Tag Archives: Getting It Done

Learning Opportunities: What Do You Want to Learn?

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By Shelley A. Gable

Every state requires insurance continuing education. Your attitude toward that education requirement determines how much you benefit from it. Do you view it as an opportunity? Or just another item on your growing to do list?

The reality is that you (or your employer) is paying for it regardless of your attitude. And in any case, you’re the one spending the time to complete the class. So why not make the most of it? Viewing it as an opportunity allows insurance ce to be a rich source of professional development.

What are your professional goals?

First think long term…maybe ten years out. Do you want to be a sales manager? What skills and knowledge do you need to acquire to be eligible for that position? Maybe you need to meet certain licensing requirements or build strengths in specific skills.

Think short term as well…maybe one year out. Is there an additional type of product you’d like to be licensed in, so you can become more valuable to your organization and increase your income potential? Is there a new law that you know will impact your work?

Here’s another angle to consider: What are you an expert in?

If you’re part of an agency with a dozen agents, what makes you special? Are you the go-to person for anything? If not, you may want to consider selecting an area of your work that interests you and gaining the knowledge needed to establish yourself as an expert. Being the one others defer to on a topic can do wonders for your credibility overall and may help advance your career.

Write down your goals.

Almost any book or article that offers advice for setting goals recommends that you write them down.

Why do you need to write them down?

  • To remember what they are
  • To look back to them for inspiration
  • To build a sense of commitment

Another advantage of writing down your goals is that it makes it easier to map out a plan. Though it can be helpful to create a detailed plan for your professional development, just capturing some of the basic elements of a plan initially can help move you in the right direction. At a minimum, start by thinking about:

  1. What are your goals (short and long term)?
  2. What specific types of skills and knowledge must you develop to achieve those goals?
  3. What specific actions must you take to develop those skills and knowledge?

How can insurance continuing education help you achieve these goals?

Now that you’ve identified the skills and knowledge you need in order to meet your short and long term goals, select insurance continuing education courses that help bring you closer to those goals. When it comes to insurance ce offerings, you have options. And with online training, you aren’t limited to options that are compatible with your schedule.

When perusing a course catalog, take a few extra minutes to view all your options. Read through the course descriptions and select courses that best align with your goals and interests. Taking advantage of online insurance ce courses to further your professional development will not only help you achieve your goals, but it should also help motivate you when completing the course.

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Click here for 5 reasons why you should subscribe!

Interested in sales?  Perhaps Insurance, Real Estate, or Finance is your calling..  Click here to get licensed.

Need your Insurance Continuing Education?..Click here to take your continuing education classes online.

Shelley A. Gable is an instructional designer and freelance writer. She has developed training for functions such as financial services, call centers, and engineering education. Shelley writes articles on topics related to training and management for print and online publications. Visit Shelley’s website at http://shelleygable.wordpress.com.

An agent website, a must have!

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By Aaron Loring Davis

When we get our license, there are suggestions for all kinds of tools – a cell phone, business cards, a nice pen..the list goes on and on.  However, as the world looks toward the Internet for everything from wacky cat videos to yes, insurance, it is now essential to have a website.  Read that again – Essential!  The good news for the technically-challenged, it can be had in under 20 minutes and there is tons of support when you get stuck.  A self-managed site is yours for as little as $10 a year or for a bit more, you can have it built for you…seamless!

With staggering rates of websites and blogs created every day, the programmers of said technologies have made it nearly dummy proof.  Plus, when the relatively intuitive systems do not jive with our thinking, there are hosts of free resources to figure things out.  Support forums host a wealth of community knowledge and their members always seem to be willing to lend a hand.

Where does one start? There are two ways to go -

Self-hosted – You will manage your website and configure it yourself.  Don’t worry, it’s less daunting than it sounds.

1.     Register a domain name – Visit godaddy.com or register.com to reserve your address on the web.  Cost – $10 or less

2.     Pick a host – AFMU.com provides free websites and your registrar may as well. Cost – Free

3.     Install a template or blog software. I like to use WordPress to manage all of my sites, because they are so dang easy, but you may opt for Joomla or Typepad.  Cost – Free

Hosted - Tthe site will be hosted and managed by a third party

1.     Register with a hosting site – WordPress.com or Blogger.com. Cost – Free

- Or -

2.     Register with a premium agent website hosting company – Agent Methods has a superior product! Cost – $39 and up

What should it include?

1.     Welcome page with your message and instructions to find other resources

2.     Contact page with all of your contact details.  A lot of folks like to include phone numbers, mailing and office address, email addresses, links to other profiles such as Facebook and Twitter, and perhaps a contact form

3.     Information page(s) – This should include information about you, your company, and the products you provide.  It can be as brief or robust as you choose.

That just about sums it up.  Not so bad, huh?  Remember, it can be as simple as a business card or incredibly complex with calculators and multimedia.  The point is that as a professional salesperson, it is essential to reserve a place for you and your business on the web.

If you need a hand setting yours up, please do not hesitate to ask.  I am happy to help.

Onward and upward!

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If you appreciate these ideas, it’d be swell for you would share them (button below) or subscribe via the feed.

Click here for 5 reasons why you should subscribe!

Interested in sales?  Perhaps Insurance, Real Estate, or Finance is your calling..  Click here to get licensed.

Need your Insurance Continuing Education?..Click here to take your continuing education classes online.

Aaron Loring Davis is the CTO of InternetCE.com , provider of insurance continuing education, and Editor of this blog.  He holds a Bachelor or Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and enjoys just about anything that can be done outdoors. Visit Aaron’s personal website at www.aaronloringdavis.com.

Mobile users now able to view blog.internetce.com

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By Aaron Loring Davis

I recently added the ability to print our blog posts in a format that is suitable for printers and while I was at it, I added a mobile edition as well.

Simply point your mobile phone browser to blog.internetce.com and you’ll get all the goods, in a format designed for your phone.  Don’t worry, it’s set to detect your phone to display correctly.

Perhaps sooner than later, InternetCE will offer insurance continuing education via a mobile interface as well

If you have a suggestion on how we might be able to improve our business, please do drop us a line.  We take advice very seriously.

Onward and upward!

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If you appreciate these ideas, it’d be swell for you would share them (button below) or subscribe via the feed.

Click here for 5 reasons why you should subscribe!

Interested in sales?  Perhaps Insurance, Real Estate, or Finance is your calling..  Click here to get licensed.

Need your Insurance Continuing Education?..Click here to take your continuing education classes online.

Aaron Loring Davis is the CTO of InternetCE.com , provider of insurance continuing education, and Editor of this blog.  He holds a Bachelor or Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and enjoys just about anything that can be done outdoors. Visit Aaron’s personal website atwww.aaronloringdavis.com.

blog.internetce.com now able to be printed

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It’s the little things, right?  We take suggestions and feedback seriously, so if you haven’t already, drop us a line on how we might be able to be the best.

Click here to send me an email.

Big thanks to Charles W., of Cary, North Carolina for suggesting to us that it would be nice to be able to print posts, without all the formatting issues associated with clicking ‘Print’ in your browser.

Done and done!

At the bottom of each post, you’ll find a ‘Print This Post’ link and
icon.  Remember though, be nice to the trees and only print when you really have to.

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If you appreciate these ideas, it’d be swell for you would share them (button below) or subscribe via the feed.

Click here for 5 reasons why you should subscribe!

Interested in sales?  Perhaps Insurance, Real Estate, or Finance is your calling..  Click here to get licensed.

Need your Insurance Continuing Education?..Click here to take your continuing education classes online.

Aaron Loring Davis is the CTO of InternetCE.com , provider of insurance continuing education, and Editor of this blog.  He holds a Bachelor or Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and enjoys just about anything that can be done outdoors. Visit Aaron’s personal website atwww.aaronloringdavis.com.

I Am Committed

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I challenge myself to devote a set number of hours toward my goals.
This is a real, honest commitment to getting it done.
I remember in college, I would complain about having spent 3 hours in class and then 2 hours studying.  I was so tired and couldn’t go out and play.  However, the real truth was more like daydreaming for 2.5 hours in class and paying attention for about 30 minutes and then who knows what for home work. A little dilly dallying here and procrastinating there and yes, 2 hours had gone by..
I still had not learned what I had set out to learn.
The same has been true in my sales business, which makes for monkey business!  I would come to the office bright and early, before anyone else, put on a pot of coffee, get my desk just right, and then fiddle around the net until my first colleague showed up.  I’d have a chat, make a cup of joe, and perhaps go check my snail mail (did I expect anything other than junk?..no).  I might walk down to the bagel shop for a treat, come back to answer a few emails, make a couple calls, and then head out..destination unknown.  It was 11:30 and I’d been at the office since 7, but for what.  I would have been better served by staying in bed, watching cartoons, and aimlessly wandering around my house.
I still had created any new business.  My work was not done.
Note – This has obviously not always been the case, however it has taken place often enough to require a measure of attention.
Where am I going with this..
I might be at work, but am I really working?  I may be at school, but I am really concentrating on learning?
A trick may be just to committ to focusing, laser focus, on the task at hand and then really getting after it.  My experience has been that this causes a few things to happen:
1. I make major progress on the tasks that I have set out to complete.
2. I achieve small victories that I am able to celebrate in lieu of my diligence.
3. Given that I’ve gotten it done, I am able to enjoy the procrastitory (is that a word?) activities when they come about.
4. I make my mom proud that I actually did my homework.
The best feeling in the world is to set a goal, make a viable action plan to achieve it, and then complete it.  It is so nice, on so many levels, to check a task off of the to-do list.
Perhaps that is all I need to do..I have my goals on paper.  I have a plan to systemically achieve them.  Now I’ll just commit working on them, really focusing and working on them for a set number of hours a day.  Let’s say it 4 hours, every day, for now.  That is plenty of time to do damage :)
This isn’t going to be easy as I am currently in school and working full time, but only I can make it happen.  Only me.
You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you will be the guy who’ll decide where you’ll go. Oh the places you’ll go.
Dr. Seuss
Are you comitted?

stopwatchI challenge myself to devote a set number of hours toward my goals.

This is a real, honest commitment to getting it done.

I remember in college, I would complain about having spent 3 hours in class and then 2 hours studying.  I was so tired and couldn’t go out and play.  However, the real truth was more like daydreaming for 2.5 hours in class and paying attention for about 30 minutes and then who knows what for home work. A little dilly dallying here and procrastinating there and yes, 2 hours had gone by..

I still had not learned what I had set out to learn.

The same has been true in my sales business, which makes for monkey business!  I would come to the office bright and early, before anyone else, put on a pot of coffee, get my desk just right, and then fiddle around the net until my first colleague showed up.  I’d have a chat, make a cup of joe, and perhaps go check my snail mail (did I expect anything other than junk?..no).  I might walk down to the bagel shop for a treat, come back to answer a few emails, make a couple calls, and then head out..destination unknown.  It was 11:30 and I’d been at the office since 7, but for what.  I would have been better served by staying in bed, watching cartoons, and aimlessly wandering around my house.

I still had created any new business.  My work was not done.

Note – This has obviously not always been the case, however it has taken place often enough to require a measure of attention.

Where am I going with this..

I might be at work, but am I really working?  I may be at school, but I am really concentrating on learning?

A trick may be just to committ to focusing, laser focus, on the task at hand and then really getting after it.  My experience has been that this causes a few things to happen:

1. I make major progress on the tasks that I have set out to complete.

2. I achieve small victories that I am able to celebrate in lieu of my diligence.

3. Given that I’ve gotten it done, I am able to enjoy the procrastitory (is that a word?) activities when they come about.

4. I make my mom proud that I actually did my homework.

The best feeling in the world is to set a goal, make a viable action plan to achieve it, and then complete it.  It is so nice, on so many levels, to check a task off of the to-do list.

Perhaps that is all I need to do..I have my goals on paper.  I have a plan to systemically achieve them.  Now I’ll just commit working on them, really focusing and working on them for a set number of hours a day.  Let’s say it 4 hours, every day, for now.  That is plenty of time to do damage :)

This isn’t going to be easy as I am currently in school and working full time, but only I can make it happen.  Only me.

You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you will be the guy who’ll decide where you’ll go. Oh the places you’ll go.

Dr. Seuss

Are you comitted?

Does Being Yourself Make You Look Like You're At The Bus Stop In Your Underpants?

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BuffoonI am excited.  Ideas come to me in furious cascades.  I am quick on the hip to debate and illustrate my point of view.

I do not edit myself very much.

The result?  I fudge it up some times.  I put my foot in my mouth.  I sound like a buffoon.

That’s alright with me though.

I have found that when I do over edit, I leave good stuff on the table.  I over analyze and script and think and rethink and in the time to put something together that would have normally taken me 20 minutes has now taken 2 hours and who knows if it is really any better.  Further, it isn’t authentically me.

I posted a grammatically incorrect title for a post a few weeks ago on purpose, to test how it would do.  The reviews told me that that was stupid to do for the sake of marketing.  Fine.  I will not do that again.

But today I posted an article and via su.pr, a blog distribution channel, and I wrote the title grammatically incorrect by accident.  For this I am not sorry and you can brace yourself to see it again in the future.

I believe in editting and review and consulting, however until my budget will support those facets in greater depth, I am going to be me and give you, my readers, clients and critics, the very best that I have, which will invariably have a few dings and dents from time to time.  That’s all I have…my very best!

Now, I am not telling folks to not point out when I say or write something that makes me look like I’m standing at the bus stop in my underpants.  I want feedback and critique and criticism.  But understand, that it might be met with “Thanks, I appreciate your point of view.  Not much I can do about that, but I do value your thoughts. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a business to run.”

That is me.  I am who I am.  I can not be anyone else, nor do I care to be and my hope is that you’ll appreciate me for it.

That is all.

You Must Take A Break!

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Make time for yourself.
Yesterday I posted an article on surrounding onessefl with people and ideas that support your efforts, whatever they may be.  If you want to design games, perhaps it is good that you play HALO all day.  If you want to be a therapist, maybe its a good idea to make time for every person you know that has a problem.  If not, it may be time to reaccess.
There is a caveat.  You must make time for yourself to decompress, to unwind and allow the brain to think about something other than what must be done.
I have a dear friend, a doctor, that loves to play the Wii games he originally bought for the little kids in his life.  The first time I witnessed this, I thought “What in the world are you doing?”  I mean, these games are Super Mario brothers in high def…simple.  Real simple.  But then I realized, of course he is no dummy and he has built a heck of life for himself, perhaps this is his method to relax.  Maybe he uses a bit of recreational gaming to let his mind wander such that he can be the best that he can be when he’s on the hospital floor.
In sales, it ca be tough.  We are called upon early in the morning to late into the night.  We are expected to be there for our clients, aware and on top of our game.
This will not happen unless we take a break!
I like to get outside and breathe deep.  I like to workout.  I like to spend time with good friends and family. I love to read the wikipedia.  I love to go to a good museum or theatre and become engrossed with the show or exhibit.
I do it, sucht hat when I am required to be on, I can be on.  Fully on!
What do you do to relax or let go?

relaxMake time for yourself.

Yesterday I posted an article on surrounding one’s self with people and ideas that support your efforts, whatever they may be, and not waste your day away reading up on what your facebook friends are up to or whatever it is that sucks your most valuable asset, your time.

There is a caveat.

You must make time for yourself to decompress, to unwind and allow the brain to think about something other than what must be done.

I have a dear friend, a doctor, that loves to play the Wii games he originally bought for the little kids in his life.  The first time I witnessed this, I thought “What in the world are you doing?”  I’m talking about, Super Mario brothers in high def…simple.  Real simple.  But then I realized, of course he is no dummy and he has built a heck of life for himself, perhaps this is his method to relax.  Maybe he uses a bit of recreational gaming to let his mind wander such that he can be the best that he can be when he’s on the hospital floor.

In sales, it can be tough.  We are called upon early in the morning to late into the night.  We are expected to be there for our clients, aware and on top of our game.  In sales, it is our responsibility to remain cal, level headed, and objective.  We legally bound to provide expert advice that is in the very best interest of our clients.

Sometimes it seems like we never are able to make time for ourselves, but we must.

I like to get a good workout, get outside, and breathe deep.  I like to spend time with good friends and family.  I love to go to a good museum or symphony and become engrossed with the show or exhibit.

I do it, such that when I am required to be on, I can be on.  Fully on!

What do you do to relax or let go?  List your ideas in the comments below.

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Does The Company That You Keep Match Your Goals?

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Are you supporting your efforts to get ahead?
My mom used to say, “You are the company that you keep.”
It was true then and its true now.  I want to get ahead.  I want to provide a better life for the world, my family and friends, and myself, thus I surround myself with people and ideas that support that.
I read blogs and books that offer advice for marketing my business and myself, managing my finances, being more productive, living a happier life and so on.  I eagerly seek out the company of those that I feel are uplifting and supportive of my effosts.
I shun that which does not.  I do not really have the inkling to play farmville.  As intriguing as it may be, I can’t sit for hours upon hours watching LOST. And I loathe being forced to have lunch with someone that is a downer or a leech.  I just can’t do it.
It’s not fair to my efforts to get ahead.
I’m running a business and working to expand my life.
From the outside looking in, who are you based upon the company that you keep?

groupAre you supporting your efforts to get ahead?

My mom used to say, “You are the company that you keep.”

It was true then and its true now.  I want to get ahead.  I want to provide a better life for the world, my family and friends, and myself, thus I surround myself with people and ideas that support that.

I read blogs and books that offer advice for marketing my business and myself, managing my finances, being more productive, living a happier life and so on.  I eagerly seek out the company of those that I feel are uplifting and supportive of my efforts.

I shun that which does not.  I do not really have the inkling to play farmville.  As intriguing as it may be, I can’t sit for hours upon hours watching LOST. And I loathe being forced to have lunch with someone that is a downer or a leech.  I just can’t do it.

It’s not fair to my efforts to get ahead.

I’m running a business and working to expand my life.  I want to be able to go school and learn, to travel and explore new adventures, to be able to help those in need, to relax when I need/want to, and to provide for my family.

These things will not be possible if I devote myself to that which does not expand me and only constrict me.

From the outside looking in, who are you based upon the company that you keep?

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Interested in sales?  Perhaps Insurance, Real Estate, or Finance is your calling..  Click here to get licensed.

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10 Tips For Dealing With Clients That Are Driving You Crazy

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CrazyI wrote an article a few days ago about the importance of saying “thank you”, even if you no longer want to do business with a person.  I feel that it is just good manners and may end up serving you in the future.

However, you may not be ready to cut the cord, but your client really is driving you crazy.  You’ve devoted who knows how many hours to them at this point and to say good-bye now is perhaps not the best business descision.  With that in mind, you do know that you need to retain your sanity.

Here is a quick guide on how to do it.  The first 5 are to help you take care of yourself and the last 5 are for dealing with the crazies:

1 – Take a break. Getting outside, even if you’re in the city, is a wonderful way to let your nerves settle.  Just taking your mind off the of the hectic issues at hand can have a wonderful ability to let you come back to it with ease and grace.

2 – Get some exercise. Maybe the person or situation you’re dealing with deserves more than just a break. Getting some exercise is just wonderful.  It doesn’t need to be a marathon, however I suggest a bit of pep in your step.  Raising your heart rate does all kinds of good things for us physiologically.

3 – Put yourself in their shoes. Chris Kelley, 3-d animator sevant,  commented on my other article to explain that it is important to remember when we are the client, and I think this is a great tip.  By stopping for a moment to really view their side, we may see something we had not before.  By intentionally being aware of a situation or circumstance that someone may be dealing with, we tend to have more compassion, thus better ability to help.

4 – Find something light hearted to think about. Laughing has all kinds of beneficial physiological effects on the body and engaging in something that isn’t quite as serious as the situation you are currently dealing with might be all it takes to get things moving in the right direction.  You may not want to do this in the face of the person who is making you pull your hair out, but to explain that you’ll need a few moments is completely acceptable.  Take 10-15 minutes and watch some stuff like

[youtube 5MeiwLLZjDo]

[youtube CQzUsTFqtW0]

5 – Indulge…a little bit. I’m not advocating going nuts yourself, but indulgence has a way of making everything all right.  I keep a pretty strict diet, but when I’m not feeling so hot I love to indulge with a King Size Hershey Bar w/ Almonds.  I also love to turn the radio up much higher than my dad ever thought was a good idea.  It’s just my thing and it always makes me feel better.  When I am collected and feel good, I am better at absorbing and deflecting the not so good stuff from crazies.

6 – Ask solution oriented questions. The ultimate goal is to provide a service and to help, so arguing and righteous indignation usually do not serve anything.  By asking pertinent questions about ways to move toward a solution, everyone wins.

7 – Be the opposite of them. Remain the constant, consistent, collected part of the equation.  Crazies are used to getting their way with the actions that they are currently displaying.  You have an obligation to them and yourself to offer objective advice and prudent direction, with regards to the service that you sell.  You cannot allow inappropriate behaviors on their part to inhibit your efforts.  Remain calm and even keel.

8 – Highlight “small” wins. Has there been a minor victory?  Revisit it!  Reminding them of a decision that you both agreed upon can be contagious.  By getting them into the mode of agreeing with you or accepting your advice as being good advice, it may begin to spread into other areas of the dynamic.

9 – Listen. This may seem a bit over simplified, but if we laser focus our listening, we are able to hear all kinds of things.

“We have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason” – unknown

Listening is also being aware of body language and tone.  The way someone is engaging with you, posture, and direction of communication can all be really good cues to the message they are really trying to convey.  Also, the tone in which someone is speaking can speak volumes, by itself.

10 – Reiterate your desire to help. Reminding an impossible client that you are on their side and that you wish to help can be very disarming.  If they are able to truly understand that you are their advocate, the’re actions may shift to that of being a bit more bearable.

If, in the end, you seem to be losing for more sleep and gaining more grey hair than it’s worth, it may be time to say goodbye.  However, if this is the case, I suggest doing it with manners and grace.  Thank them.  Wish them well.  Offer an alternative that may be able to use.

Onward and upward!

The Importance Of Saying Thank You

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thumbI read a compelling article from one of my favorite authors, Tim Ferris, today and it didn’t sit well with me.

The article highlights a rejection letter written by Edmund Wilson, that he gave to those that desired something of him.  Sure, he was extremely successful and in high demand, but is prudent to be a jerk?

The letter would be fine with me, if it added two words: Thank you

Its just good manners.

Even Sergey Brin (co-founder of Google) has the decency to say thanks.  He is busy, real busy, but his display of a bit of gratitude goes a long way.  It shows class.

On his blog, he writes:

“While I would like to receive and post many insightful comments, realistically I am unlikely to be able to read through all of them and may accept very few or none at all. Thank you for your understanding.”

Back to brokerhood…

We have all had a client that is a royal pain in the &^#.  They wanted everything yesterday, simply could not be satisfied with the service, and wanted a discount to boot.  They made you talk to yourself while you were driving; “That dag blasted fraggle something or another wants me to <insert ridiculous task>”, you said to yourself.  It’s ok.  It’s happened to the best of us.

So what do you do about it.  You let them go.  But how?  Thank them, and tell them that you’ll no longer be able to provide them service.  I do not believe you need to get into the ins and outs of how they are driving you crazy, as this usually don’t serve anything, but you may need to give some sort of explanation.

The important lesson I took away from Tim’s article, is that while you may not have time to help someone/everyone, it is good measure to always…ALWAYS say thank you for a chance to do so.

After all, if someone, even the crazies, hadn’t been interested in your services at some point, you wouldn’t be letting anyone go today.

Onward and upward!