Achieve more by embracing the chaos in life
When you do a lot at once, you’re not actually multi-tasking. You’re just doing one thing at a time very, very quickly. At least, that’s according to Dan Thurmon, an author...
Tag Archives: practice management
Is your office more driven by logic or emotion?
Think of yourself at your best and worst around the office: Are you behaving like a responsible adult or a needy 4-year-old child? In her 2013 Annual Meeting presentation “I can...
Financial planning is about more than numbers
Visitors to our office walk in and see a chalkboard with client photos representing their bucket list accomplishments. This is our bucket list board, and we have a different theme...
Create a multi-line practice to maximize business and bonds
If you’re not offering clients a full suite of service, you’re probably leaving business on the table, said Saad Anthony Baksh, BSc, a 16-year member from Marabella, Trinidad and Tobago,...
Maximize your time and service by focusing on your area of expertise
This is pretty simple for me: My No. 1 prospect is somebody five years from retirement. My No. 1 client is somebody who’s retired. There are a lot of people...
Handling a difference of opinion between a client and their child
A good client of mine wanted me to start working with his son, who was getting ready to graduate from medical school and had basically graduated debt-free because of his...
Connect clients to the value of their policy by snapping a photo
When your client is signing their application form, quickly take a photo of them. Have it printed and attach it to their policy. Include this note: “Today, [today’s date], I...
3 strategies for working with millennials
The “me” generation, self-absorbed, high-maintenance. These stereotypes are often used to describe millennials, said Aaron L. Hammer, LUTCF, in his presentation at the 2017 Annual Meeting. But there are also...
Look at yourself before you look to a coach
Are you nervous about what a coach might see when exploring what you and your business do well and less well? That’s an effective way of knowing they can help,...
Make changes before you think you need to
If you could respond to a disruptive environment, would you rather do that when the market was strong and your brand had equity, or when your revenue was flat and...
How to minimize staff miscommunication
Have your staff members ever had a misunderstanding about who was responsible for what? Or have you tried to teach a new employee to do something, only to realize you...
Talk about your profession with the expertise of your hobby
People don’t buy what you say, said Van Mueller, LUTCF, they buy how you say it. A lot of that comes from conviction and confidence, and Mueller, a 35-year MDRT member...
How to put into practice lessons learned at a conference
It was a great meeting! MDRT holds great conferences, and so does your firm. You come back to the office with your batteries charged. How do you hold on to...
Establishing clarity for acquisition success
What we found from experience, having done one acquisition and working on two others now, is to make sure we’re clear as to what the current owners are trying to...
Elder financial abuse: Are you free to discuss it?
In a situation where a client’s family member allegedly takes advantage of them, advisors might not necessarily be able to take action. Gregory B. Gagne, ChFC When a client’s son allegedly took...
