Prospecting: Establishing Relationships

During a small briefing with new agents recently, I was asked on how should they start and build their market. Well, I gave them some known ideas and also a few personal experiences which I obtain through practice.

Usually, not all ideas and strategies will work for everyone. So, use your personal strength & experiment with these ideas. I hope it helps you towards success, as defined by Tom Hopkins as “the continuous journey towards the achievement of predetermined worthwhile goals”

Selling is a contact sport. By increasing your contacts, you increase your selling opportunities. Here are five ways to contact potential buyers and build better business relationships.

1. Take a doctor jogging. One of our clients sells to hospitals, clinics, and doctors. She was having a difficult time meeting with a certain doctor. The doctor’s staff told the sales rep that she (the doctor) was a jogger and that she participated in various volunteer activities within the community. The salesperson thought outside the box and entered the doctor and herself into a 5K run for “Race for the Cure.” What an active way to establish a relationship.

2. Hit a bucket of golf balls. Do you play golf? (I do, but I still stand too close to the ball AFTER I hit it!) Does your prospect play golf? Instead of investing an entire four hours on the course, why don’t you invite your prospect out to the driving range and hit a bucket of balls for an hour? You don’t play golf? Well, try this. Pay for your prospect to receive a golf lesson by a local pro. What a swinging way to establish a relationship.

3. Celebrate obscure holidays. For instance, did you know that January is Hot Tea Month? Perhaps you know of a prospect that is a hot tea drinker. January is your month to make an impression. September is Better Breakfast Month. Maybe you should celebrate by taking a prospect to your favorite breakfast restaurant. October is National Popcorn Popping Month. Is there an office in your territory that could use an extra large container of assorted popcorn? You’ll be a big hit if you can find one. What a fun way to establish a relationship.

4. And along the same lines: Send greeting cards. Hand-written cards get opened. Hand-written messages get read. You can capitalize on obscure days because you can rest assured that you are the only salesperson celebrating these days. August 16th is National Tell a Joke Day. (Don’t get me started! Did you hear about the coin collectors that got together for old dimes’ sake?) September 14th is National Cream Filled Donut Day. October 5 is National Do Something Nice Day. Buy a card. Write a message. Mail the card. Wait three days. OK, wait five days. Call the prospect and tell her you were the one who sent the card on International Tuba Day (May 7). Greeting cards can help separate you from the competition. What a creative way to establish a relationship.

5. Offer a free service. We all like free stuff. So do your prospects and their staff. Perhaps you can make a presentation in a “brown bag lunch” format. Maybe you can bring in an associate to address physical wellness, financial issues, parenting or family matters. A vice president of a staffing agency here in Dallas conducts 30-minute sessions on what she calls “Lunch and Learn” programs. What an educational way to establish a relationship.

These may not all apply to you…but remember — this only works if you do!

Bryan Flanagan is a featured speaker for Ziglar, Inc. Bryan has 37 years of experience in sales and sales management. He shares his experience and humor in his book Now Go Sell Somebody Something!

If only I had the picture of the villans !

Don’t you really wish you did? It really pisses me off that some people could even have the heard to rip off an old lady’s whole life savings, money that she earn with her own sweat and tears !

These idiot ‘daylight robbers’ normally go for those who live on the outskirts and are in their golden years. They are considered easier to be ‘convinced’.

Not all of them though because I know 1 Tan Sri in his 70’s who refused to be bothered but the
scam artist was did succeed to enter his home and play the scam :

Scene 1 : You don’t need to pay & just scratch the card.
Scene 2 : You ‘WON’ !!!
Scene 3 : The scam artist calls his ‘manager’
Scene 4 : The scam ‘manager’ from the ‘HQ’ who happens
to be ‘passing by’ arrives in just 5 mins.
Scene 5 : They request a deposit ‘management fee’ for the car/house/whatever
Scene 6 : bye bye money, hello newspaper !

Wednesday November 28, 2007

Woman duped of life savings in scam

JOHOR BARU: A woman in her 60s was duped of her life savings of RM109,000 in a scratch-and-win scam.

The woman from Kluang was promised a car and paid the money in four instalments. Instead, she got about 13 electrical items.

Mengkibol assemblyman Gan Ping Sieu said the woman received a vacuum cleaner, two air-conditioning units, two home theatre systems, a washing machine, a massage chair, two-foot massage units and electrical gas cookers.

“I think all these items are worth not more than RM30,000,” he said, adding that her ordeal started in April and has taken a toll on her health.

Gan said he advised the woman’s family to lodge a report with the state domestic trade and consumer affairs department and also with the police.

National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) director Darshan Singh, when contacted in Kuala Lumpur, said:

“Raids and seizures alone are not enough as every day we get between three to four complaints in the Klang Valley alone.

“What about people from other parts of the country or even those who choose not to report?”

He said scams like this were now tarnishing the country’s image.

“The Government should also use the emergency ordinance and detain the leaders or bosses behind these powerful syndicates,” he said, adding that a memorandum on how to battle scratch-and-win scams was submitted to the ministry last month.

He said last year, out of the 18,345 complaints received by NCCC, 1,499 were on direct sales companies mainly involved in scratch-and-win competitions.

“We hope the public will continue to send us as many complaints as possible, so we can forward them to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for action.

Those with information can contact the NCCC at 03-7877-9000 / 03-7874-8096 or file a complaint via its website www.nccc.org.my.

Have you repaid your study loan?

It might be your brother, sister, cousins, neighbors or even your spouse! Well, the only logical thing to do is pay up. If you can’t pay the recommended amount i.e. RM 200 a month, there is always room for negotiation.

The main point, just make sure you pay. As the article below states, I do know some close friends and even neighbors who are now working in the government but have yet to repay their study loans. The equation is very simple, if the borrowers do not pay up, how are new loans going to be available?

Lets just say all you can afford is RM 90 per month, so be it. At least that comes to RM 1,080 per year x 41,000 people is a whopping RM 44 million, enough to fund more than 1,000 undergrads at local universities.

Planning for your child’s education is very important and doing it early is the best way to go, but that is all another story all together…

The Star Online : Sunday November 25, 2007

Stern action to be taken against study loan defaulters

By TAN SIN CHOW

PENANG: Stern action will be taken against study loan defaulters, including stopping them from going overseas.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said this was in line with the amendments to the PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund Corporation) Act recently.

He said the loan defaulters would have their passports confiscated until they paid up their loans.

They could also be subjected to compulsory monthly salary deductions by the Inland Revenue Board, he said.

“Previously the Act was not sufficient to act against such defaulters.

“But with the amendments, we are confident of recovering the unpaid loans,” he told reporters after launching the Pemimpin Bersama Rakyat programme in Air Itam on Sunday.

Ong said there were some 41,000 loan defaulters currently working in government agencies or government-linked companies.

“Action will be taken against them,” he said.

RM 25,000 for 1st Class Honours

Wow! If only they introduced this when I was doing my degree. Anyway, I do hope that my brother who recently graduated with a 1st class honours in Performing Arts will also be considered for this award.

He’s bound to pursue his postgraduate studies in the USA soon.

Friday November 23, 2007

Negri rewards top graduates RM 25,000 each

SEREMBAN: Twelve graduates from Negri Sembilan who obtained first-class honours degrees from public universities this year were rewarded RM25,000 each by the state government yesterday.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who presented the rewards, said the state administration would continue to reward those who did the state proud.

Top of the class: Mohamad (third from left) congratulating the 12 first-class graduates at the reward-giving ceremony in Seremban yesterday. — Bernama

“Our hope is to have as many first-class graduates as possible as they can share their knowledge with others. We decided to reward them as we want more students to give their best, particularly when it comes to education,” he said at a ceremony held at the Seremban Municipal Council hall.

The 12 are, from Universiti Teknologi Mara, Mazuin Abd Hamid (business administration), Maswati Suffian (Science), Mohd Hafiz Jali (electrical engineering), Nadzatul Shima Mohd. Nazari (actuarial science) and Zurina Elyas (civil engineering); from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Lee Sze Nee, Liong Boon Pin, Looi Wai Kawn (all engineering) and Andriani Tambeh (sports science); from Universiti Malaya, N. Tamindey (Tamil Studies) and Junaida Mohamad Jonet (counselling); and from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nurrulshida Jamaludin (Syariah law).

Mohamad said those who had taken study loans from state agencies such as the Negri Sembilan Foundation and State Islamic Affairs Council would also have them converted to scholarships.

Did you know?

So, thats where all the money is going! Look at all those zeros! That comes to almost half a billion RM every month!

Well, maybe its easy for me to say as I don’t smoke. And I do know some close friends/relatives who have tried to quit many many times.There are those who succeed but more who succumb to the lust of nicotine. Besides, it really doesn’t make much difference on the premiums when applying for life insurance unless u happen to smoke more that 20 sticks per day. As the saying goes, “where there is a will, there is a way”

What’s more, its a good source of revenue for the nation.

The Star Online : Thursday November 22, 2007

More than 3.1 million spend RM15,000,000 on smokes every day

MORE than 3.1million smokers nationwide are spending a whopping RM15mil daily on cigarettes, reported China Press.

Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the figure showed a worrying trend, adding that smokers should quit the habit and spend the money on something beneficial instead.

According to a report by the ministry’s Disease Control Unit, there was an upward trend in the number of young smokers.

Lee said there was one female smoker in every 33 who lighted up nationwide. Currently, the number of female smokers in the country stands at 274,000.

He said 1.1 million smokers were aged between 25 and 34 while 318,000 were between 55 and 64, adding that many smokers were parents. “If parents cannot lead by example, their children might follow their footsteps and pick up the habit,” he said.

The ministry had stepped up anti-smoking campaigns, as smoking was a public health problem.

Without such campaigns, the number of smokers was expected to soar to 3.8 million by 2015. It will reach the four million mark by 2020.

Tips on Car Shopping

Car Shopping Dos and Don’ts
By Dave Ramsey

Seems like it never ends, doesn’t it? The media is always plastered with ads from car dealerships who are offering super, close-out, blow-out, going-out-of-business deals.

It’s true that you can generally get better deals at certain times of the year, but you have to be smart about it. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

Don’t get car fever! Look for the best deals and research the car you want.

Negotiate if you can. If you get a deal from one seller and take that dollar amount to another seller, they may come down on the price. If you pay with cash on top of that, you can get an even better deal!

Ask for factual information, especially if buying from a dealership. For example, don’t ask “Does it get good gas mileage?” The dealer may consider 10 miles to the gallon to be good mileage, but you won’t. Ask “How many miles per gallon does it get?”

Be willing to walk away. You must do this! Just like if a dealer senses for even a second that you really want a certain car, you won’t get a good deal.

Forget the extras. Don’t pay for things that you don’t need like pin striping, special detailing and extended warranties. If you have your full emergency fund in place, it’ll cover any costs you have if the car breaks or has problems. That is actually one of the beauties of buying a two-year or older paid-for car; it has a lot of the kinks worked out of it.

2 are better than 1. If you need support when going to buy a car, take a friend or family member who can help you keep your head. Your friend can also help you to remember details about the car that the seller tells you, which can help you make your decision.
Unless you’re filthy rich, you cannot afford a new car! New cars drop in value like a bag of rocks! A new car loses 60% of its value in the first 4 years. Save up money and pay cash for a used car. It’s much easier to save $400 a month (the average car payment) for 10 months and buy a used car than to sign up for a payment plan and pay thousands of extra dollars for several years!

Remember, the purpose of a vehicle is to get you from A to B. When you are working, playing with your children or helping a friend, you are not thinking to yourself, “Man, I am so happy since I have a new car. Life is beautiful!” The key to happiness is not a new car, so don’t pay for it like it is!

Dave Ramsey has a nationally syndicated radio show and is the author of several financial planning books.  For more information go to www.daveramsey.com.

EPF for tuition fees

Is this due to the lack of planning by parents OR are education costs today higher than ever before OR is there a shortage of places for a student to receive quality education. When I say quality, it means that the college or university that the kids go to have qualified lecturers, not just any tom, dick or harry who just finished his diploma or degree and resorted to lecturing as a last choice.
The Star Online : Wednesday November 21, 2007

15,000 withdrew EPF savings for education

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 15,000 members applied to withdraw their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings to finance their own or their children’s education.

This amounted to RM87.1mil in the third quarter period between July and September this year, an increase of 51.5% from the RM57.5mil withdrawn in the previous quarter.

This increase is attributed to a surge in new intake into institutions of higher learning, as well as EPF’s effort in expanding its education withdrawal to include diploma programmes.

“The education withdrawal aims to give members the opportunity to better themselves and earn a better income so that they are able to save more for their retirement years,” said EPF chief executive officer Datuk Azlan Zainol.

Withdrawals by members turning 50 and 55 fell slightly in the quarter.

However, housing withdrawals grew by 16.5% to RM1,960.2mil, over the previous quarter’s figure of RM1,682.3mil. – Bernama

Duped again !

After numerous cases, it still happens. These ‘daylight robbers’ are real pros because in the case below, they used teenagers to secure the deal. They must be using an MLM replicated module where the top producers get an extra bonus for ‘x’ number of sales at the end of the month. Wow!

The Star Online : Wednesday November 21, 2007

Couple duped of RM6,500 by scratch-and-win syndicate

JOHOR BARU: Despite illegal scratch-and-win syndicates being exposed regularly in the newspapers, some people are still falling victim to them.

A couple who went to a bank in Desa Tebrau on Nov 15 was duped of RM6,500 by one such syndicate.

Supervisor Mohamad Anuar Buyong, 38, said he was waiting in the car while his wife, a teacher, was in the bank when four teenagers approached him, asking him to try his luck.

He was told he had won a car after the first try but needed to pay RM6,500 for the road tax and vehicle registration fees.

The couple pawned their jewellery for RM5,500 and withdrew RM1,000 from the bank for the payment.

“We knew that something was wrong when the person in charge gave us a receipt with electrical items listed on it. The man told us the items were gifts for us,” he said.

Mohamad Anuar and his wife Siti Kasida Achon, 37, approached MCA Johor Baru Anti-Scratch-and-Win squad chief Kua Song Tuck for help when they read of similar stories in the papers.

Kua said members of the public could play their part in curbing these syndicates by informing the police whenever they spotted the culprits at work. Anyone who has fallen victim to the syndicate can contact Kua at 016-717 7661 for assistance.

Protecting Your Assets With Umbrella Insurance

At some point, you have probably heard of umbrella insurance, but have no idea what it is. Well, first off, it does not cover the umbrella you protect yourself from the rain. It is a figure of speech. An umbrella policy is designed to shield you from almost everything that your home and auto insurance does not, as well as fill in gaps in coverage when the limits of your regular policy are exhausted.

Every day, there are personal lawsuits filed against ordinary citizens, with the reasons ranging from the frivolous to the justified. When and if this happens to you, you need to be prepared. More often than not, people are sued and have no extra protection to block the plaintiff from going after their personal assets in the lawsuit. To protect yourself from such a quandary, you need to have umbrella insurance.

An umbrella is often referred to as excess liability. This excess liability coverage kicks in when the underlying limits on your home or auto policy have been exhausted, or if you are sued personally for something that neither your home nor your auto insurance covers. Depending on the company, you can purchase anywhere from 1 to 5 million dollars worth of excess coverage, sometimes as high as 10 million.

The amount of coverage you select really depends on how much you are worth. If you have 5 million dollars worth of personal assets, you should get a 5 million dollar umbrella. It is not uncommon for someone to buy a 5 or 10 million dollar umbrella policy even if that number far exceeds their net worth, because the coverage is so cheap to buy.

Most insurance companies will not offer you the coverage unless you have both your home and auto already insured with them. Also, the insurer will require that you maintain a certain level of liability on the home and auto policies in order to qualify for the excess policy. Usually, you must maintain at least $250,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $500,000 per accident, and $100,000 for property damage for your autos, and $500,000 of liability for your home.

The coverage is cheap. It is possible to obtain 1 million dollars worth of excess liability for as little as $120 dollars. The more cars and homes you have, the higher the price for the insurance, but the cost is still low. In addition to your home and cars, liability associated with any other conveyances you may have, such as boats, motorcycles, and other recreational vehicles, may also qualify for coverage under the umbrella, depending on the insurance company.

You are probably wondering when the umbrella would actually come into play. Here is an example: If you are involved in an auto accident where you crashed into a pedestrian who was walking on the sidewalk, resulting in medical expenses for that person that costed more than what your auto policy covered, the umbrella would be used. Or, if that pedestrian then decides to sue you for negligence and seeks punitive damages, your umbrella can be utilized to cover your legal expenses and to pay any judgements levied against you.

It is also important to understand that the excess liability covers you for all sorts of things that have nothing to do with your cars or homes. Things such as personal injury protection are covered. This includes false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, defamation, invasion of privacy, wrongful entry, or eviction.

Also, some umbrella policies provide coverage for you if you are sued in connection with any charitable boards or organizations of which you are a member. You may have to contact your insurance company and pay an extra premium for this type of coverage.

I hope this has helped illuminate to you the importance of having umbrella insurance. Without it, your personal assets are totally vulnerable in any lawsuit or legal action. Talk to your agent about it and ask how much it costs. Even though multi-million dollar lawsuits are not common, they can happen. So, an umbrella is probably worth it.

Jim Pretin is the owner of http://www.forms4free.com, a service that helps programmers make an HTML form

Source : http://www.generasi-m.com/finance/finance-insurance/protecting-your-assets-with-umbrella-insurance.php

Buying Term Life Insurance

If you are the breadwinner for your family or you provide a significant portion of your family’s income that they can’t live without it is important that you purchase life insurance. This ensures that your family will be financially taken care of in the event something unfortunate happens to you. While you can purchase whole life coverage that lasts until you die, many individuals and families are better off purchasing term life insurance.

Term life insurance provides coverage to individuals in the event something tragic happens. However, this coverage only lasts you for a specific time period as opposed to providing insurance for your entire life.

For example, you can purchase a term life policy that lasts until your children are out of the house or until you reach retirement. This is perfect for individuals and families who need coverage while working or raising children but don’t see it as necessary after the age of 65.

The fact that you can set the time period of your term is one reason many people choose to use it over whole life insurance. Individuals and families don’t necessarily need life insurance after children are out of the house or they have reached retirement. A term life policy allows them to set up their coverage to cut off at a specific age or point.

Of course the shorter term you have the less it costs. This is a major reason why people opt to purchase term life insurance over the coverage that protects for an entire life. Twenty-years of term life may cover raising your children, while individuals with whole life may have it for more than 60 years. It is less expensive to purchase insurance for twenty years than it is for 60, thus many opt for term insurance in order to save money.

Another benefit of buying a term life plan is the opportunity to invest. The lower premiums demanded by a term policy allow individuals and families the opportunity to put additional funds into investments. Many times these investments provide more money than what life insurance, both term and whole, pay out when someone dies. However this doesn’t mean you can afford to only invest your money and not use it to purchase good coverage. It takes many years for investments to build up and be profitable, whereas something could happen to you or your loved ones tomorrow.

One of the best ways to protect you and your family from the financial burdens that can result due to the death of a family member is by purchasing life insurance. While there are different types, term life often proves most beneficial for individuals and families. It not only provides you with security when you need it most, but it is often the most affordable option for families on a budget. While no one ever wants to plan for the unexpected death of a loved one, doing so can ensure a financial burden doesn’t remain after their gone.

Ryan is an expert with life insurance! Please visit OnlineShoppingProductReviews
for more information.

Source : http://www.generasi-m.com/finance/finance-insurance/buying-term-life-insurance.php#more-35