Here are five steps you can take to effectively leverage the relationships you have with your strategic alliances.
3 min read
Leveraging Strategic Alliances to Get More Referrals
By Ernie Halal on 9/25/14 2:08 PM
Topics: Sales Referrals Grow Your Business
1 min read
Kick-Off to Disability Insurance Awareness Month
By Ernie Halal on 5/6/14 2:16 PM
Cancer is the leading reason employees stop working and take long-term disability leave, according to claims submitted to Unum, a provider of income insurance. Unum analyzes claims activity each year and shares results during Disability Insurance Awareness Month to help foster a better understanding of the value of DI insurance and other coverage.
Topics: Sales Disability Insurance Grow Your Business
3 min read
Communicating Face-to-Face? There's an App for That
By Ernie Halal on 4/9/14 1:27 PM
Technology for video-based applications has improved greatly in recent years.
Most people agree that face-to-face communication is ideal. Tone, gestures, facial expressions, vocal inflections and environment influence the meanings of our words to such an extent that to compensate for their absence within emails and texts, we've become accustomed to using emoticons, superfluous punctuation and other types of written emphasis to make our meanings clear.
Topics: Sales Grow Your Business
3 min read
Social Media: A Marathon, Not a Sprint
By Ernie Halal on 2/25/14 9:22 AM
Pace yourself, train consistently and don't be afraid to ask others for help.
Topics: Sales Grow Your Business social media
3 min read
How to Generate More Leads, More Clients and More Sales
By Ernie Halal on 2/6/14 1:42 PM
One of the most common challenges NAIFA members share is their need for more leads, more clients, and more sales. Here are some insights that will help you achieve this goal.
Topics: Sales Grow Your Business MembershipPays
2 min read
Becoming an Advisor to the Family
By Ernie Halal on 1/31/14 9:54 AM
Many advisors would like to serve as financial advisors to members of their family or family members of their clients, but do not know how. This process takes time, effort and careful nurturing of relationships. The following suggestions will help you break into this lucrative, but often difficult-to-penetrate market.
Topics: Sales Grow Your Business
2 min read
Learning to "Celebritize Yourself" in Business
By Ernie Halal on 1/28/14 2:58 PM
The digital age has brought with it limitless sources of information and the chance to become noticed through the loudspeaker that is the Internet. But in an ever-increasing crowd, it's essential to know how to stand out.
That's what Marsha Friedman's book, "Celebritize Yourself: The Three Step Method to Increase Your Visibility and Explode Your Business," is about—creating a strong brand that transforms you into an industry celebrity.
"The term celebrity isn't just reserved for the stars we read about in the tabloids, but rather, it also refers to experts who are known for being at the top of their chosen fields, many times removed from movie and TV stars," Friedman says. "Whether you're a doctor, financial advisor, real estate broker or even a waiter, you can celebritize yourself."
Friedman focuses on three steps to accomplish this mission:
- Write. Many celebrity experts, including Zig Ziglar and Suze Orman, started out as authors. Even if you do not consider yourself as a writer, Friedman suggests turning your ideas into a book to define yourself as an expert. There are many professionals that can assist you in the process, including ghostwriters, co-authors and copywriters. These services aren't always cheap, but they can propel your credibility to the next level.
- Speak. It's also vital to spread the word about your industry knowledge, Friedman says. Use Internet platforms as well as real-life opportunities, such as speaking engagements, radio and TV interviews, to get your message out to anyone that will listen.
- Sell. Achieving "celebrity status" makes selling your brand—and thusyourself—an easier task. But not all media pitches are the same. It's key to consistently evaluate and improve your pitch so that it stands a chance of being noticed, Friedman says. Ask yourself if your pitch would perk your owninterest.
When you have become your brand and people trust what you say, people will become anxious for the opportunity to talk about your message.
"Celebrity is a powerful commodity; doors that were once closed can suddenly open," Friedman says. "People listen to what they ignored before. New business and money flows to you—not away from you. Most of all, people thank you for sharing your wisdom."
For more information and tips on this subject, visit www.celebritizeyourself.com.
Topics: Sales Referrals Grow Your Business leadership
2 min read
Is Fear Keeping You Out of the Spotlight?
By Ernie Halal on 1/23/14 2:26 PM
These helpful hints will help you master your fear of public speaking.
Topics: Sales Grow Your Business
2 min read
Starting the Holiday Party Conversation
By Ernie Halal on 12/23/13 11:00 AM
In the September 23, 2013, issue of Investment News, various advisors were asked how they respond to the question: “What do you do for a living?”
Topics: Sales Grow Your Business
2 min read
Three Easy Ways to Start an LTCI Conversation
By Ernie Halal on 11/14/13 3:32 PM
November is Long-Term Care Insurance Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to reach out to your clients to start an LTCI conversation. And it’s not as hard as you might think.
