September 2016 WIsconsin Professional Agent by Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin

professional agent SEPTEMBER | 2016

What’s Inside? YPC Badger Blast................. 7 Enhance the Renewal....... 12 Process Boost Employee................. 16 Performance Emulate the Best................ 18 Competitors Claims–Listen to the ......... 20 Clients Classified Ad....................... 21 Education Section ............. 22 Get to the Top in Sales..... 30 Increased Claim................. 34 Severity Show us How You.............. 37 Display the PIA Logo

Digital Editions of PIAW Magazine Available at www.piaw.org

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From the

President Brian MacGillis, CPIA — President, PIA of Wisconsin

Just Ask! As your newly minted PIA President for 2016-2017, I hear the background noise often, “Why aren’t young people involved anymore?” This question can relate to an industry function, church group, fraternal society, etc.

family, or church. I used those same excuses when I got started. Know that your Association needs you. We need your time, talents and ideas to ensure that this industry remains viable and competitive in our state.

When I spoke at the PIA Convention last month, I made reference to how I became involved in the insurance industry. Neil Neff asked me to join the Automation Committee. Don Hady asked me to join the 1752 Field Marketing Representative Club. Dennis Kuhnke asked me to join the PIA Board.

My hope is that the next time you hear the grumbling about how fewer and fewer people are involved at the Church Board meetings, Lions Club gatherings, or Chamber of Commerce get-togethers – chime in and say, “Here is how we are going to get more people involved – let’s ask.”

The key idea...someone asked. It is not the responsibility of the Baby Boomer generation to force young people into insurance or involvement in the insurance industry. But if we are looking for a way to get the next generation involved in insurance – Just Ask! There is nothing quite like a personal phone call or face to face meeting asking a non-member to join PIA , or asking a Marketing Representative to join the 1752 Club, or asking a current member to join a committee. Email can be extremely impersonal and even with the most eloquent wording, that email is just one click away from being deleted and forgotten.

Here is one idea for your consideration – your PIA Board of Directors undertook a project about three years ago that has been extremely beneficial to PIA’s membership. Two times per year, your Board makes personal phone calls to nonmembers, asking them to join PIA. Those 15-20 minutes are the some of the best spent time at our board meetings. It not only gains the organization new and fresh membership, but it allows your Board to get personal feedback from non-members on how to better improve our organization. Many member benefits have come directly from these conversations.

Use this concept in your own business. Just ask that customer, who has their motorcycle policy with your agency, to quote their auto, home or business insurance. Just ask who handles their life insurance, to get the conversation started. One of the best decisions I have made in the last six years was to get involved with our Association. So when someone does ask you – be ready to get involved! There are many reasons not to be involved – you are just too busy with work,

PIA strives to be an example of how to get young people from high school and college directly into our industry. Our Association gives away in excess of $20,000 per year in scholarships to those entering insurance related fields. Our industry does a fantastic job with internships and educational programs aimed at explaining how insurance can be a fantastic and rewarding career path. Your board is committed to getting people involved to grow and sustain the insurance industry. Keep up the great work and “Keep Asking”.

GERMANTOWN MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY W209 N11845 Insurance Place PO Box 1020 Germantown, WI 53022-8220 Phone (262) 251-6680 Fax (262) 623-3130 www.gmic.com

SERVING POLICYHOLDERS AND INDEPENDENT AGENTS IN WISCONSIN SINCE 1854 SEPTEMBER 16 3

Memos from

Madison Ron Von Haden, CIC — Executive Vice President, PIA of Wisconsin

New PIA Member Benefits NEW PIA MEMBER benefits have been introduced in the

made arrangements with the attorneys at Axley Insurance

recent months. At the annual convention last month, I highlighted four new “Member-Only” benefits that PIA of Wisconsin has implemented in the past few months or will begin offering in a couple months. It’s easy for members to overlook the many benefits of their membership so I will outline those four benefits here:

Attorneys to give our members free legal information.

1. What is my agency worth? Every agency owner has asked this question at some point in their career. Whether you are preparing to sell, retire, merge or perpetuate, knowing the value of your biggest asset is critical. PIAW has made arrangements with nationally known industry expert, John Dismukes, to give you a “range valuation” for an incredible PIA price of less than $500. The “range” will give you a high and a low number for you to use in your planning. Normally, agency valuations cost thousands of dollars.

A call to our toll free phone number or email address will put you in touch with legal professionals with many years of experience. They can help you with questions about perpetuation, buy/sell agreements, questions or inquiries from the Commissioner’s office, specific Wisconsin insurance law details and a host of other informational resources. If your problem or opportunity requires extensive legal representation, they will offer their full services or help you find the right firm to handle your situation. 4. Where can I buy Non-medical group life insurance? In the next couple months, PIA will offer life, AD&D, and disability products to members at group rates, even if the group is only one person. We are currently negotiating with an A+ rated company that has proven to be extremely competitive in their offering of these products. You will

2. How do I keep my social media outlets fresh? We have teamed up with Insurance Marketing Partners, owned by Mike Peterson, to solve your dilemma of keeping pertinent materials and updates on your Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media accounts. Let Mike administer your content, post insurance articles and information while you concentrate on your priority of selling insurance. We hear a lot about how necessary it is to drive insureds and prospects to your web site and media outlets but until now, no one has developed a program to provide the expertise to make it economically practical for agencies. Take the burden off you or your staff and leave it to the experts at Insurance Marketing Partners and PIA.

be able to easily get quotes to provide these products for

3. Where can I get answers to my legal questions? PIA has

lot more is said than done.

yourself and your staff. We hear too often that agencies do not provide these products or owners are not adequately insured because they are not well versed in non-P&C products. PIA can help. Look for the announcement of this new benefit in the coming months. PIA is always trying to offer benefits to members to improve your professionalism and profitability. It is our hope that these four will do that for many of you. All of these new programs can be found on our web site at www.piaw.org.

AND REMENBER …..In politics, after all is said and done, a

"I recently attended the PIA convention and witnessed my grandson (Steven Gilpin) receive a PIA scholarship to help him with his tuition. I couldn't have been prouder of him and the PIA. I have no doubt that Steve will be a credit to this great business of ours. You made me proud because you recognized that our youth need to be a part of the insurance industry we serve. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You've made a proud grandpa feel very good about the profession I chose." — Regards, Leo Gilpin

4 SEPTEMBER 16

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From the

Boardroom Matt Cranney, CIC, CRM – Treasurer, PIA of Wisconsin

The PIA is "all about the members." And we can prove it!! As you read this it is my hope that you are all reflecting back on yet another amazing PIA convention! For those of you who weren’t able to attend, we missed you and hope you will join us at next year’s convention. It continues to be remarkable to me that each and every year Ron and the PIA Staff (Brenda, Darcy, Mandy and Becca), in partnership with the convention committee headed up by Deb Clements and Jodi Cordes, pull off events that continue to raise the bar. My thanks to each of them, to all of the attendees, as well as our generous sponsors. Each year the convention also provides an opportunity for us as Board members to connect with our members, and I am thankful to so many of you who took the time to chat with me and share how PIA has positively impacted you and your agency. I wish at those moments that I could record those conversations and share them with all of you because they do a great job of spotlighting the positive impact the PIA makes each and every day on our members. These are the reasons you choose to belong to our association. I also wish I could record each time I hear “it’s all about the members” at our Board meetings. From our first Board orientation meeting Ron makes a huge point of driving this phrase home. And he is right. It is all about the members. Our association exists to support you individually and our industry collectively. This is why the PIA was formed and why we continue to exist, and it’s why we as Board members choose to serve. So, if the primary reason you belong to the PIA is the impact we make on you and your business and the primary reason we exist as an association is to do just that, how are we doing? How do we know if we are making an impact for you? Not everyone hears the awesome stories I hear, and not everyone experiences the strong focus on membership like we do at Board meetings, so how can we better communicate our results? This year the Agent Service committee was charged by President Rick to put together and execute a broad member survey to do just that. I am happy and proud to share that over 98% of members who completed the survey find tremendous value in our association. Or expressed in a new way, the PIA of Wisconsin has a Net Promoter Score of 57%. The Net 6 SEPTEMBER 16

Promoter System is an emerging system that many companies (Apple, Philips and American Express to name a few) are beginning to adopt as a better way of tracking customer satisfaction. I hope to write more on this topic in my next article but it is clear that 57% is an amazing score compared to an industry average of anywhere from 27% - 35%. In the meantime, if you are curious to learn more of the Net Promoter System check out netpromotersystem.com. In this coming PIA year, the Agent Service committee will be working to create a member survey summary that will be available to all PIA members that communicates our results on an annual basis, as we were able to learn lots more from the survey about how we continue to be “all about the members”. Some of the lessons from this year’s survey were: • Over 50% of survey responders were not aware of some of the key benefits you receive from your PIA membership. • 90% of you said you prefer to hear from the PIA via email vs. other communication methods. • Facebook is the dominant social media platform for PIA members, with 95% of you active on that platform. • Over 70% of you don’t use the piaw.org website to access your member benefits. And many others! Your Board will be hard at work over the next month’s applying these lessons to our association so we can continue to make a positive impact, while also discovering new ways to add even more value. Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out our survey. We hope to demonstrate to you over the next year that your feedback matters and is central to our association continuing to be “all about you!” In all of the articles I have written in my time on the Board I have always tried to connect what I write about to a challenge we also face in our agencies. My challenge for you this month is to think about how you as agents prove to your clients that it’s “all about them”? Whether it’s a customer survey or sharing positive client impact stories on social media or your websites, how we make our customers feel will dictate our success. Let’s embrace the challenge, and thank you for the opportunity to serve you on your PIA Board.

PIA of Wisconsin’s Young Professionals Club Welcomes You to Join Us on Friday, October 14th 2016 for an Evening of Pizza & Drinks at our Badger Blast Brewery & Comedy Club Event, the Night Before the Badger vs. Ohio State Game! Family and Friends Welcome!

Register Now – Only 50 Spots Available Agenda: 7:00 p.m. Bus leaves the Baymont Inn for Brewery 7:30 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. – Capital Brewery for pizza and beer 9:30 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. Bus to the Comedy Club 10:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Comedy Club Show 12:30 a.m. – Bus back to the Baymont Inn

Cost: $40.00 per person (Includes: transportation from & to hotel, beer & pizza at the brewery, comedy club ticket) (Drinks not included at the comedy club, Hotel room cost not included)

Hotel Information: Baymont Inn & Suites Madison West/Middleton WI West 8102 Excelsior Dr, Madison, WI 53717 Phone: (608) 831-7711 Room Rate: $79 .00 for both 10/14 & 10/15 (No two night minimum required, room rate guaranteed through 09/14/16) Name/Guest Name(s): _____________________________________________________________________________________ Agency/Company: __________________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________________ Cell #: ____________________________________________________________ Fax: _____________________________ Email: ____________________________________________________________________ Method of Payment: # People _______

Total amount: ___________

Check ______ Credit Card ______

Card # _________________________________________________ Ex Date _____________________ Cancelation Policy: Full refund if PIA Office is notified in writing by September 15th 2016 no refunds after September 15th 2016 only substitutions. Please Mail, E-mail or Fax Back to: PIA of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Rd. Madison, WI 53719 E-mail: mpenn@piaw.org • Fax: (866) 203-7461• register online at www.piaw.org

SEPTEMBER 16 7

OCI Administrative

Actions

Ted Nickel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Commissioner of the Office of Insurance

Madison, WIâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;OCI has taken the following administrative actions. In many of these cases the respondent denied the allegations but consented to the action taken. Any forfeitures paid in these administrative actions are deposited in the Common School Fund which is administered by the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. The earnings from this fund are distributed to all public K-12 schools in Wisconsin and are used by school libraries to purchase books. Copies of the administrative action orders may be viewed online at https://ociaccess.oci.wi.gov/OrderInfo/OrdInfo.oci. OCI is responsible for overseeing the operations and marketing of insurance companies and agents in Wisconsin. OCI encourages anyone with a question or a complaint regarding an insurance company or agent to contact the office at this tollfree telephone number: 1-800-236-8517.

Allegations

and

Actions Against Agents

Justin Baumann, 2733 N. University Dr., Apt. 202, Waukesha, WI 53188, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application.

six months. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction and administrative actions taken by the states of California, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maine, Delaware, and Alabama on a licensing application.

Sandra Fowler, 42 American Ave., Concord, NC 28025, had her insurance license revoked and was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $300.00. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to timely report administrative actions taken by the states of Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, and North Dakota; failing to comply with the terms of a previous Wisconsin administrative action; and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI.

Kelly J. Linster, 3645 Bailey Ridge Ct., Woodbury, MN 55125, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having administrative actions taken by the states of North Dakota and Minnesota.

Michael Glodoski, 219 Minshall Ave., Apt. 1, Viroqua, WI 54665, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application.

Danny C. Market, 240 W. Washington Ave., Fall Creek, WI 54742, agreed to the 60-day denial of his application for an insurance license and agreed to timely disclose this and any future administrative action, or any criminal or civil charges, to OCI. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to disclose criminal convictions on a licensing application, having a criminal conviction that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct, and failing to provide accurate information to OCI.

Robert M. Herb, 829 Renninger Rd., New Franklin, OH 44319, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Ohio on a licensing application. Jeffrey J. Hershberger, 1940 Easlan Dr., Plover, WI 54467, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application. Justin M. Howard, 3660 E. University Dr., Ste. 3, Mesa, AZ 85205, had his application for an insurance license denied for 8 SEPTEMBER 16

Katie A. Manor, 414 Red Pine Ave., Cameron, WI 54822, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Timothy M. Mogensen, S15W33156 US Hwy. 18, Delafield, WI 53018, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose criminal convictions on a licensing application. Samantha M. Peaslee, 602 Roosevelt Dr., West Bend, WI 53090, had her application for an insurance license denied for 60 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing (continued on page 10)

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OCI Administrative Actions (continued from page 8)

to disclose criminal convictions on a licensing application.

J. Herbert B. Sigmon, 700 Walnut Ridge Dr., Apt. 2018, Irving, TX 75028, had his application for an insurance license denied.

Michelle M. Samadany, 13611 S. Tracewood Bend, Houston, TX 77077, had her application for an insurance license denied for 60 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction and administrative actions taken by the state of Ohio on a licensing application. Michelle M. Samadany, 13611 S. Tracewood Bend, Houston, TX 77077, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of submitting a duplicate application to avoid a temporary denial that had been previously issued. Brian Schoenbeck, 602 Roosevelt Dr., West Bend, WI 53090, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application. Michael R. Severance, 7905 Pioneer Tr., Loretto, MN 55357, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Minnesota on a licensing application.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin on a licensing application, providing inaccurate information on a licensing application, and owing delinquent child support. Dawn M. Splittgerber, W8207 Wolf Dr., Pardeeville, WI 53954, had her application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose criminal convictions on a licensing application. Patricia C. Weisgerber, 1515 Vandenbroek Rd., Little Chute, WI 54140, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application, providing false information on a licensing application, and having unpaid civil money judgments. Antonio C. Williams, 8 Mt. Vernon Ct., Madison, WI 53704, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having unpaid civil money judgments and court costs.

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10 SEPTEMBER 16

What Is Your Agency Worth? That's one of the most frequent questions agency owners ask PIA. Members can now receive a professional valuation from a leading industry expert at a fraction of the industry standard pricing. Several options are available, depending on how detailed you want your evaluation to be. Take the guesswork out of valuing your most valuable asset by contacting John Dismukes. PIAW Members receive 10% off John Dismukes Agency Valuation and other services. Website: www.dismukestrainingandconsulting.com Email: jmdismukes@aol.com

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An Opportunity to enhance your

Renewal Process by Curtis M. Pearsall

If one were to survey insurance agencies, it is a fair bet that the process for evaluating a client’s exposure is pretty good on new business. While the initial step of securing a copy of the client’s current policies seems to be the norm, agencies typically will then take the time to evaluate the current coverage to try to find uninsured exposures. After all, this is an effective way to increase the chance of the “new agent” writing the account. Unfortunately, for many agencies, this is where the process often ends. Renewals get “renewed as is” and there is not a real concerted effort to identify uninsured exposures or to even mention coverages that were discussed during the new business process that the client did not purchase. In fact, it is probably fair to say that on renewals, the agency does not even communicate with the client except to mail the policies. Is this how things are done in your agency? Whether the account is a personal lines customer or a small commercial lines customer, there is a process that agents can follow to encourage their customers to notify them of some insurance issues. Large commercial accounts normally get some specialized handling but this process could certainly be considered for larger accounts as well. Agencies should mail (or e-mail) a renewal exposure questionnaire to the customer on an annual basis; this mailing is typically done 60 days prior to renewal. A cover letter should be attached that will explain the process and objective. The questionnaire should address exposures the customer should be aware of that are not insured. When refer-

12 SEPTEMBER 16

encing coverages for the customer to consider, use language such as “Other coverages to consider include but are limited to the following”. This lets customers know of some coverages but it is not possible to list them all. FYI, it is not necessary for the agency to follow up on the mailing. If the customer does not respond, language similar to the following is suggested: “Please note if you do not complete and return this questionnaire, your coverage will continue based on the information you previously provided.” Obviously for questionnaires that are returned, they should be promptly acted on. The questionnaire should include some “disclaimer type language” such as: • “Higher liability limits may be available” • “Please review your coverage and limits and contact the agency with any questions or changes”. Many agencies also include a reference to some common exclusions such as flood, earthquake, employment practices, etc. With most agency management systems, the mail merge capabilities should allow this process to be implemented quickly and efficiently. This is a very proactive loss prevention measure and hey, you may just find your agency writing more business! Curtis M. Pearsall, CPCU, AIAF, CPIA President, Pearsall Associates Inc. and Special Consultant to the Utica National E&O Program

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SEPTEMBER 16 15

4 Ways to Boost

Employee Performance and Job Satisfaction

by Ascanio Pignatelli

Kevin Wilson was a great leader, but his team was not producing the results he knew they were capable of. One day he arranged a meeting with Jim Hefner, a recently retired executive who had built and led a team that shattered every single company performance record. “Jim, how’d you build such an amazing team? They not only outperform the rest of us but they seem to have more energy, confidence and fun than anyone else.”

“Kevin, I’m a big fan and follower of (CSE). It’s a branch of industrial-organizational psychology known as Core Self-Evaluations. That’s what made us so successful. Ever heard of it?”

Jim is correct; as a leader, your primary focus should be to

Kevin shook his head, “No.”

satisfied with their work and perform it better. Fortunately,

Excitedly, Jim leaned in to explain: “Well, CSE is the personality trait responsible for our temperament, our wellbeing, and how we judge our circumstances. It also drives our behavior. Those with high CSE are far more positive and confident in their abilities, satisfied with their jobs and perform them far better than those with low CSE. As a manager, your job is to coach and raise each of your employees’ CSE levels.” 16 SEPTEMBER 16

personally coach the best out of your team members and raise their CSE levels. Doing so will ensure you are more CSE can be easily assessed and increased by:

Shif ting the “Locus of Control” The “Locus of Control” is determined by the extent to which a person believed they control their success or performance. Employees who believe that they control their future (Internals) have an internal locus of control and are

generally happier, more empowered, and more productive than those who attribute their success or performance to fate or their surroundings (Externals). As a result, internals are more satisfied with their work and perform better than externals. You can find out whether an employee is an internal or external by simply asking “What’s been responsible for your success/performance?” If the answer reveals an external locus of control shift power back to your employee by asking “How has believing that you aren’t causing your success affected your career?” Let them explain so they can really experience how they’ve been limiting themselves, then ask: “If you knew that you were in complete control of your success, what would be possible?

Increasing Emotional Intelligence Employees with a tendency to easily experience unpleasant emotions like anxiety, depression and despair have lower emotional intelligence (EQ) and will react far more negatively to stress. Because their EQ levels are lower, their ability to connect, understand and influence others is severely impaired. For Kevin and others in leadership positions, the need for emotional stability is even more paramount, as they are the face of the organization and set the tone for employee morale. If you have an employee that’s emotionally unstable consider asking: “What can you do to not get so stressed out next time you have a presentation/sales call)?” Or “What might be a more appropriate way to react to an upset client/ colleague?

• Evaluate to motivate—Rewards, recognition and positive feedback are key to helping your employees feel more competent, motivated and open to growth. Negative feedback can devastate those with low self-esteem, as they almost always take it personally. • Optimize the environment-—Create a vibrant, energetic, stress-free workplace that encourages your staff to get the nutrition, exercise, and rest they need so they can perform their best.

Increasing their Self-esteem Self-esteem is the approval we have of ourselves and the extent to which we see ourselves as capable, significant, successful, and worthy. It is the most essential of the CSE domains since workers with low self-esteem are often unproductive because they are indecisive, fear making mistakes and strive for perfection which leads to frustration when it isn’t attained. Generally they are highly irritable and pessimistic, and can drain the positive, enthusiastic energy of their more self-assured colleagues. Predictably, those with low self-esteem are more likely to be unsatisfied with their jobs, performing them considerably worse than those with higher self-esteem. To boost the self-esteem of your employees: • Recognize and celebrate their successes and accomplishments as much as possible. • Express your gratitude and appreciation to them for the contribution and difference they keep making.

Instilling Self-efficacy

• Be a model of kindness and compassion to others, especially those with lower self-esteem.

Self-efficacy is the trait responsible for how likely we are to succeed with current goals and tasks, or take on a challenging assignment or “write it off” as impossible. (How likely we are to adhere to a diet or workout program is dictated by our self-efficacy.)

Conclusion

Those with high self-efficacy are more determined and persistent when dealing with adversity, and more likely to welcome new challenges as opportunities. The greater a person’s belief in their own power to influence an outcome the more likely they are to succeed with a new challenge. The following four step process can help you develop someone else’s self-efficacy:

• Build confidence—Question any belief they might have that is limiting their performance. For example, if an employee thinks they aren’t experienced enough to manage a project you can remind them of their unique strengths and capabilities. • Promote modeling—Have inexperienced employees watch other colleagues with similar skills perform more advanced tasks so they too can develop those positive, “can-do” beliefs.

Jim Hefner understood that coaching the best out of his team meant raising their CSE levels. He did everything he could to raise those levels and as a result his team was always more satisfied with their work, performed it better, and were more confident, motivated and enthusiastic. They were also far less stressed, had less conflict, coped more effectively with setbacks and were better equipped at capitalizing on opportunities. To better engage, empower and motivate your greatest resource and boost the bottom line lead like Jim and raise those CSE levels.

Ascanio Pignatelli is an award winning speaker, seminar leader, coach and author of the forthcoming book "Lead from Need". He is the founder of ApexCEO, an executive coaching and leadership development group that helps C-level executives develop the leadership and communication skills to create more engaging workplaces. To book Ascanio for your next speaking event or workshop, please call him at 310.913.2313 or visit http://www.apexceo.com/. SEPTEMBER 16 17

Oprah, Arnold, and Peyton

Open a Competing Agency in Your Town

by John Chapin

Scary thought, right? Why? Because you know within three to five years they’d own 90 to 100% of the business in the area and if you weren’t out of business, you’d be hanging on by a shoestring. There are several reasons why this group, even with no prior experience in your industry, and even without their celebrity status to rely on, would absolutely dominate your market. Here they are.

Fortunately, we have an advantage over the competition. We have a Lion. Reason #1: Completely unreasonable, some might even

unreasonable commitment starts at the top and flows all the

say insane, commitment

way through the organization. How many negative people

If you called their business at midnight on Saturday, how long do you think it would be before you spoke to a live human? Either instantly or within five minutes. How many

will you find in the New England Patriots locker room? How many people not doing their job or not holding themselves and others accountable? Right. Zero.

times would you receive less than stellar customer service or

The amount of time, effort, and energy they put in is also

feel like a nuisance to the person answering the phone? Zero.

disproportional to what others would deem “reasonable.”

How many times would something not be followed up on?

They are always full-on, pedal-to-the-medal. Michael Phelps

Okay, you get the point. People at the top don’t judge them-

was in the pool for eight hours a day, every day, for years

selves and their organizations based upon what’s reasonable

before his first Olympics. The best know that seeking “bal-

or “acceptable”, they hold themselves, and those around

ance” will not get you to the top, never mind keep you there.

them, to the highest standard possible. This completely

You need to get unreasonable in what you expect of yourself

18 SEPTEMBER 16

and others if you’re going to get to and stay at the top.

Reason #2: Focus on differentiation and domination versus competing The great ones aren’t just looking to be better than the competition and win more business, they’re to be completely different and own the entire market. Look at any leader from Fed. Ex., to Apple, to Umpqua Bank. What do they have in common? They shifted the paradigm and completely changed the way their industry was looked at and perceived. Forget best practices. They went outside their industries and broke the mold to create something new. These leaders also take full advantage of any and all means at their disposal to win. The New England Patriots have used drop-kicks, eligible and ineligible receivers, linebackers chipping Marshall Faulk and receivers in Super Bowl XXXVI, and numerous other plays and concoctions that have the most experienced officials going to the rule book and instant replay... And other coaches and teams complaining afterwards. Do they push the envelope? Yes. Anyone great over the long haul does. The best aren’t simply looking for their slice of the pie, they want the whole pie. It amazes me how many companies tell me their annual growth target is something like 3%. And that is in a good market. In a good market you can hit 3% in a coma. If you asked Oprah, Arnold, and Peyton for their growth goal, what do you think it would be? 25% or more. Every year. Oprah, Arnold, and Peyton would also dominate the airwaves and soundwaves. You’d see and hear them everywhere. From Chambers of Commerce, to community events, to fund raisers, to radio, television, magazines, social media, billboards… They’d be ubiquitous. You wouldn’t be able to get away from them. Do as much business as possible at the highest service level possible. Exploit your advantages and do everything you can to ensure everyone knows about you and how you’re unique. Reason #3: An all-or-nothing, do-or-die, burn-the-boats mindset The great ones always play with desperation as if their life depends upon winning. Even when far ahead, the best still compete with urgency as if they are losing. They don’t wait for 9-11, a stock market crash, or an economic downturn to get motivated and moving. They chase business as if they are down to their last dollar and are facing serious threats to their business now. The best of the best turn over every stone, pursue every avenue, and make sure they’ve done everything possible to win. They burn the boats behind them, cut off all escape routes,

determined to win or die trying, there is no return home without victory.

Reason #4: Complete ownership and responsibility for success and failure The best know the economy, the market, the government, or anything else, does not determine victory or defeat, they do. They realize that, even in the most difficult conditions, someone is knocking it out of the park and doing more business in spite of the reason everyone else is using for failure. The best are contrarians. When everyone else is cutting costs and expenses in an attempt to survive, they double efforts and expand into the market place. They significantly increase efforts and outreach. The best create their own economies. Those at the top always focus on and get better at the basics of doing the work necessary, building relationships, getting better at selling, keeping a good attitude, preparing for the price objection, and building value. Remember that success is up to you, you own it and control it. Provided you have solid goals and strong enough reasons why you need to get there, you’ll get there. Reason #5: 100% Belief and conviction followed by massive action, persistence, and perseverance The best know they are going to exceed their goals and completely dominate their market and that is their single, laser focus. There is simply no doubt they are going to win their industry’s version of the Super Bowl. They take massive action, again, some would say unreasonable, insane action, to make it happen. Whereas most people far underestimate the amount of work it will take to achieve a goal, the best far overestimate the amount of effort necessary and get to work with a raging fire in their belly. And if they fail? They continue until they succeed. No white flags… no retreat, no surrender. John Chapin is a sales and motivational speaker and trainer. For his free newsletter, or if you would like him to speak at your next event, go to: www.completeselling.com. John has over 28 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: "Sales Encyclopedia". For permission to reprint, e-mail: johnchapin@completeselling.com . John Chapin # 1 Sales Rep w 28+ years’ experience, Author of the 2010 sales book of the year: SALES ENCYCLOPEDIA (Axiom Book Awards) - The largest sales book on the planet (678 pages). 508-243-7359 - 24/7 johnchapin@completeselling.com www.completeselling.com LINKEDIN: once logged in find me under: johnchapin1 FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/johnjchapin TWITTER: http://twitter.com/johnjchapin SEPTEMBER 16 19

Claims Handling: Listen to the Clients by Al Diamond

For many years, insurance carriers have been asking, suggesting and demanding that agents pass insureds directly to the carrier for effective and efficient claims handling. From a logical standpoint, agents are representatives of the carriers through which they are appointed. Eliminating a step in the process should speed the claims efforts and allow the carriers to respond quicker to the needs of their clients. However, what the carriers fail to understand or acknowledge is the role of the agents in the client relationship, which either cements the clients to their independent agents, or proves that, once sold, the claims relationship is between the insured and the carrier.

More than a decade ago, we conducted a series of focus groups throughout the U.S. to determine why clients use independent agents. The results were consistent across the country: The top-two reasons clients used independent agencies were claims and variety of choices. Not surprisingly, those who participated in the focus groups suggested that captive and direct writers had limited product choices, which left the customers with products that might not quite suit them, but they were the only offering available to them. On the other hand, professional, independent agents represent many carriers and have a much larger variety of choices of products and coverages as well as pricing choices. However, the greatest response achieved was with respect to claims handling: The majority of participants agreed that insurance companies were most concerned with controlling their costs and this translated into paying as little as possible to settle claims. Consumers assumed that independent agentsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;by representing many carriersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;would be more concerned with the well-being of the insureds and would participate and aid the insured in the claims process. The focus-group participants assumed that their agents would be watching out for the best interest of the customer and would assure proper treatment of the client in a claim. Conversely, they equated captive and direct writing agents as employees of the insurance company and under the control of the carrier in the claims process.

20 SEPTEMBER 16

Lessons from the focus groups What the focus groups tell us is that the clients of independent agents believed that their commission dollars were being used to: 1. Market their insurance needs to many carriers to assure they were placed with the best company and at competitive rates each year; and 2. That their agents would watch their back in the claims process to make sure they were handled properly, fairly and equitably by the insurance company. With this in mind, we are reminded that insurance carriers have spent a great deal of time and effort to instruct their agents to simply pass claims directly to the carrier. The company is concerned over the time and delays that may be caused by agent interventions, but they have not fully considered the public relations and the relationship aspect of claims on the client/agent relationship. The client is using the carrier, in part, because of the independent agentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involvement and recommendation. The goodwill of the agent is transferred to the carrier when a policy is sold with the promise of fair handling in the event of a loss. The greatest proof of this occurs when claims are reported and the clients are treated how the agents told them they would be.

The agents should be side by side with the insureds telling them how the claims process will work; and following up to

assure the clients of proper adjustment and prompt settlement. Unfortunately, most intervention of agents occurs when the client already is upset by delays or perceived problems during the claims process. By omitting the agent from the claims follow-up process, the carrier has forced the client/agent relationship to be defined by the complaints and problems that occur during a claim rather than by the smooth claims handling that occurs with the client’s agent at his or her side.

C LA SSIFIED A D

Insurance Agency Owners We urge professional, independent agents to listen to clients when they tell us that the care of the client by the agent during a claim is a primary reason the customer uses independent agents and a real positive motivation to continue to be insured in the independent agency network of carriers.

Avoid unpleasant surprises when important customers make a claim. We provide knowledgeable, impartial and completely confidential review of your key P&C files. Benefits include: • Coverage gap identification • Risk management suggestions beyond insurance coverage

Diamond is the president of Agency Consulting Group Inc., a national consulting firm for independent agents in the U.S. and brokers in Canada and the author of the PIPELINE, a national newsletter of agency principals in continuous monthly publication since 1987. Contact Diamond at al@agencyconsulting.com, through agencyconsulting.com or by calling (800) 779-2430.

—Reprinted with permission from PIA Management Services Inc.—

• Suggestions to increase account revenues • Agency E&O claims reduction • Protection from loss of significant customers to competitors We offer 30 years of industry know-how, including litigation expertise related to agent E&O claims. Contact: Kevin Glaser, CPCU, CIC, SCLA, ARM, AAI, AIC, ARM-P, AIS President RISC Phone: 262-569-0929

PIAW Member Benefit

Email: kevin@riscllc.com

As a PIAW Member you can receive FREE sample producer contracts and employee contracts from PIAW! Developed for PIAW by an employment law attorney, these contracts contain non-compete and non-piracy clauses as well as other standard employment provisions. We can send them to you via email as word documents so you can customize them with your agency information. Call or email Mandy at (800) 261-7429; mpenn@piaw.org for information or to order.

Tools & Solutions that work for your business

SEPTEMBER 16 21

education

33 Topics in 2016! Each Approved for 2 or 3 WI CE Credits. Live. No Test. No Proctor. Visit the Education tab at piaw.org for a complete list of topics, descriptions, webinar demo, and to register. Several approved for Utica credit. Ethics is offered each month. Fee per Webinar: $55 PIAW Member, $70 Non Member – Includes WI CE fees.

September 2016 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

Words Mean Things and Insurance is a Foreign Language 3 CE # 71019, Utica Approved

9/7

12-3p

Jerry Hargrove, J.D., CIC, CPIA, SCLA, FCLA, PICS, LICS

Food Borne Illness and Insurance Coverage 3 CE # 71001

9/8

12-3p

Jerry Hargrove, J.D., CIC, CPIA, SCLA, FCLA, PICS, LICS

Flood Insurance – FEMA Approved 3 CE # 1011252

9/13

12-3p

Jerry Hargrove, J.D., CIC, CPIA, SCLA, FCLA, PICS, LICS

E&O Loss Prevention 3 CE # 1010749, Utica Approved

9/14

8-11a

Becky Lathrop, CIC, CPIA

Health Insurance: Myths, Truths and Solutions 3 CE # 1011195

9/15

12-3p

Karin Klaassen, CLU, LUTCF

Ethics: Taking it to the Streets 3 Ethics CE # 70999, Utica Approved

9/20

1-4p

Chris Amrhein, AAI

Not Your Grandpa’s Globe: Recognizing & Insuring Supply Chain Interruption 2 CE #71016 Certificates and Additional Insureds: Navigating the Maze 3 CE # 1011192

9/21

1-3 P

Kevin Amrhein, CIC

9/22

12-3p

Catherine Trischan, CPCU, CRM, CIC, ARM, AU, AAI, CRIS, MLIS

Time Element for Commercial Risks 3 CE # 1011193

9/26

12-3p

Catherine Trischan, CPCU, CRM, CIC, ARM, AU, AAI, CRIS, MLIS

Weatherstripping the CGL: Drafts, Gaps, Forms and Fixes 3 CE # 1011188

9/27

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, AAI

Social Networking: OMG or E&O 3 CE # 69871, Utica Approved

9/28

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, AAI

Life Insurance Concepts for the P&C Agency 3 CE #70600

9/29

12-3p

Jerry Rhinehart, CIC, CLU, ChFC, RHU

Register online at piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429. Contact Brenda for in-house webinar opportunities. bsteinbach@piaw.org 22 SEPTEMBER 16

education

Certified Insurance Service Representative Open to Anyone!

7 WI CE Credits Course #69367

INSURING PERSONAL AUTO EXPOSURES

After taking this course, students will be able to assist clients in identifying their exposures and more effectively advise them in the processes of analyzing, obtaining and modifying their personal automatic policies.

• • • • • •

Introduction to the Personal Auto Policy Liability Coverages Medical payments/Personal Injury Protection Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Coverage Coverage for Damage to Your Auto Coverage for a Rented Vehicle

SEPTEMBER 14 • ROTHSCHILD SEPTEMBER 15 • MADISON

CLASS SCHEDULE Instruction

Course Instructor Denise Semrow CIC, CISR, ASI SECURA Insurance

Group Lunch Optional Exam

8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

$170 Per Course Includes Lunch

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Certified Insurance Service Representative Open to Anyone!

7 WI CE Credits Course #69328

INSURING PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

This course gives you the expertise you need to guide your customers through the often complex and confusing process of purchasing homeowners insurance — and help them make decisions that insure their most valuable assets.

• • • •

Introduction to the Homeowners Policy Homeowners Policy Section I SEPTEMBER 20 • Waukesha Homeowners Policy Section II Tenants, Unit-Owners, and the Dwelling Policy

$170 Per Course

CLASS SCHEDULE Instruction Group Lunch

Course Instructor

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR Springfield, IL

Optional Exam

8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Includes Lunch

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 16 23

education

Certified Insurance Service Representative

Open to Anyone!

7 WI CE Credits Course #69357

Elements of Risk Management

Insurance professionals need training in the risk management process for two reasons. First, insurance is an integral part of their client’s overall risk management program. Second, services provided by carriers, agencies and brokerages are often significant items in the organization’s cost of risk. In this course we will cover each of the five powerful steps in this process, which protects not only the organization’s assets, but also its mission and its brand.

• • • * • •

The Risk Management Process & Risk Terms Risk Identification Risk Analysis Risk Control Risk Finance Risk Administration

October 27

Patti Gardner CIC, CRM, CPCU

Green Bay

$170 Per Course

CLASS SCHEDULE Course Instructor

•

Instruction 8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. Group Lunch 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Optional Exam 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Includes Lunch

O n -L i n e e d u c a t i O n

Open to Anyone & Everyone !

For The New Employee - No CE 6-8 Week Virtual Classroom •

• • •

New Agency Employee Orientation Delivering Quality Service Personal Lines Coverage Basics Commercial Lines Coverage Basics

Pre-Licensing Education Webinars: 2-3 WI CE, No Exam, No Proctor •

Over 20 Topics

Hot Topics: 4 WI CE • • •

Variety of Coverage Topics Ethics Flood

All 9 CISR Courses – 8 WI CE All 5 CIC Institutes – 20 WI CE 24 SEPTEMBER 16

www.piaw.org

2016 CPIA Scholarship Sponsors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Thank You! education

Contact Brenda to become a sponsor of this fantastic sales education series. bsteinbach@piaw.org

Wisconsin's Outstanding CSR of the Year Robyn Henslin, CIC, CISR with Cobb, Strecker Dunphy & Zimmerman has been selected as one of four national finalists. She will receive a gold and garnet pin and $500 cash award. Good luck to Robyn in the final competition! Read Robyn's winning essay at piaw.org

SEPTEMBER 16 25

education

STAND OUT! Set yourself apart with the CPIA designation. The PIA of Wisconsin is a proud sponsor of the Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) professional designation program. The CPIA designation is comprised of a series of Insurance Success Seminars. These three, one-day workshops teach practical "before", "during", and "after" the sale techniques for insurance producers, sales managers, account managers and company marketing representatives. Completion rule, 3 years from first course. No exams. You do not need to commit to all three to attend one. Participants leave with ideas that will produce increased sales results immediately. In fact, The Insurance Success Seminars are guaranteed: Implement the principles covered in these sessions and experience a 20% increase in personal production within six months, or your registration fee will be refunded! To maintain the CPIA designation: fulfill a bi-annual update by attending one of the three core seminars, an Advanced Insurance Success Seminar, a Pro-to-Pro Retreat, or maintain an active Level 2 or Level 3 membership in the AIMS Society. The CPIA designation is approved by Utica Mutual as part of the premium discount program.

The AIMS Society is a national organization dedicated to providing i nteractive marketing and sales training, ongoing resources and networking opportunities to insurance professionals. www.aimssociety.org You can attend the CPIA courses in any order. No Test. Approved for 7 Wisconsin CE credits. CPIA 1 - Position for Success

CPIA 2 - Implement for Success

CPIA 3 - Sustain Success

During this program, participants are encouraged to focus on internal and external factors affecting the development of effective business development plans. Factors discussed include a review of the state of the insurance marketplace; analysis of competitive pressures; necessary insurance carrier underwriting criteria; and consumer expectations and understanding.

During this session participants will be provided with specific tools for analyzing consumer needs; will learn to utilize risk identification techniques to gather pertinent prospect information; will develop skills necessary to assimilate information gathered into a customized protection program; and will participate in exercises designed to promote effective delivery of proven solutions.

This program focuses on fulfilling the implied promises contained in the insuring agreement. Students will review methods of providing evidence of insurance coverage; will discuss policies and procedures for controlling E&O including policy review and delivery, endorsements, claimsprocessing, and handling of client complaints. This course includes a review of the Professional Expectations; the Law of Agency; and Legal and Ethical Standards.

WI CE Course # 65338

WI CE Course # 65340

WI CE Course # 65339

Course Schedule 8:30 – 4:00 Lunch On Your Own 12:00 – 12:45 Registration Fee per Seminar: Includes Seminar Materials, coffee a.m. & soda p.m.  PIAW Member $165.00 or $172.00 includes WI CE fee  Non Member $200.00 or $207.00 includes WI CE fee CPIA 1 – April 12, 2016

CPIA 3 – June 16, 2016

CPIA 2 – December 14, 2016

Holiday Inn West Waukesha, WI

Radisson Appleton, WI

Crowne Plaza Madison, WI

26 SEPTEMBER 16

Gives You the Credit You Deserve! The following PIAW education classes are approved for the Utica premium credit. • Any CIC Update • CIC Agency Management • CISR Agency Operations • Dynamics of Service • Select PIAW Webinars • PIAW Conducted Ethics and E&O Seminars (classroom or in house) To register online and view upcoming CE courses visit www.piaw.org

Please contact Darcy at PIAW to find out how you can benefit from Utica’s E&O Loss Control Program. dbrown@piaw.org or 1-800-261-7429

CIC Commercial Casualty / July 2016 West Bend Mutual Insurance Company and PIA of Wisconsin co-hosted this full house institute. 129 attendees enjoyed outstanding training facilities and West Bend Mutual’s gracious hospitality.

l/r: Robert Jacques, CIC, CRM, CPCU, AIC – West Bend Mutual, Kelly Tighe, CIC – West Bend Mutual, Jodi Cordes, CIC, CRM – PIA Vice President/A.F. Glass Insurance Center, Brenda Steinbach – PIA, Tim McClendon, CIC, CWCA – CIC Faculty, John Dismukes, CIC, CPCU, AAI, AIS – PIA Education Consultant, Linda Luka, CPCU,CISR,CIIP,AAI,AIS,DAE – West Bend Mutual SEPTEMBER 16 27

education

Utica

education

Certified Insurance Counselor Each Approved for 20 Wisconsin CE Credits

COMMERCIAL property

agency management

September 21-23, 2016 Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport 414-764-5300 $105 PIA room rate through 8/2/16 • commercial property coverages & endorsements • COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CAUSE OF LOSS FORMS & ENDORSEMENTS Terry Tadlock, CIC, CPCU, CRIS

• agency organizations • understanding & managing financial strength • Agency planning Rebecca Lathrop, CIC, CPIA

• TIME ELEMENT COVERAGES Patti Gardner, CIC, CRM, CPCU

• human resources • AGENCY PRODUCTIVITY & EFFECTIVENESS William Toll, CIC

• commercial inland marine coverages • commercial crime • businessowners policies Patrick Deem Sr., CIC

Day One: 8:00 – 5:15

• LEGAL & ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES John Dismukes, CIC, CPCU, AAI, AIS

WI CE Course # 69155 4 of 20 are Ethics and Utica Approved

WI CE Course # 69299

December 13-15, 2016 Crowne Plaza — Madison, WI 888-233-9527 $103 PIA room rate through 11/12/16

Day Two: 8:00 – 5:00

Day Three: 8:00 – noon, Optional Exam 2:00 – 4:00

$405.00 per institute. Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429.

PEOPLE WHO EARNED THIS ALSO EARNED MORE

30,900 MORE OF THESE

PER YEAR.

If you’re looking to jump start a new career or make more with the one you are in, education is your best investment. Now, more than ever, it is important to invest in your greatest assets—yourself and your people. According to The National Alliance Producer Profile, commercial lines producers with the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation earn 30% more than those without the designation. To learn more about the CIC Program, call or visit us on the web.

The most successful training programs for insurance professionals

28 SEPTEMBER 16

November 9-12, 2016 Brookfield, WI

Conducted by PIA and The National Alliance Register directly with The National Alliance at www.thenationalalliance.com

The Certified Risk Manager courses provide you with an in-depth knowledge about today’s highest priorities – identifying, analyzing, controlling, financing, and administering operational risks – as well as political risks, catastrophic loss exposures, third-party exposures, fiduciary exposures, employee injury exposures, juridical risks, legal risks, and more – whether insurable or not. The skills you learn will make you more proactive and valuable to your organization in discovering how risks can interrupt the flow of earnings and how to protect against it. • Principles of Risk Management • Analysis of Risk • Control of Risk • Financing of Risk • Practice of Risk Management

Take all five CRM courses and pass all five CRM exams within five calendar years after you complete your first CRM exam. Each course is 2½ days of instruction, followed by an optional exam. Any eligible individual may attend classes without taking the examinations or receive 20 WI CE.

CIC Ruble seminars Exciting update options, they fill up quickly. October 26 & 27 | Graduate | Radisson – Green Bay, WI*

March 23 & 24 | Graduate| Hilton Garden – Milwaukee, WI* 16 WI CE (*Includes 4 optional Ethics) visit www.piaw.org or call PIA at 1-800-261-7429

On-Line Insurance Pre-licensing Education

Exam FX

www.piaw.org

Online Training & Assessment

Pass your insurance test fast. Start producing faster.

Insurance and Securities Pre-license Training SEPTEMBER 16 29

education

CRM – Control of Risk

Seven Rules

For Getting

by John Graham

to the Top in Sales

It’s amazing. So many salespeople with great potential either drop out or have limited success. Most have good skills, possess the right attitude, and want to get ahead. But something holds them back. What are they missing? Simply put, they don’t know the rules for getting to the top. Here are seven that will help do the job:

1. Do it now The world has changed and the message for everyone is fast forward. Wells Fargo’s FastFlex sm Small Business Loan program tells the story. Online and funded as quickly as the next business day, there are no meetings with a loan officer, no filling out paper work, being told “decisions are made 30 SEPTEMBER 16

locally” or waiting for a response. Enough, all ready! This is what customers expect. Salespeople stumble because they don’t do it now. They don’t get back to customers quickly, whether it’s responding to a question, solving a problem, or getting them promised information. Customers expect it done now and it’s savvy salespeople who get the message—and the order.

2. Hoard time Only top salespeople grasp that they have only a limited amount of their most important asset: time. It’s not renewable. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. So, don’t let distractions rob you of your time. The worst of these is assuming that every prospect can become a cus-

tomer by working hard enough. That’s total nonsense. And this is why thorough prospect analysis helps avoids wasting valuable time chasing the wrong ones.

A prospect analysis answers two questions: Who are my best customers? Why do I like working with them? Go after similar prospects and pass on the rest.

“Confident driving is better driving.” It works because it’s Mazda in a nutshell. Once a customer sees that picture, there’s time to fill in the specifics and give meaning to the picture. But without the picture, the details are just more stuff. Hammermill’s Copy Plus paper is another example. Faced with an array of choices, why buy Hammermill even if the price is similar or higher? Having the right message: “99.99% Jam-FreeTM Guarantee.” A simple, clear, and compelling sales message pulls customers.

3. Corral optimism Plain and simple, a positive attitude keeps us going. Selling takes tons of optimism to get past ever-present rejections. But optimism is not without a dangerous downside: it can get in our way so we only see what we want to see. Success requires the ability to spot obstacles and come up with a plan to either get past them or put them aside and move on, rather than pursuing them. New York University psychology professor Gabriele Oettingen has come up with a way to move forward toward a goal by being both optimistic and realistic. She calls it WOOP: • Wish: What’s my goal? • Outcome: What would be the best result if you accomplished it?

6. Brand yourself Just because someone says you’re a great salesperson or your resume boasts of sales records and awards, it’s not enough. All that’s not enough to set you apart as unique—as one of a kind. There’s a reason why Cheerios is the number one cereal: it’s branded. Eating Cheerios is good for your heart. To take control of your career, think branding, personal branding. How do you want to be thought of as a salesperson? In other words, what’s your brand? Is it that you’re good at working with tough customers? Do you have a knack for turning around difficult situations? Do you have expertise in mapping out sales strategy? Or, do you have the skill to simplify complex issues? Whatever it might be that makes you unique, develop it so it becomes your personal brand.

• Obstacle: What’s stopping me from accomplishing it? • Plan: What do I need to do to overcome it?

7. Put the past aside

4. Talk less

This is a tough one since the past is always with us. So, though it’s necessary to being tops in selling, putting it aside isn’t easy. Salespeople thrive on telling “war stories” of their sales “accomplishments,” even though the facts fade and they’re often exaggerated in an effort to impress associates and customers.

Salespeople talk too much. What’s even worse, their words are mostly automatic. Press their button and outcomes the same blather every time. It makes no difference who the customer may be, the words are always the same. It’s like a doctor prescribing the same pill for every patient.

What happens, of course, is that salespeople can be betrayed by their own words. Their braggadocio puts the spotlight on them instead of the customer, on the past instead of the present moment, and on the useless instead of what’s important. Rather than helping to gain sales, it ends in losing customers.

Customers know what they’re getting when they hear nothing but tattered scripts from the mouths of salespeople. It’s so easy to fall into a pattern of talking about what we’re selling. It’s as if the customer isn’t even there. Instead of engaging prospects, endless words drive them away confused.

Taken together, these seven rules for success in sales may be something of a surprise. They may not make the adrenaline flow or create much excitement. In fact, they may seem rather ordinary. But for some, they may also make sense.

Knowing how to put optimism to work can transform hope into goals, including making sales a reality. And, as you might guess, there’s a WOOP app that can help and it’s free.

5. Simplif y The best salespeople make it easy for customers to get their message. That’s what Mazda does with the tagline,

John Graham of GrahamComm is a marketing and sales strategy consultant and business writer. He is the creator of “Magnet Marketing,” and publishes a free monthly eBulletin, “No Nonsense Marketing & Sales Ideas.” Contact him at jgraham@grahamcomm. com, 617-774-9759 or johnrgraham.com. SEPTEMBER 16 31

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For more detailed information on the study's methodology and findings, contact David Corum at (484) 831-9046, or by email at corum@TheInstitutes.org. To obtain a copy of the study, visit the RIC's website at www.insurance-research.org.

PROTECTING THE EARTH FROM SPACE INVADERS An asteroid killed off the dinosaurs millions of years ago. Fortunately, we humans have a few tricks up our sleeve if another one threatens our civilization. And the possibility is real: In 2036, an asteroid dubbed Apophis will pass within 10,000 miles of Earth. Scientists estimate that the chances of a collision are remote, maybe as low as 45,000 to 1. But they're still thinking of ways to avoid global catastrophe. Here are some of the options: • Gravity pull. An unmanned spaceship could be sent to intercept the asteroid. Its gravitational pull, though weak, could tug the rock off course just enough to take it safely away from Earth's orbit. • Crash. Humans could send a spacecraft to slam into the asteroid's surface. Launched from sufficient distance, the ship could gain enough force to deflect the planet-killer off its path. • Drilling. Under this scenario, spaceships would land on the asteroid and drill beneath its surface, pumping out material with enough force to shove the interloper in a new direction. • Mirrors. Orbiting mirrors—up to 5,000 of them—could focus sunlight on the asteroid and melt away enough material to alter its deadly course. Simply blowing up Apophis, or any other asteroid probably wouldn't work, because the resulting chunks of rock could still pose a threat—and they'd be harder to deal with.

Smart executives know that they do the things they need to do when they need to do them so someday they can do the things they want to do when they want to do them.

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36 SEPTEMBER 16

D o Y o u Di s p l a y t h e P i A logo? Let your customers and prospects know they are dealing with a Professional Insurance Agent. This logo sets you apart from the competition and shows you are committed to the standards of professionalism. The Novak Agency in Kewaunee proudly shows the PIA logo on their building and agency correspondence. Send pictures of your agency signage, showing the PIA logo, and we will feature the photos in future editions of Wisconsin Professional Agent magazine.

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PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN, INC. OFFICERS DIRECTORS STAFF Mr. Rick Clements, LUTCF, MDRT President Clements Ins. Agency, Inc. 317 N. 6th St. Wausau, WI 54402 Phone 715-842-1664 Fax 715-848-3337 rick@clementsagency.com

Mr. Thomas Budzisz BWO Insurance Group, LLC 2111 E Rawson Ave. Oak Creek, WI 53154 Phone 414-768-8100 Fax 414-768-8110 tom@bwoinsurance.com

Mr. Michael Keener, CIC Keener Insurance Solutions, LLC W 175 N11081 Stonewood Dr Ste 105 Germantown, WI Phone 262-293-9144 Fax 262-293-9254 michael@keenersolutions.com

Mr. Brian MacGillis, CPIA Vice President MacGillis Agency, Inc. W3934 County Highway H PO Box 100 Fredonia, WI 53021-0100 Phone 262-790-0000 Fax 262-790-0004 brian@macgillisinsurance.com

Mr. Jeremy Cordova, CIC Cordova Agency, Inc. 716 E 2nd St. Merrill, WI Phone 715-536-9576 Fax 715-539-3349 jeremy.cordova@cordovaagency.com

Mr. John W. Klinzing, CIC Affiliated Ins. Agencies of WI, LLC 3830 Atwood Ave. Madison, WI 53714 Phone 608-310-3924 Fax 608-441-8787 johnk@affiliatedllc.com

Ms. Sandy L. Hardrath, CIC, CPIA Ansay & Associates 4712 Expo Dr. Manitowoc, WI 54220 Phone 920-370-4283 Fax 920-682-7799 Sandy.Hardrath@Ansay.com

Mr. Dennis Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA PIAW National Director Robertson Ryan & Associates Inc. 330 E Kilbourn Ave. Suite 650 Milwaukee, WI 53202 414-271-1561 Fax 414-271-3012 dkuhnke@robertsonryan.com

Ms. Jodi Cordes, CIC, CRM Treasurer A.F. Glass Insurance Center P.O. Box 1149 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Phone 262-248-5555 Fax 262-248-5544 jcordes@glassinsurancecenter.com

Ms. LouAnn Herriges, CIC, CISR Anderson's Insurance Associates 17500 W. Liberty Lane New Berlin, WI 53151 Phone 262-789-8500 Fax 262-754-6038 louannh@iaanetwork.com

38 SEPTEMBER 16

October 2016

Coming Events

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September 2016

Mr. Matt Cranney, CIC, CRM Secretary M3 Insurance Solutions, Inc. 3133 W Beltline Hwy Madison, WI 53713 Phone 608-273-0655 Fax 608-273-7783 matt.cranney@m3ins.com

Mr. Sean M. Paterson, CIC Allied Insurance Centers, Inc. 12750 W. North Ave. Brookfield, WI 53005 Phone 262-782-5373 Fax 262-782-6327 spaterson@alliedinsurancecenters.com

PIA of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Road Madison WI 53719 Phone: 608-274-8188 Toll Free: 800-261-7429 Fax: 608-274-8195 Toll Free Fax: 866-203-7461 www.piaw.org Ronald Von Haden, CIC Executive Vice President rvonhaden@piaw.org Darcy Brown, CPIA Member Benefits Coordinator dbrown@piaw.org Heather Falk, CISR Bookkeeping hfalk@piaw.org Mandy Penn Executive Assistant mpenn@piaw.org Becca Prestbroten Administrative Assistant bprestbroten@piaw.org Brenda Steinbach Education & Convention Director bsteinbach@piaw.org

14 , 15

CISR PERSONAL AUTO Rothschild, Madison (7 WI CE)

CISR PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL Waukesha (7 WI CE)

21-23

CIC COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Milwaukee (20 WI CE)

26-27

CIC James K. Ruble Graduate Seminar Green Bay (16 WI CE, 4 of 16 are optional Ethics)

CISR Elements of Risk Management Green Bay (7 WI CE)

9-12

CRM CONTROL OF RISK Brookfield (20 WI CE)

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6, 7

CISR COMMERCIAL CASUALTY 2 Madison, Green Bay (7 WI CE)

13-15

CIC AGENCY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE Madison (20 WI CE, 4 are Ethics)

CPIA 2 – Implement for success M adison (7 WI CE)

25-27

CIC COMMERCIAL CASUALTY INSTITUTE Milwaukee (20 WI CE)

15-17

CIC COMMERCIAL PROPERTY INSTITUTE Madison (20 WI CE)

23-24

JAMES K. RUBLE GRADUATE SEMINAR Milwaukee (16 WI CE credits, 4 of 16 are optional Ethics)

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