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
Standing out, staying in and more ideas to connect
Michael DePillaMDRT members share tips for standing out in the crowd, communicating in a virtual environment and more.
Market your practice: Think strategically about your niche
Brian D. Heckert, CLU, ChFCWill there be a point in your career when it becomes more enjoyable? Yes, when you find your niche. Find out more from the 2016 MDRT President Brian Heckert how this could work for you.
Help your client negotiate a better job offer
Renee Hanson, CFP, CDFALearn ideas how you can help your client negotiate for a better salary or benefits, from Top of the Table qualifier Renee Hanson.
How I've grown recently
MDRTHave you changed your view of your work-life balance? Or of the way you build your clientele and staff? In this episode, MDRT members share the progress they have made, and what it means for their practices.
You’ll hear from:
Leanne Barbara Bull, Dip FP, CFP
David Meszaros, CFP
Paresh B. Shah, CFP
Episode breakdown:
0:35 – Reframing how you perceive your work and your time off
1:17 – A new perspective while operating independently
1:54 – Benefiting from a bigger pool of applicants to your team
The gender divide
Elizabeth DiffinFinancial advisors must address unconscious gender bias when working with clients and prospects.
Advising Clients
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Client testimonials emphasize value and trustworthiness
Testimonial is a powerful persuasion in securing a client’s future with insurance. - Val Domingo
Build a fee-based mindset
Your expertise as a financial advisor is worth money and of value to clients. That mindset shift, along with being a holistic financial advisor, increased success for Top of the Table qualifier Mark Olson, CFP, MSFS.
Is it necessary to scare clients about income replacement?
Similar to “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” there are ways to discuss insurance coverage that are too hot, too cold, and just right. In this episode, MDRT members share how they make sure their conversations and questions establish the right tone with clients.
You’ll hear from:
Everett Revere Foxx
Steven Genoff, CFP
Brandon Green, ChFC, CLU
Dana Mitchell, CLU, CFP
Episode breakdown:
0:33 – Opening the conversation and learning about others they know who have been affected
1:25 – Establishing the implications of not creating this coverage
2:23 – Recognizing the responsibility of the advisor to be bold and ask thought-provoking questions
3:02 – An approach to questioning that is too soft
3:52 – An approach to questioning that is too harsh
5:32 – How to ask follow-up questions when you want to know more
7:24 – Why you want the client to see you as a teammate, not an opponent
MDRT is proud to support the Help Protect Our Families initiative: www.limra.com/helpprotectourfamilies
Begin asking for referrals with these questions
Asking for referrals can be awkward. It doesn’t have to be, though. Discover a coach for financial advisors’ three-step process, including not surprising clients at the end of a meeting by asking them for referrals.
A shocking statistic that motivates clients to take action
Try this method for discovering coverage gaps.
Q&A: Kennedy Sumarlie, AWP
Kennedy Sumarlie, AWP, has worked closely with high-net-worth clients in the past year.
Saving for a rainy day
Teach your clients how to create an emergency fund even during difficult times.
Why both partners need coverage
Helping clients understand the value of covering a stay-at-home spouse.
Are your clients’ most valuable possessions protected?
Find out how an MDRT member guides clients to discover they’re leaving their most valuable asset — themselves and their health — unprotected.
Marketing
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How can advisors work across genders?
All advisors must learn how to effectively work with clients of the opposite gender. Vanessa Bucklin and Addie Murdock discuss how male advisors can better relate to female clients.
Visibility equals credibility and clients
Find more clients when you amp up your visibility as a financial advisor with these simple-to-follow ideas.
Social media shortcut
Why LaLonde outsources the task of creating personalized posts for Facebook, Instagram and more.
Asking for a friend
Mannette builds a strong client base through referrals while also tackling revenue challenges.
Keep it in the family
Prospecting for young clients now means greater stability for your business later.
The gender divide
Financial advisors must address unconscious gender bias when working with clients and prospects.
How putting the family first snagged a high-profile client
Putting family before finances can win over clients.
How you can avoid working with clients who don’t actually want to hear your advice
Working with clients who don't want to hear your advice, plus how women are poised to be a major force in wealth management.
A second opinion leads to a more complete financial plan
How the ripple affect helps to grow referrals.
3 ideas to turn challenges into successes
Overcome a challenge in your financial services practice with one of these MDRT sales ideas.
Standing out, staying in and more ideas to connect
MDRT members share tips for standing out in the crowd, communicating in a virtual environment and more.
Easily overlooked improvements that have happened during tough times
Have you recently started making your own YouTube videos or sending out cookies to clients? In this episode, MDRT members share potentially underrated adjustments they have made that have made a difference during a challenging period.
You’ll hear from:
Lam Pui Ka
Brad J. Myers
Leena Parwani, MBA, Cert CII
Episode breakdown:
0:34 – Helping a new group of people through YouTube videos
2:33 – Developing connections through a new review program
6:33 – Fostering client touchpoints like virtual lunch-and-learns and cookie shipments
11:21 – Enhancing dialogue with clients who are parents of young children
13:22 – Offering to help older clients order food or use Zoom if they need assistance
Practice Management
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What is the main thing you get from your study group?
Clay Gillespie, R.J. Kelly, Juli McNeely and Nelson Wood share the key benefits they've received from being part of a study group.
Why study groups need agendas
To get the most out of study group meetings, Clay Gillespie, R.J. Kelly, Juli McNeely and Nelson Wood believe in the power of an agenda. Having a set agenda keeps everyone on track and makes sure you respect members' time.
The importance of commitment in a study group
Being in a study group shouldn't be a casual thing. Clay Gillespie explains why it's essential that members attend and participate fully in meetings.
Why and how to start a study group
Study group veterans Clay Gillespie, Juli McNeely and Nelson Wood explain why being part of a study group is a valuable investment into your career, plus how to start one.
Lead from the front: Leading the team throughout many unknowns in the industry and society
As we continue on the pandemic, uncertain times persevere. “I tell my staff that what we’re doing is not short term. What we’re doing allows our clients to sleep at night knowing their policies are intact and will protect them. A lot of my clients have become good friends of mine. It’s become personal. They know I’m there to service their accounts until my last breath." Find out how you can lead your team through today’s many uncertainties from member Janet N. Ng, FChFP, CEPP.
Tips on how emerging technology can help you reach your career goals
MDRT member Jayaraj Kadam shares his experience on how using digital tools has helped him overcome challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adapt a client-first mentality in three steps
Enrilydo “Don” I. Ursal highlights the importance of the client-first mentality’s role in his seven-year consecutive journey as an MDRT member and shares how financial advisors can consistently practice putting clients first in three steps.
5 reasons to implement AI in the insurance industry
Amid the discussion about AI application in the insurance industry, the question remains: What exactly can AI do for insurance?
Taking the leap with technology
Jerry Yeo shares on adopting digital transformation and balancing between leveraging technology and providing the human touch.
Examining the role of technology and artificial intelligence in financial services
Will technology replace financial advisors one day? Find out how financial professionals can tap on technology and AI to add value to their services.
Becoming a resource to clients and staff when circumstances change
There have been countless unexpected challenges to navigate in the last year, from educating clients about COVID coverage to developing new procedures for remote staff. In this episode, MDRT members share how they have adapted to help clients, team members and themselves succeed in the face of difficulty.
You’ll hear from:
Lam Pui Ka
Brad J. Myers
Leena Parwani, MBA, Cert CII
Episode breakdown:
0:34 – Helping clients know about COVID-related coverage and treatment
3:04 – The importance of ensuring that clients are aware of what you can do
4:32 – Creating webinars focused on timely concerns for clients
10:34 – Where that information comes from if it’s not part of your expertise
13:29 – Developing new onboarding procedures when the team works remotely
16:48 – Strategies to foster increased virtual communication with new staff
Soft skills: The key to strengthen client relationships and ensure good service levels
Discover the benefits and relevance of soft skills in our industry and how best to develop them.
Whole Person
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How we balance work and motherhood
Vanessa Bucklin and Addie Murdock explain how they navigate the work-life balance as busy moms and successful advisors.
How I've grown recently
Have you changed your view of your work-life balance? Or of the way you build your clientele and staff? In this episode, MDRT members share the progress they have made, and what it means for their practices.
You’ll hear from:
Leanne Barbara Bull, Dip FP, CFP
David Meszaros, CFP
Paresh B. Shah, CFP
Episode breakdown:
0:35 – Reframing how you perceive your work and your time off
1:17 – A new perspective while operating independently
1:54 – Benefiting from a bigger pool of applicants to your team
Turning tragedy into opportunity
Hertel sponsors MDRT Foundation grant for Be Like Brit Foundation in Haiti.
Expanding your perspective
Is there a different way to look at working with clients or marketing ideas? After reading “Eyes Wide Open” by Isaac Lidsky and talking with the author in their book club, four MDRT members shared their life and career-enhancing ideas. Watch Terri Krueger, Alison Murdock, Ted Rusinoff and Brendan Walsh to see more. MDRT members can see the full version of the discussion with Lidsky. Find out more about book clubs at mdrt.org/bookclub.
Combatting decision fatigue
Try these strategies to fight depleting energy caused by a constant barrage of decisions.
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.
