Resource Zone
Welcome to the Resource Zone — home to MDRT’s multimedia resources to help you improve your productivity and run your business more efficiently.
Search by keyword, or browse by topic or collection, to find ideas in video, audio or text format.
Resource Zone
How to handle back-to-back video meetings without missing client details
Jennifer P. Mann, CFP, MBAIf you stack your appointments and need an easy way to remember client details, try this tip from Jennifer Mann.
Set a path
Liz DeCarloSetting and evaluating goals with employees goes beyond just activity levels.
My three-step process to every review appointment
Timothy Daniel Clairmont, CFP, MSFSLearn a simple presentation that can help you match clients' goals with their income and their assets in a single image. Using easy-to-understand language and analogies, Clairmont will help you quickly build trust and understanding to move clients forward in your planning process. The idea takes a client around four quadrants of when they should touch their money, educating them about which assets are best for which purposes and where the risks are that might need protecting.
Success stories from reopening my office – or keeping it closed
MDRTAs the pandemic continues and local governments update their guidance for social distancing, advisors are deciding whether to meet in person with clients or by leveraging technology. In this episode, MDRT members share how they have thrived whether through ongoing virtual work or through establishing in-office options. Featuring MDRT members Lam Pui Ka, Brad J. Myers, Leena Parwani, MBA, Cert CII.
Advising Clients
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Leading the leaders
As business owners struggle to survive, Lim goes live with advice and solutions.
Insurance allows young woman to die with dignity
When a 26-year-old woman gets a terminal diagnosis, Stuart Shee Yew Kuen is thankful he has sold her an insurance policy.
How to get referrals and 8 other great ideas
From creating positive podcasts to scheduling goals in 12-week blocks, MDRT members share strategies for success.
What I do to ensure clients are the right fit
How can you connect your own needs and preferences with the clientele you work with? In this episode, MDRT members explain how they prioritize honesty and match what they give with what they get back.
You’ll hear from:
Terri E. Krueger
Mark D. Olson, MSFS, CFP
Alain Poirier
Episode breakdown:
0:31 – Choosing to work with honest people that you like
1:56 – When you learn that taking on a client was a mistake
3:09 – Being honest when a client is occupying too much of your time
3:49 – Adding questions to identify potential red flags in a client
5:18 – Adjusting your approach when clients are reluctant to provide the information you need
Build better relationships through better questions and a different mindset
You will change how you relate to clients when you realize that although we don't have much control over what happens, we can choose how we relate to what happens.
Is your mindset about older clients outdated and offensive?
You may want to retire the terms “senior citizen,” “elderly” and “retirement” from your vocabulary, especially when talking to people in their 60s and beyond. Just because you know someone’s age doesn’t mean you know their goals and plans. Find out how you can connect better with clients as you listen to members of an MDRT book club discussing in-depth the “third age” with the authors of "What Retirees Want." MDRT members can see the see the full version of the discussion. Find out more about book clubs at mdrt.org/bookclub.
Science & software
Leledakis embraces a technology- and data-driven approach to prospect and client meetings.
The next employee benefit
Twedt finds financial solutions that companies can offer to the masses and customize for individuals.
Marketing
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How to be politely persistent and close more
Learn how you can stay in touch with prospects so they want to call you when they’re ready to buy insurance.
Become the go-to-advisor with webinars
The magic questions to ask clients about how they're doing, plus questions to ask about insurance.
Seeing things from the prospect’s point of view leads to business
Here is how when a client raises an objection, you can view the situation from their perspective.
My client's surprise wealth
Do you judge people by their appearance or get to know them more deeply than that? Do you meet with clients whose financial circumstances might change for the better? In this episode, MDRT members share how they connected with clients who turned out to have far more assets than initially thought.
You’ll hear from:
Terri E. Krueger
Alain Poirier
Episode breakdown:
0:28 – When clothes don’t match up with savings
1:59 – Looking beyond the surface for information that other advisors miss
2:53 – Less-than-ideal location becomes home to big winners
6 fixes for friends who hesitate to refer
Sometimes clients you consider friends don’t send you referrals, and you don’t know why. It could be for one of these six reasons.
My hidden talent and why it helps my business
If you’re a great salsa dancer or experienced singer, can that benefit your practice? In this episode, MDRT members share how their personal, potentially unrelated skills have crossed over to become professional assets.
You’ll hear from:
Xiao Chen
Chad Demarre
Maria Josefa Garcia
Stacy L. Kahan, CLU, RFC
Episode breakdown:
0:35 – Connecting with clients through dancing and food
2:15 – Singing for clients after appearing on the Chinese version of “American Idol”
5:18 – Utilizing a knack for being very persistent
9:03 – The talent of being able to read people well
Working with centers of influence
How to get introductions to their clients and maintain long-term relationships.
10 responses to whole life insurance objections
While the advantages of whole life over term insurance are obvious to you, that’s not always the case with prospects and clients. When discussing insurance with clients, try these ideas to help clarify the differences.
Practice Management
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Success stories from reopening my office – or keeping it closed
As the pandemic continues and local governments update their guidance for social distancing, advisors are deciding whether to meet in person with clients or by leveraging technology. In this episode, MDRT members share how they have thrived whether through ongoing virtual work or through establishing in-office options. Featuring MDRT members Lam Pui Ka, Brad J. Myers, Leena Parwani, MBA, Cert CII.
Creating camaraderie from afar through relationship building for remote teams
When working remotely, productivity can drop sharply as you lose touch with your team. With some planning, however, you can create a sense of camaraderie from afar.
Business breakup brings benefits
Kueider restructures her business following a separation from her longtime partner.
Why do I have to praise someone just for doing their job?
And 4 other questions leaders have about appreciation.
Whole Person
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How female advisors succeed — and help others do the same
A panel of three MDRT members discuss what it's like to be a female advisor and share their own success stories and how they’ve gained confidence over the years, as well as how to recruit and retain more female advisors into the profession.
5 steps to deal with leadership uncertainty
Leaders are human, and to be uncertain is human. Find out how you can embrace vulnerability and find opportunities.
Fighting as a team
Dailey secures MDRT Foundation grant for organization supporting people with ALS.
Success strategies from a legend
Past MDRT President and 42-time Top of the Table member Tony Gordon is one of MDRT’s favorite speakers. Join Past MDRT President, and 32-year member, Jennifer A. Borislow, CLU, as she taps into an MDRT legend to learn how he has achieved and maintained his level of success. Following the presentation you will have the opportunity to get your questions answered. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Gordon share his decades of experience to help you make the best of your career.
Books that have played an impactful role during challenging times
Have you found a book that can make a difference in a client’s life and taken the initiative to share it with them? In this episode, MDRT members explain each of the books they have chosen and the difference that it made.
You’ll hear from:
Catherine Chee Keng Lian, MBA, FChFP
John P. Enright
Sarah Helen Hogan, ACII
Episode breakdown:
0:31 – A surprising coincidence about “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse”
2:36 – Recognizing the elevated value of “Raising Financially Aware Kids” during the pandemic
3:12 – Why clients can learn from “Walking out of the Financial Maze”
There are many reasons why advisors might have wanted to share reading
The 3 P’s of this business
Meszaros shares how believing in people, purpose and passion allows her to take care of her clients and make a difference in the world.
Committed to helping
Brian Walsh brings his lifelong motto to his leadership role as MDRT Foundation President.