All Sales Strategies Content http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/p/pweb/rssSubscribe.php Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:02:04 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/images/t/bsMagTheme/bs-logo-rss.gif http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/main Benefits Selling RSS Feed http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=f4d0a25e3c69f165c23a6b8a11e9ad0a Welcome to the political season . . . a time of countless local, state and national elections. It's also a time when politicians make promises they'll never keep, I promise. What else is new? As the noted Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen once said, "Promises and pie crusts are made to be broken." Steven McCarty Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=be1509e9ff69dc3d39556e4dee3b83b2 Hopefully some you have watched a television program called Most Extreme Elimination Challenge. David S. Shymkus Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=8d8f8775ee5adc37f98f47af61fa7b8a American Independent Marketing and Goldencare USA have partnered to create a lead-generation program for agents selling long-term care insurance. LTC Rewards lets agents offer their clients up to one year of free tuition at particpating private colleges and universities. The program is free to agents and clients, and can accumulate over time. Danielle Andrus Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=335d95093702dc495a898baef8ba5c77 Salespeople love referrals because they provide a route around the gatekeeper directly to the people who make purchasing decisions. But a book of business isn't built on referrals alone. Often getting to an organization's decision-maker requires a more circuitous route, one that runs directly past a gatekeeper David Port Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=b090e13269712535ceff15e0aa3b34fd By the time you read this, you will know who the next U.S. President will be and the composition of the 111th Congress. You will know whether the economic rescue package passed in early October succeeded in calming the financial markets. James A. Klein Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=b7717a3c3be7bebc0d7e9125eb2b82da My July column brought the most correspondence of anything I've written over the last five years, so this is a follow-up, responding to some of the feedback I received. Marty Traynor Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=51aeefffa629b8231db1a433df8e2a5e It's November, so it must be time for another round of Readers' Choice madness. we take user-generated content to a new level and let each and every one of you decide who belongs on the following pages. Benefits Selling staff Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=a5be7206da4c08c567d8983e88c3db54 Looking for a potential source of revenue? Tom Blomberg Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=6ad294070b51f47d04a40f0efcecca36 I have been known to be a bit of a joker. I used to enjoy playing tricks on some of my insurance cronies from time to time. David S. Shymkus Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=10a661b9ed6c6495f1244ebdbfd01ad3 The July/August issue of Harvard Business Review is a special issue, with a cover theme of "Honing Your Competitive Edge." Since that ties in perfectly with the theme of this column, I reviewed the issue to see what insights could be found. Marty Traynor Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=e39590939a1a91412ecaeebd75c60be9 In recruiting new clients, are you a yes-man or a yes-woman? Steven McCarty Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=6f3c3613c05ea3cefc8225d8ac9868d2 Following a recent U.S. Court of Appeals ruling, financial advisors will continue to find it difficult to purge their Central Registration Depository records of consumer complaint information following a settlement agreement. Steven McCarty Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=bbf37938b241bde3655f4c5cd32fa0ba In a recent national consumer attitude study by Hallmark Business Expressions, 66 percent of respondents indicated a greeting card sent to show appreciation for a purchase or referral makes them more likely to do future business with the sender. Benefits Selling staff Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=589aebfff8af3ba5a85e32c79c390311 Benefits as a share of total compensation over select time periods, 1960-2006 Benefits Selling staff Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=3a4befbba55e44db0b5a43b2bfde835f As I write, I have just returned from the National Association of Health Underwriters Convention in San Diego. It was a marvelous convention. And any Midwesterner like yours truly would give up their next commission check to have awesome weather like that every day. David S. Shymkus Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=ca18fc81ba3e2f592d21dd3e2053f077 Marketing has changed greatly ... or perhaps it hasn't changed at all. Seems like the setup for a robust debate with each side laying claim to the truth. Mike Werling Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=2cd5931fefb622c8b5864a8c9725a4e8 Papa John's proudly proclaims they use better ingredients and therefore make a better pizza. Sharon Alt Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=1c50a835b36a1e6aac2348b76716ffad Are you starting to dread your sales and renewal meetings? Tired of delivering the bad news that benefit prices are increasing again? Benefits Selling staff Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=b4f2c97aef5dddfa4c2e15406d0896c4 My business associate Dan Rood provides a great deal of leadership within our sales team, and the headline sitting atop this month's column is one of his consistent challenges. Marty Traynor Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=55dd34b5e3202a8401f59bf34f890d53 Watch out for the word yes. Saying yes too often can lead you to spend too much money, grow too fast, or take too many financial risks. It can even ensnare you in unethical or illegal business practices that get you thrown out of the business -- or worse. Steven McCarty Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=3e991f2e710c01d9280cb44330282314 A report from Watson Wyatt shows employers aren't thinking about reducing pay raises despite economic troubles, and better-performing employees can even expect higher raises. Danielle Andrus Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=84a7f1f43872bb4251f923fdd615937c Approximately 20 percent of employees regularly meet co-workers for drinks after work. Benefits Selling staff Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=8da7cab9e826c156776dbd1a318751a0 WOMEN AND MINORITY GROUPS are increasing their business ownership at a higher rate than the national average, according to a recently released report from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2002 Survey of Business Owners. Amanda Buchanan Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=825dfff4a0bca710f8c9042a16a341fb How many of your employees would you estimate are looking for a new job? Benefits Selling staff Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:30:00 +0100 http://www.benefitssellingmag.com/r/bsMag/d/contentFocus/?adcID=e7fbae76eb0dfb3a87e03125ff79bfd8 The first issue of the new year rings in a new January feature - our Readers' Choice Awards. Denis Storey Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:30:00 +0100