because it eliminates the opportunity for the child to receive SSI and Medicaid benefits directly. Depending on your child’s disability, Medicaid benefits might be particularly important. Medicaid, for example, will pay for home aides for your child, while Medicare will not. Be sure to check…additional Medicaid benefits might be available through your state Social Services Division. Medical, Financial, and Educational Planning For a Child With Special Needs

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

Course Catalog Go Back to Main Catalog Page Classroom Training Curriculum Month 1 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 10 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 11 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 12 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 13 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 14 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 15 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 16 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 17 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 18 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 19 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 2 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 20 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 21 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 22 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 23 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 24 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 3 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 4 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 5 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 6 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 7 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 8 Classroom Training Curriculum Month 9 Classroom Training Curriculum Months 1-24 Advisor Phoning Strategies to Master Handling Objections Anticipating and Delivering What Clients Want Boost Prospecting Success and Overcome Referral Obstacles Building Mental Toughness and Insights for New Advisors Closing: Mastering Case Preparation and the Power of Agendas Empowering Solutions: Closing with Conviction and Belief Empowering Your Clients with Simple Money Saving Strategies Helping Clients Build Better Habits: Being a Financial Specialist Keep Recommendations Simple & Leverage Financial Comparisons Leveraging LinkedIn and Social Media for Prospecting Opportunities Leveraging Presentation Skills to Move Clients to Action Master Personal Observations and Uncover the New Wave of Prospecting Mastering the Art of Connecting Through Your Approach Language Mental Toughness and Staying Positive in this Career Mindset for Ferocious Prospecting & Asking for Referrals Navigating Consumer Mindsets to Build Trust and Relationships Phoning Strategies and Language for Booking Meetings Prospecting Outreach Best Practices: Beyond Phoning Questioning Techniques to Make Connection & Uncover Their "Why" Skills & Techniques to Become a Better Active Listener Social Media Prospecting Strategies Strategies and Language for Overcoming Prospecting Objections Strategies for Prospecting Up with Your Clients Telephoning Mindset and Strategies Around Your Phoning Approach Ways to Create Connection & Increase Your Value Proposition New Classroom Training Activity Management Clientbuilding General Marketing Practice Management Advanced Planning Disability Insurance Life Insurance Long Term Care Retirement Planning Product Knowledge Closing Factfinding Prospecting Sales Psychology Telephoning Sales Skills Building a Solid Referral Practice DAD: My Formula for Success Developing Daily Discipline Factfinding for Life Insurance Factfinding: Uncovering Opportunities & Finding the Money From Motivation to Inspiration How to Connect More Deeply and Emotionally Through Storytelling Overcoming Prospecting Objections & Positioning the Life Insurance Need Powerful Phoning Habits & High Impact Language Sales Cycle Power Phrases Sales Cycle Power Phrases & the Need vs. Greed Sale Social Intelligence and Mastering the Approach Social Media Linkedin Steps to a Fearless Referral Conversation Telephoning Masters Time Maximization Techniques to Increase Productivity Understanding and Determining Human Life Value Using Your Purpose to Communicate Conviction Virtual Classroom Training 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

Co-Founder, Insurance Agent Trainers Mark Miletello LUTCF, LACP Co-Founder, Insurance Agent Trainers Mark started his Insurance career in 1990 and Multiple-Line (ML) career in 1996. A few years later, he ranked the number one agent with one of the leading insurance companies in America. Mark now leads a growing team of 24 agents as a general agent with American National. A GAMA International board member from 2019 to 2020, Mark presided among the industry’s finest in leadership talent. As one of the top ML speakers in the industry, he has become a highly sought – after mentor, motivator and presenter for Life & ML producers and managers. Mark shares his innovations that help agents in the three most important areas; Marketing, winning P&C at any price, and transitioning to larger life cases. InsuranceAgentTrainers.com, powered by MarkMiletello.com, links to his coaching sites designed to elevate sales immediately! Mark’s products, training, systems, and software are built by a producer for producers and have proven to move the needle with individual agents and insurance companies at large! Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Financial Wellness Home Equity Calculator: Home equity loans can be used to consolidate multiple payments into a single monthly payment. Try Our Consolidating Debt with Home Equity Calculator Home equity loans can be used to consolidate account balances from multiple credit cards or installment loans into a single loan while offering the added benefit of consolidating multiple payments into a single monthly payment. Back to Financial Calculators We Invite You To “Test Drive” Our Financial Wellness Content Today! Test Drive