February 2019 Professional Agent

PROFESSIONAL AGENT February 2019

What's Inside?

Your Member Benefits......... 5 The Agency Proposal......... 11 Have Your Best Sales Year in 2019.......................... 12 Crack the Prospect Code..................... 14 Make Your Sales Message Memorable......... 16 What I Learned.................... 18 Education Section............... 21 Wisconsinites Are Receiving More Robocalls................... 27 Benefits of Amazing Service.................................. 28

2018-2019 PIAW Board of Directors

The Overlooked Management Tool............... 30 Sabotaging Your Sales Career........................ 34

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

FEATURED MEMBER BENEFIT:

Business Valuation See details on page...... 32

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From the

President Matt Cranney, CIC, CRM — President, PIA of Wisconsin

Half Time Report As you read this it will be February and I feel pretty confident in saying that as you look out any window you will see snow or at the very least, people in winter jackets. If you are like me, this sure makes the warm days of summer seem like a long way away! However, one thing I am learning more and more as I get older is that time seems to only be speeding up, and that has absolutely been the case so far in my time as Board President.

Unbelievably we are half way through this PIA year and the convention in August will be here before we know it and I wanted to take some of my own advice from my last article to stop, pause and share with you some of the amazing work we have done together at this half way point in our story, and to celebrate our progress towards the goals I laid out for us back at our convention in August.

By far our biggest accomplishment is the execution of our succession plan for PIA leadership. As I write this article our new Executive Director, Pete Hanson, is officially on staff and beginning the process to learn all about our organization and more importantly, about all of you, our members. We are incredibly blessed that Pete gets to do this alongside Ron Von Haden until the end of April when Ron retires. This transition is positioning the PIA for an amazingly bright future and I can’t wait for all of you to get to know Pete!

I am also extremely proud of all of the work being done by our committees and task forces! One of my biggest takeaways at this half way point in my story as President is being blown away by the level of engagement, skill and commitment that all of our committee and task force members show. This work is above and beyond their already significant commitments to their agencies and carriers, and it has reminded me how fortunate we are to work in an industry where the value of service and

serving have not been forgotten.

Our Agent Technology Task has been working hard to evaluate our website and is in the process of preparing recommendations for our Board on ways to improve and streamline our online interactions with you. The Young Professionals Committee has a great golf day in store for all of you with some really great enhancements, and has also been uncovering data around the impact of our scholarships that you are going to be blown away by. Our Agent Services Task Force has been hard at work learning from you, what you need from the PIA as it relates to perpetuation. Our Legislative committee has been hard at work during a massive time of change to make sure the interests of agents remain at the forefront at the Capitol building even as the names and faces change. I am also so proud of the work being done by our membership and education committees to add even more value to your PIA membership. Lastly our convention committee has an amazing two days in store for you at the Chula Vista Resort on Wednesday August 7th through Thursday August 8th. Our theme is “Looking Back, Looking Forward” and I want to encourage you all to save the dates on your calendars now as you won’t want to miss out!

Hopefully you can get a sense for the level of excitement and action that is going on inside your association right now.

We know that no game is won at half time, but as a Board, as committee and task force members and as staff, we are energized and truly excited for the second half of our year. We are in a great position to keep our foot on the gas and arrive at convention in August where we will have a chance all together to “Look Back, Look Forward” and be immensely proud of all we achieved together.

SAV E T H E D A T E !

FEBRUARY 19 3

Memos from

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

Customer Satisfaction at an All-time High...

HOME INSURANCE Customer Satisfaction at an All-time High: Homeowners’ insurance customer satisfaction has hit recordbreaking levels, a new survey by J.D. Power has found. This year’s scores are the highest J.D. Power has seen in the history of its “US Home Insurance Study” series. On a 1,000-point scale, this year’s study posted an all-time high of 818 among homeowners (+10 from 2017) and 839 among renters (+5 from 2017). The market research firm found that this increase was driven by “an increase in the proportion of customers who bundle policies and improvements in digital interaction channels.” J.D. Power found that preference for using digital channels for interaction with insurers has significantly increased since last year. These interactions include payment verification and billing inquiries to policy renewals and price quotes. Notably, the firm found that while the increased digital preference is evident in all generational groups of home insurance customers, Gen Y and Gen Z were the groups that most preferred the accessibility. Policy bundling has also become a very popular trend that has caught on with consumers, the study found. Customers with multiple policies with a single home insurer reported higher satisfaction and are likely to advocate on behalf of their carrier, J.D. Power revealed. The firm also found that overall satisfaction among customers with six or more bundled policies averaged 863 – 111 points higher than among those with just one home insurance product. This information was reprinted from an article found in Insurance Business America.

well acquainted with some of our Wisconsin representatives and their staff and knew which members of Congress would welcome my visits and those that would always pass me off to staff who would only give the appearance of listening to the PIA positions on issues.

A MEMORY from my more than 30 trips to Washington D.C. to talk with members of Congress on behalf of agents was burned into my brain about 15 years ago. I had become

AND REMEMBER…..The person who rows the boat generally does not have time to rock it.

I always enjoyed great, friendly visits with one particular Congressman who would chat about Wisconsin sports during the entire visit and then simply tell me to leave my position papers on his desk since we agreed on almost every issue.

On one visit, I was in the outer office, chatting with staff when a call from behind a closed door said “I know that voice, have Ron come right in.” I entered the private office to find the Congressman dressed in jeans and a tee shirt, having just flown in from Wisconsin. He was in a hurry to get to the floor of the House of Representatives for an upcoming vote and had to change into a suit to be presentable in that chamber.

As we talked, he took off his jeans and grabbed a suit out of a closet. Pants, shirt, tie and jacket all went on without missing a beat in the conversation about Badger basketball. I was a little unnerved to be standing in the office of a United States Congressman while he changed from being the guy next door to a leader of the greatest nation on earth. I learned that the old saying is true…they put their pants on one leg at a time, just like we all do.

ATTENTION PIAW MEMBERS Save the Date – Ron’s Retirement Open House.

Please set aside April 18th, 2019, late afternoon, in Madison for celebration of Ron’s commitment to the PIAW. More details will follow in next few weeks.

4 FEBRUARY 19

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✦ AVYST eFORMS WIZARD. Quickly and easily prepare ACORD, agency-specific, and carrier-unique applications and forms, entering data only once in an organized interview format. Get to market faster! ✦ FLOODBROKER.COM. Sell more flood insurance with a flood quoting Web portal. A PIA member exclusive! ✦ PIA AGENCY MARKETING GUIDE. Hands-on marketing tips from industry experts. Published annually. ✦ ROUGH NOTES - ADVANTAGE PLUS. Identifies risk exposures. Provides detailed coverage analysis. PIA member price $600 annually (reg. $700). Call 800-428-4384. Use your PIA member ID# above name on mailing label. ✦ DOCIT FOR AGENTS. Align applicants with the right carrier early in the auto quoting process with DocIT for Agents’ online database of driver violation data. ✦ AGENCY REVENUE TOOLS. Boost personal lines sales by engaging in employee worksite marketing using your appointed markets at regular commission rates. ✦ AGENCY WEBSITES. Cutting-edge websites tailored specifically to insurance agents.

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TOOLS FROM THE PIA PARTNERSHIP, PIA’S COMPANY COUNCIL ✦ CYBER 101: Cyber education for you and your clients. ✦ SMALL BUSINESS INSURANCE & THE INTERNET—THE VOICE OF THE CL CUSTOMER: Stay ahead of online competition in commercial lines. ✦ CLOSING THE GAP—GROWTH & PROFIT. Plan for growth and profitability. Includes tools for improving retention, sales and account-rounding. ✦ AGENCY TOUCH POINTS—THE VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER. Give personal lines customers what they really want. ✦ REACHING GEN Y. Convert Gen Y age group insurance consumers into loyal agency customers.

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AGENCY MANAGEMENT TOOLS ✦ AGENCY AGREEMENT REVIEW SERVICE. Free to members and carriers, PIA recommends changes to carriers and highlights concerns for members. ✦ AGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RECOVERY PLAN. The PIA guide to creating an agency-specific business contingency plan. ✦ EMPLOYEE PROFILING. Hire the right people with skills and personality testing from OMNIA. ✦ PRESCRIPTION DISCOUNTS. Save money on prescriptions not covered by insurance. Available to PIA members and their clients. ✦ Discounts on producer licensing, car rentals, shipping with UPS and calendars from Mines Press. ✦ Free subscriptions to industry publications.

LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY OUTREACH ✦ GRASSROOTS ALERTS. Send pre-written, fully-editable letters directly to your elected officials. www.piagrassroots.com ✦ PIA FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT. Every spring, PIA members visit Capitol Hill to meet with their elected representatives. www.piafls.com ✦ PIA POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (PIAPAC). PIAPAC contributes to the campaigns of candidates to federal office who share our pro-insurance, pro-business perspective and who support our issues. www.piapac.com

Learn more about these PIA National member benefits at www.pianet.com.

FEBRUARY 19 5

From the

Boardroom Mitch Tarras, Director, PIA of Wisconsin

"You Get What You Pay For..."

We have probably all heard this phrase a hundred times. It has affected some of us more than others. You thought you got a great Black Friday deal on a TV only to find out the picture is terrible for Packer games. Your buddy spent the extra $200 for a better TV and you are jealous of how great everything looks on his. You aren't going to go out and buy another TV right away, so you're kicking yourself while watching Aaron Rodgers throw touchdown passes that could look so much better on that Samsung your friend bought.

This is so true in the insurance world. You can't watch television for more than 15 minutes without a Geico, Progressive, or The General commercial coming on. "Call now to save 15%!" "Personalize your insurance for what you need!"

All these are geared toward saving people money on their insurance. But in the long run what are you really saving? You save $30 a year by declining medical expense coverage. You save $50 a year by reducing your liability limits. It looks great at the beginning while you think you are getting such a great deal and saving some serious cash on your insurance.

There are certain things you can get by going the cheap route.

Buying off-brand cereal, clothes, and electronics because in the grand scheme you aren't taking a life altering risk. Skimping on your insurance coverage could set you back years financially and possibly lose you the things you hold dear.

6 FEBRUARY 19

A perfect example: Bob is driving home from work one January night and it's very icy on the road. Bob is trying to drive cautiously as he is a very experienced Wisconsin winter driver.

Bob starts to slow for a stop sign up ahead, not noticing the sheet of black ice. He starts to break and notices his car isn't slowing down. He slams into the car stopped at the stop sign ahead, with 3 passengers suffering pretty serious injuries.

Now Bob had recently purchased auto insurance for really cheap and was thrilled with how much he saved. What he didn't know was his liability limits were the state required minimums. Anybody who has been to the hospital for any type of surgery or medical emergency knows how fast those bills can add up.

The 3 passengers in the vehicle Bob hit ended up accumulating over $100,000 in medical bills over the next couple months and Bob's auto insurance would leave a huge gap that Bob had to pay out of his own pocket.

There goes the new roof Bob's house needed, the braces Bob Jr needed, and the family vacation planned for spring break.

All because Bob wanted to save $150 on his auto insurance.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good deal as much as the next guy.

Just be very careful about where you are going to save your pennies.

OCI Administrative

Actions

Madison, WI—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 toll-free telephone number: 1-800-236-8517.

Allegations

and

Actions Against Agents

Teresa A. Ballard, 5131 W. North Ave., Apt. 2, Milwaukee, WI 53208, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Chad W. Bauer, 252 Harriman St., Somerset, WI 54025, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jessica M. Baumler, 211 E. June St., Adams, WI 53910, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Pa Mee Chang, 532 Gilbert Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Lisa C. Geiger, 4710 Indian Hill Dr., Apt. 202, Mount Pleasant, WI 53406, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Craig W. Henderson, 4607 152nd Ave., Kenosha, WI 53144, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Margaret M. Kneebone-Kucera, 8550 Greenway Blvd., Apt. 415, Middleton, WI 53562, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

James P. Ludwig, 723 Bertha St., Wausau, WI 54403, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Brent W. Luebke, 2300 10th St., Two Rivers, WI 54241, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Denise L. Popp, 3821 S. 76th St., Apt. 4, Milwaukee, WI 53220, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken 8 FEBRUARY 19

based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jirran Rainey, 2100 W. Pierce St., Apt. 119, Milwaukee, WI 53204, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Senetta K. Santo Johnson, 8420 Clearbrook Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76123, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct, failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application, and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Robert J. Sixta, 425 15th Ave. SW, Rochester, MN 55902, was ordered to pay a $1,000.00 forfeiture and was ordered to timely and fully report all matters required to be disclosed.

These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to timely report an administrative action taken by the state of Minnesota and failing to disclose it on a licensing renewal application.

Timothy J. Sprague, 11167 Brazeau Town Hall Ln., Pound, WI 54161, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Angelica T. Varona-Camara, 9500 N. Maura Ln., Brown Deer, WI 53223, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jason K. Ziccarelli, 10314 Wake Robin Dr., Grand Blanc, MI 48439, agreed to notify OCI in writing within 10 days of any order, decision, or settlement issued related to a pending lawsuit; agreed to the immediate revocation of his insurance license if found liable for any allegations contained in the lawsuit; and agreed to disclose administrative actions on future licensing applications and to other states as required.

These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to [Continued on page 32]

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There's one topic sales gurus use to get attention: "How to Turn "No" Into "Yes." It's so counter intuitive that salespeople eat it up. Getting a customer to go from "no" to "yes" is like getting a Nobel Prize, arriving at the top of Mt. Everest, making a hole-in-one, and winning the lottery all rolled into one.

If turning "no" into "yes" is what it takes to be a top salesperson, then 99.99% of salespeople are permanent failures.

However, if a salesperson wants to show respect for customers, then "no" means "no." Not "maybe," not "perhaps," and not "yes." When a customer says "no," it's time to stop.

That said, stop doesn't mean quit. It can be a code word for "I'm not interested," "I'm too busy," "I have more pressing issues," or "I'm not comfortable with you." If it's a worthwhile and qualified prospect, then it's time to pull, not push.

You might say, "I understand and I appreciate your time. May I stay in contact with you?"

If you get a "yes," it's a "yes" that counts. You have permission to implement a personalized cultivation strategy, one that sends the message that you understand and respect the prospect. And that's the next step in the sales process.

[Source: GrahamComm]

FEBRUARY 19 9

The Agency Proposal: A Potentially Key Piece of Evidence

by Curt Pearsall, CPCU, AIAF, CPIA

President – Pearsall Associates, Inc. and Special Consultant to the Utica National E&O Program The agency proposal has played a key role in many errors and omissions (E&O) claims. If the proposal is clear about the proposed coverage and includes definitions and claim examples, it can be valuable for educating the client. If it also includes the necessary disclaimers, the proposal could tip the scales heavily in the agency’s favor in an E&O claim.

However, without this information, the proposal can hurt, if not destroy, the agent’s chance of prevailing in an E&O matter. The following is an actual E&O claim.

This E&O claim was asserted against the agency for providing inaccurate information about coverage when a dwelling fire policy was procured for the client’s rental property. The producer detailed policy coverages for a Dwelling Property 3 – Special Form (DP-3) in the agency proposal. Unfortunately, the agent only requested a proposal for a Dwelling Property 1 – Basic Form (DP-1) from the carrier. The client purchased the coverage, believing that he was securing broader coverage. As is the typical scenario, the client retained all documentation provided from the producer. The underlying claim involved an upstairs toilet waterline leak, which caused water damage to the dwelling’s second and first floors. The misstatement on the proposal of the coverages clearly put liability on the agency. The E&O carrier paid the claim, with offsets taken for the underlying deductible and premium difference.

How could this issue have been avoided?

There are several ways this could have been avoided. One way is to make sure the proposal matches what the carrier proposed. In the scenario above, it is possible that the agency asked the carrier for a quote for a DP-3 but the carrier only provided the DP-1 coverage. Carriers make mistakes, too. Agencies should have a process to compare the carrier quote against the application. There might have been something in the risk that precluded the carrier from offering a DP-3, or maybe the application only asked for a DP-1 quote when the intention was to secure broader coverage.

Another method is to have the agency proposal reviewed by at least another set of eyes, with one set of eyes belonging to the producer. In the claim above, there is a good chance that further review would have identified the error.

Another way is to use the carrier proposal. The advantage of this approach is that if there is a misstatement of coverages or a mistake on the carrier proposal, the carrier would probably bear liability for the error. If the agency is going to use the carrier proposal, it is suggested that a wrap-around document or disclaimer be included. Typically, carrier proposals do not contain the key disclaimers. A disclaimer similar to the following should be added.

Information contained in this proposal is intended to provide you with a brief overview of the coverages provided for reference purposes only. It is not intended to provide you with all policy exclusions, limitations and conditions.

The precise coverage afforded is subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions, of the policies issued.

Accuracy Based on your agency’s current procedures, could this type of incident happen to you?

In the event of an E&O matter, the agency proposal is an admissible document that both lawyers can access. Since the legal standard in virtually all states will hold the agent responsible for what he or she says and what is put in writing, it is vital that the proposal be accurate.

The material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not for purposes of providing legal advice.You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem.

5-R-1245 Ed. 11-17

FEBRUARY 19 11

Have your Best Sales Year in 2019

Warning: if you’re looking for a short cut or easy way to your best year, you probably won’t like this article.

What I have to say is not what the majority of the population wants to hear. That said, it is what you need to hear if you what to have your best year in 2019.

Two tips for having your best year Tip #1: Work Harder This is the tip most people won’t like. Here’s the thing about hard work: the harder you work by making more sales calls, the more your sales will increase. Want to increase sales by 20%? Simple, increase your sales calls by 20%. If everything stays the same: your contact rate, your closing ratio, the quality of prospects you’re calling on, your sales skills, etc., and you simply call on more people, you will automatically increase sales by the percentage of increase in the number of calls you make. So what that means is: whatever percentage increase it will take to have your best year, simply increase your calls by that number and you’re guaranteed the result.

The most successful people on the planet, in any walk of life, are the hardest workers. No exceptions. The top athletes, the top musicians, top actors and actresses, and top ditch diggers, all work harder than everyone else. Are there exceptions to the rule?

Yes, and they are just that: the exceptions. Follow the rule not the exception. The exception is the person who got rich winning the lottery. You don’t want to rely on those odds. Stop looking for the short cut, the easy way, the care-free, painless way. In the longterm those are the longer ways. They are more expensive mentally, physically, and financially, and ultimately the short cuts are a waste of time. Follow the tried-and-true path and work hard.

The above said, it is also a good idea to increase the effectiveness of your sales calls. If you get better at all aspects of selling: getting to the decision maker, getting their attention, differentiating yourself, finding their pain, creating a solution, building rapport and long-term relationships, etc., now an increase in sales calls will grow sales exponentially. Even if you only get better in one or two areas, your sales will increase at a higher rate than if you simply increase the number of calls. In addition to getting better at selling, you should also follow Tip #2.

12 FEBRUARY 19

By: John Chapin

Tip #2: Be Disciplined The most important activities of a salesperson are: prospecting, presenting and closing. The most important thing you do during the sales day is talk to people who can give you business. It takes lots of discipline to stick to these activities during prime calling hours. You’ve got to make hitting your numbers every day your number one priority. This means you’ve got to guard your time closely against your biggest enemy: distractions. Distractions come in many forms: phone calls from friends and family, text messages, e-mail chimes, social media, chasing a fly around your office for five minutes, paperwork you should be doing off-hours, and other urgent/unimportant tasks that steal your attention during the day.

While most of these distractions simply pop up, many of us are also be guilty of intentionally placing distractions smack in the middle of our day. Don’t do that. Don’t schedule doctor’s appointments, dentist appointments, appointments with your financial planner, CPA, or anything else at these times. Obviously there are times when you can’t avoid that, but you want to stick to this rule as much as possible. Also, again, don’t do paperwork and other nontime sensitive activities during prime calling time.

You also want to look for other time wasters. I had one insurance agent who was going to every Chamber of Commerce, BNI, and networking event for years all while getting very little business.

When we got her to go out and knock on 50 new prospect doors a week and follow up with phone calls, her efforts over the next 12 months produced more than 40 times the results she got from attending all those events. It’s simple, she was no longer hoping the same people she saw every week for three years, who were at the networking events primarily to ‘get’ as opposed to ‘give’ business, would have a new lead for her. She was now proactive with in-person visits and phone calls to prospects. Was is harder to knock on the doors and ring the phones and face rejection from strangers? Yes. And as your parents told you growing up, the most difficult thing to do is usually the right thing to do. In-person visits and phone calls

are also still the fastest ways I know to grow a business quickly. That said, if you still want to go to the networking events you can, but only after you’ve gotten all the prospects you need from phone calls and visits.

In addition to the above, put up two signs, one in your office and one in your car, that say, “Am I working on my most important sales activities right now?” If it’s 5 a.m. and the answer is “no”, that’s fine.

If it’s 11 a.m. on a Wednesday, and most of your prospects are on a standard work schedule, and the answer is “no”, that’s an issue.

Finally on Tip #2, part of being more disciplined is also delegating activities and finding faster, better, more effective ways to do current tasks. This will free up more time for more sales activities.

Ultimately there is only one question you must answer to determine whether or not you’ll have your best year in 2019: Are you willing to put in the time, effort, and energy, and endure the pain, to do the things that must be done, when they must be done, in order to make it happen? Yes? Great! Then get out of your own way and go make 2019 your best year ever!

John Chapin is a motivational sales speaker and trainer. For his free newsletter, or to have him speak at your next event, go to: www. completeselling.com John has over 31 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia. You can reprint provided you keep contact information in place. E-mail: johnchapin@completeselling.com.

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FEBRUARY 19 13

Crack The Prospect Code And Win More Sales

Why do so many meetings with prospects fizzle out and go nowhere? Is it just the way it is, so we should just accept it? Or, is it possible that our “this is what went wrong” explanations are merely excuses for failing to turn prospects into customers?

As sure as Friday is pizza night, salespeople are drawn to prospects like kids to puddles of water. No argument. But what about the other way around? How much thought do salespeople give as to whether or not prospects are drawn to them? Is it possible that the drive to make the sale blinds them to the possibility that prospects may reject them?

The key to getting prospects to buy what you’re selling starts with getting them to buy you. It requires cracking the prospect code and here’s how to go about it: Abandon the urge to impress Sure, you want prospects to like you, but efforts to impress them can make the wrong impression. It sends the message you are overly impressed with yourself. In other words, you come across as being less interested in understanding their situation and more interested in selling yourself.

All this occurs when salespeople use confusing terminology, dominate the conversation, speak too fast, and make prospects feel inadequate. It’s the perfect prescription for rejection.

Set the stage for success Productive sales calls don’t just happen. They are carefully choreographed to give the salesperson an edge in getting the order. The first step is disarming the customer, neutralizing a prospect’s natural reaction to become defensive, to clam-up, or even to get away.

The task is to figure out and focus on what customers want, what they are looking for, and what satisfies them. Why is this important? They are trying to decide if the salesperson cares or just wants to make a sale.

14 FEBRUARY 19

By: John Graham Issue a challenge It may sound odd or strange, but this is what it takes for prospects to clarify their thinking and commitment to making a prudent purchasing decision—and avoid experiencing buyer’s regret.

It’s time to ask what some may consider a risky question. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” is a necessary question, one that helps prospects clarify their thinking. If the answer is “no” or “I’m not sure,” then it’s time to stop and probe until the concerns and doubts are explored and resolved to the prospect’s satisfaction. This is how trust develops and what it means to be a sales consultant.

Stay with them No one wants to feel ignored, abandoned, or rejected. Yet, this happens when a salesperson makes an “exit” after deciding a prospect isn’t going to buy. When this occurs, prospects react negatively and get even by badmouthing the salesperson and the company.

Even so, it’s easy to avoid. Let them know you appreciate the opportunity to help them, but you also recognize it doesn’t always work out. Do it correctly and there’s a good chance should they leave they will be back or refer others.

Second guess yourself It’s tough to recover when you’re put on the defensive while making a sales presentation. Even if you’re fast on your feet, it’s difficult to think clearly, let alone to organize an effective response.

The way to avoid getting caught with the unexpected is to second guess yourself. Lay out possible objections and anticipate possible responses and disagreements that could undermine your proposal. Show their deficiencies and why your position is the best solution.

Focus on why, not what Salespeople like to talk about what customers get when making a purchase—long lasting, the latest, solid, fashionable, popular, convenient, and so on. But that’s changing. Today, it’s the why that motivates customers.

Here’s are examples of how to make why work for you: • A solar energy company says its installations do more than lower energy costs. They help reduce the carbon footprint.

• A janitorial services company builds its case for clean facilities: reduces lost time due to illness, increases employee satisfaction, and helps improve productivity.

• British engineer James Dyson, who invented the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner, sells a cordless version.

In a TV ad, Dyson explains why: “It’s right to do something better.”

Ask the right questions Salespeople don’t set out to alienate prospects. Yet, it’s easy to “trip” during the “sales dance.” To avoid making a misstep that can turn prospects off, it helps to have them talk about what customer satisfaction means to them and what they expect from a salesperson. Besides providing helpful information, it lets prospects know you want them to become satisfied customers.

It can also help to ask what’s bothersome about salespeople. Urge them to be candid. The more a salesperson knows, the better.

Don’t leave feedback to chance “We need your feedback” or the various versions of these over worked words are tacked on countless marketing messages. Some

call it the electronic “complaint box.” But feedback is too valuable to be left to chance.

Nothing is more important than making sure you and your prospects are on the same page, that there’s no misunderstanding.

This is why it’s helpful to think of presentations as an opportunity to ask prospects, “Is something not clear? Am I missing something that’s important to you?”

Rise to the occasion It’s inevitable to get bored with what we do every day, including those who say they love their work. Even salespeople, who take pride in being “always up” get bored. But that’s the challenge.

The test is our ability to push aside the “dark stuff” and meet the expectations of others.

If there’s one quality prospects (and customers) look for in a salesperson, it’s vigor—an alive feeling. It’s catching and it moves prospects to action. It should be as much a part of a successful sales presentation as the words said.

What it takes to turn more prospects into customers is cracking the prospect code. Get them to buy you before trying to get them to buy what you’re selling.

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 or johnrgraham.com.

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FEBRUARY 19 15

Making Your Sales Message Memorable: 8 Tips That Add Value to Your Pitch By: Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE Some salespeople are silly enough to think that if they talk longer, they add more value or get their point across more effectively. Actually, any prospect or potential buyer you ask is eager for your pitch to be presented as efficiently and memorably as possible.

Here are eight tips to make your message memorable.

1. Build rapport.

2. Make your message sound valuable.

3. Remove the fluff and fillers.

4. How long do you have?

5. Who is your audience?

6. What is your key idea?

7. Don’t be polite; get to the point.

8. Logic sells, but close on emotion.

1. Build rapport.

In order to build rapport with your prospect, you need to connect emotionally and intellectually. Think of it this way: Logic makes you think; emotion makes you act. You connect intellectually with your logical argument through specifics and statistics, perhaps with charts and diagrams. You connect emotionally through eye contact, stories, content that creates a visual in the buyer’s mind, and with you-focused rather than I-focused language. This is incredibly important if you want to sell your ideas, a product, or a service.

2. Make your message sound valuable.

How valuable does your message sound? Here’s another way to look at it. Rehearse your sales presentation, and time it. Or, if it is very important, consider transcribing it. Just for fun, consider the financial impact of your proposal or the investment of your prospect, and divide by the length of your presentation.

This gives you a dollar value for your words.

3. Remove fluff and fillers.

Naturally you want to remove all the unnecessary fluff and 16 FEBRUARY 19

fillers. For example, avoid clichés like “Each and every one of you in the room.” How often have you heard a salesperson say those nine unnecessary words? When your message is clear and concise, divide the number of words by the amount of time needed to deliver your presentation. You will notice how much more valuable each word has become. Make every word count!

Here is a real-life example: Barbara was a sales manager at a convention hotel in a major metropolitan city. A professional association was debating whether to bring their convention to the city. Barbara was a great salesperson one-on-one, but she was facing a group sales presentation. “I’m very nervous,” she confessed to herself, “How do I sell to so many people?”

Thinking through the eight tips she’d read, her internal conversation went something like this: 4. “How much time do you have?”

“Eight minutes.”

5. “Who is in your audience?”

“A convention committee from the association. About ten people.”

6. “What is your key idea?

“What are you actually selling?”

“Well,” realized Barbara, “It isn’t my hotel, because if they come to this city they’ll definitely use our hotel. I guess I’m selling the city, because they are seriously considering a nearby town, too.”

Then she asked herself a question that rarely gets asked: “How much is it worth to my hotel if I get their business?”

“Half a million dollars,” she knew.

So, she grabbed her calculator. “Let’s see. Half a million dollars divided by eight minutes. That’s $1,041.66 a second, even when you pause.”

Thinking back on her old opening, Barbara took a deep breath and began, “Well, ladies and gentlemen, I hope you’re enjoying our hospitality.

I know . . . ,” and she was off on a stream of platitudes.

7. Don’t be polite; get to the point.

“That’s polite,” she thought when she finished, “and that’s not a bad habit, but I don’t have much time. They know who I am because I’ve been entertaining them. They know where they are.

Make it about them.”

So, Barbara revamped her opening to this: “Welcome, and thank you for the opportunity to host you. In the next eight minutes, you are going to discover why the best decision you can make for your members and your association is to bring your convention to this city and this hotel.”

That is you or yours seven times and one hotel.

Then she said, “The other city is a magnificent destination, and you should definitely go there in the future. However, this year you should come to this city because . . .. “Then she listed the specific reasons.

This is an emotional opening because it’s you-focused. And since you never knock your competition, it’s smart to acknowledge that the other city is fabulous. You’ve connected emotionally with

your audience, and the logical specifics connect you intellectually.

You may argue that those polite opening comments are necessary because the audience is still settling down and not focused on you. This may be true, but don’t let it be an excuse. Go to the front of the room, and wait until you have their attention, maintaining a strong, cheerful gaze and willing them to be silent.

If needed, state the opening phrase of your comments, and then pause until all eyes are focused on you, awaiting the rest of the sentence.

8. Logic sells, but close on emotion.

Continue your presentation with logical incentives, but end with emotion. Remember that last words linger, and your goal is to be memorable.

Barbara closed with this, “Imagine years from now when your attendees are sitting around a convention lobby reminiscing about the best conventions they’ve ever attended, and they talk about their experiences in this city at this hotel. And you’ll know you were part of that experience because you were on the planning committee.”

You now have eight tips that add value to your words and make your message memorable. Use Barbara’s model of how to connect emotionally in the beginning and end of a presentation and connect intellectually in between. Plus, you will be making your words sound more valuable.

Good luck! Persuasive presentations give you a competitive edge.

About the Author: When your sales must be successful Patricia Fripp can help. She is a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, executive speech coach, sales presentation skills and on-line training expert. Patricia is also a subject matter expert for Continuing Education at XTRACredits.

For more information www.frippVT.com

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FEBRUARY 19 17

What I Learned Working at the Highest-Producing Brokerage Office in the Country

By: John Chapin Early on in my sales career I was lucky enough to be in the topproducing office of a financial services firm. In that office we had the top two producers in the country, out of 1800. We also had 3 more in the top 20. Here are the elements of that office that made it number one for the entire three years I was there.

Element #1: Our only job was to sell.

With rare exception, companies go out of business because they don’t sell enough and they stay in business because they do sell enough. That premise was understood in our office and as producers our job was to produce sales. Almost all of our business was done over the phone and we were expected to make in the neighborhood of 200 phone calls a day because that’s what it took to make the necessary sales. During primecalling hours, and most other hours for that matter, all we were doing was making calls in order to get the necessary number of prospects, presentations, and sales. Heaven forbid you got caught doing paperwork, or anything that could be done off-hours, during prime-calling hours. Everyone knew their annual, monthly, and weekly goals, along with their daily activity and you were under pressure to hit those numbers. You did whatever it took including working crazy hours during the week and on Saturday and Sunday if necessary.

Anything that interfered with sales from an employee with an attitude problem to a logistical or other problem was dealt with immediately and completely. If it interfered with selling, it was removed right away. We had great support people and systems in place to handle all the non-selling activities and sales was the top of the food chain, everything else was secondary.

Element #2: All key sales metrics were tracked and counted and the most important were displayed.

Phone calls were listened to and tracked and everyone’s call 18 FEBRUARY 19

numbers were announced in the morning meeting. New prospects, presentations, and sales were recorded. The board with the sales numbers and new accounts, which was listed in order of who had the highest sales numbers, was updated every evening and displayed prominently where everyone including all support people and even the cleaning people could see it. There was complete visibility and transparency when it came to numbers and performance. We even had a horse’s a… um, butt trophy for the person with the combined lowest numbers for the previous day. Maybe this was oldschool but it motivated people not to get it and/or get rid of it quickly when they did.

Element #3: A push for excellence and continually raising the bar.

There was no such thing as good enough, you could always improve and do better and you were expected to.

It was impossible to rest on your laurels because it was too competitive. If you stopped for a second, someone was going to pass you. There was always someone willing to outwork you and do whatever they had to do to be at the top.

Element #4: A Team Atmosphere.

Everyone supported and drove everyone else, pushing them to higher levels. A win for one was a win for all and a challenge for everyone else to up their game. The top five producers in the office were willing to share their presentations, answers to objections, and any other techniques or tricks they had to make sales. No one kept success secrets from the others and there were no prima donnas. Everyone helped one another and cheered one another on knowing that the more successful each of us was, the more successful we’d all be. We were one solid unit, one solid team all helping one another win. It was a powerful and positive environment and it created a lot of energy.

Element # 5: Positive Peer Pressure Our office was committed to being super-positive. Though negative people usually didn’t make it through the interview process, on the few occasions they did, they either got positive or left quickly. I remember one guy leaving at lunch and not coming back because a producer told him to “go to lunch and change your negative attitude or don’t come back.” This was an environment in which you either focused on solutions or kept your mouth shut. There was zero tolerance for negativity, negatives, and other similar b. s.

Another aspect of the positive peer pressure was that it pushed people to work hard and do the right things. Because everyone else was working hard, you felt pressure to do the same. Because everyone ran their business the right way, you felt pressure to run your business the right way too. In short, the positive peer pressure weeded out negativity and poor work ethic, ensured all were committed, and also helped hold people accountable.

Element #6: Self-governing and Self-correcting Related to the above point, one of the most interesting elements of our office was that, for the most part, it managed itself.

Attitude issues and other problems were usually handled at a peer level and rarely got to the point where upper-level management

had to get involved. I remember a situation in which one of the producers was being particularly negative one day. Actually, it only lasted about two minutes because one of the other producers turned to him and said, “Dude, you’re being negative! Knock it off or go home! Understand!” Situation resolved. Also, if a producer saw another producer doing something wrong or making a mistake, they would immediately say something. It was like an internal check-and-balance system.

The bottom line is our office was a positive, supportive environment conducive to doing lots of business. It wasn’t Pollyanna, we had problems and differences of opinion, but they were dealt with swiftly, directly, and with respect and professionalism. Everyone was expected to put in more than they took out and everyone was held accountable to do the best job possible and help everyone else in the process.

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 29 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.

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“We feel strongly that we can improve on our two primary objectives - providing the highest level of service and cutting edge solutions for our clients.”

Jeff Ascher Coverra Insurance Services President

Keystone is proud to welcome its first Wisconsin pioneer partner! Coverra Insurance Services has strong community involvement and they possess the trust and integrity that have been the hallmark of Keystone’s partnerships.

Aligning your agency with Keystone provides you the tools that help improve and sustain your success. In the face of an ever-changing industry, agents need unified stability and strength.

Because independence works better together.

CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION: Elizabeth Schenk 888.892.5905 | eschenk@keystoneinsgrp.com ©2017 Keystone Insurers Group ® All rights reserved. This does not constitute an offer to sell a franchise in any state in which the Keystone Insurers Group franchise is not registered.

Visit the Education tab at piaw.org for a complete list of topics, descriptions, webinar demo and registration.

Several approved for Utica credit. Ethics is offered each month.

Fee per Webinar: $55 PIAW Member, $70 Non Member – Includes WI CE fees.

February 2019 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

Alphabet Soup: The Mistakes and Coverage Behind D&O, EPLI, FLI and EBL 3 WI CE # 6000039321

2/12

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

How Savvy Businesses Use Life Insurance to Hedge Against Financial Losses 3 WI CE # 6000039287

2/13

8-11a

Karin Klaassen, CLU, LUTCF

Contractors, Contractors, Contractors 3 WI CE # 6000023797

2/13

12-3p

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

Catastrophe: The Coverage Expertise You’ll Need When it Matters Most 3 WI CE # 6000027158

2/14

8-11a

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

A Walk Around the Farm-Farm Property Considerations 3 WI CE # 6000004089

2/19

8-11a

Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

Everything’s Soaked and My Stuff Stinks: The Water Damage Webinar 3 WI CE # 6000039309

2/19

12-3p

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR, PLCS

E&O Reasons and Solutions 3 WI CE # 6000018528 Utica Approved

2/20

8-11a

Becky Lathrop, CIC, CPIA

On Ethics: Data, Dilemmas, and Knuckleheads 3 WI ETHICS CE # 6000018541 Utica Approved

2/26

1-4p

Kevin Amrhein, CIC

Cyber Insurance: When Convenience Turns Catastrophic 3 WI CE # 6000031623

2/28

8-11a

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

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

FEBRUARY 19 21

education

New Topics! Each Approved for 3 WI CE Credits. Live. No Test. No Proctor.

education

H ot T opic S eminar

ANYONE CAN ATTEND! NO DESIGNATION REQUIRED. 7 WI CE, 3 of 7 Ethics

This William T. Hold Seminar is an approved CISR update option.

FEBRUARY 20 TH Todd Davis, CIC

Holiday Inn - Waukesha 8:00 – 4:00 p.m.

• Cyber Liability • Basics of Life & Disability Insurance for the P&C Agent • Ethics for Today

$170 - Includes Lunch Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429

For an upcoming schedule and to register, visit the Education tab at www.piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429.

22 FEBRUARY 19

education

Certified Insurance Service Representative

Open to Anyone!

AGENCY OPERATIONS 7 WI CE Credits, 1 of 7 is Ethics. Course # 69356 / Utica Approved • • • • • • •

Legal & Ethical Requirements The Insurance Agency The Insurance Industry and Marketplace Communication Agency Workflow Account Management Errors & Omissions

February 21 – Madison

Todd Davis, CIC

COMMERCIAL CASUALTY I 7 WI CE Credits. Course # 69334 • • • • •

Essentials of Legal Liability CGL Introduction Commercial General Liability Coverage Parts CGL Other Provisions Additional Insureds

March 13 – Green Bay Todd Davis, CIC

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY 7 WI CE Credits. Course # 69332 • • • • •

Fundamentals of Commercial Property Insurance Building and Personal Property Coverage Form Causes of Loss Forms Basics of Time Element Insurance Basics of Commercial Inland Marine Insurance

April 10 – Rothschild Patti Gardner, CIC, CRM, CPCU

CLASS SCHEDULE 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.

$170 Per Course Includes Lunch

Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429 FEBRUARY 19 23

education

NEW! Certified Insurance Counselor Institutes Each Approved for 16 Wisconsin CE Credits

AGENCY MANAGEMENT

PERSONAL LINES

April 9 – 11, 2019 Conducted at West Bend Mutual Insurance Company West Bend, WI Sleeping rooms at Hampton Inn 262-438-1500 or online at piaw.org $102 PIA rate through 3/10/19

February 27 – March 1, 2019 Red Lion Paper Valley Hotel – Appleton, WI 920-733-8000 or online at piaw.org $102 PIA rate through 1/29/19 Approved for 16 WI CE

Approved for 16 WI CE (3 of 16 are Ethics) and Utica Approved •

PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL COVERAGES Jerry Kennedy, CIC

•

PERSONAL AUTOMOBILE COVERAGES

•

PERSONAL UMBRELLA/EXCESS COVERAGES Russell Deaton, CIC

•

STRATEGIC PLANNING

•

TALENT ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT Becky Lathrop, CIC, CPIA

•

CLIENT ACQUISITION AND RETENTION

•

TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION Brian Bartosh, CIC, LUTCF

•

ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY John Dismukes, CIC, CPCU, AII, AIS

WI CE COURSE # COMING

WI CE COURSE # COMING

Day One 8:00 – 5:15 / Day Two 8:00 – 5:00 / Day Three Optional Exam 8:00 – 10:00

$415.00 per Institute Register at PIAW.org or call 800-261-7429

UTICA

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 E&O Seminars (classroom or in house) To register online and view upcoming CE courses visit www.piaw.org

24 FEBRUARY 19

Please contact Heidi Hodel, CIC, Member Benefits Coordinator hhodel@piaw.org or 1-800-261-7429 to find out how you can benefit from Utica’s E&O Loss Control Program.

It’s no secret that I’m passionate about insurance and continuing education.

Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to join the PIA Education Committee when asked two years ago. It’s been a fun and rewarding journey!

technical knowledge. PIA continuing education offerings can help fill those gaps and help insurance professionals be more productive and perform at a higher level.

My career in insurance started like many in the industry — I just kind of fell into it and then fell in love with it. I entered the industry in 2004 as a CSR. PIA came into my life three years later when I began my pursuit toward the CISR designation. Achieving my CISR was a pivotal point to my career development thanks to the knowledge gained and relationships built. It also sparked my passion for continuing education. PIA understood my work life was busy (and personal life, too). Their CISR classes are like all their CE courses and include the necessary tools to get a certificate, quickly and easily (and all at my fingertips).

I believe continuing education is critical for long term career success. It’s a way for insurance professionals to keep an edge and learn more about industry trends and best practices. Our industry is evolving at a fast pace and carriers can’t afford to have employees with gaps in their

There are a lot of options with the PIA when starting your insurance career journey. The PIA Education Committee looks for your feedback to help in future planning. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions!

About Amanda Cullen, CISR, AINS Amanda is an industry veteran with 15 years of experience.

She’s the Commercial Lines Operations Manager at Integrity Insurance, a property & casualty carrier headquartered in Appleton.

Amanda Cullen, CISR, AINS Commercial Lines Operations Manager Integrity Insurance 920-968-8337 / acullen@imico.com

Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin, Inc. AGENCY PERPETUATION & ACQUISITION WORKSHOP Presented by Jon Persky, CPA, CIC, PHR and Live Oak Bank West Bend, Wisconsin

Save the Date - March 21,CE) 2019 (6 WI

Whether you are looking to buy an agency or sell your agency at some point in the future, you must attend this class!

All agency owners need to consider what will happen to the agency in the event of their death, disability or retirement.

Should you sell it to a family member, an employee, your partner, or someone else? How much should you expect to be paid? What’s the process and when should you get started? What are the tax implications? Do you have a comprehensive Shareholders’ Agreement?

Jon Persky, CPA, CIC, PHR Optimum Performance Solutions, LLC Tampa, FL

If you are thinking about buying an agency, you need to understand the seller’s perspective, the items you should consider in making an offer, and what data you need to collect. All these issues and more will be addressed in this informative session.

PIA Members $100 Non Members $120 Fees Include: Extensive Handout, 6 WI CE, Lunch, Break Items

March 21, 2019 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

West Bend, Wisconsin (6 WI CE)

Register today at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429. This seminar will fill up!

Hosted at West Bend Mutual Insurance Company.

FEBRUARY 19 25

education

Education Committee Spotlight

education

E D U CAT I ON T E S T I MONI AL S PIAW Webinars!

Check out the wide variety of topics at piaw.org.

• "Great webinar. Just what I work with—farm insurance. Thank you!"

• "I really liked the course. Easy to follow along and no issues with technology. The instructor was knowledgeable. It was a good experience compared to past online course, which was not through the PIAW." • "Everything about this course was done very well, PIA does a great job!"

CIC RUBLE SEMINARS

Exciting update options for CICs, CRMs & now CISRs! 16 WI CE (Includes 4 optional Ethics) February 13 & 14 / Graduate Ruble / Crowne Plaza – Milwaukee, WI May 8 & 9 / Graduate Ruble / Crowne Plaza - Madison, WI October 29 & 30 / Graduate Ruble / Radisson - Green Bay, WI Visit www.piaw.org or call PIA at 1-800-261-7429 26 FEBRUARY 19

Wisconsinites Are Receiving More Robocalls Than Ever, a Lot More Wisconsin residents received more than 221 million robocalls in 2017; FCC and FTC doing too little to stop calls made to cell phones illegally and without consent.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to the YouMail Robocall Index, which tracks the volume and extent of robocalls in the United States, more than 221,100,000 million robocalls were made to Wisconsin area codes in 2017.

The industry data comes ahead of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) March 23 policy forum, “Fighting the Scourge of Illegal Robocalls.” Both agencies have taken a strong stance against scam and spoofed number robocalls but have been softer on legitimate businesses making illegal calls to cell phones and without consent. In February of this year, Capital One and Citibank were two of the top five generators of robocalls to Wisconsin numbers.

“This data illustrates a rapid expansion of the use of robocall technology and the toll these abusive calls take on Wisconsin consumers,” said Margot Saunders, senior counsel at the National Consumer Law Center.

Earlier this year, the FTC’s “Biennial Report to Congress” revealed a sizeable uptick in consumer complaints about robocalls in 2017, with 4.5 million complaints filed in 2017 compared to 3.4 million in 2016. More than 98,000 Wisconsin residents complained to the FTC about robocalls and other violations of the “Do Not Call Registry” in 2017.

“Critics seeking to gut the TCPA’s protections against robocalls claim the law leads to frivolous lawsuits,” said Saunders. “On the contrary, the overwhelming number of robocall violations go

unchecked, with even the most conservative estimates showing a 1000-to-1 ratio of complaints to government agencies as compared to lawsuits filed. And that does not even account for the tens of millions of illegal robocalls to consumers who do not file complaints or lawsuits.”

Even as robocall complaints increase and TCPA lawsuits decline (there was a 10% reduction in 2017 from the previous year), banks and other companies, backed by industry lobbyists, are continuing to petition the FCC for exemptions to this key consumer privacy law.

“Rather than petition the FCC for exemptions that weaken robocall protections, companies should focus on following the rules,” said Saunders. “We hope that this FCC will protect consumers against these illegal calls. Maintaining a strong TCPA will benefit consumers and level the playing field for law-abiding businesses.” ### Since 1969, the nonprofit National Consumer Law Center® (NCLC®) has used its expertise in consumer law and energy policy to work for consumer justice and economic security for low-income and other disadvantaged people, including older adults, in the United States. NCLC’s expertise includes policy analysis and advocacy; consumer law and energy publications; litigation; expert witness services, and training and advice for advocates. NCLC works with nonprofit and legal services organizations, private attorneys, policymakers, and federal and state government and courts across the nation to stop exploitative practices, help financially stressed families build and retain wealth, and advance economic fairness. www.nclc.org FEBRUARY 19 27

Benefits of Ridiculously Amazing Service

By: David Siekman Performance Consultant, Agency Performance Partners Brand Consultant, Agency Appeal

As part of an anonymous survey of over 200 questions that we have sent to nearly one thousand independent insurance agencies, we ask one very simple question.

The question: How good is the service at your agency?

The answer options: Horrible, Bad, Neutral, Good, Amazing Astonishingly, we only see 16% answer “Amazing� to this question. In my opinion, this is an easy area on which we can focus to dramatically improve our agencies. There are numerous benefits, but let's look at them from a revenue and non-revenue focus.

Revenue Focus There is a direct correlation between providing ridiculously amazing service and increasing revenue through both retention as well as new business. For a $10M premium agency, a small 1% increase in premium retention would result in $13,000 in additional revenue a year (using an average premium of $1,000 and commission percentage of 13%.)

Improving service also generates selling opportunities through cross-selling additional lines of business and increasing referrals.

Increasing cross sales by just 2 policies per month for an account rep generates $3,120 in additional revenue a year. We can double that if we generate one referral per month and sell that new client 2 policies.

Therefore, in an agency of $10M with 5 account managers, just a small improvement in service of 1% retention annually for the agency and monthly increases of 2 cross-sales and 1 referral per account manager would provide additional revenue of $44,200 for the agency!

28 FEBRUARY 19

Imagine if we were to improve to a ridiculously amazing service level by improving retention by 3 or 4 points and driving 5+ cross-sales and referrals a month. We can generate well over $100,000 in additional revenue!

Non-revenue Focus In addition to revenue there are other benefits to providing ridiculously amazing service. For our clients, it is simply a better experience to partner with companies that provide a high level of service. The bar is set fairly low by some companies with whom our clients interact (cable services, credit card companies) and can be set pretty high by others (Amazon, Apple). We want to be sure that our clients are putting us in that latter company.

For our staff, it is simply preferred to work for a company that is considered to be superior. We all want to work at a place where we enjoy going in. Creating a better client experience has additional benefits of reducing complaints and angry or upset clients. By building better relationships, when something goes wrong, we get calls asking for us to help as opposed to getting yelled at and having blame placed on us.

For owners (and staff), there is also a matter of being proud of being part of an agency that does a great job. We all want to feel like we are making a difference and owning or working for a company that is elevated in the eyes of our communities makes us feel good. So, get out there and make some changes to your service. This could be building better and more consistent processes, identifying ways to better create our clients’ experiences, or installing a proactive retention calling program.

Whatever you do, make it ridiculously amazing!

Expect big things in workers’ compensation. Most classes approved, nationwide. It pays to get a quote from Applied.® For information call (877) 234-4450 or visit auw.com/us. Follow us at bigdoghq.com.

©2019 Applied Underwriters, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best.

Insurance plans protected U.S. Patent No. 7,908,157.

The Overlooked Management Tool

Staff Meetings Matter More Than You Might Think I sit right next them. We don’t need to have a staff meeting.

I used to have staff meetings, but we stopped having them. Nobody had anything to talk about.

We have enough meetings. We certainly don’t need another.

For a myriad of reasons, many managers don’t hold regular staff meetings. Furthermore, most who do don’t get the most they could from them, and that’s too bad. Good staff meetings can focus a team, energize employees, and engage them in ways ad-hoc interactions don’t.

So how do you turn a halted or ho-hum approach to staff meetings into a high-functioning management tool?

STEP ONE: Connect Daily Work with Your Organization’s Purpose In addition to distributing information, staff meetings present an opportunity to connect your team’s daily work to your organization’s purpose. If you’re thinking, “My people know how their work fits into our overall goal,” you would be wrong.

In fact, if you ask your group what your organization’s purpose or your department’s purpose are, don’t be surprised when you get as many answers as there are people in the room. (And you thought you had nothing to talk about in a staff meeting! A discussion about purpose is a good one to have.)

Purpose is why you do what you do. You connect the work to it by explaining how what people did aligns with the greater goal. For example, the head of housekeeping at a busy hotel might hold a meeting with the cleaning staff. In that meeting, the managers might recognize a team that received a perfect room score from all guests who took a survey and then talk about purpose.

The purpose of the hotel is to provide people a safe and comfortable place to spend the night. Having a clean, welcoming, and functioning room is one of the ways a cleaning staff achieves that goal.

By regularly connecting such activities as cleaning toilets, 30 FEBRUARY 19

By: Kate Zabriskie

making beds, and folding towels to the guest experience, the manager highlights why each of those activities is important.

No matter what they do, employees usually enjoy their jobs more when their organization’s leaders talk about the importance of their work. They also tend to make better choices if they receive frequent reminders about purpose and what types of activities support it.

STEP TWO: Highlight Relevant Metrics Connecting work to purpose usually works best when a team focuses on both anecdotal and analytical information. If you don’t currently track statistics, start. What you track will depend on your industry. However, whatever you decide should have a clear line of sight to the larger goal. For instance, a museum that holds events to attract new members might track the number of events held, contact information collected, memberships sold, and the percentage of new memberships that come as a result of attending the free event. With regular attention placed on the right metrics, the team is far more likely to make good choices as to where it should focus its efforts.

STEP THREE: Follow a Formula and Rotate Responsibility Successful staff meetings usually follow a pattern, such as looking at weekly metrics, sharing information from the top, highlighting success, a team-building activity, and so forth.

By creating and sticking with a formula, managers help their employees know what to expect. Once employees know the pattern of the meeting, many are capable of running it because they’ve learned by watching. Managers then have a natural opportunity to rotate the responsibility of the meeting to different people. By delegating, the manager is able to free up his or her time and provide employees with a chance to develop their skills.

STEP FOUR: Celebrate Successes In many organizations, there is a huge appreciation shortage.

Staff meetings provide managers and employees with regular intervals to practice gratitude.

“I’d like to thank Tom for staying late last night. Because he did, I was able to attend a parent-teacher conference.”

“Maryann’s work on the PowerPoint presentation was superb. I want to thank her for preparing me with the best slides shown at the conference. The stunning photos outshined the graphics others used. Maryann’s work really made our company look good.”

A steady drip of sincere gratitude can drive engagement. Note the word: sincerity. Most people have an amazing capacity to identify a false compliment. Real praise is specific. Well-delivered praise also ties the action to the outcome. Whether it’s being able to attend a conference, looking good in front of others, or some other result, people appreciate praise more when they understand how their actions delivered results. A praise segment in your staff meetings ensures you routinely take the time to recognize efforts.

STEP FIVE: Focus on Lessons Learned and Continuous Improvement Staff meetings that include an opportunity to share lessons learned help drive continuous improvement. At first, people may be reluctant to share shortcomings. However, if you follow step four, you should begin to develop better communication and

a sense of trust with your team. Modeling the process is a good place to start.

“I learned something this week I want to share with you. I had a call with a client that could have gone better. I’m going to tell you what happened and then I’ll discuss some ideas about how I would handle something similar in the future.”

The more you practice this exercise, the greater the gains you should experience.

STEP SIX: Develop a Schedule and Stick with It Almost anyone can follow the first five steps some of the time, but those who get the most out of staff meetings hold them consistently. They publish a meeting schedule, and they stick with it. They may shorten a meeting from time to time or reschedule, but they don’t treat their chance to gather the team as the least important priority.

Good staff meetings aren’t perfunctory activities that add little value.

On the contrary, when used to their full capacity, they are a dynamic management tool. Now what are you going to do about yours?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team help businesses establish customer service strategies and train their people to live up to what’s promised. For more information, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com.

Protect the Reputation and Assets You’ve Worked Hard to Build: Choose the Right Agents’ Errors and Omissions Program!

Utica National and Agents Service Corporation can help. More than 10,000 agencies have placed their trust in Utica National over the last 50 years because they offer:

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Invest a few minutes in the future security of your agency. Go to www.uticanational.com/eo to get started on an Easy Estimate, and then add and subtract coverages to get the

combination of protection and premium you need!

Contact Heidi Hodel at PIA Wisconsin by phone at 608-274-8188 or via email at hhodel@piaw.org for more information.

FEBRUARY 19 31

[Continued from page 8 - OCI Administrative Actions] disclose an administrative action on a licensing application and having involvement in a pending lawsuit containing allegations of fraud, misrepresentation, misappropriation, or breach of fiduciary duty.

Allegations and Actions Against Companies FASCore, LLC, 8515 E. Orchard Rd., Greenwood Village, CO 80111, had its insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Sears Protection Company, 3333 Beverly Rd. A4-258A, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179, was ordered to cease and desist writing new business and renewing existing business; was ordered to continue servicing existing business to expiration; was ordered to file its annual statement, interim financial statements, and any other reports required by OCI; and was ordered not to make any further form filings. These actions were taken based on allegations of filing for bankruptcy protection and lacking financial resources to adequately protect Wisconsin policyholders.

We look for the best independent agents and build relationships that last the duration. We are committed to the independent agency system as the only means to deliver our products. Because of that, we work hand-inhand to help our agencies grow profitably.

Our agents set us apart.

For information about becoming a Partners Mutual Insurance Agent please contact Brian Martin at 262.432.3439 or Mike Ottman at 262.432.3418.

32 FEBRUARY 19

PIA thanks Linda Luka for her years of support, advocacy and friendship. We wish her the best in her retirement. Our outstanding relationship will continue with Sarah Riehle, the new Agent Education Coordinator at West Bend Mutual Insurance.

l to r: Linda Luka, Brenda Steinbach - PIA, Sarah Riehle

“Why Can’t I Grow My Business?”

BWO = Independence AND Opportunity.

Tired of losing sales because you don’t have access to carriers? Become an independent BWO agent and you won’t be chasing the competition, you become the competition. You’ll be able to offer the best names in the business, no matter where you’re located throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest. And because we deal with the carriers, commissions, database, etc., you can focus on what you do best: Sell! With BWO, you’ll have the tools, products and support that give you greater opportunity to compete – and a partner dedicated to your success.

BWO agents enjoy… 100% ownership · Contingency participation · Generous commissions Agency perpetuation · No joining or membership fees · No non-compete

Companies we represent: Acuity, Auto-Owners Insurance, Badger Mutual, GMIC, Hanover, Integrity, Partners Mutual, Pekin, Progressive, Secura, Society, West Bend Mutual…and more.

Contact Tom Budzisz to join at 414-768-8100!



BWOInsurance.com FEBRUARY 19 33

14 Ways To Sabotage Your Sales Career

By: John Graham Sales managers scratch their heads. “Right from the start, I was so sure Carl would be a top performer. I would have put money on it. But before I knew it, he crashed and burned.”

It’s an old story, one that often ends with the same words, “I wasn’t cut out for sales.” Maybe. But probably not. Poor training, inadequate support, and unrealistic expectations can each play a role.

Even so, what causes potentially good salespeople to fail has little or nothing to do with poor sales skills. The real harm is selfinflicted. Salespeople sabotage themselves. And here’s how they wreck their sales careers: 1. Tell a customer they will take care of something and then don’t do it. Why worry about it? It’s nothing an “I’m sorry,” a little schmoozing, a bouquet of flowers, or a gift card can’t correct.

Anyway, it wasn’t that important. That’s not how customers see it. Their actions reveal the truth of who they are.

2. See themselves as special. The “salesperson’s disease” is catching and it’s transmitted by rubbing shoulders with other salespeople. The major symptom is the belief that they’re the reason for the company’s success so that gives them permission to break the rules, and to look down on everyone else. Oh, yes, the disease is fatal.

3. Puff up their record. No salesperson needs to take a course in “The Fine Art of Amplification.” Whether it’s with customers, each other or the boss, exaggeration comes naturally for too many salespeople. And, then, they come to believe their own baloney.

4. Avoid asking for help. Many salespeople see themselves as operating on their own, beholden to no one, and totally responsible for their destiny. And that includes asking for help, which they view as a sign of weakness and something they can’t 34 FEBRUARY 19

live with—even when it costs them customers.

5. Criticize but don’t contribute. You know these salespeople, they’re quick to tell you what’s wrong in every part of the company: why revenues are down, what’s wrong with the product line, or who in management should be dumped. Yet, when asked to contribute their ideas or make suggestions, they have nothing to say. Such behavior pushes them out the door.

6. Do enough to get by. They’re guided by some preset internal gauge that sets strict limits, letting them go only so far before banging on the brakes. These are outliers to be sure. They’re ignored when there’s a crisis or unexpected crunch. In a word, they’re superfluous to the company’s success.

7. Ignore deadlines. It started out early in life. Their school projects were always late and they always arrived with an attached excuse. Now their reports are predictably late, along with customer proposals, along with just about everything else, even expense reports. It’s as if deadlines were made for others, not for them. And they can’t figure out why the boss has it in for them.

8. Always make sure they look good. Whether it’s customers, associates, or the boss, their goal is to make sure that, at all cost, they come out looking good. They avoid taking responsibility (a sign of weakness) at all cost. Although they don’t see it, their behavior is so transparent no one trusts anything they say or do.

9. Sell what they want to sell. Salespeople always have favorite customers, but many also have pet products. They’re not complex, don’t cause problems, and they’re easy to sell. Some come with a robust commission. Whether or not they’re a good fit for customers is not the issue.

10. Cut corners. Shrinking the job to reduce work is a disease that infects may sales careers. “Forget it. It’s just means extra work,” “I

don’t have time to do that,” or “Frankly, that’s crazy. Who comes up with such stupid ideas?” Every salesperson heard such words whispered in sales meetings or seen eyes roll. Selling success comes from enhancing the process, not cutting it down to your own size.

11. Think that they’ve got it made. From all indications, they’ve worked hard, done a good job, and enjoyed the rewards. As they see it, they’ve paid their dues. Now it’s time to cut them some slack so they can set their own pace. It’s time for a little preferential treatment like getting some of the better leads. If that’s what’s going through their mind, they’re on your way— out, not up.

12. Lay on the jargon. They believe using all the right words impresses customers and wins them over. So they get the jargon down pat and stay on top of the latest corporate speak. Yes, customers want to be impressed, but not with jargon. What they want is a salesperson who takes time to understand them by asking good questions and who makes sure they’re comfortable with their buying decision. That’s impressive.

13. Decide who will buy and who won’t. They may be smart, savvy, and have lots of experience. They’ve come face-to-face with just about every type of customer and they think they

know who will buy and who won’t. All they need is a couple of seconds. It’s as if they have a sixth sense about customers. Some salespeople have it and some don’t.

It sounds so good, it’s almost convincing. But it’s just plain nonsense, an exercise in self-deception. In selling it’s what the customer thinks that counts, not what’s floating around in a salesperson head.

14. Believing that customers love them. It’s The Great Sales Con Game. It’s easy for salespeople to think customers love them: “You are the best.” “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

“We’re so lucky you came along.” It’s enough to make the ego do somersaults. It’s feel good stuff, but here’s the question that counts: Do your customers respect you?

When you think about it, it isn’t easy to sabotage a sales career.

Yet, if you put your mind to the task, you can do it.

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.

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

FEBRUARY 19 35

We know what it took to build this business.

And we know what it takes to protect it.

Underwriters who know and understand what coverages are necessary to protect the business.

Loss prevention professionals who use a hands-on approach to help develop programs tailored to the individual business.

Claim reps with the expertise and technology to process claims quickly and efficiently.

As an Official Supplier of the Silver LiningÂŽ, you and West Bend will find the right insurance plan for your valued customers.

To find out more, talk to your West Bend underwriter.

Celebrating 125 years of valued relationships with our agent partners.

Since 1878

Ellington Mutual Insurance Company

Proudly providing all of Wisconsin with prompt, personal service.

PO Box 356 • Hortonville, WI 54944 920-779-4515 • 800-953-4515

www.ellingtonmutual.com

Homeowners • Farmowners • Commercial • Rental Properties • Seasonal Properties • Umbrella

FEBRUARY 19 37

PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN, INC. OFFICERS Mr. Matt Cranney, CIC, CRM President M3 Insurance, 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 Vice President Robertson Ryan & Associates 12750 W. North Ave., Building A Brookfield, WI 53005 Phone 262-782-5373 Fax 262-782-6327 spaterson@robertsonryan.com Ms. Julie Ulset, CPIA Treasurer Grams Insurance Agency LLC 103 W Fulton St. Edgerton, WI 53534 Phone 608-884-3304 Fax 608-884-9616 julset@gramsinsurance.com Mr. Dan Wolfgram AINS, CPIA Secretary R & R Insurance Services, Inc. 1581 E. Racine Ave. Waukesha, WI 53186 Phone 262-574-7000 Fax 262-574-7080 dan.wolfgram@rrins.com

DIRECTORS Mr. Thomas Budzisz, CPIA BWO Insurance Group, LLC 2111 E Rawson Ave. Oak Creek, WI 53154 Phone 414-768-8100 Fax 414-768-8110 tom@bwoinsurance.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. Ryan Butzke, CIC, CISR Northbrook Insurance Associates, Inc. P.O. Box 780.

Menomonee Falls, WI 53052 Phone 262-783-5533 ryanb@northbrook-ins.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

Ms. Jodi Cordes, CIC, CRM, CPIA Past President A.F. Glass Insurance Center P.O. Box 1149 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Phone 262-248-5555 Fax 262-248-5544 jcordes@glassinsurancecenter.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. Dennis Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA PIAW National Director Robertson Ryan & Associates Inc. 330 E Kilbourn Ave. Suite 650 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Phone 414-271-1561 Fax 414-271-3012 dkuhnke@robertsonryan.com Mr. Mitchell Tarras Nett Insurance Agency LLC 607C Eastern Ave Plymouth, WI 53073 Phone 920-893-3252 Fax 920-893-3250 mitchtarras@charter.net

STAFF 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 Heather Falk, CISR Bookkeeping hfalk@piaw.org Claire Gribble Administrative Assistant cgribble@piaw.org Heidi Hodel, CIC Member Benefits Coordinator hhodel@piaw.org Becca Prestbroten Administrative Assistant bprestbroten@piaw.org Brenda Steinbach Education & Convention Director bsteinbach@piaw.org

Coming Events FEBRUARY 2019 13-14

CIC Ruble Graduate Milwaukee, WI (16 WI CE credits - 4 of 16 are optional Ethics)

20

Hot Topic / William T. Hold Seminar - Cyber Liability, Basics of Life & Disability for the P/C Agent, Ethics Waukesha, WI (7 WI CE - 3 of 7 are Ethics)

21

CISR Agency Operations Madison, WI ( 7 WI CE - 1 of 7 is Ethics)

27-Mar 1

CIC Personal Lines Appleton, WI (16 WI CE)

38 FEBRUARY 19

MARCH 2019 13

CISR Commercial Casualty 1 Green Bay, WI (7 WI CE)

21

Insurance Agency Perpetuation Planning West Bend, WI (6 WI CE)

APRIL 2019 9-11

CIC Agency Management West Bend, WI (16 WI CE - 3 of 16 are Ethics)

10

CISR Commercial Property Rothschild, WI (7 WI CE)

MAY 2019 1

CISR Personal Auto Waukesha, WI (7 WI CE)

2

CISR Personal Auto Green Bay, WI (7 WI CE)

8-9

CIC Ruble Graduate Madison, WI (16 WI CE credits - 4 of 16 are optional Ethics)

SIA of the Great Lakes, LLC Member of SIAA

• $6.6 Billion in Premium • Full & highest commissions • Big is Better – size, clout, stability • No minimum volume requirement for profit sharing and excess compensation • 6,100 signed member agents can’t be wrong • Your clients and companies are always yours To learn how we can help you increase your agency income and value, contact us today. jharrison@siagl.com | 920.494.5000 | www.siagl.com

6401 Odana Road Madison, WI 53719 Change Service Requested

Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Road • Madison, WI 53719 (608) 274-8188 • (800) 261-PIAW • FAX (608) 274-8195 • TOLL FREE FAX: (866) 203-7461 www.piaw.org

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Agency Name________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address_________________________________________________ PO Box_______________________________________________________ City, State, Zip________________________________________________ County________________________________________________________ Phone_______________________________________________________ FAX_________________________________________________________ E-mail Address________________________________________________ Website Address________________________________________________

Primary Contact Information:

The Primary Contact will receive a copy of the Wisconsin Professional Agent magazine and all mailings from PIA State and National. The Primary Contact has voting rights at PIA national meetings. Primary Contact and all agency staff have voting rights at PIA of Wisconsin meetings.

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