strong great finishes starts!forms.illinoismutual.net/mutual_interest_4th_qtr_2010.pdf · fourth...
TRANSCRIPT
Volume 16 No. 4Fourth Quarter 2010
Maximize Sales with our NEW Agent Forum
Page 4
Leverage Your In Force Business
Page 3
Final Call: Centennial IncentivesPages 10 & 11
A Working Exchange of Insight, Information & Ideas
= StrongFiniSheS
great StartS!
This year has been a special one at Illinois mutual. In 2010, we have reached a milestone that very few companies achieve – 100 years in business. as we approach the end of the year and move forward into our next century of business, we are preparing for a successful future. We want you to do the same, and with this in mind, encourage you to prepare for a great 2011 with a strong 2010 finish.
During the remainder of 2010, dedicate your time to making 2011 your best year yet. get to know our NeW and improved agent Forum, a web-based agent portal that makes it easier than ever for you to manage and grow your business. Familiarize yourself with our new marketing and sales tools and incorporate these tools into your sales strategy. get in touch with your in force clients and make sure their insurance coverage meets their current needs (remember, it’s easier to sell to existing clients than to new ones). expand your horizons with cross selling. Provide your clients guarantees. Take advantage of incentives that only come once every 100 years.
There are a multitude of ways you can prepare for the coming year, and at Illinois mutual, we are ready to help and serve you every step of the way. With a focus on innovation and creating more value for our agents, the New Year and beyond is promising.
2
a message From the Chairman
(800) 437-7355 • www.IllinoisMutual.com
Michel A. McCord, CLUChairman & President
one of the greatest opportunities to leverage your in force business is by conducting annual reviews. as we approach the end of 2010, take some time to go through your book of business and contact your clients about their current life insurance aND disability insurance needs. Remember, you’re not talking about buying insurance, you’re asking about “managing life’s important moments.”
Follow these five easy steps during annual reviews to find out what’s new in your clients’ lives:
1. Listen. Be an active listener when talking to your clients to notice events going on in their lives, such as a wedding, new baby, retirement or new home.
2. Clarify. If you discover your client is experiencing a life event, ask clarifying questions to best determine the financial implications.
3. Connect. It’s up to you to identify the need and show your client the financial implications of the life event, as it might not be as apparent to them. They need to realize you can help.
4. Present. Based on their specific needs, offer a possible solution – an insurance policy from Illinois mutual.
5. Follow-up. See what they thought and address any questions or concerns while re-emphasizing the importance of protecting their financial needs.
NetwOrk witH Us! 3
incorporate Cross selling in Your Annual reviewsIn a small business owner study conducted by LImRa International, Inc., business owners stated they would consider purchasing a second line of coverage from their existing agent. Why?
• 72% because of rates• 68% because agent could service both• 58% because of trust
Leverage Your In Force Business:
end of 2010 Annual reviews
4
Improve Your Business
Failing to embrace technology gives your competitors a huge advantage. With software, a smart phone, laptop or other latest device, you can make it easy for your clients to do business with you. And there’s no reason why you can’t do it now – because that’s when your clients want it.1
New Agent ForumIllinois mutual is excited to announce our completely redesigned agent Forum, a secure website designed exclusively for agents. Improvements to this valuable business tool include:
• Tab-based navigation scheme • Revamped, personalized homepage tab featuring a production
dashboard, action items panel and sales opportunities panel• “My Clients” tab for managing your clients• New product tabs allow highly relevant product information to
be placed where it is easily accessible• Basic “Forms Library” has been transformed into a new
“Resource Library” with easy-to-find thumbnail images and flexible search options
Log in to the NeW agent Forum today and start making your business more efficient than ever! If you are already a member of the agent Forum, there is no need to reregister. Not a member? Visit http://newagentforum.illinoismutual.net to register or contact your sales team for assistance.
Take a minute to jot down a list of how you plan on using the NeW agent Forum to improve your business. Frequently review this list to ensure you meet your goals. We have included one suggestion to get you started:
Use the “My Clients” tab to follow-up with my in force business
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1Life Insurance Selling, 2010
(800) 437-7355 • www.IllinoisMutual.com
TechnologyWith
With the gift giving season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get your Illinois mutual merchandise! Visit our online store at www.illinoismutualmerchandise.com for a variety of affordable accessories and apparel, including golf umbrellas, T-shirts, sweatshirts, pens, office items and much more.
5NetwOrk witH Us!
social Networking – Are You Connected?
Technologyagents React to the NeW agent Forum
“The new Agent Forum is absolutely great! This is the best development in our 14+ years with Illinois Mutual.”
-agent mike Young, FL
“absolutely awesome work – what a great new benefit for agents! Thank you for your great professionalism!”
-agent Roy Huffman, Co
Networking is crucial to the success of any business, and with the increasingly dominant role of technology, social networking has taken the driver’s seat. Improve your networking and keep up with Illinois mutual by visiting our pages on four popular social networking sites – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
On
line
sto
re
The Doctors get paid
The Hospitalgets paid
Who Pays Your Clients?
6 DI SALES TEAM: (800) 437-7355 • [email protected]
are You Providing
Your Clients
Half a Health Plan?as an insurance agent, it’s your responsibility to provide your clients comprehensive insurance coverage. But you are providing them with only half a health plan if you haven’t talked to them about disability insurance.
With only health insurance, the doctors and hospital would get paid if your clients became sick or hurt and unable to work. But who would pay your clients? How would they earn the money to pay their monthly expenses, such as mortgage or rent, utilities, groceries and auto, not to mention the other insurance premiums they have with you?
Di, the other half of their health insurance plan, provides benefits to help your clients keep up with their living expenses and prevent financial disaster.
Visit the agent Forum Resource Library on our website at www.IllinoisMutual.com and check out the following resources to
help you complete your clients’ health plans:
e131FDo You Own Half a Health Insurance Plan? Fillable PDF
Form 9240Are You Only Half Covered?mailer
Do you know your chances of a disability?
Are you ONLY HALF
COVERED?
Who’s protecting YOU?
Form 9273Are You Only Half Covered?Table Tents
e171Half a Health Insurance PlanPre-approach Letter
7
I s T h e T i m eThe end of the year is the perfect time to think about new strategies for the year ahead. As you plan for 2011, be sure you include cross selling in your business model.
why?“Cross Selling is the most efficient and effective sales strategy to stimulate business growth…it is the least risky and most profitable action your business can take, and when properly executed, its return is exponential.”1
Not sure where cross selling opportunities lie?Here are some examples of natural cross selling opportunities:
• Life clients to DI clients • annuity/LTC clients to single
pay whole life (SPWL) clients • Health clients to Life/DI clients• P&C clients to Life/DI clients
Cross selling sales tools now available in the Agent Forum!
• Cross Selling messaging – Life to DI Push (Form e322)• Cross Selling Solutions (Form e324)• Cross Sell – Return of Premium
Solution/Consumer (Form E326)
In a recent Q&a session with Indiana agent Stan Harris, we got an insider’sviewpoint on theIllinois mutual cross selling experience. Stan, whose primary line of business is health insurance, recently diversified his business to include disability insurance (DI) from Illinois mutual. Here’s a sneak peek of what he had to say:
“In addition to being able to better protect my current clients and offer them a new and exciting line of insurance coverage, I really believe cross selling is the key factor in attracting the majority of future prospects.”
To read Stan’s complete Q&a interview, log in to the agent
Forum and click on the mutual Interest Q&a link.
1J. Walker Smith
(800) 437-7355 • www.IllinoisMutual.com
NOw
8 LiFe sALes teAM: (800) 437-7355 • [email protected]
THeVALuE
oF GuARANTEES
During the economic uncertainty of the last two years, consumers have learned the value of guarantees – especially when it comes to their financial future. That’s why many consumers are turning back to guaranteed protection and guaranteed asset growth for their life insurance solutions.
Position Yourself for successLife Foundations Whole Life (LFWL) from Illinois mutual offers guaranteed financial solutions and flexible payment options for consumers across the financial spectrum.
one of our most popular strategies is the Family Plan solution. Here is just one example: • Father, age 32, non-tobacco*,
$50,000 base with $200,000 20-year term rider• Mother, age 31, non-tobacco*, $100,000 20-year term rider• Two Children, $10,000 child rider on each• total monthly premium: $79.38
*Non-tobacco preferred
Visit the Agent Forum resource Library on our website at www.illinoisMutual.com to order the LFwL sales kit, which
includes sales strategies and tools that will grow your participating whole life business!
Market trends• Participating whole life sales in the industry are up 19% in 2010.
• Illinois Mutual participating whole life sales are up 15% in 2010.
• In 2007, participating whole life sales were 4% of our overall life
premium. This year, they will be 35% of premium!
9
at Illinois Mutual
wOrkPLACe sALes teAM: (800) 437-7355 • [email protected]
Workplace
Better!Keeps Getting
In a recent survey, Illinois mutual found that many of our Workplace agents sell to small group markets, and as a result, were in need of more flexible participation limits for Workplace products. In response to this finding, and in an effort to make it easier for our agents to do business with us, we are happy to announce that Illinois mutual now offers Workplace solutions with a minimum group size of only 3 eligible employees with at least 2 employees participating. This change makes us more flexible and competitive than ever in the workplace market!
web-Based Accident enrollment systemWorkplace enrollment is easier than ever with our revolutionary Web-Based accident enrollment System. This option is great for large cases, multi-state cases and for accommodating employers who do not participate in on-site enrollment.
View a demo of our New web-BasedAccident enrollment system!
Visitwww.AccidentInsurance-IllinoisMutual.com.
3 2with
FoR WoRkPLaCe
10 (800) 437-7355 • www.IllinoisMutual.com
Additional Di BonusFor every paid DI application* received October 1 – December 30, 2010 that is issued and paid for by January 30, 2011, you will earn an extra $100! This is in addition to our lucrative quarterly DI incentive and Centennial Bonus as well as your commission on the sale!
DiLevel 1 Level 2 Level 3$500 Cash
PLuS
a $100 Cash Centennial Bonus
2 paid applications for $2,000 annualized paid
premium
$500 Cash
PLuS
$500 Cash
PLuS
a $200 cash Centennial Bonus!
3 paid applications for $3,000 annualized paid
premium
$500 Cash
PLuS
$1,000 Cash
PLuS
a $200 cash Centennial Bonus!
5 paid applications for $5,000 annualized paid
premium
Contact your DI sales team for more details,plus information on general agent qualifications.
Note: Not all National accounts are participating.
*Qualifying products include: GR21, NC21, BE21, SR21 and SRBE21. Illinois Mutual determines final prize recipients. must have active agent status at time of prize delivery. applications must be paid for in the given quarter to count toward the bonus. Prizes will be sent after the end of each quarter.
Attention
all A
gen
ts
11NetwOrk witH Us!
this is the final call to get your special centennial incentives!Incentives run through December 30, 2010.
wOrkPLACeLevel 1 Level 2
$1,000 Cash
PLuS
an extra $1,000 Centennial Bonus!
Submit and pay for $10,000 new annualized premium
$2,500 Cash
PLuS
an extra $2,500 Centennial Bonus!
Submit and pay for $25,000 new annualized premium
Contact your regional Workplace sales team for more details,plus information on agency qualifications.
LiFeLevel 1 Level 2 Level 3
Two american airlines® Round Trip Flight
Certificates
4 paid applications for $5,000 annualized paid
premium
Two american airlines® Round Trip Flight
Certificates
PLuS
$1,000 Cash
6 paid applications for $7,500 annualized paid
premium
Two american airlines® Round Trip Flight
Certificates
PLuS
$2,000 Cash
8 paid applications for $10,000 annualized paid
premium
Contact your Life sales team for more details,plus information on agency qualifications.
Additional workplace BonusFor any new case sold and applications received by December 30, 2010, agents will receive $250 per case.* This incentive is in addition to the centennial Workplace incentives.
*Qualifying products include our Voluntary Benefits at the Workplace product line: Interest Sensitive Whole Life, Short Term Disability and accident Insurance. Illinois mutual determines final prize recipients. must have active agent status at time ofprize delivery.
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