by Darrin Holle Life Sales Relationship Manager

From the time we are born through our time growing old, we’re constantly expanding our minds and learning new things. Whether taking our first steps, earning our diploma or settling into retirement, we must adjust to changing circumstances and adapt to life as we know it. Many people attribute this to the never-ending process of education. As American philosopher John Dewey once said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” And nowhere is this more evident than in the life insurance business.

As a life agent, your work is never done. This business requires a continual learning curve on products, field underwriting and advanced sales concepts. More importantly, you’re constantly working to educate your clients about all that life insurance can do to help achieve their financial, estate planning, retirement and business goals. September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, and often this marks a popular time to reinforce the importance of life in your clients’ portfolios. Yet when September is over, your job continues on. Here’s a little insight on resources immediately accessible for continuing the education process both personally and professionally.

WATCH IT, READ IT, LEARN IT

Are you looking for ways to expand your reach and tap into higher caliber life sales? The new Creative Life Educational Series has just the resources you need to master advanced sales concepts and conquer even the most difficult cases. We’ve partnered with National Benefits Group, a renowned service provider specializing in custom solutions and boutique services for cases involving small and mid-sized businesses, to bring you a wealth of information and examples that make learning easy.

To get started, simply visit www.CreativeMarketing.net/LifeEd. Here, you’ll see a number of concepts you may be interested in. With just a click, you can view a three- to five-minute spotlight presentation on the topic and where it fits in your sales arsenal. You’ll be able to sign up to receive a more in-depth written guide on the subject matter as well as FAQs, case studies and other helpful pieces that will show you how to start implementing these concepts to help your clients meet their needs. Lastly, you can watch a more comprehensive presentation that will help you make sense of everything you’ve read and solidify your knowledge on the topic.

First up, we’ve tackled nonqualified deferred compensation plans, also known as 401(k) excess plans. We’ve offered up examples and details on how to help business owner clients provide highly compensated employees with a premier benefit that can help aid in key employee retention. We’ve had great response from others agents who’ve utilized these resources, and are looking forward to launching each of the other listed topics month by month: Life Insurance as an Asset Class, Bank-Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) and Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERP). Best of all, after you’ve learned about a concept, you can contact your Creative Life Team for help designing cases and putting it into action. Check back often, as we’ll continue to add valuable information on new topics over time.

SHARE IT, TEACH IT, LIVE IT

Now that you’ve got an online resource for growing your knowledge and finding ways to use life insurance to meet an expanding set of needs, you still have the job of educating clients and prospects about how this works. You may want to start with a visit to the Web to Print program available through our Dynamic Marketing Portal*. In just three easy steps, you can customize and print fliers, mailers and more to help promote Life Insurance Awareness Month. While you’re at it, you may want to also access beneficiary revierbooklets, pamphlets on paramedical exams, life changes checklists, and other materials to help answer your clients’ questions and put their worries to rest.

Or, you may be interested in sharing one of your most powerful, memorable life sales stories with us for our Moments in Life campaign. As a life agent, you’ve likely had the opportunity to impact the lives of many individuals and families throughout your career. Having a life policy in force may have dramatically changed one or more of your clients’ financial outlook(s) after losing a loved one unexpectedly. We’d love for you to write in about your most compelling life insurance story and provide details on just how your clients’ coverage made an impact. If your story is chosen to be one of our featured “Moments in Life,” we’ll share it in an upcoming edition of Creative Edge and provide you customized consumer-facing pieces you can use to help promote life insurance awareness year-round. We’ll even make a donation to your client’s charity of choice to bring the campaign full circle.

You have a good grasp on the many ways that life insurance can be a fit in various aspects of individuals’ lives. Reinforce your knowledge with our exclusive resources and share the wealth with clients and prospects to ensure they’re using life to protect themselves, their families and their business. Education is the foundation upon which Creative was built, and we know that it’s an integral part of your success as well. View additional details about our Moments in Life campaign on the following page, and partner with us to ensure life is always a win-win.

FOR AGENT USE ONLY. NOT FOR USE WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC. 12476 – 2012/9/5

*Production requirements apply.