Producer's Page
Fraternal Selling Requires Being Fraternal
 |
Patrick Braun,
CLU, FIC, LUTCF
National Sales Manager |
|
|
I have always loved one thing in particular about the life insurance business. That is the fact that, at the end of each year, regardless of how good or how bad the year was, the salesperson’s slate is wiped clean and a brand new year appears! This is unique to the profession of selling. It is an opportunity to sit down and take stock. What have I accomplished? What goals did I achieve? What are my goals for the new year? How can I get better at what I do?
Starting over each year can be viewed as good or bad, depending on the salesperson. The optimist looks forward to the challenge. But, if the last year was great and records were set, sometimes it’s just hard to let go and start from zero again. Having sold for a commercial company as well as for several fraternal societies, I can personally testify that facing the new challenge at the beginning of the year is a lot tougher with a commercial insurer. I have tried to analyze why and what I keep coming up with is the basic difference between commercial insurance companies and fraternal societies.
Commercial sales people have a job. They are in it for the money. There is nothing wrong with that, after all, we’re not communists. But, when you compare this one dimensional view with that of a good fraternal salesperson, you quickly discover that the latter has some tremendous advantages. First and foremost is that selling for a fraternal society, because of its tax exempt status, can offer a lot more satisfaction. Yes the money is there, in proportion to effort, as in any sales profession, but the ability to give back to clients and the community through the various fraternal benefits and charitable programs provides a “psychic income” which cannot be matched in the commercial insurance world.
Selling for a fraternal society also helps the salesperson with the number one problem he or she will always have. That is-finding people to sell to! A fraternal lodge provides a continuous way of meeting people in a friendly, non-threatening manner. If the salesperson not only attends these events but also pitches in to help plan and run them, he or she gains stature with the members and they are more encouraged to recommend prospects for the society’s products. Obviously, the benefit to the lodge is the constant flow of incoming new members that the salesperson provides. It is a fact that lodges (FCSLA Branches) which have active, interested salespeople are growing and lodges without them are withering and closing!
But it is also a fact that it is difficult to fake fraternalism because fraternalism is more a way of life than a prospecting or sales strategy. It is more than attending chicken dinners and hoping for leads. Fraternalism is involvement and proactive leadership. It is helping find other fraternalists and making them members and inspiring them to become active in the lodge. It is standing up when the lodge president asks for volunteers to help with the fundraiser or the youth activity. It is working in the kitchen, manning the booth, selling the raffle tickets and doing these things with zeal and good cheer. In short, it is being an integral part of the lodge’s fiber. The rewards to both the salesperson and the lodge are wonderful when this attitude is taken.
As we enter 2011 and make our new goals for the year I encourage every person who sells for FCSLA to get involved, be fraternal and take advantage of all the opportunities that FCSLA and the fraternal system have to offer. You have a clean slate. What you write on it this year will determine both your monetary income and your satisfaction with your career!
Fraternally Yours,
Patrick F. Braun
National Sales Manager
Stay tuned to this page for future news and exciting updates from your National
Sales Manager.
Illustrations:
Log on to Illustration System - FCSLA has created a special "Producer Gateway" to provide sales tools to our contracted agents and licensed producers.
Non-Conforming Illustration Form (39K
PDF*) - This form must be submitted with any life insurance application that
is not accompanied by a signed illustration matching the application.
Sales
Support:
MIB
Notice to the Proposed Insured (27K PDF)
Life
Insurance and Annuity Applications - Answer a few questions and you will
get the application form (PDF) you need for immediate use.
Brochures
Life Insurance Underwriting Guidelines
Chart (11K PDF*) - This document shows the medical information we require
for applicants based on issue age and amount of insurance applied for.
NEW The Single Premium Whole Life Modified Endowment Contract Acknowledgement Form (120K PDF*) is required to be submitted with all Single Premium Whole Life applications (including 4-Pay). One to the Home Office with application, one copy to applicant, one copy to agent.
Suitability Form
Requirements (48K
PDF*) - This
document explains the suitability form requirements by state.
Annuity Suitability Form (14K
PDF*) - This form must be submitted with any annuity
application where required by the state.
Life Insurance Suitability
Form (14K
PDF*) - This form must be submitted with any life
insurance application where required by the state.
NEW Replacement of Life Insurance or Annuity Forms - Click here to find the appropriate Replacement Form for your state. This form must
be submitted with any replacement application (life insurance or annuity).
One copy to the Home Office with application, one copy to applicant, one
copy to agent.
Sales Material Verification Form (37K
PDF*) - This form must be submitted with any
replacement application (life insurance or annuity). One copy to the Home
Office with application, one copy to applicant, one copy to agent.
Electronic Fund Transfer
Nonqualified Section 1035 Tax Free Exchange Request
- For Life (35K PDF*) - This form
is required if the applicant is surrendering a policy with another company
and using that surrender as a tax-free exchange to purchase a policy from
FCSLA. This form must be submitted with the Replacement of Life Insurance
or Annuities form.
- For Annuity (59K
PDF*) - This form is required if the applicant is surrendering a policy
with another company and using that surrender as a tax-free exchange to
purchase a policy from FCSLA. This form must be submitted with the Replacement
of Life Insurance or Annuities form.
Qualified IRA Transfer Request (58K
PDF*) - This form is required if the applicant is transferring qualified
monies (401K, IRA, Roth IRA, Simple IRA, SEP) and depositing to a qualified
Annuity.
HIPAA Authorization (97K PDF*) - This authorization
will be used to obtain medical records, if necessary, from the doctor(s)
listed on the back of the form.
Marketing and Sales Support:
Display Advertisement Library -
A collection of FCSLA print ads in PDF format that can be downloaded and
used for your print advertisements.
 * Adobe Reader is required to open and print
the documents on this page. If you do not already have Adobe Reader, it is
available as a free download from Adobe.)
|
