Cat power

Let me introduce you to Albert. I have been working from home for many years, and I am a cat lover. I have two black cats, two Bengals and Albert, the sphynx. When clients visit, I keep the cats out of the way, but as they leave, Albert makes an appearance. Albert is a white, green-eyed, naked cat, with a very appealing nature. Immediately, the clients want to pick him up, cuddle and pose for a photo, which is posted on social media with the message, “Here I am with Albert, my financial advisor’s sphynx cat!” Albert has become one of our best marketing tools and gets lots of likes.

—Helen Jenkins, Dip PFS, Cardiff, Wales, UK, 34-year MDRT member

Learn how clients learn

When I meet a client for the first time, one of the questions I ask is, “What’s the best way for you to take information in?” When I discover certain planning opportunities for them that I know will be complex, I ask, “Are you visual? Do you need to see graphs? Do you need to get a lot of detail and information? Do you prefer email? Do you prefer phone calls?” It’s really finding out what works for them, and whatever they answer, we work with. As time goes by, you learn how they learn.

—Elke Rubach, LL.M., CLU, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, six-year MDRT member

Self-belief and self-discipline

Of all the factors that help us become successful, the two most important are self-belief and self-discipline. Self-belief gives us the courage to set goals. Self-discipline makes sure every day we do what we must do to achieve those goals. It’s interesting how both of those terms begin with the word self. It comes from here, from ourselves. We’re in control of our success in this business with self-discipline and self-belief.

—Tony Gordon, Bristol, England, UK, 47-year MDRT member and MDRT Past President

Good questions to open a conversation

One thing that I learned over my career was to ask good questions, and the way to begin is by just saying, “Do you mind if I ask you a question?” Most people are going to say, “No, I don’t mind if you ask me a question.” Or if they do mind, they’ll tell you what the objection is, and then you can answer it. But if they say they don’t mind, they’ve now given you permission to ask just about any question you want within the confines of propriety. So, you can ask them, “What do you think about the value of life insurance?” “Who are the most important people in your life?” That’s how you open a conversation.

—Brian H. Ashe, CLU, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA, 52-year MDRT member and MDRT Past President

A process needs KPIs

To take your practice from where you’re starting to where you want it to go, you must have metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs). It starts with the process that you developed. As that process is being implemented, KPIs will come as a result of whether that process was being used or not. Once the process is taught to your staff, there should be expectations in numbers that need to be fulfilled for you to know whether those processes are being executed.

But success isn’t always defined in dollars and cents. Success also is defined as are you getting better at your craft? It could be how you improved your craft, how you hired better employees or how you improved your marketing position. It could be all kinds of different things. But the only way to know that is if you are following the processes and if you are hitting those KPIs.

—Robert Abbate, FICS, CSA, Henrico, Virginia, USA, 18-year MDRT member

Photos and flowers

During both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day this year, we organized a studio photo shoot for our clients and their families. We collaborated with a local florist and a photography studio to organize this program. To qualify for the complimentary photo shoot, clients had to purchase a bouquet of flowers for their parents and/or loved ones. In return, the florist and our team sponsored the photography session for them. Many people turned up for the event. This event not only supported the florist’s and the studio photography’s businesses, but also provided more leads for us to connect with. These new leads do not only come from our clients’ family members but also from the local businesses.

—Chee Hong Gan, ChFC, CLU, Singapore, 14-year MDRT member

Journal to grow

I write in a journal every day to get to know myself better and what is important to me. I can also understand better how I approach problems, what my plans are and how I can realize these plans. In this way, journaling will also help me plan my activities every day, according to my priority scale.
I have been journaling consistently for more than 10 years and have a better understanding of my personality and my personal growth from year to year.

The strategy I use to realize my dream of reaching the Top of the Table is to ask more questions. There are three things I ask myself:

1. Are you asking enough people?
2. Are you asking enough of the right people?
3. Are you asking enough of the right people to buy enough?

—Ardita Muksin, Jakarta, Indonesia, 10-year MDRT member

Postcard message

One of the privileges of being an MDRT member is the ability to attend international conferences such as the Annual Meeting. So far, I have visited the United States; Canada; Singapore; Malaysia; Thailand; India; Hong Kong, China; and South Korea. While there, I purchase postcards locally and send them to clients. The impact is huge. Even in an era where social media has become mainstream and surpassed “old media,” there are times when classic methods are more effective. The recipient always remembers me, and I am taking full advantage of the benefits of being an MDRT member, which is a great way to kill two birds with one stone.

—Masahiro Hashimoto, TLC, AFP, Tokyo, Japan, 24-year MDRT member

Get involved

The most important contributing factor to our success as financial professionals is being in front of qualified prospects. One way I work with qualified prospects is by being involved in groups, associations and networking events within my target market. I volunteer to serve in various roles and sometimes sponsor refreshments for events, where I get the opportunity to informally meet and greet business owners, professionals and managers of various organizations. We must create front-of-mind awareness for us and our services. Serving genuinely as volunteers in these organizations allows prospects to get to know me on a personal level, and trusting relationships are formed. This eventually leads to these prospects engaging me to be their financial advisor.

—Saad Anthony Baksh, BSc, Marabella, Trinidad and Tobago, 15-year MDRT member

Make a referral feel special

When I first sit down with someone new, especially if they are a referral, I tell them, “I prioritize relationships with my clients above anything else, and your friend recommended you to me because I’m so selective about who I work with.”

—June Rong Rong Koh, Singapore, three-year MDRT member

There is no best investment

I let clients know there is no best product for investment and financial management. There is no way to compare because the demands are different, and the goals are different. It is what kind of commodities are suitable for them, and then how much reward and how much risk they want to take at their age. When you are younger, there is no problem in buying more stocks; when you are older, you may need more things to preserve capital. So, it is always a question of allocation, not a question of what is good and what is bad.

—Shih Yuan Tung, Taipei, Taiwan Area, nine-year MDRT member